Veteran journalist, human rights and pro-democracy activist, Richard Akinnola has expressed concern over media reports that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) froze three accounts operated by a former permanent secretary in Lagos.
The EFCC, the media had reported on Tuesday evening, froze three bank accounts containing a total of N9.9bn linked to the immediate past Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode.
Akinnola in a post on his social media account, frowned at the manner the media had twisted the story alluding that immediate past governor of the State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode had links to the account.
He said the ex parte application by the court did not in any way mention Ambode’s name, but the name of the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Adewale Adesanya but the headlines in the media is screaming with the name of the former governor.
“Dear colleagues, I'm sure many of you must have read the story of how court granted the request of the EFCC freezing three accounts of the Lagos State government and an account being operated by the former permanent secretary in the office of Ambode's Chief of Staff.
“However, l was surprised at the reportage by a section of the press, whereby they said court froze an account linked to Ambode. From the reports of the ex parte application, l didn't see Ambode's name, only the name of that perm sec. So, if a perm sec allegedly funneled State money into a private account in which he is a signatory, how did Ambode come into the picture?
“It could well be that the opening of the account had his imprimatur but I'm just concerned about how we report by making imputation not contained in a court paper. What do you think guys?” he said.
Nigerians have also reacted to the news, with many attributing the report as a witch hunt on Ambode by the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
PUNCH newspaper had exclusively reported in June that loyalists of Tinubu had decided to drag Ambode to the EFCC for investigation.
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