Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, has sued Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, for N25 billion over alleged defamation of character, News About Nigeria reports.
Matthew Burkaa, SAN, legal representative for Emefiele, disclosed this in a letter addressed to the Senate President, stating that the former CBN governor considers the statements of Akpabio false, distorted, and made in bad faith, adding that the statements were deemed to be aimed at disparaging his character.
Recall that the Senate President, while speaking at an event, stated that the government was at a loss for what charges to bring against Emefiele, citing potential accusations ranging from causing economic turmoil to illegal possession of firearms and unauthorised printing of currency.
Emefiele has, however, stated that the statements of the Senate President have unjustly maligned his character and portrayed him as the root cause of Nigeria’s current economic challenges.
Emefiele, in the letter, demanded an immediate retraction of the statement, a written apology, and the payment of twenty-five billion naira (N25,000,000,000) as compensation for the alleged defamation.
“It is disturbing that such a statement would be made by the Head of the Legislature of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on a matter that is clearly subjudice. Your statement, with the greatest respect, clearly undermines the honour and integrity of the Court and its independence and indeed has the propensity of prejudicing the case against our client. Having submitted to the jurisdiction of the Court, it is only fair and proper that the Court should be allowed to determine the issues submitted to it without unnecessary pressure from any other arm of government.
“We, therefore, have our client’s further instruction to demand from you an unreserved apology in writing, published and circulated by the same medium with which you have defamed his character and the sum of Twenty-Five Billion Naira (N25,000,000,000) as reasonable compensation for the willful and unjustifiable denigration of his hard-earned reputation.
“In the event that you fail, refuse or neglect to comply with this legitimate demand, Our Client will be at liberty to seek the appropriate redress available to him under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the letter reads in part.
