Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate for the 2023 elections, has initiated legal action against Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Communication and Strategy, seeking N5 billion in damages.
This lawsuit follows what Obi’s legal team describes as a defamatory publication intended to tarnish his reputation.
In a letter dated July 22, 2024, addressed to Onanuga and signed by Chief Alex Ejesieme, SAN, representing ALEX EJESIEME (SAN) & CO, Obi’s legal representatives detailed their client’s grievances.
They referenced a publication titled “REVEALED: Peter Obi’s supporters are the people planning mayhem in Nigeria: Obi should be held responsible for anarchy,” posted on Onanuga’s verified “X” handle, “@aonanuga1956,” on July 20, 2024. The statement was further disseminated across various social media platforms and reported by multiple news outlets.
The letter condemned the publication as a “malicious campaign of calumny,” asserting that Onanuga’s claims depict Obi as an anarchist collaborating with terrorist groups to orchestrate nationwide unrest. Obi vehemently denies these allegations, emphasizing his longstanding commitment to democratic principles and adherence to the law.
Obi’s legal team stressed that the defamatory statements have inflicted significant emotional distress upon their client, given his extensive career in public service. They demanded an immediate retraction of the publication and an unreserved apology from Onanuga within 72 hours. The apology is required to be published in four national dailies—Vanguard, This Day, Punch, and The Cable—as well as on Onanuga’s official “X” handle.
Additionally, the letter outlined Obi’s intention to pursue N5 billion in damages for the embarrassment caused to him and his family. It warned of further legal action should Onanuga fail to comply with these demands.
