Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju has retracted his defamatory claims against the acting National Chairman and the acting National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) – Umar Damagun and Samuel Anyanwu, respectively.
He retracted the defamatory claims and tendered an apology to the affected persons in a letter written by his law firm, Deji Adeyanju & Partners.
The letter of apology and retraction dated 6 December was addressed to the law firm of the lawyer to Messrs Damagun and Anyanwu.
The politicians’ lawyer, J. J. Usman, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, had written Mr Adeyanju separate letters on behalf of the two PDP leaders, demanding that he retract his defamatory claims in a podcast interview and apologise to the duo or risk legal actions.
In a letter of compliance signed by Zainab Otega from his law firm, Mr Adeyanju said his “statements were not intended to defame your clients.”
“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,” the letter read in part.
Alleged defamatory statements made by Mr Adeyanju
Mr Adeyanju had in a podcast interview published Wednesday, accused Damagun of serving tea and Mr Anyanwu of serving ‘Kilishi’ in the house of President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Featuring on ‘The Honest Bunch’ podcast, Mr Adeyanju claimed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Mr Damagun are Mr Tinubu’s moles in the PDP.
He said, “This current PDP is in the hands of Nyesom Wike, at the national level; he installed this Damagun guy who goes to serve tea – the current PDP Chairman; he goes to serve tea in Femi Gbajabiamila’s house – the Chief of Staff to the President…The national secretary – Sam Anyanwu; while the chairman is serving tea, Sam goes to the kitchen to bring kilishi, so they eat.”
Mr Adeyanju added during the podcast interview that there is no serious opposition per se in Nigeria.
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He added that the absence of serious opposition parties “is the reason one of them is challenging the system”.
“Asides few of us who are talking, who else?” Mr Adeyanju said, adding further that there were plans by Mr Tinubu to install a PDP presidential candidate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Defamation regretted
In response to the demand for retraction of his claims against the PDP officials and apology, Mr Adeyanju said he regretted defamatory claims.
“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,” his letter read.
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