Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has taken legal action against social activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, over alleged defamatory remarks made against him on social media.
Obi filed the suit at the Anambra State High Court sitting in Onitsha, accusing Adeyanju of publishing false, reckless and damaging statements about him through his online platforms.
According to the court documents, Obi claimed that the activist’s posts were aimed at tarnishing his image and misleading the public. The politician is asking the court to compel Adeyanju to issue a public and unconditional apology for the alleged defamation.
In addition, the former governor of Anambra State is demanding ₦1 billion as general damages and another ₦500 million as exemplary damages for the harm done to his reputation.
It was gathered that Obi’s lawsuit follows several warnings issued to Adeyanju over repeated online attacks that allegedly questioned his integrity and leadership character.
Reacting to the suit, Adeyanju confirmed that Obi had officially taken him to court. In a statement, he expressed relief that the Labour Party candidate eventually followed through with his legal threat.
His words: “Finally, Peter Obi has sued me. I am actually happy and relieved that he didn’t chicken out in the end. Interestingly, he dragged me all the way to Anambra State, even though he is almost always in Abuja where I reside. But no shaking, we move.”
The case adds another twist to the ongoing tensions between Obi and some critics who have accused him of intolerance towards dissenting opinions on social media.