By Kingsley Owens
Dr. Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate for the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, has filed a claim for N20 billion in damages against Senator Adams Oshiomhole, a prominent All Progressives Congress, APC, leader, for allegedly making malicious and defamatory statements against him at a political rally in Benin City on September 14, 2024.
Oshiomhole has publicly accused Ighodalo of being the architect behind a ponzi scheme, ‘PLANWELL’, which reportedly led to financial losses for many Nigerians in the past.
A letter dated 16th September, 2024, signed by Chief Ayo Asala, SAN, of Ayo Asala and Associates, on ‘Re: Defamatory Statements Made In Respect Of Dr Asue Ighodalo’, contains the assertion by the seasoned legal practitioner that: ‘Regrettably, your standing as an elder and public official has not precluded the development of a pattern of uttering false statements in public, apparently for political gain.:
“This baseless, unfounded, false and malicious allegation has become another in a long line of such defamatory fabrications and statements made by you in respect of our client in the recent past.
“Our client is an accomplished Nigerian legal practitioner and a corporate leader whose impressive resume from birth up till the current day is entirely in the public domain and our client has absolutely no connection with and could never have been involved in any manner whatsoever with the purported ‘PLANWELL’ scheme with which you have seriously defamed our client’s reputation.
“It is clear that the fabrication of the unfounded and false story regarding the purported involvement of our client in the said ‘PLANWELL’ scheme or any other financial scheme whatsoever, is a figment of your imagination and a story fabricated purely for the purpose of denigrating the good character and reputation of our client for the achievement of the political purpose of advancing the sinking fortunes of your political party and candidate in the forthcoming Edo State Gubernatorial Elections.”
He went on to say that Ighodalo has been inundated with calls from concerned members of the public, associates, acquaintances and so many people as a result of Oshiomhole’s malicious accusations.
In consequence, the learned senior lawyer demanded “an immediate and unqualified retraction and apology for your false, defamatory and malicious statements which should be published in at least two national television networks and three nationally circulating newspapers.
” Pay to our client damages in the sum of N20 billion Naira for your false, defamatory and malicious statements referred to herein,” the letter read.
The letter further asserted that failure to comply with the above demands will lead to legal actions without further notice.
Ighodalo has consistently maintained that he knows nothing about the said ‘PLANWELL’, which his political opponents have been trying so viciously to tie around his neck.
Few weeks ago, the same Oshiomhole made some malicious and defamatory utterances against Ighodalo for which he has been slammed with a N20B libel suit. This is yet another in the case of Oshiomhole’s implacable determination to tarnish Ighodalo’s hard earned reputation.
