On July 7, multiple reports claimed that Osun state governor, Ademola Adeleke, nominated two of his family members to commissioner positions. The reposts claimed that Adeleke nominated his daughter, Adenike Adeleke, and his uncle, Moruf Adeleke.
On Wait First, we sort claims into three categories. If it’s true, it gets a fresh banana rating from us. A false claim is burnt dodo, and a misleading claim is cold zobo.
So, is this claim valid? Did Adeleke nominate his daughter and uncle as commissioners?
[Ademola Adeleke / Daily Post]
Background
On July 7, the Osun State House of Assembly confirmed the list of 25 commissioner-nominees forwarded to the House for screening and confirmation by Governor Adeleke.
Among the names that made the list were Adenike Adeleke and Moruf Adeleke. The two share the same surname as the governor. Following the announcement, there were reactions on social media criticising the governor for presumably appointing his relatives into government. Some online news platforms also ran with this news.
Our partners, FactCheckElections, noted that “social media users reacting to the claim viewed the purported appointment as a ‘double standard/nepotism’ and inappropriate in government.”
Verification
FactCheckElections looked into the claim. Here’s what they found:
“The spokesperson to the state governor, Olawale Rasheed, has debunked the viral claim that his principal nominated his daughter and uncle for commissioner.
Contrary to the narratives making the rounds that two of the commissioner-nominees are Adeleke’s daughter and uncle, Rasheed told the media that the nominees are not the governor’s family.
They are ‘bonafide indigenes of Osogbo Land’, he said.
He added: Prof Adeleke was born in Ilesa and hails from Osogbo, the state capital. Mrs Adeleke is the daughter of Chief Omidiran of Osogbo Land and wife of the late Executive Governor of Osun State, Senator Isiaka Adeleke.”
FactCheckElections reports that the governor is from the Adeleke family of Ede in Osun State.
Verdict
The claim that Governor Ademola Adeleke nominated his relatives to commissioner positions is misleading and, therefore, cold zobo.
The confusion stems from the fact that they share the same surname. However, it has now been confirmed that they are not from the same bloodline as the governor.
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