Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju has apologised to the national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Iliya Damagum, and national secretary Samuel Anyanwu over a defamatory comment against them.
Recall that Mr Adeyanju had accused the duo of being a sellout and mole planted by President Bola Tinubu and Nyesom Wike to destroy the opposition party.
He accused them of serving tea and kilishi in the house of the chief of staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila.
But the PDP officials, through their lawyer Johnson Usman, threatened to file civil and criminal litigation over the alleged defamatory remarks.
However, in a letter dated December 6 written from his law firm, Deji Adeyanju & Partners, and signed by Zainab Otega, the activist said his statements 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.
In the letter which was addressed to the counsel to Messrs Damagum and Anyanwu, Johnson Usman, the law firm said the “statements were not intended to defame your clients.”
The letter reads, “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were not intended to defame your clients, and any perception of defamation in the said statements is regretted and withdrawn with apologies.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.”
