Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, has demanded a public apology, a retraction, and ₦50 billion in damages from a Facebook user accused of posting defamatory statements about him.
The demand came in a letter sent on December 13, 2024, by Otti’s legal counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Sonny Ajala.
The post, titled “What Alex Otti Cannot Destroy Does Not Exist: Vol. 1,” was uploaded by Tobias Chukwudi Egeonu, also known as Hon. Toby Chuks, on December 8, 2024.
Egeonu, who describes himself as a political commentator, accused Otti of mismanaging funds during his tenure as Group Managing Director at the defunct Diamond Bank and of engaging in corrupt practices as governor of Abia State.
In response, Ajala referred to Egeonu’s post as an “unwarranted online libelous publication from the pits of hell.”
According to the letter, the accusations made by Egeonu are “patented falsehoods” that have caused serious harm to Otti’s reputation, both in the banking sector and among the people of Abia State.
Ajala described the defamatory post as having caused “unquantifiable mental torture, depression, denigration, and corrosive erosion of reputation” for the governor.
The letter demanded that Egeonu retract the post within seven days and apologize publicly. It also stated that Otti expects compensation in the amount of ₦50 billion for the damage done.
“This post has harmed our client’s reputation both publicly and privately,” Ajala wrote. “As of today, 25 people have commented on your libelous publication, and countless others have shared it on WhatsApp.”
The letter further accused Egeonu of spreading false allegations across multiple social media platforms, causing widespread damage to Otti’s image.
In addition to a retraction on Egeonu’s Facebook page, the governor’s legal team demanded that the retraction be published in four major Nigerian newspapers: Thisday, The Punch, The Nation, and Ambassador.
The letter also insists that Egeonu post an apology on his Facebook page, which must be of the same prominence as the original defamatory post.
The demand for ₦50 billion in compensation is based on the harm caused by Egeonu’s accusations, which Otti’s legal team argues have severely impacted the governor’s standing in both his political and professional communities.
“Our client unequivocally denies the false and disparaging allegations made in your post,” the letter continued. “There is no criminal indictment against him, and your publication is entirely based on falsehoods.”
The legal threat follows a growing trend of defamation cases being filed against individuals who use social media to make damaging claims without evidence.
While the demand is certainly dramatic, the issue of online defamation has become a significant concern in Nigeria, as more public figures and politicians take legal action against social media users who spread unfounded rumors.
