A video of a man with an uncanny resemblance to Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Ondo governor, has been making the round on social media.
The man, who has similar facial features to Aiyedatiwa, is seen in a heated argument with some women, code switching between Yoruba and English.
One of the women held onto the man’s clothes, accusing him of physically assaulting her.
The location and cause of the incident is unclear as of press time.
The video has been shared across social media platforms, with claims that the man in the clip is Aiyedatiwa.
DOPPELGANGER
Checks by TheCable show that some of the man’s facial features are different from Aiyedatiwa’s. His dentition is also not the same as Aiyedatiwa’s. The man in the clip is gap-toothed. Aiyedatiwa is not.
The man in the trending video has a different voice from Aiyedatiwa’s. The Ondo governor is soft-spoken to a degree, the man in the clip has a husky, almost raspy voice.
While beards can be altered now and again, it was also worth noting that the beard of the man in the clip is different from the governor’s signature sideburns.
The resemblance is admittedly striking, it has to be noted. But that is where it ends.
ONDO GOVERNMENT RESPONDS
Responding to the claims, Allen Sowore, media aide to the governor, said in a statement that the video is a ploy to tarnish Aiyedatiwa’s image ahead of the November governorship election.
Sowore highlighted some differences in the facial and vocal features of the man in the clip and those of the governor.
“For the benefit of the unsuspecting public who may be swayed by the video at first glance, it is crucial to clarify that the man in the video is not the Governor of Ondo State,” the statement reads.
“A closer examination of the video reveals several striking differences: Facial Hair: Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa no longer wears that type of beard, unlike the individual in the clip. The Governor changed his appearance over a year ago.
“2. Diastema: The man in the video has a noticeable gap between his upper and lower teeth (diastema). Governor Aiyedatiwa does not have this feature.
“3. Voice: The man in the video speaks loudly, and his voice is distinctly different from Governor Aiyedatiwa’s vocal tone.
“4: More importantly, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has never worked in the United Kingdom at any point in his life, as implied in the conversation from the video.
“5. Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa has an oval face while the individual in the video has a round face.
“The public is encouraged to carefully examine the video and notice these clear distinctions before arriving at the erroneous conclusion that the man in the video is Governor Aiyedatiwa.”