Mr. Deji Adeyanju, a human rights lawyer, has retracted alleged defamatory statements he made against Umar Damagun, the Acting National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), and Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, the party’s Acting National Secretary.
The retraction and apology were made in a letter dated December 6, signed by Zainab Otega from Adeyanju’s law firm, Deji Adeyanju & Partners.
Adeyanju’s statements, which sparked the controversy, were reportedly made during a podcast interview where he described Damagun as a “tea man” who serves tea at Femi Gbajabiamila’s residence and Anyanwu as a “Kilishi man” who serves Kilishi at the Chief of Staff’s residence.
The statements were deemed defamatory by Damagun and Anyanwu, who threatened to sue Adeyanju for defamation.
However, in the retraction letter, Otega clarified that the statements were not intended to defame Damagun and Anyanwu, and that any perception of defamation was regretted and withdrawn with apologies.
It stated: “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were not intended to defame your clients, and any perception of defamation in the said statements is regretted and withdrawn with apologies.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.”
Persecondnews recalls that Adeyanju had on Wednesday, December 4 accused Damagun of serving tea and Anyanwu of serving ‘Kilishi’ in Gbajabiamila’s house in Abuja.
Adeyanju, in The Honest Bunch podcast monitored by Persecondnews claimed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Damagum are Tinubu’s moles in the PDP.
“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? Adeyanju said.
Damagun and Anyanwu had threatened to sue the lawyer for civil and criminal charges through their counsel, Mr. Johnson Usman (SAN), asking Adeyanju to retract the statements and tender apology in national dailies and other social media platforms.
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