The candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, has demanded an immediate retraction and unreserved public apology from Mr Jarrett Tenebe, the Acting Chairman of Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) over a defamatory video recorded and disseminated widely by him.
The demands are contained in a “Letter Before Action” issued by a leading Nigerian law firm, Banwo & Ighodalo, to Tenebe and signed by Chinedum Umeche, FCI, on the express instruction of Ighodalo.
The letter, dated December 11, 2024, a copy of which was obtained by journalists in Benin City, accuses Tenebe of making and circulating a video on December 10, 2024, in which he falsely alleged that Ighodalo, a prominent lawyer and public figure, had “stolen billions.”
According to the legal team, the video also insinuates that Ighodalo is “incapable of holding public office.”
The letter states that in the video, Mr. Tenebe said, “Asue Ighodalo will not make such a mistake, because he has stolen billions before.” The lawyers contended that the video, widely circulated on platforms such as Arise TV, X (formerly Twitter), WhatsApp, and Instagram, was meant to suggest that:
“Our Client is a thief and has appropriated to himself, public funds amounting to ‘billions,’ without permission or justification.”
“Our Client has been convicted of the offence of stealing ‘billions’. Our Client is a dishonourable man incapable of holding public office.”
The Law firm rejected the claims, calling them “wholly untrue” and a “calculated attempt to damage our Client’s well-preserved reputation.”
Highlighting the fallout from the allegations, the Law firm noted that: “Since the publication of the Defamatory Video, our Client has received numerous calls from professional colleagues, business partners, and other well-meaning Nigerians, locally and in the diaspora, inquiring as to the propriety of the allegations. “Undoubtedly, this development has exposed our Client to great distress, hurt, and humiliation.”
The letter emphasized that Ighodalo’s track record speaks to his integrity. As a founding partner of Banwo & Ighodalo, a law firm often cited as a Tier 1 Corporate and Commercial Law firm, and as a flag bearer in the recent Edo State gubernatorial election, he has never been accused or convicted of any crime, in Nigeria or elsewhere.
The legal team emphasized the importance of protecting the reputation of individuals, particularly those in public service, from reckless, premeditated, baseless and harmful allegations.
The legal team demanded two immediate actions from Tenebe within seven days: “Procure the recording and publishing of a retraction of the Defamatory Video; and issue a letter of apology to our Client.”
The legal team made it clear that failure to comply would result in litigation, stating:
“You are advised that ignoring this letter may lead to court proceedings being issued against you by our Client in the High Court of Lagos State, without further notice.”
Tenebe’s reckless defamatory video emerged amidst discussions following the presentation of the Edo State 2025 Appropriation Bill. While Ighodalo has no direct connection to the presentation, the baseless allegations appear to have been an attempt to deflect public attention from the governor’s unbelievable gaffes during the presentation.
