False Claim Circulates About Political Father-Son Relationship in FCT

A social media claim suggesting that Philip Aduda, former senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is the biological father of Ezekiel Musa Dalhatu, a former commissioner of the Public Complaints Commission (PCC), has been debunked after thorough investigation.

The allegation surfaced on Friday when an X (formerly Twitter) user named RileyTTS published a post claiming a father-son relationship between the two politicians. The post, which included a photo of both men with the caption “father and son,” alleged that Dalhatu had deliberately avoided using Aduda’s surname to facilitate his own political ambitions for the 2027 FCT senatorial election.

The post gained significant traction on social media, accumulating over 400 reposts, 130 quotes, and 2,000 likes. It sparked numerous reactions from other users, with some criticizing the alleged family connection as political maneuvering.

“Na plan work. I hate people like this. Their machinations is usually to reap the people by all means necessary,” wrote one X user, while another commented, “If the father is not getting it then the son would, any way it goes it’s a win win for the family.”

The timing of these allegations coincides with both men’s recent political movements. Aduda, 56, recently joined the All Progressives Congress (APC), while Dalhatu is now a member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Political observers have speculated that both men may be eyeing the FCT senatorial tickets of their respective parties in the upcoming 2027 elections, though neither has made formal declarations.

Aduda previously represented the FCT in the Senate but lost his seat in the 2023 election to Ireti Kingibe. Despite challenging the results through legal channels, both the tribunal and appeal court upheld Kingibe’s victory.

However, an investigation by CableCheck revealed no evidence supporting the claimed father-son relationship. In fact, documentary evidence points to the contrary. Dalhatu’s social media history shows that he regularly commemorates the anniversary of his biological father’s death each July 21. According to these posts, his father was Reverend Dalhatu Musa, who passed away at age 90 in 2020.

Further verification uncovered video footage from Reverend Musa’s burial ceremony in July 2020, uploaded by Agbagyisha-TV. Additional Facebook posts from Dalhatu in subsequent years continued to commemorate his late father, with one post showing Dalhatu standing beside his father’s open coffin during the burial service.

The claim that Dalhatu had removed his surname to distance himself from Aduda also proved false. Multiple social media posts confirm that “Dalhatu Musa” was indeed his father’s name, indicating that Ezekiel Musa Dalhatu has been using his family name consistently.

The circulation of such unverified claims highlights the increasing role of social media in political discourse ahead of Nigeria’s electoral cycle. False narratives about political figures can spread rapidly, potentially influencing public perception and electoral outcomes.

As the 2027 election season approaches, political observers note that the FCT senatorial race is likely to be highly contested, with both Aduda and Dalhatu emerging as potential candidates from different political platforms. This environment may contribute to the proliferation of misinformation as political tensions rise.

After thorough verification of available evidence, the claim that Philip Aduda is the biological father of Ezekiel Musa Dalhatu has been conclusively determined to be false.