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Festus Keyamo And Femi Fani-Kayode Are Fake News Peddlers -EU Report
Two notable figures have found themselves at the center of a controversy surrounding the propagation of fake news during Nigeria’s 2023 elections.
The recently published ‘European Union Election Observation Mission NIGERIA 2023 Final Report’ has unveiled the names of Keyamo and Fani-Kayode, highlighting their involvement as purveyors of misleading information that deceived the public before and throughout the crucial electoral process.
This was disclosed in a statement released by the EU observers on Tuesday.
The statement reads “There was an increased incidence of misleading information in the days leading up to and during the election. In many cases, false reports were spread by well-known personalities associated with political parties,”
The EU observers’ report highlighted instances where spokespersons for then-presidential candidate Bola Tinubu’s campaign team, specifically Mr Keyamo and Mr Fani-Kayode, were involved in disseminating fake news during their campaign activities.
“On 12 February, Festus Keyamo from APC promoted information published by a suspicious website, accusing Peter Obi of bribery. The story quickly became viral and was in few hours debunked,” the report noted.
It added, “Femi Fani-Kayode, a former minister of aviation and an APC party member, made a claim on February 11, 2023, that the PDP presidential candidate Abubakar had a secret meeting with serving military generals in Abuja.”
The EU observers stated, “He accused Atiku of wanting to incite chaos, provoke a coup d’état, and establish a new and unconstitutional order.
“Kayode posted this claim across multiple social media platforms, and it garnered 281.2k total impressions. The next day, he posted that the Army denied reports about a meeting between its officers and Atiku.”
Reacting to the EU report on Monday, Mr Keyamo said, “All the hoopla over that EU report is neither here nor there when it comes to legitimising or delegitimising the government of the day. That power or responsibility belongs to the judiciary.”
Contrary to claims that the 2023 general elections in Nigeria were free, fair, and credible, the EU observers’ report has debunked such assertions.
The report expressed dismay over the alarming death toll of 74 people during the elections and criticized the Nigerian police for targeting journalists while turning a blind eye to political thugs who disrupted the polling process.
The Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has launched a 5-day Hands-on Oracle Primavera P6 Training in Rivers State, targeting 50 participants.
The training, being executed by Mathnebi Nig. Ltd, commenced today, March 16th and will run until Friday, March 20th.
The intensive hands-on program aims to equip participants with practical skills in project management using Oracle Primavera P6, enhancing their capabilities in the energy and construction sectors.
The NCDMB’s sponsorship of the training underscores its commitment to boosting local capacity and driving Nigeria’s economic growth through skills development.
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The training is expected to benefit participants and contribute to the development of Nigeria’s project management landscape.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has sworn in Mr. Taiwo Oyedele as Nigeria’s new Minister of State for Finance at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa.
The swearing-in ceremony took place shortly after the Senate confirmed Oyedele’s nomination last Wednesday.
Oyedele, 50, from Ikaram, Akoko in Ondo State, brings over two decades of experience in fiscal policy and tax administration.
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He previously chaired the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, which overhauled Nigeria’s tax system, introducing zero income tax for Nigerians earning N800,000 or less and exemptions for small businesses with turnovers below N50 million.
During his Senate screening, Oyedele described his appointment as “a call to serve at a critical time when Nigeria faces significant fiscal challenges and remarkable opportunities.”
He replaces Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, who has been redeployed to the Ministry of Budget and National Planning.
Oyedele also spent 22 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers, held executive programs at top global institutions including the London School of Economics and Harvard Kennedy School, and currently serves as a professor at Babcock University.
The minister’s appointment signals a continued focus on implementing the Tax Reform Acts, which took effect on January 1, 2026, and aim to simplify Nigeria’s tax system while boosting economic growth.
Passengers were thrown into panic on Monday after a train operating along the Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor derailed, leaving several passengers injured and disrupting services on the busy route.
The train, which was travelling from Kaduna to Abuja, reportedly failed to reach its destination as scheduled after the incident occurred along the rail line linking both cities.
According to passengers on board, the incident happened suddenly, sending shock through the coaches as the train came to an abrupt halt.
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Some passengers said they heard a loud bang before the train jolted violently, throwing several occupants off their seats.
Eyewitnesses said the sudden impact caused confusion inside the train compartments, with some passengers sustaining cuts and bruises after hitting seats and metal fittings.
Initial reports suggested that the Abuja-bound train might have collided with another train along the corridor, forcing rail operations to pause temporarily while authorities assessed the situation.
A source within the Nigerian Railway Corporation confirmed the incident but declined to give full details, noting that he was not authorised to speak publicly on the matter.
One of the passengers, Sada Malumfashi, shared his experience on social media shortly after leaving the train.
He described the moment as frightening, stating that the loud sound and sudden stop caused many passengers to be flung from their seats.
He said the train remained stationary for about 30 minutes before the journey resumed slowly toward Kubwa, located on the outskirts of Abuja.
When contacted, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Callistus Unyimadu, confirmed the development and said an official statement would be issued.
Authorities are yet to disclose the exact cause of the derailment or the full extent of injuries as investigations continue.
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