Alleged defamation: Deji Adeyanju apologizes to Damagun, Anyanwu

Lawyer and human rights activist, Deji Adeyanju, has apologized to the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagun and the acting National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu following his alleged defamatory statements against them.

Adeyanju during a podcast interview accused Damagun of serving tea and Anyanwu of serving ‘Kilishi’ in the house of President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.

The human rights lawyer also claimed that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Damagun are Tinubu’s moles in the PDP.

Damagun thereafter threatened to sue Adeyanju over allegations bordering on defamation. Anyanwu also threatened to drag the lawyer to court on civil and criminal litigations over the alleged defamatory remarks.

Damagun and Anyanwu, through their counsel, Johnson Usman (SAN) asked Adeyanju to retract the statements and tender an apology in national dailies and other social media platforms to avert the looming legal tussle.

The PDP chair and secretary made this known in two separate letters and the acknowledged copies made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja.

While Damagun’s letter was dated and received on Wednesday, December 4 by Adeyanju, Anyanwu’s letter was dated and received on Thursday, December 5.

However, in a letter dated Friday, December 6, 2024, Adeyanju’s law firm, Deji Adeyanju & Partners, retracted the statements and apologized for any harm caused to the persons of Damagun and Anyanwu.

In the letter signed by Zainab Otega, it was said that the “statements were not intended to defame your clients.” Otega also said that any perception of defamation in the said statements is regretted and withdrawn with apologies.

“We are solicitors to Deji Adeyanju, Esq (hereinafter referred to as our client), on whose instruction we act,” the letter read in part.

“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.”