Fact-Check: Viral Semovita-and-APC Placard Photo Is Not from Ekiti State

Claim: A photo of people holding packs of semovita while holding the APC placard is from Ekiti State.

Verdict: Misleading. The photo is from weeks ago and from Oyo State.

Full Story

A photograph showing a crowd of people holding packs of semovita while raising placards of the All Progressives Congress (APC) is being circulated online with claims that it was taken in Ekiti State ahead of the governorship election.

Facebook user Ugolo Matthew posted the photo on the 19th of June with the caption, “Ahead of Ekiti State governorship election slated for June 20, some people have started collecting food items from politicians.

Remember bandits won’t collect food items and 5k as ransom when insecurity hit you, even those politicians bribing you right now won’t rescue you.

#Oyekotiye”

 The image surfaced in election-related discussions less than 24 hours before voting, with users claiming it showed political mobilisation or voter inducement in Ekiti.

However, the claim is false. Findings show the photograph was not taken in Ekiti State; it originated in Oyo State and is being recirculated with a misleading location claim.

A review of the image and available records shows it predates the Ekiti governorship election and is unrelated to current events in the state. It was previously linked to political activity in Oyo State; the photo has resurfaced with a caption falsely tying it to developments in Ekiti.

This is a case of content recycling and false context, a common form of election misinformation in which genuine images are reused to support misleading narratives.

Unlike manipulated images that alter visual elements, false-context claims rely on changing the explanation attached to an authentic photo.

Here, the photo is genuine, but the claim about when and where it was taken is false.

With voting only hours away, false information can shape expectations and undermine public confidence. Citizens need accurate updates based on real developments, not recycled content from unrelated locations.

Conclusion

The claim that the semovita-and-APC placard photo was taken in Ekiti State is false and therefore misleading.

Available evidence shows that the image originated from Oyo State and is being circulated out of context ahead of the Ekiti governorship election.

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