Deji Adeyanju, a lawyer and rights activist, has publicly apologised to Umar Damagun and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, prominent leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), over defamatory statements he made against them.
The apology came after threats of legal action from the PDP leaders.
Damagun, the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, and Anyanwu, the Acting National Secretary, had issued demands through their counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Johnson Usman.
They requested a retraction and an apology, warning of both civil and criminal lawsuits if their demands were not met.
On Friday, Adeyanju, through his lawyer, Zainab Otega, complied by retracting his earlier statements and offering an apology.
In a statement, Otega acknowledged the gravity of Adeyanju’s previous remarks, which had drawn significant public attention.
The controversy began when Adeyanju made remarks on a podcast, describing Damagun as a “tea man” serving at Femi Gbajabiamila’s residence and Anyanwu as a “kilishi man” known for similar actions.
These figurative criticisms implied that the PDP leaders were submissive and ineffective as opposition figures.
Adeyanju also accused the PDP leadership of being under the influence of former Governor Nyesom Wike, further asserting that the party had failed to present credible opposition to the ruling government.
The comments triggered backlash, with supporters of Damagun and Anyanwu expressing outrage over the perceived damage to their reputations.
In a strongly worded letter dated December 4 and December 5, the PDP leaders’ lawyer, Israel Ujah, accused Adeyanju of a deliberate attempt to tarnish their reputations.
Ujah described the remarks as baseless, inflammatory, and damaging to their political careers.
The lawyer argued that the statements exposed the PDP leaders to public ridicule and undermined their standing among party members and the public.
“Your defamatory statements have exposed our client to serious political embarrassment, psychological trauma, and unquantifiable humiliation,” the letter stated.
The letter further noted that Adeyanju’s right to free speech did not extend to unfounded verbal attacks.
Ujah demanded an immediate public retraction and an apology to be published in national newspapers and social media platforms within three days.
Failure to comply, the letter warned, would result in legal action pursued with “all the attendant publicity.”
Under mounting pressure, Adeyanju opted to avoid a legal showdown.
Through his lawyer, Otega, he expressed regret for his comments and issued a public apology to Damagun and Anyanwu.
“I understand the harm my statements may have caused to the reputations of the PDP leaders,” Otega’s statement read.
The apology marked the resolution of a saga that had threatened to escalate into a courtroom battle.
