Former Governor and Labour Party Presidential Candidate Threatens Defamation Lawsuit
Peter Obi, former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, has given Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Communication and Strategy, a 72-hour ultimatum to apologize for his claim that Obi was behind the planned nationwide protest.
Obi’s counsel, Alex Ejesieme, demanded that the public apology be published in four national newspapers and Onanuga’s verified X handle. The demand comes after Onanuga alleged that Obi’s supporters were planning mayhem in Nigeria, linking him to anarchy.
Obi’s counsel described the allegation as a “calculated plot” to demean and embarrass their client, causing significant harm to his reputation and emotional well-being. The counsel noted that the allegation went viral on social and mainstream media, maligning Obi’s hard-earned reputation.
The counsel stressed that Obi abhors violence and has a long record of law-abiding and constructive engagement in private and public life.
The letter read in part: “The said statements are in every sense malicious… Our Client is an elder statesman, a diplomat, and an unwavering democrat… He has always tailored his affairs according to the dictates of Nigerian law.”
It is our Client’s conviction that the publication was a calculated plot to demean, ridicule, humiliate, and embarrass him by the estimation of every right-thinking member of society. It appears you have achieved your insipid motive, as well-wishers from all around the globe have inundated him with calls to register their shock.
“His appellation as ‘Okwute’ (the Rock) notwithstanding, the demeaning and scandalous publication has also caused serious emotional injury to our Client, given his decades of stellar stewardship in private and public life.”
Obi demands a retraction of the defamatory statements and an unreserved apology within 72 hours, along with the monetary damages.
Our Client is also making an unequivocal demand for monetary damages of ₦5,000,000,000 (Five Billion Naira) only for the embarrassment your defamatory publication has caused him and his family.
“Take Notice that in the event of your failure to meet the demands set out above, our Client shall be constrained to approach a Court of competent jurisdiction and take legal action against you for defamation and libel.”
