Defamatory Statements:Asue Writes Oshiomhole, Seeks Retraction of Defamatory Statements

Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the September Edo 2024 governorship election, Dr Asue Ighodalo, has demanded that the leader of the opposition All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, Comrade (Sen) Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole, retracts and tenders an unreserved apology over the unsavory allegations he leveled against him (Asue) on Arise News, a national television network programme. 

The allegations were also widely shared on the socila media, including X, WhatsApp and Facebook.

The message is contained in a letter, seen by our correspondent, signed by Chief Ayo Asala on behalf of Ayo Asala (SAN) and Associates, Ighodalo’s solicitors.

In the letter, Ighodalo noted, among others, bemoaned the fact that Oshiomhole labeled him as unelectable as a result of certain alleged run of illegal and unconstitutional conducts.

“Asue Ighodalo is not electable.right now, he fraudulently…manipulated and disobeyed the constitution of the PDP …He violated the Electoral Law and the Electoral Act and that the Primary that produced him was done in clear violation of the law and constitution. So as we speak, he is not a candidate …Nigeria don’t want double-breasted Consultant Transactional Expert with one hand in the pocket. They have never been identified…He said he was Chairman of Alaghodaro. What were the achievements of Alaghodaro other than spending billions of naira on consultancy? He is not electable, he does not understand the people, he doesn’t know Edo state…A man like that can’t govern…Asue is a worse version …He managed a bank that is in business with Edo state. We should have to investigate how much he has made in consultancy between Edo state government and his own private company,” the letter noted in part.

The statements, Ighodalo added, put him in bad light particularly as they portrayed him a manipulator, who employed the services of a bank he managed, to defraud Edo state government. He also frowned at the claim by the Senator representing Edo North Senatorial District that he (Asue) is a fraudulent individual, who allegedly made huge sums of money in consultancy and among others, someone that lacks the capacity to govern Edo state.

According to the PDP governorship candidate in the September Edo 2024 Governorship Election, the statements are not only injurious to his person, they are also completely defamatory and slanderous given the fact that the author previously and lavishly praised him and Alaghodaro for being what the state needed.

Ighodalo, who insisted on the urgency of the required retraction and apology, described the allegations as unfounded, unfair and damaging particularly given the manner the former governor of the state savagely went about the intolerable demarketing job on the him, aware that no court has ever found him guilty of any charge or invalidated the primary that made him the candidate of the PDP in the Edo 2024 governorship election.

He therefore demanded that Sen Oshiomhole retracts the statements and issue unreserved apology within seven days or face a N20bn law suit.

“Note that should you fail to comply with these modest demands as stated aove within seven (7) days of the delivery of this letter, we shall carry out our client’s further instructions y commencing legal action against you, including claims for the reward of Twenty (20) Billion Naira (N20,000,000,000.00) as damages and reparation for the injury done y you on his reputation and integrity. The damage is enhanced by the high office you occupy as a Senator which ought to make statements you issue to be credible and ordinarily believable. This shall be without further notice to you,” he stated in the letter.