Truth or Political Propaganda? What Oriyomi Hamzat’s Response Reveals About the Battle Against Election Misinformation in Osun

Akahi News learnt that popular broadcaster and Accord Party governorship candidate in Oyo State, Oriyomi Hamzat, has denied claims that he is supporting the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in the forthcoming Osun State election, Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji (AMBO). The denial followed the circulation of a viral video on social media which some users interpreted as an endorsement of the APC candidate.

Akahi News gathered that Hamzat explained the video was recorded on 21 June 2025 during the inauguration of his fan club in Ikire, Apomu and Ikoyi in Osun State, when representatives of Oyebamiji attended the event and made a donation. According to him, the event took place before he joined the Accord Party and before Oyebamiji secured the APC governorship ticket. He described attempts to portray the old footage as a current endorsement as misleading and reaffirmed his support for the re-election of Governor Ademola Adeleke in the 15 August 2026 governorship election.

What Exactly Has Changed

Beyond Hamzat’s personal clarification, the incident underscores a growing challenge confronting Nigeria’s democracy—the increasing use of old videos, edited clips and content taken out of context to influence public opinion during election campaigns.

Political communication has evolved dramatically with social media. A video recorded months or even years earlier can be reposted within minutes and presented as recent, often without context. In a politically charged environment, such content can shape perceptions before the truth catches up.

Hamzat’s explanation also illustrates an important democratic principle: political relationships evolve. Attendance at an event or cordial interaction between political figures does not necessarily amount to an endorsement. Citizens should therefore distinguish between social engagement, political courtesy and formal campaign support.

The episode further highlights the responsibility of political actors. While politicians have every right to defend their reputations against misinformation, they also bear a duty to communicate promptly and transparently whenever misleading narratives emerge. Delayed responses often allow false impressions to gain wider acceptance.

For the electorate, the controversy is another reminder that elections are increasingly fought not only through rallies and debates but also through digital information. The credibility of future elections will depend partly on how effectively political parties, electoral institutions, media organisations and citizens resist misinformation.

Equally important is the conduct of those circulating political content. Deliberately recycling old materials without explaining their original context undermines informed democratic participation. Whether done by party loyalists, anonymous social media users or organised campaign structures, such practices weaken public trust in political discourse.

Ultimately, the significance of this development extends beyond one individual. It raises broader questions about truth, political ethics and the quality of information available to voters as Osun approaches another important governorship election.

Five Things Every Nigerian Should Know

1. Old videos can create false narratives. Content from previous events can easily be presented as current if its original context is hidden.
2. Political endorsements should be verified. Genuine endorsements usually come through official statements or recognised campaign platforms.
3. Election misinformation spreads quickly. Social media allows inaccurate political claims to reach thousands before corrections emerge.
4. Context matters. Statements or appearances should always be assessed within the circumstances in which they originally occurred.
5. Voters remain the first line of defence. Verifying political information before sharing it helps protect electoral integrity.

Reflective Questions Worth Sitting With

i. How much influence do viral social media videos have on voters’ decisions?

ii. Should there be stronger consequences for deliberately recycling misleading political content?

iii. How can political parties discourage misinformation by their supporters?

iv. What role should citizens play in verifying political claims before sharing them?

v. Are Nigeria’s existing laws sufficient to address election-related misinformation?

vi. How can political campaigns remain competitive without sacrificing honesty and integrity?

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i. Political parties should publicly discourage the circulation of manipulated or misleading campaign materials.

ii. Citizens should verify the date and source of viral political videos before believing or sharing them.

iii. Electoral stakeholders should intensify voter education on digital misinformation.

iv. Social media platforms should respond more swiftly to demonstrably misleading election content.

v. Public figures should issue timely clarifications whenever misinformation emerges.

vi. Election campaigns should prioritise issue-based debates over information manipulation.

Questions And Answers: Breaking Down The Development

Who is affected?

i. Oriyomi Hamzat.

ii. APC governorship candidate Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji.

iii. Governor Ademola Adeleke and his supporters.

iv. Osun voters.

v. Political parties participating in the governorship election.

What happened?

i. A viral video suggested Hamzat was supporting the APC candidate.

ii. Hamzat denied the claim.

iii. He said the video was recorded in June 2025 before subsequent political developments.

iv. He reaffirmed support for Governor Adeleke’s re-election.

When did it happen?

i. The clarification was issued on 30 June 2026.

ii. The disputed video was recorded on 21 June 2025.

Where did it happen?

i. The original event took place in Ikire, Apomu and Ikoyi in Osun State.

ii. The controversy relates to the forthcoming Osun State governorship election.

Why is this important?

i. It highlights the growing challenge of election misinformation.

ii. It reinforces the need to verify political content before accepting it as fact.

iii. It promotes transparency in political communication.

iv. It reminds voters to evaluate evidence rather than viral narratives.

How will it proceed?

i. Hamzat has urged the public to disregard the viral video.

ii. Political campaigns are expected to continue ahead of the election.

iii. Public scrutiny of online political content is likely to intensify.

iv. Voters will ultimately determine the election based on verified information and campaign issues.