In the midst of an increasingly digital age, misinformation and false claims can spread like wildfire across social media and blogs. One of such instances involves a recent post that circulated online, claiming that Justice Boloukuoromo M. Ugo, a prominent figure and one of the justices presiding over the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT), had tendered his resignation.
The original post, which appeared on a Facebook page with the username “Igbo Times Magazine” on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, asserted that Justice Ugo believed siding with the government on a particular matter would result in the “death of Nigeria’s democracy.” The post alleges that he cited threats to democracy and collusion with a prominent candidate, likely Bola Tinubu, in the upcoming presidential election.
However, thorough fact-checking by Explainer reveals significant flaws in the claim. The post wrongly refers to an alleged upcoming election, despite the fact that the elections have since been concluded months ago. This discrepancy raises doubts about the credibility of the entire story.
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Further investigation showed that no credible media platforms have reported on Justice Ugo’s resignation, and he has remained silent on the matter since the outbreak of the news. Additionally, the Court of Appeal, through its Chief Registrar Malam Umar Mohammed Bangari, has vehemently denied any resignation by Justice Ugo, affirming that he is still an active member of the panel of Justices handling election petitions.
In light of these findings, the alleged resignation of Justice Boloukuoromo M. Ugo is debunked as false and misleading.
