Claim: A video circulating on social media shows a truck decorated with colours of the New Patriotic Party and logos, with a voice-over of actor Kwaku Manu campaigning for the party while using derogatory language.
Verdict: Misleading. The voice-over in the video is not original. It was lifted from an actor, Kwaku Manu, in a skit and added to the footage. The viral video was altered, possibly to misrepresent the party’s campaign message.
BODY
A video shared on social media by users like BK DESTINY and Aba.the.great depicts a campaign truck adorned with the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) colours and logos, featuring a megaphone broadcasting a voice-over allegedly from actor Kwaku Manu. The videos, posted on November 22, 2024, have already garnered 400 likes and 80 comments, sparking significant discussion online.
While some commenters refuted the video’s authenticity, arguing that the NPP would not engage in such messaging, others speculated that it could have been doctored by members of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to tarnish the NPP’s image.
CitiVerify analysed the voice-over, which translates to: “We have got what we need in government already. We do not need to beg for your votes. We have already won the elections. If you will not vote for us, we will simply rig the elections.” This messaging, if genuine, would portray the NPP as dismissive and disrespectful in its campaign efforts.
As the elections draw near, celebrity endorsements have played a pivotal role in influencing public opinion. Misrepresenting actor Kwaku Manu as campaigning for the NPP could potentially affect the party’s popularity. Given the video’s potential to sway voters, CitiVerify conducted a detailed investigation to determine its authenticity.
VERIFICATION
CitiVerify began its investigation with the video posted by BK Destiny on TikTok, which featured the original sound attributed to a user named “Kwaku Manu Bob.” A review of the account confirmed it as the verified TikTok profile of actor Kwaku Manu.
The audio in question originates from an earlier video where Kwaku Manu is seen wearing a T-shirt bearing blue, white, and red colours with the inscription DPP on the back. In this original video, he delivers the same message as heard in the viral clip.
CitiVerify deduced that the colours of Kwaku Manu’s T-shirt could easily create a misconception, leading viewers to associate him with the NPP, as those are the party’s official colours.
Further investigation, utilising InVID and Google reverse image search, uncovered additional videos shared by social media users aiming to debunk claims that Kwaku Manu was campaigning for the NPP.
These sources clarified that the video shared by Kwaku Manu was part of a skit created ahead of the elections.
CitiVerify also found a related video featuring actor Jeneral Ntatia, who delivers a similar message to Kwaku Manu. He is also seen in a shirt with the inscription CPM suggesting an alternative political party. This video was posted on Jeneral Ntatia’s official TikTok account with the caption: “The Campaign continues. We bring you better policies that will help you. #BeyondTheBallotMovie.” A follow-up search on the hashtag revealed additional videos of individuals wearing T-shirts identical to Kwaku Manu’s, all bearing the DPP inscription.
CitiVerify concluded that all the videos featuring Kwaku Manu and Jeneral Ntatia are funny skits ahead of the elections, and are not genuine political endorsements or campaign material.
Although the videos have been clarified as skits, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Entrepreneurship & Innovation Programme (NEIP), Kofi Ofosu Nkansah, has issued a public warning to actor Kwaku Manu.
He advised the actor to refrain from engaging in conduct that could be misinterpreted as misbehaviour while wearing colours associated with the New Patriotic Party (NPP). This statement has been reported in several news outlets, as seen here, here and here showing the sensitivity of the issue during the election period.
CONCLUSION
The viral video featuring actor Kwaku Manu was misleadingly altered to make it appear as though he was campaigning for the NPP with derogatory language when it was actually part of a skit ahead of the elections.
#GhanaPolls2024
#ElectionBureau
#CitiVerify
