Fact-Check: Did a Yoruba Man Win State Assembly Election in Abia?
Claim: Social Media platforms and some blogs are awash with claims that Anthony Chinasa-Abiola, a Yoruba man, who contested under the Labour Party has won the election to represent Umuahia Central Constituency at the Abia State House of Assembly.
Full Text: Some of the blog post have hailed the outcome as a “significant display of unity and the importance of competence over tribal considerations, Anthony Chinasa-Abiola, a Yoruba man, has won the election to represent Umuahia Central Constituency at the Abia State House of Assembly. Abiola, who contested under the Labour Party, has been widely praised for promoting unity among diverse Nigerian communities.”
Reacting on Nairaland, a user iyrojc wrote, “A Yoruba Man came to Igboland, got the support of the Igbos and is celebrated in Igboland by the Igbos, no intimidation.”
Another user ChangedChnges wrote, “Shame on all insecure-feeling tribalists. This election has really exposed the hidden serpents,” while another user SLAP44 wrote,”Congratulations my Igbo brothers, you are really teaching Nigeria civility. The only thing we consider is competence and character, not tribe. Congratulations Chinasa Abiola.”
A major challenge in the contest for state Elections is the question of indigenes versus settlers or indigenes and residents.
Questions have been raised about some of the governorship and state Assembly candidates across the federation, especially in Lagos, Enugu and Abia states among others.
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Verification: Investigations by PRNigeria reveals that although most of Mr Chinansa’s personal life has not to been revealed on the internet, publicly available information indicates that he is a politician from Abia state under the Labour Political party in Nigeria. He later left the All Progressives Congress (APC) and officially joined the Labour party where he contested for the seat of the Abia State House of Assembly under the party and won.
Further online checks revealed that Mr Chinansa himself has denied the claim.
He spoke with TVC News exclusively saying it was a mischief of the election season.
“I am not a yoruba man, I don’t have any mixed breed at all, i am a typical igbo man i am an Ibekwu man…
“I am a full-fledged Igbo man, a full flesh ibeku man. My mother and father are Igbo. I am not a Yoruba man. My Yoruba name Abiola is just a guy name.” he said while speaking to the TV station.
He further explained that the Yoruba name in his name was a nickname but accused his opponents of using it to engineer bad blood against his electoral chances.
Conclusion: Findings by PRNigeria reveals that Hon. Anthony Chinasa-Abiola, has denied the claim that he was a Yoruba man, emphasising that he was a typical igbo man who has no mixed blood.
PRNigeria therefore concludes that the claim that the elected Abia legislator, Hon. Anthony Chinasa-Abiola is a Yoruba man, is FALSE.
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By PRNigeria
