Underwear display: Political campaign hits new low in Kano

Political campaign in Kano State has taken a new turn following a viral social media post alleging that the state government distributed branded underwear to women as empowerment items. The claim is accompanied by photos showing women holding red underwear, with captions suggesting the items were officially handed out by the government. Given the sensitivity […]

Political campaign in Kano State has taken a new turn following a viral social media post alleging that the state government distributed branded underwear to women as empowerment items.

The claim is accompanied by photos showing women holding red underwear, with captions suggesting the items were officially handed out by the government.

Given the sensitivity of the claim and the already tense political climate in Kano State, Daily Trust verified the viral image using Error Level Analysis (ELA), a forensic technique employed to detect possible image manipulation.

In a typical, unedited image, most areas show similar levels of brightness or “noise” because they are compressed uniformly.

In the suspected doctored image, a noticeably brighter patch appears on the pants. This inconsistency suggests that part of the image was edited or inserted separately before being recompressed.

In the original version, brightness and noise levels are more uniform across the same area, indicating no alteration.

In simple terms, the bright patch in the viral image is a red flag, suggesting that the photo was tampered with.

Further checks confirm that the original image was altered to insert the image of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, creating the false impression that he personally distributed the underwear.

 

Source of the viral content

Checks show that the images were extracted from a viral video featuring supporters of Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, popularly known as Gida-Gida TikTokers.

The video was recorded during the visit of Nigeria’s First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, to Kano on Thursday.

In the footage, the group is seen displaying red pants in front of the Kano Government House while chanting songs mocking Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

They repeatedly used the phrase “Dan kamfan tsula” (loosely translated as “Tsula’s pants”).

“Tsula,” a Hausa term for a small monkey, is often used as a derogatory label in local political rhetoric targeting Kwankwaso. The term gained popularity through songs by APC praise singer Dauda Kahutu Rarara.

 

Narrative distortion

The video reportedly surfaced through a TikTok influencer known as Teemah Cool, a leader among the Gida-Gida TikTokers. It quickly triggered backlash, particularly from Kwankwaso’s supporters, who condemned the act as indecent and reflective of declining political standards.

Findings show that the “pants empowerment” narrative only began circulating on Friday, a day after the original video of the political stunt.

This indicates that the claim was a later distortion, not part of the actual event.

 

Verdict: False.

The claim that the Kano State Government distributed pants to women as empowerment or campaign gifts is false. The viral content originated from a political stunt by supporters, and the images were digitally altered to misrepresent the situation.

 

Supporters trade blame

Supporters of Governor Yusuf and loyalists of the Kwankwasiyya movement traded accusations, with each defending their actions in unusually blunt terms.

An APC member and supporter of the governor, Aiman Ado, described the controversial stunt as retaliation against Kwankwasiyya followers who, he claimed, had long mocked Yusuf.

“I see nothing wrong in it. It’s a response to those who have been ridiculing the governor with symbols like rabbits. Those involved acted on their own without government approval,” he said.

Ado noted that political supporters often react independently to perceived insults against their leaders.

“In politics, some supporters won’t tolerate attacks on their principal, even without approval. The same applies to those mocking the governor—they may not have Kwankwaso’s consent either,” he added.

While admitting the trend was morally questionable, Ado argued that continued silence was no longer viable.

“I agree it’s not the right direction, but we cannot remain silent while others insult our governor. If they act with decency, we will respond in kind, but if they go low, no one has a monopoly on that,” he said.

However, Kwankwasiyya supporters rejected this defence, accusing the governor’s camp of enabling indecency. One of them, Taufiq Musa Ahmad, said the governor should have restrained his aides and loyalists.

“It’s not about who started it, but what is right. Considering how the movement supported him, he shouldn’t have allowed this,” Ahmad said.

He argued that while some Kwankwasiyya members may have mocked Yusuf, the retaliation allegedly involved individuals within government circles.

Ahmad dismissed claims that his group spread misinformation, describing the backlash as a consequence of actions by Yusuf’s camp, while maintaining that Kwankwaso has never promoted such conduct.

 

Trend sets dangerous precedent for Kano politics — Scholar

A Kano-based communication scholar, Aisar Salihu Musa, has condemned the underwear empowerment controversy, describing it as a dangerous precedent for the state’s political culture.

He argued that politics in Kano should be rooted in values rather than spectacles that undermine morality and damage the state’s image.

“This kind of politics suggests a troubling future. Kano is known for its religious and value-driven society. Political activities should remain issue-based, not driven by displays that provoke emotions and distort the state’s reputation,” Musa said.

He noted that the controversy, marked by exchanges between rival camps, reflects a lack of strategic communication in governance. According to him, a professional communication structure could have prevented the situation from escalating into ridicule and misinformation.

Musa also warned that the cycle of retaliation among political actors risks normalising indecent conduct, particularly when amplified by entertainers and political praise singers.

He cautioned that misinformation and disinformation would remain potent tools for manipulation in the 2027 general elections.

He, however, commended the role of conventional media in fact-checking and public sensitisation.

“During elections, fake news thrives. The media must intensify fact-checking to ensure the public is not misled,” he said.

He further warned that such political theatrics could spread beyond Kano to other northern states, posing a broader threat to democratic values.