A video shared on social media claims that the U.S. has not yet congratulated Nigerian President-elect Bola Ahmed Tinubu due to suspicions of election fraud.

Verdict: False

The U.S. Government formally congratulated Tinubu. There is no evidence suggesting the U.S. has retracted their congratulation or have raised any suspicions.

Fact Check:

The Nigerian State of Lagos recently re-elected ruling party member Babajide Sanwo-Olu as governor, squelching Labour Party hopes for a victory after the contentious Presidential election, Al Jazeera reported. Peter Obi, candidate of the Labour Party, has filed a petition with the court over the results of the presidential election after coming third, Reuters reported.

The Facebook post purports the U.S. will not congratulate Tinubu until the election is proven to be legitimate. The post shared on social media features a video of a lawyer arguing that the Nigerian presidential election was conducted fraudulently.”

“Vote rigging, vote buying and bribery marred Nigeria’s presidential elections,” the caption reads. “Hence American has not congratulated Tinubu. #PeterObi.”

There is no credible news report that suggests the U.S. Government did not congratulate Tinubu on his presidential win. Spokesperson Ned Price led a Department Press Briefing, at the Department of State, on Mar. 1, 2023 to officially congratulate Tinubu. The U.S. Embassy and Consulate in Nigeria also issued a statement of congratulations to Tinubu.

The video in the post is from a speech given by a lawyer named Bruce Delvalle at a Washington D.C. based guild of journalists, The National Press Club. DelValle argued that the Nigerian election was marred by fraud. DelValle’s opinions do not represent the U.S. Government.

Tinubu faced backlash from his opponents after his win. Labour Party’s Peter Obi and Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Atiku Abubakar called for a revote due to the delay in voting results, according to Le Monde. (RELATED: Did The President Of Nigeria Claim The Election Fraudulent?)

This is not the first time misinformation about the Nigerian election has spread online. Check Your Fact recently debunked a video that had been shared as evidence of election fraud in Nigeria.