Claim
An X post by @debbySimon69 alleges that all personnel of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force, as well as all 17 governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), are in Osun State to help the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rig the August 15, 2026 governorship election in favour of the APC.
Why We Checked
The claim, which alleges a coordinated plan involving the Nigerian Army, the police, INEC, the President and APC governors to manipulate the outcome of the Osun governorship election, is capable of undermining public confidence in the electoral process.
Given the seriousness of the allegation and the potential for such claims to mislead voters and create tension ahead of the election, CEMESO verified it.
Verification
The claim makes several broad allegations. First, it states that all personnel of the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force are in Osun State. However, the post provided no evidence to support this assertion.
Nigeria’s military and police personnel are deployed across the country to carry out their constitutional and operational responsibilities. A claim that all personnel of both institutions have been moved to a single state would require substantial and verifiable evidence, such as an official announcement or credible documentation showing such a nationwide withdrawal and deployment.
Halt Fake found no evidence to support the claim that all personnel of the Nigerian Army and Nigeria Police Force are currently in Osun State.
The post also claims that all 17 APC governors are in Osun State. However, no verifiable evidence was provided to show that all the governors were physically present in the state at the same time.
While political leaders and party members may visit a state to participate in campaign activities or support their candidates, the presence of political actors alone does not establish that they are involved in election rigging.
Furthermore, the post alleges that the security agencies, APC governors, INEC and President Tinubu are working together to rig the election. Halt Fake found no credible evidence, official document, verifiable video, or statement establishing the existence of such a coordinated plan.
The post relies on an unsubstantiated allegation and does not provide evidence demonstrating that the named institutions and individuals are conspiring to manipulate the outcome of the election.
Verdict
FALSE.
There is no evidence that all personnel of the Nigerian Army and Nigeria Police Force, or all 17 APC governors, are in Osun State to help INEC and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu rig the August 15, 2026 Osun State governorship election in favour of the APC.
The X post provides no verifiable evidence to support its sweeping allegations, and Halt Fake found no credible evidence establishing the alleged coordinated plan to rig the election.
