The Labour Party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has issued a directive to Mr. Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Communication and Strategy, demanding a payment of N5 billion for defamation within a 72-hour timeframe.
Furthermore, Obi has requested that Onanuga issue a public apology to be published in four national newspapers regarding the extensive defamation and libel, or else face legal repercussions.
On July 20, 2024, Onanuga, using his Twitter handle @aonanuga1956, alleged that Peter Obi’s followers were orchestrating chaos in Nigeria and implied that Obi should bear the blame for any resulting disorder.
In response to these claims, Peter Obi, represented by his legal counsel, Alex Ejesieme, refuted the accusations which circulated widely across social and traditional media platforms, tarnishing his well-established reputation both locally and internationally.
Ejesieme emphasized that the damaging assertion distorted the public perception of Obi, portraying him as someone who promotes violence despite his known history of peaceful conduct even in highly tense situations.
According to legal experts, the released statement was a premeditated attempt to degrade, mock, shame, and discredit Peter Obi in the eyes of any reasonable member of society.
Furthermore, the legal team highlighted that the accusations might have achieved their intended malicious effect, as concerned individuals from various parts of the world have contacted Obi to express their disbelief and support.
“His appellation as ‘Okwute’ (the Rock) notwithstanding, the demeaning and scandalous publication has also caused a serious emotional injury to our client given his decades of stellar stewardship in private and public life.
“Consequently, we have our client’s mandate to demand that you retract the statement made in the publication and tender an unreserved apology to him within 72 hours of the receipt of this letter in not less than 4 National Dailies to wit: Vanguard, THISDAY, Punch and the Cable, including your verified X“@aonanuga1956.
