By Dare Akogun
CLAIM: Dutch National born in Nigeria Wiebe Boer declares his intention to contest for Plateau governorship.
Screenshot of the Poster
A Facebook user Emeka Gift Official posted a poster of a man seeking to become the governor of Plateau state North Central Nigeria with a caption that reads: “2023: Dutch Nigerian Declares Interest to Run for Plateau State Governorship.
“His real name is Wiebe Boer, he’s a Dutchman. Yohanna Maigona is his Hausa name. He was born in Jos and finished his secondary school in the city. He reportedly began speaking Hausa Language even before English.”
The poster was also published by some other Facebook users Tolu Meduna and Gossip Master with similar captions.
Screenshot of the facebook post
It was also posted on Twitter by a user with the handle@Fattylincornn.
Screenshot of the post on Tweeter
Several online news websites in Nigeria includingSahara Reporters, PM News also reported the purported declaration to contest the gubernatorial race in Plateau State.
Screenshot of the news
FINDINGS
Findings by FRESHINSIGHTTV shows that the image of the man in the poster is truly that of Wiebe Boer, Chief Executive Officer of All On, an off-grid energy investment company in Nigeria.
Boer was born and brought up in Jos, North Central Nigeria to Dutch missionary parents, according to aBusiness Day report.
In the report His father and mother came to Taraba State, Nigeria, in 1966 as missionaries to spread the gospel and engage with the Nigerian church and leadership.
He also authored a book: “A Story of Heroes and Epics: The History of Football in Nigeria.”
When contacted, most social media handles spreading ‘the news’ could not provide any source to where he made the declaration.
A keyword search on the internet also gave no result of where he made the declaration.
Also, Boer in a statement posted on his LinkedInaccount on Monday, May 9, 2022, debunked the news that he has joined the Plateau state governorship race.
The post reads; “It has come to my attention that posters implying that I am running for Governor of Plateau State under the name of Yohanna Maigona have gone viral. I am categorically stating that I have no intention of running for political office in Nigeria, and I am not eligible to do so.
“The only truth to the insinuation is that I was born in Jos and raised in Taraba and Plateau States to Dutch missionary parents and have spent the last 12 years living in Lagos and serving Nigeria and Nigerians in various capacities. I have always been a staunch believer in the potential of Nigeria and will continue to support the country’s development from the sidelines,” he wrote.
Screenshot of the post on Linkedln
VERDICT
From the above information the claim that Nigeria born Dutch National Wiebe Boer a.k.a. Yohanna Maigona has declared his intention to contest the Plateau governorship seat is FALSE.
