Former Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole has been issued a pre-action notice to tender a private and public apology to the Edo 2024 Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Dr Asue Ighodalo or risked a N20 billion libel.
Trouble started for Oshiomhole, now a Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District in the 10th Senate over “a very wild and unsubstantiated claims”, while appearing on national television, Arise News, last week.
In a letter addressed to Oshiomhole by lawyers to Dr Ighodalo, Ayo Asala, SAN & Associates, Solicitors, dated 12th August, 2024, said, Dr Asue Ighodalo is a governorship candidate on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Edo State governorship election schedule for September 21, 2024, and Senator Adams Oshiomhole made false claims about the status of Ighodalo’s candidacy in the said election.
The Lawyers claimed, that moderators of the programme cautioned Oshiomhole, but he maintained his derogatory words about Ighodalo thereby attacking his person, reputation and integrity on a national television.
The lawyers demanded Oshiomhole’s retraction within seven days and apologise publicly or privately, failure which he will be sued for N20 billion libel.
The letter which was sighted by our Correspondent, read in part:
“On or about 7th day of August 2024, our client’s attention was drawn to widely circulated statements made by you while being interviewed on a National Television Station, Arise News, during its Morning Show Program, touching and concerned our clients. These statement have also seen widely circulated on various social media platforms including ‘X’ (formally called Twitter), ‘WhatsApp’ and ‘Facebook’ and others.”
Ighodalo’s lawyers then specifically demanded that Oshiomhole should within seven days of receipt of the letter, write a private letter of apology and retraction of the false and defamatory utterances to Ighodalo and a further public letter of apology and retraction that will be published on Arise TV and in two National Newspapers, specifically, Vanguard and ThisDay Newspapers.
Ighodalo’s lawyers concluded that failure to act on their demands will lead to legal action involving a claim of N20 billion for damages without any further notice.
