Peter Obi, the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party, has issued a formal demand for a retraction and compensation from Bayo Onanuga, a media aide to President Bola Tinubu. Obi’s legal representative, Alex Ejesieme, has sent a letter to Onanuga, calling for a retraction of recent accusations made against Obi.
Onanuga, in a tweet on Sunday, accused Obi of orchestrating nationwide protests against Tinubu’s administration in an attempt to create chaos and undermine the government. Onanuga claimed that Obi’s actions were driven by dissatisfaction over his electoral defeat and aimed at destabilizing the current leadership.
In response, Obi has requested a retraction of the defamatory statements, a public apology in four major newspapers, and N5 billion in damages for the harm caused by Onanuga’s remarks.
The controversy arose amid widespread dissatisfaction with Tinubu’s economic policies, which have led to increased inflation and public unrest. Obi, who has been a vocal critic of these policies, was accused by Onanuga of inciting unrest through the planned protests scheduled for August.
Onanuga’s July 20 tweet labeled Obi and his supporters as anarchists, suggesting they were using protests as a cover to challenge Tinubu’s presidency. Obi’s lawyer, Ejesieme, has rejected these claims, describing them as baseless and harmful to Obi’s reputation.
The letter demands that Onanuga retract the statements within 72 hours and publish the retraction in four national newspapers. Should Onanuga fail to meet these demands, Obi has warned that legal action will follow, potentially leading to a court case for defamation.
Obi’s legal team asserts that Onanuga’s comments are unfounded and damaging, and they are prepared to take the matter to court if necessary.
