Apologize in 48hrs or face N5b defamation suit, Obla tells Ekweremadu

Special Assistant on Prosecution to the President and Chairman of the Special Presidential Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla has asked the deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu to tender an unconditional apology to him in 48 hours or face a N5 billion defamation suit.

In a statement issued on his behalf by his council, First Baba Isa, the Presidential aide accused Ekweremadu of speculating falsehood to discredit Obono-obla who is investigating how he and others illegally acquired houses meant for the Senate Leadership.

It will be recalled that the Deputy Senate President yesterday issued a statement alleging that Obono-obla and the former Chief Judge of Enugu state are spearheading a campaign to smear his character.

But in a swift reaction, Obono-obla in a statement titled "This Too Shall Indeed Pass : The Antics of a Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu" dismissed the allegation describing it as  malicious, defamatory, misleading, obnoxious, hogwash and ineffably puerile.

Read the full statement below :

"THIS TOO SHALL INDEED PASS: THE ANTICS OF A DEPUTY SENATE PRESIDENT, IKE EKWEREMADU

We are Solicitors to Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution and Chairman of the Special Presidential Panel for the Recovery of Public Property and issue this Press Statement in that capacity.

On the 19th of March 2018, the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, issued a statement through one of his aides where he blatantly accused the revered and respectable Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, Special Assistant to the President on Prosecution and Chairman of the Special Presidential Panel for the Recovery of Public Property, amongst others, of spearheading a campaign to smear his image.

We hereby state categorically that the said accusation is false, illegal, malicious, defamatory, misleading, obnoxious, hogwash and ineffably puerile. Chief Okoi Obono-Obla is not aware of any smear campaign against Ike Ekweremadu, let alone to be spearheading it. Why a man who is fortunate to be the Deputy Senate President of a country like Nigeria, with all the security apparatuses and legal channels at his disposal will make such a wild and unfounded accusation is not far-fetched: it is a strategy in the well-oiled mechanism of playing the victim.

Nigerians cannot be fooled anymore. Those who have cases to answer in the way they have managed our commonwealth and collective destines should step up and answer their cases. They cannot turn round to play victims. Nigerians are the real victims. It is on record that the Special Presidential Panel for the Recovery of Public Property headed by Chief Obla is investigating how Ike Ekweremadu and others illegally acquired houses meant for the Senate Leadership, houses which are intended to be national monuments. Instead of stepping up to answer questions in this regard, he turns round to accuse the Chairman of leading a smear campaign against him.

One will expect Ike Ekweremadu to approach the police or the courts with evidence of this blatant accusation. But of course he cannot, because he knows that this accusation is a grand lie and cannot stand the searchlight of investigation and litigation.

This accusation constitutes a gross smear on the hard earned reputation of our client, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, and we have the further instruction to institute a 5 Billion Naira Defamation suit in a court of competent jurisdiction if, 48 hours, after the issuance of this Press Statement, Senator Ike Ekweremadu does not retract his accusation and apologize unconditionally to Chief Okoi Obono-Obla.

THIS TOO SHALL INDEED PASS; WITH LEGAL CONSEQUENCES.

Thank You.

F. Baba Isa, Esq.,
FBI LEGAL, Abuja.
[Counsel to Chief Okoi Obono-Obla]
07037162029".