The outgoing chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Oyo State, Akin Oke, has threatened to sue the outgoing secretary, Mojeed Olaoya, over an alleged defamatory remarks.
In a letter by the chambers of Deji Soremi & Co, a copy of which was sent to OYOINSIGHT.COM, Oke said that, apart from assuring that Olaoya would desist from further defamatory remarks, he should retract the statement within 7 days after receipt of the letter.
DEJI SOREMI & CO.
(Legal Practitioners)
12 Bissau Street, Wuse Zone Six, Abuja
07055219841 ::: email: djsclegal@gmail.com
30 0ctober, 2021
Hon. Mojeed Adekunle Olaoya
The Proprietor
Oluwatoyosi Academy
12 – 15 Olonde Estate
Ido – Eruwa Road
Ologuneru – Ibadan.
Dear Hon. Olaoya,
DEMAND FOR APOLOGY AND RETRACTION OF DEFAMATORY PUBLICATION
Our firm has been retained by Chief S. A. Oke to take legal action against you for the making of unwarranted, unjustifiable and defamatory remarks and attack against him and especially in his capacity as a member and outgoing State Caretaker Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State.
Our client, Chief S. A. Oke is a respected Administrator, Corporate Board Room Executive Director, Community Leader, Astute and Renowned Politician and Elder Statesman in Oyo State and Nigeria at large. He has spent his entire life building a positive and unblemished reputation both within the State and on a national and international level. This stainless reputation has earned him closeness to past and present leaders of repute such as Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Chief Bola Ige, Alhaji Lam Adesina, Chief Bola Tinubu and a host of other great names who rely solely on integrity and honesty in their associates.
Our client has nurtured his unblemished character, especially in the political and corporate administration terrain, for over five decades now and will jealously guard same at all times.
Nevertheless, we have been informed that you have been maliciously spreading deliberately inaccurate, baseless and unfounded allegations damaging to his personal and political character.
In your long and well publicised statement under reference, made on Saturday, 30 October, 2021, and published to the whole world, you made the following unsavoury and defamatory statements (among other defamatory ones therein):
“……..Love for money has derailed Chief Oke. Our teeming party members will not allow the outgoing Chairman and moneybag politicians to sabotage their efforts to reclaim Oyo State from the misruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2023”
Under the relevant laws, it is unlawful for an individual to make deliberate statements that intend to harm or damage a person’s reputation without factual basis or based on conjectures, innuendos and improper assertions.
Your defamatory statements directed at our client include the above quoted paragraphs, but are not to these paragraphs.
If you do not desist or cease from all related statements against the impeccable person and reputation of our client, a defamation of character suit will be commenced against you, with a prayer for damages and related orders compelling retraction, apologies and more.
In addition, this shall serve as a pre-action letter demanding that you issue within the next seven (7) days from the date of receipt of this letter, an equally well publicised retraction of your earlier statements in at least 2 national dallies widely circulated across Nigeria; directed at our client, including an assurance that you will cease and desist from making further factually untrue and character damaging statements about the person and political reputation of Chief S. A. Oke.
If you do not comply with the above time period, then a lawsuit may be filed against you without further recourse, seeking monetary damages and all available legal remedies for your defamation.
Yours faithfully,
Deji T. Soremi Esq.
(Legal Practitioner)
