The legal representatives of Peter Obi, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for the 2023 general elections, have issued a 72-hour ultimatum to Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu.
They demand that Onanuga retract his defamatory statement, issue a public apology, and pay N5 billion in damages.
Chief Alex Ejesieme, SAN, counsel for Obi, disclosed that Onanuga’s claim linking Obi to an upcoming mass protest in August is entirely false and damaging to Obi’s reputation.
The statement, dated July 20, 2024, alleged that Obi’s supporters were planning disturbances in Nigeria and held Obi responsible for potential unrest.
Obi’s legal team argues that this publication has caused significant emotional distress to Obi, considering his long-standing record of exemplary service in both private and public sectors.
They however demanded a retraction of the statement and an unreserved apology to be published in four national newspapers: Vanguard, THISDAY, Punch, and The Cable, including N5 billion in damages for the harm caused.
“Our client unequivocally demands N5 billion in monetary damages for the humiliation caused by your defamatory publication to him and his family.”
The legal counsel concluded with a warning that failure to comply with these demands within the stipulated timeframe will result in legal action for defamation and libel in a Court of Competent jurisdiction.
