Obi sues Deji Adeyanju, demands N1.5bn damages over ‘defamation’

Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), has filed a suit against Deji Adeyanju, a human rights lawyer, over alleged reckless and defamatory comments.

In the suit, filed at the state high court in Onitsha, Anambra, Obi is seeking a declaration that the comments made by Adeyanju against him via social media are ‘false, baseless, unfounded, malicious, reckless, scandalous, and defamatory”.

The former Anambra governor is also asking the court to order Adeyanju to tender an unreserved apology to him on social media and in three national newspapers.

“AN ORDER compelling the Defendant to immediately retract and delete from all his social media platforms, including but not limited to his “X” handle @adeyanjudeji, his verified Facebook account “Adeyanju Deji,” Instagram account @AdeyanjuDeji and any other online platforms or sites, all false and malicious publications describing the Plaintiff with derogatory labels (including “leader of a mob,” “religious bigot,” “fraud,” “scum,” “political fraud,” “political prostitute”), allegations of financial misconduct, dishonesty, or abuse of office, which have harmed the Plaintiff’s personal, political, and professional reputation,” part of the court documents reads.

“AN ORDER OF PERPETUAL INJUNCTION restraining the Defendant, whether by himself, his servants, agents, privies, representatives, assigns or through any media or online platform whatsoever, from publishing, broadcasting or causing to be published or broadcast any defamatory words or materials against the Plaintiff.

‘AGGRAVATED AND/OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES in the sum of N500,000,000.00 (Five Hundred Million Naira) against the Defendant for his reckless, malicious and persistent course of conduct in publishing and republishing the defamatory words complained of, calculated to disparage and ridicule the Plaintiff before the Nigerian public, polity and international community.

“GENERAL DAMAGES in the sum of N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) against the Defendant, being compensation for the harm, ridicule, odium, emotional distress, and reputational injury suffered by the Plaintiff as a result of the Defendant’s defamatory publications.”