A high-stakes legal battle is brewing in the country as the Labour Party’s Presidential candidate in the 2023 elections, Peter Obi, took on political activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju in a ₦1.5 billion defamation lawsuit.
Filed at the Anambra State High Court, Obi alleges that Adeyanju’s social media posts, falsely labeled him a “religious bigot,” “fraud,” and “political prostitute,” causing reputational harm and emotional distress.
Obi seeks a declaration of the court that Adeyanju’s comments were “malicious and defamatory”, and also demanded a public apology, and retraction across social media and in national newspapers.
Obi is equally claiming ₦500 million in aggravated damages and ₦1 billion in general damages, and additional ruling to cover the litigation costs.
The case highlights the blurred lines between free speech and defamation in Nigeria’s digital age.
The former Governor of Anambra State had in August, this year, threatened to take a legal action against the lawyer over alleged defamation.
His legal threat followed Adeyanju’s legal action against one of Obi’s aides, Serah Ibrahim, who allegedly defamed the lawyer’s wife.
The lawyer had, in reaction to the demand notice, mocked the legal threat in a Facebook post.
Adeyanju, a consistent critic of Peter Obi, has long insisted that the former governor would never become Nigeria’s president.
He has also clashed repeatedly with Obi’s supporters, called Obidients, over his online commentaries.
In his suit, Obi is seeking a series of declaratory and injunctive reliefs against Adeyanju for allegedly publishing “false, baseless, unfounded, malicious, reckless, scandalous, and defamatory” statements against him across multiple social media platforms.
The writ of summons, issued on October 3 and addressed to Adeyanju of D4 Makuru Close, Wuse II, Abuja, asked him to enter an appearance within 42 days of service or risk judgment being entered in default.
According to the endorsement on the writ, Obi is seeking a declaration that Adeyanju’s various publications on his verified social media handles, including X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram, are defamatory and damaging to his reputation.
The former Governor is also praying the court for an order compelling the lawyer to publish a full, unreserved apology to him on all his social media handles and in at least three national newspapers, as well as on major television and online platforms, such as Channels TV, TVC News, and Arise News.
Obi is also seeking a retraction and for him to delete all defamatory posts labeling him as a “religious bigot,” “fraud,” “political prostitute,” “scum,” and other disparaging terms.
The former LP Presidential candidate is also seeking a perpetual injunction restraining Adeyanju from further making or publishing any defamatory material against him.
He is also asking the court to award aggravated or exemplary damages of N500 million for what he described as “reckless and malicious” defamation.
Obi is also seeking general damages of N1 billion for the reputational harm, ridicule, and emotional distress allegedly caused by Adeyanju’s posts and utterances.
The former Anambra Governor also wants the cost of litigation and professional fees incurred in instituting the suit, with an additional request for 18 per cent interest per annum on the judgment sum until liquidation paid by the defendant.
Adeyanju confirmed receipt of the court summons in a Facebook post last Friday.
“Finally, Peter Obi has sued me. I am actually happy and relieved that he didn’t chicken out in the end. Interestingly, he dragged me all the way to Anambra State, even though he is almost always in Abuja where I reside.
“But no shaking, we move. I will prove in court that Peter Obi is corrupt, a bigot, and a fraud. You will all be entertained, I promise,” he wrote.
