The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, has filed a N20 billion defamatory suit against the senator representing the Edo North Senatorial District, Adams Oshiomhole, over the latter’s comments on the Planwell scheme.

Ighodalo filed the defamatory suit via his lawyer, Ayo Asala (SAN) & Associates, on Monday, September 16, 2024.

The Edo PDP governorship candidate, in a letter dated September 16 and addressed to Oshiomhole, described the allegations as “baseless, false, and malicious”.

He added that the claims were another of such defamatory fabrications and statements made by Oshiomhole in the recent past.

Ighodalo, however, sought an immediate retraction and apology for the senator’s comments, demanding that it should be published in at least two National Television Networks and three national newspapers in Nigeria.

The letter read: “We are counsel to Dr. Asue Ighodalo, who is the Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the forthcoming Edo State Governorship election.

“It is our information that at a campaign rally of your Party on Saturday, 14th of September, 2024, you made statements to the effect that our aforesaid client, Dr Ighodalo, was associated with or participated in an alleged pyramid scheme known as ‘Planwell’ in which numerous Nigerians were defrauded of their hard-earned funds.

“This false and unfounded statement of yours was broadcast live on television and has received extensive exposure on electronic and social media.

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“It is sad to note that despite your status as an elder and holder of a public office, you appear to have developed a pattern of spewing false statements in the public domain purely for the achievement of your political ends.

“This baseless, unfounded, false, and malicious allegation has become another in a long line of such defamatory fabrications and statements made by you in respect of our client in the recent past.

“Our client is an accomplished Nigerian legal practitioner and a corporate leader whose impressive resume from birth up till the current day is entirely in the public domain and our client has absolutely no connection with and could never have been involved in any manner whatsoever with the purported ‘Planwell’ scheme with which you have seriously defamed our client’s reputation.

“It is clear that the fabrication of the unfounded and false story regarding the purported involvement of our client in the said ‘Planwell’ scheme or any other financial scheme whatsoever, is a figment of your imagination and a story fabricated purely for the purpose of denigrating the good character and reputation of our client for the achievement of the political purpose of advancing the sinking fortunes of your political party and candidate in the forthcoming Edo State Gubernatorial elections.

“Our client has been inundated with calls and other contacts from concerned members of the public who heard your said allegations on electronic and social media as a result of which our client has suffered enormous unwarranted reputational damage arising from the lies and baseless fabrications of which you have become the purveyor.

“Our client is determined to ensure that these defamatory lies and fabrications which you have put in the public space do not go unchallenged.”

The lawyers added: “In consequence of the foregoing, therefore, our client demands the following:  i) An immediate and unqualified retraction and apology for your false, defamatory and malicious statements which should be published in at least two (2) National Television Networks and three (3) Nationally circulating newspapers.

“Pay to our client damages in the sum of 20 billion Naira for your false, defamatory, and malicious statements referred to herein.

“Take Notice that it is our client’s instructions that we immediately institute appropriate proceedings against you for damages in the sum of 20 billion Naira for your said false, malicious, irresponsible and damaging statements made against our client without any foundation whatsoever in fact.

“Further Take Notice that such action will be instituted without further notice or correspondence to you in that regard whatsoever.”

The Star