Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju retracted the alleged defamatory statements made against the acting National Chairman and the acting National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Umar Damagun, and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, on Friday.
Adeyanju, in a letter dated December 6 written from his law firm, Deji Adeyanju & Partners, and signed by Zainab Otega, tendered an apology for the defamation.Otega, in the letter addressed to Johnson Usman, SAN, counsel for Damagun and Anyanwu, said the “statements were not intended to defame your clients.”
She further maintained that any perception of defamation in the said statements is regretted and withdrawn with apologies.
The letter reads, “We are solicitors to Deji Adeyanju, Esq (hereinafter referred to as our client), on whose instruction we act.
“Our client received two letters from the law firm of the revered Senior Advocate of Nigeria, J. J. Usman, alleging that some statements he made on a podcast a few weeks ago were deemed defamatory of Damagun and Anyanwu, the National Chairman and Secretary of the PDP respectively.
“Our client’s statements on the podcast were taken out of the bigger context of the conversation which is the need for the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party to provide a virile opposition to the ruling party.
“These statements were not intended to defame your clients, and any perception of defamation in the said statements is regretted and withdrawn with apologies.
“As a human rights activist, our client remains committed to the betterment of Nigeria and will continue to urge those in leadership to prioritise the interest of Nigerians over and above personal interest.”
Adeyanju had on Wednesday, accused Damagun of serving tea and Anyanwu of serving ‘Kilishi’ in the house of President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
He made the claims while disclosing Tinubu’s plans to install a PDP presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Featuring on The Honest Bunch podcast, Adeyanju claimed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Damagum are Tinubu’s moles in the PDP.
He said, “The current PDP is in Wike’s pocket at the national level, he installed the current PDP National chairman who goes to serve tea in Femi Gbajabiamila’s House.
“While Damagum is serving tea, PDP’s National Secretary, Sam Anyanwu, goes to the kitchen to serve Kilishi, they are the people in charge of the PDP.
“These are Tinubu’s moles, just like Abure in LP who is an APC mole. There is no opposition, that’s why nobody is challenging the system. Aside from a few of us, who else is talking?”
Aftermath of the allegations, Damagun and Anyanwu threatened to drag Adeyanju to court for civil and criminal litigation over the alleged defamatory remarks.
Both through their counsel, Johnson Usman, SAN, asked Adeyanju to retract the statements and tender apology in national dailies and other social media platforms to avert the looming legal tussle.
