TheCable

The lawyers of Lekan Fatodu, a UK-based journalist and PR consultant, have written Omoyele Sowore, publisher of SaharaReporters, after the peace talks between the duo failed to hold as originally scheduled.

Fatodu had alleged that Sowore demanded a bribe from him from an NSA contract and that his refusal to yield led to negatives stories being published him on Sahara Reporters.

But reacting to the allegation, Sowore said he had never in his life demanded bribe from anybody over stories.

There are various accounts of what led both men to become guests of the Lagos police last week, but it remains clear that they were to cease cyber talk ahead of peace talks, which have now crashed.

Fatodu’s lawyers have now written to say the US-based publisher must stay back in Nigeria to see out the legal dispute.

“We are Solicitors to LEKAN FATODU, a UK-based journalist and PR consultant and we issue this statement as his Solicitors,” read their statement.

“It can be recalled that Fatodu Lekan (Our Client) had filed a petition to the Police Command Headquarters in Lagos State including a previous petition sent to the office of the IGP in Abuja against OMOLEYE SOWORE of Sahara Reporters over criminal defamation, threat to life and Blackmail.”

They accused Sowore of proceeding with “cyber exchanges”.

“While Our Client and our Law Firm represented by Julie Ifeonu ESQ honoured the meeting, Sowore Omoleye failed to show up for reasons best known to him.

“As if to prove that he only wanted to buy time, Mr. Sowore said, through two of his lawyers that was present at the meeting, he was no longer interested in the dialogue.

“Since Mr. Sowore has decided to pull out of the civil discussion facilitated by Dr. Tunji Abayomi, he should be prepared to face the legal process ahead as instructed by Our Client.”