The Delta United Movement (DUM) says the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) did not detain the immediate past governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, contrary to reports purporting so.
The political pressure group, therefore, cautioned against fake reports capable of causing disharmony in the state.
The group said this in a statement by its National Coordinator, Nkem Onye, on Thursday in Abuja.
“We are particularly concerned with the resort to fake news as the one recently circulated of the detention of Dr Ifeanyi Okowa by the EFCC’’, he said.
He said the group’s findings showed that Okowa was out of the country during the period of the alleged three-day detention.
“This particular report, according to our findings, fits the narrative of some political actors in Delta State who are determined to sow a seed of discord and dislocate the ongoing MORE Agenda of the present government.
“It is on this basis that we call on residents in the state to be cautious of reports garnished with political bitterness that may spew from quarters as those who reported the fake news on Okowa”, he said.
Onye said the reports were aimed at causing bad blood among serving and past leaders in the state.
The national coordinator, who said though no one was above being held accountable, cautioned against dragging political opponents in the mud.
“We are especially concerned by the increasing wave of negative media attacks on serving and former leaders of our state aimed at causing bad blood among them.
“We have since discovered that these attacks are being orchestrated by political elements against the peace and well-being of the state.
“We have also discovered that the originators of these media attacks are those who lost out in the battle for electoral supremacy who are now turning to the media to wage vengeance’’, he said.
He further urged the residents of the state to join forces towards projecting its collective interest.
“We call on the people of Delta to join forces at this time towards projecting the collective interest of the state.
“Political campaigns are now over, let us give governance the priority it deserves at this time,” he said.
