Vice presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prof Yemi Osinbajo, (SAN), has threatened to institute a legal action against the director of Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO) Mr Femi Fani-Kayode for alleging that he swore an oath with former Lagos State governor, Bola Tinubu.
Accordingly, Osinbajo has given the former minister of Aviation seven days ultimatum to pay N2billion to him as damages and other reliefs for the alleged defamatory statement made against him by Fani-Kayode.
In a pre-litigation letter written by his lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), to this effect, Osinbajo also demanded an unreserved apology and a retraction from Fani-Kayode within seven days, threatening to go to court should the PDP campaign spokesman fails to comply.
Fani-Kayode had during a recent press conference in Abuja, alleged that Osinbajo had a secret oath with Bola Tinubu to be his surrogate as vice president for a period of six months after which he, (Osinbajo) would resign.
He also alleged that the secret oath was to give way for Tinubu to eventually become vice president to Gen Muhammadu Buhari in the event that the APC wins the election.
But in a pre-litigation letter, by his lawyer, Femi Falana, Osinbajo demanded a retraction of the defamatory statement which was published in national print and electronic media.
Falana, who submitted that the statement credited to Fani-Kayode portrayed Osinbanjo as someone who is complicit in a fraud against the Nigerian people, said the statement was a vicious, wicked and reckless ploy to impugn the reputation of Osinbajo and lower him in the estimation of right thinking members of the public.
The senior advocate said, “We therefore demand immediate retraction of the offensive and derogatory publication.”
and apology on four TV channels.
and four national newspapers circulating in all parts of Nigeria (including everyone by, or in which the statement was published, carried or covered) and damages in the sum of N2 billion.
“Be advised that if we do not receive your formal retraction and apology and damages as demanded within seven days of receipt hereof, we shall proceed with our client’s instructions to seek legal remedies for your publication and dissemination of defamatory statements”.
…Fani-Kayode Seeks N5bn Damages From Lai Mohammed
The director of media and publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation (PDPPCO) Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, has demanded N5billion damages from the national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Alhaji Lai Mohammed, for defamation of his character.
Fani-Kayode further demanded an apology from Mohammed within seven days of the receipt of a letter from his lawyers.
This was contained in a letter written and signed by Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, Whyte Prekunomaa of Ahmed Raji and co, which was addressed to Mohammed.
According to the letter dated March 3 and made available to journalists, Fani-Kayode referred to a publication in a national daily (not LEADERSHIP) on Tuesday, March 3 which quoted the APC spokesman making innuendos to Fani-Kayode’s mental state of health.
The letter reads in part “Our client denies in it entirety the content of the above publication and innuendos therein and further states that every allegation against him in the said publication is false and defamatory of his person and character.
“Consequently, we demand that you withdraw the said statement and render and apology to our client within seven (7) days of the receipt of this letter. You are also to enter into negotiation for damages as we have firm instructions to claim N5billion damages against you. “
“Take notice therefore, that it will amount to a specious gamble on your part, if you treat this letter with levity.”
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