Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has sued an online journalist and radio presenter, Akanda Oro, popularly known as Awikonko, for N1bn.
The journalist was quoted as saying on live radio that Obasanjo killed Ige and that President Muhammadu Buhari had even claimed at the burial of the late Harry Marshall that the Obasanjo-led government sponsored the killing of the ANPP chieftain.
He allegedly said: “Obasanjo’s murder of Bola Ige, if not for the shortage of time, I would have listed the names of those murdered by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo during his regime.
“Bloodshed during Obasanjo Aremu’s regime was too much (foolish old man).
“There are repercussions for every evil deed done… In case you hear of my death, do not be sad. Perhaps this is the only mission I have been sent by God to accomplish.
“The fellow that killed a whole minister of justice and attorney general of the federation went scot-free.
“So, what will it cost him to kill me, a commoner? Let him go and commit suicide or take himself before Ogun shrine to swear that he does not know anything about the murder of Bola Ige and Marshall Harry or that all his children die in his lifetime.”
Obasanjo described as malicious and false the claim by the journalist that he had a hand in the assassination of the late Attorney General of the Federation, Chief Bola Ige, SAN, and the slain National Vice-Chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, Marshall Harry.
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In the suit filed before Justice O.A. Adenyi of Apo Federal Capital Territory High Court with number FCT/HC/CV/2920/18, by his lawyer, Kanu Agabi, SAN, the former President sought the following reliefs:
· A declaration that the publication complained of are false, malicious, unjustified, injurious, scornful, distasteful, unsavoury and have exposed the claimant to public odium, ridicule and disdain both nationally and internationally.
· A declaration that the words complained of do not constitute a valid exercise by the defendant of his freedom of speech.
· The sum of one billion naira only against the defendant as general damages for the defamation of the claimant’s hard earned reputation.
The former President also demanded that Awikonko should retract his comments.