Publisher of Ovation International, Dele Momodu, has apologised for sharing the news that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) froze the account of the Adeleke family of Osun State.
Among those whose accounts were reportedly frozen were Osun Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke, and pop star, Davido, whose real name is David Adeleke.
Mr Momodu had on Saturday claimed that the source of his information was unimpeachable.
I refuse to believe that anyone, in the name of politics, would freeze the bank accounts of a hardworking family THE ADELEKEs including that of this young icon DAVIDO who has done our country very proud… God save our dear beloved nation… I pray it is fake news… pic.twitter.com/NiXs7t5ZT5
— Dele Momodu Ovation (@DeleMomodu) September 15, 2018
ADELEKE family accounts frozen; source of information unimpeachable… https://t.co/D1aG0btope
— Dele Momodu Ovation (@DeleMomodu) September 15, 2018
The EFCC, however, denied the report, calling it “fake news”.
#Alert The EFCC Did Not Freeze the account of Senator Ademola Adeleke, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for Sept 22, 2018 Osun State governorship election. None of his family members, including the musician, Davido was frozen as alleged in a number of news media.
— EFCC Nigeria (@officialEFCC) September 16, 2018
By Sunday, the celebrity journalist tweeted an apology over the report which he said a source had confirmed to his The Boss online newspaper.
When news of the freezing of family accounts of the Adelekes was going viral, The Boss made a few calls to those who should be in the know and our source confirmed the story and even mentioned the accounts were in FCMB. We hereby withdraw it with sincere apologies…
— Dele Momodu Ovation (@DeleMomodu) September 16, 2018
A statement by EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, reads: “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has been drawn to media publications alleging that it had frozen the account of Senator Ademola Adeleke, candidate of the opposition People’s Democratic Party, PDP, in the September 22, 2018 Osun State governorship election and those of his family members, including the musician, David Adeleke.
“The Commission calls on members the public to disregard the report, which is patently false and contrived to dress the agency with a partisan garb in the unfolding political contest in Osun State.
“For the avoidance of doubt, at no time did the EFCC place a freeze order on any account belonging to members of the Adeleke family. The purported freeze order which has unfortunately been amplified by pliable sections of the media without any attempt at confirmation is alien to the Commission and another example of fake news.
“The EFCC frowns at the seeming attempts by faceless forces to drag it into the political fray and, for the umpteenth time, restates its neutrality as a law enforcement organization that is sworn to uphold the law at all times, irrespective whose interest is at stake.”
