The wife of Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo, Nonye Soludo, has dismissed a viral video allegedly showing her son, Ozonna Soludo, campaigning for the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi.
The video, which has circulated widely on social media, showed Ozonna, a social media personality, dancing to a song promoting Obi, with the former Labour Party presidential candidate’s photograph and the NDC logo featured in the clip.
However, Nonye, through her media aide, Daniel Ezeigwe, described the footage as doctored, insisting that it did not originate from Ozonna and warning against attempts to associate him with the video.
In a statement, the governor’s wife’s media aide described the circulation of the footage as malicious and an attempt to spread misinformation.
“The video being mischievously circulated and falsely attributed to Ozonna Soludo, son of Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, did not originate from him. Any attempt to associate him with the video is false, malicious, and entirely unacceptable,” the statement read.
The statement further alleged that a man identified as Kelechi Simon, reportedly a medical radiographer based in Delta State, had been linked to the creation and circulation of the video.
“Let it be clearly understood that we are watching this development closely,” it added.
Nonye warned individuals involved in spreading the footage to stop immediately, stressing that anyone found engaging in misinformation or libel could face legal consequences.
“Those peddling this misinformation are hereby warned to desist immediately. The laws against misinformation and libel remain in force, and anyone who engages in unlawful conduct should be prepared to face the full consequences. The internet is not a lawless territory, and political desperation is no defence against the law,” the statement added.
The statement also urged members of the public to exercise caution before sharing information on social media, emphasising the importance of verifying claims before publication.
“Verify before you publish. Think before you share. Those who deliberately spread falsehoods should not assume they are beyond the reach of the law,” it stated.
It further acknowledged that Nigerians have the constitutional freedom to support political candidates of their choice and participate in political debates but warned against using fabricated content and propaganda to mislead the public.
“Everyone is free to campaign for their preferred candidate, express political opinions, and engage in legitimate political debate. However, such freedom must not be abused through fabricated stories, malicious propaganda, or deliberate falsehoods,” the statement said.
