Akinfenwa Institutes Libel Against Ogbuagwu

By Niyi Adebimpe - 01.03.2008

The National Chairman of the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Sen. Mojisoluwa Akinfenwa, has instituted a legal suit against Mr. Felix Ogbuagwu over allegation of embezzlement of N20 million fund belonging to the party.

Akinfenwa, in a writ filed on his behalf by Mr. Kehinde Awosele and which has The Punch newspaper also as a defendant, is seeking reliefs from the court on the following grounds:

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, cronies, however, whenever from publishing any further or other defamatory information against the claimant;

“An order of this honourable court directing the defendants to write an apology letter to the claimant and that such letter of apology, which shall be decidedly remorseful and unambiguously repentant, must be published in The Punch newspaper and four other newspapers;

“An order of this honourable court directing the defendants to pay N100 million damage to the claimant.”

In the statement of claim contained in the writ, dated 18th February 2008 filed on behalf of the AD national chairman, it was affirmed that Ogbuagwu was the National Treasurer of the party but “currently on a lawful suspension from the party” further said that “the sum of N20 million was never paid by the candidates during the April 2007 elections”, adding that “the first defendant deliberately misrepresented, the facts to injure and harm the reputation of the claimant as a public figure and the national leader of a political party”.

Consequently, the report had said that Akinfenwa and the national secretary of the party, Dr. Dominic Manzo, were suspended allegedly by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party.