A woman claiming to be close to Nollywood actor Frederick Leonard has sparked renewed online discussion, alleging that disrespect, rather than infidelity, was the reason behind his split from actress Peggy Ovire.

The woman, who says she has had multiple conversations with Frederick, explained that she had remained silent out of respect for the couple. She decided to speak up after Peggy reportedly suggested that cheating was the cause of the breakup.

Her comments come shortly after Peggy shared posts online hinting at a married man involved with a married woman, which many social media users speculated referred to her husband.

In her words, she said:

“Freddie ended his marriage, not the other way round. Nothing like cheating happened. Absolutely nothing like that.”

She further claimed that the real issue was what she described as Peggy’s “disrespectful” behaviour and lack of submission in the marriage. The lady alleged that Freddie had been careful not to paint his wife in a bad light. She said he once told her, the marriage has broken down irretrievably, not because my wife is a bad person, but because she is very Western. She also questioned why Peggy allegedly removed his surname from her social media weeks before making public accusations. “If your marriage has ended, why dent his image? Why disgrace him? He has never come out to say anything bad about you,” she said.

The new claims have generated mixed reactions on social media, with some defending Peggy and others siding with Frederick Leonard. As of now, neither Frederick Leonard nor Peggy Ovire has publicly addressed the allegations.