NEWS
Obi Threatens Tinubu’s Aide, Onanuga, With N5bn Damages Lawsuit
Former Anambra State Governor and Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Communication and Strategy, demanding an apology.
This comes after Onanuga claimed that Obi was behind an upcoming nationwide protest.
Obi, through his counsel, Alex Ejesieme, stated that if Onanuga fails to apologize within the stipulated time, he will pursue a defamation lawsuit.
Additionally, Obi requested that the apology be published in Vanguard, THISDAY, The Punch, The Cable newspapers, and on Onanuga’s verified Twitter handle (@aonanuga1956).
The demand comes after Onanuga alleged on July 20, 2024, that Obi’s supporters were planning mayhem in Nigeria, linking him to anarchy.
Obi’s counsel described the allegation as a “calculated plot” to demean and embarrass their client, causing significant harm to his reputation and emotional well-being.
The counsel noted that the allegation went viral on social and mainstream media, maligning Obi’s hard-earned reputation.
He stressed that Obi abhors violence and has a long record of law-abiding and constructive engagement in private and public life.
The Obi’s counsel letter read in part, “The said statements are in every sense malicious and convey with them the potentiality of an ostracisation of our Client by well-meaning citizens of Nigeria. It should be stated without any form of equivocation that our Client is an elder statesman, a diplomat, and an unwavering democrat.
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“He has always tailored his affairs according to the dictates of Nigerian law. Where there has been any dissatisfaction with any process or procedure, our Client’s first and only resort has been to invoke the appropriate legal mechanisms to ventilate his grievances.
“As a matter of fact, our Client has severally urged his teeming supporters to abide by the rule of law and to abstain from any actions which could result in a breakdown of law and order.
He refrains from associating himself with protests and has constantly persuaded Nigerians to persevere.”
Continuing Obi’s counsel in the letter said, “Our Client has expressed dissatisfaction with certain policies and has voiced the same through constructive criticism, without malice or resentment.
“It is our Client’s conviction that the publication was a calculated plot to demean, ridicule, humiliate, and embarrass him by the estimation of every right-thinking member of society. It appears you have achieved your insipid motive, as well-wishers from all around the globe have inundated him with calls to register their shock.
“His appellation as ‘Okwute’ (the Rock) notwithstanding, the demeaning and scandalous publication has also caused serious emotional injury to our Client, given his decades of stellar stewardship in private and public life.”
Obi demands a retraction of the defamatory statements and an unreserved apology within 72 hours, along with the monetary damages.
“Consequently, we have our Client’s mandate to demand that you retract the statement made in the publication and tender an unreserved apology to him within 72 hours of the receipt of this letter in no fewer than four National Dailies, to wit: Vanguard, THISDAY, Punch, and The Cable, including your verified ‘X’ handle ‘@aonanuga1956’.
“Our Client is also making an unequivocal demand for monetary damages of ₦5,000,000,000 (Five Billion Naira) only for the embarrassment your defamatory publication has caused him and his family.
“Take Notice that in the event of your failure to meet the demands set out above, our Client shall be constrained to approach a Court of competent jurisdiction and take legal action against you for defamation and libel.”
“Be advised accordingly. While looking forward to your response, accept the assurances of our highest esteem.”
A suit challenging President Bola Tinubu’s controversial appointment of a Sole Administrator for Rivers State suffered a setback on Thursday as the President and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, failed to appear or send legal representation before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The matter, brought before Justice James Omotosho, was instituted by Abuja-based legal practitioner, Mr. Johnmary Jideobi, who is urging the court to declare the appointment of Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas (Rtd) as unconstitutional and to nullify the suspension of the state’s elected Governor and Deputy Governor.
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Although the Attorneys-General of Lagos, Bayelsa, Taraba, and Edo states were present and announced their appearances, the absence of legal representation for both the President (1st Defendant) and the AGF (2nd Defendant) drew attention during the proceedings.
Plaintiff’s counsel, Mr. Chimezie Enuka, confirmed to the court that all parties—except the Attorneys-General of Zamfara and Bauchi states—had been properly served with the originating processes and hearing notice.
Following a consensus among the present legal teams, Justice Omotosho adjourned the matter to June 11, 2025, and ordered that fresh hearing notices be issued to all defendants.
The suit, filed under number FHC/ABJ/CS/572/2025, has Tinubu, the AGF, and the 36 state Attorneys-General listed as defendants. Jideobi is asking the court to set aside all decisions and actions taken by Ibas in the name of a Sole Administrator, arguing they lack any constitutional basis.
In his affidavit in support of the suit, the plaintiff asserted that President Tinubu does not possess the constitutional powers to suspend elected state officials or to appoint unelected figures to govern in their place.
“As a Nigerian lawyer and all through my years of practice, I have never seen the word ‘Sole Administrator’ in the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Jideobi stated.
“I know that neither the 1st Defendant nor the 2nd Defendant appointed the Governor and Deputy-Governor of Rivers State of Nigeria and that no Governor or Deputy Governor in Nigeria is an appointee of the 1st and 2nd Defendants,” he added.
The plaintiff contends that the only constitutionally recognized grounds for removing or interrupting the tenure of elected Governors and their deputies are outlined in Sections 180, 188, 189, 305, and 306 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
He is therefore seeking a declaration from the court that the President has “NO constitutional authority to either remove, suspend or otherwise tamper with the tenure of a duly elected Governor and Deputy Governor of a State and appoint a sole Administrator [or any other substitute howsoever called or described].”
Jideobi warned that unless the court intervenes, “removal of duly elected Governors and Deputy-Governors may become the pastime of the President, thereby opening the floodgate of anarchy capable of consuming this nation.”
He added: “I have instituted this suit in the public interest, in the defence of the Rule of Law and accentuation of the supremacy of the Constitution… It will be in the interest of justice for this Honourable Court to grant the prayers contained on the face of this Originating Summons.”
Among the specific reliefs sought are an order setting aside the suspension of the Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State, a nullification of Ibas’ appointment, and a directive ordering him to vacate the Government House immediately.
In a dramatic show of solidarity, members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) staged a picket outside the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development’s headquarters in Abuja.
The protest was sparked by the ministry’s refusal to comply with a court order for the reinstatement of Comrade Victor Ekpaha, who was dismissed from his position more than 20 years ago.
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The workers’ action resulted in the shutdown of the ministry’s operations, as they called for Ekpaha’s immediate reinstatement and the payment of his full salary, allowances, and other benefits for the over two decades that the case has been unresolved.
The NLC has expressed its determination to continue pressuring the ministry until the court ruling is respected and Ekpaha is fully compensated for the years of unpaid entitlements.
The union has also emphasized the broader issue of labor rights and justice, urging the government to address such longstanding grievances.
More to follow………………
The Dangote Refinery has announced a N15 reduction in its ex-gantry loading cost, bringing it down to N865 per litre from the previous price of N880.
The new price, confirmed by a pro forma invoice and verified by petroleumprice.ng, was communicated to customers in a notice on Thursday morning.
This price adjustment follows earlier reports that the 650,000 barrels-per-day refinery was expected to lower its petrol loading costs by the end of this week.
The reduction is expected to further drive down fuel prices in the country, providing some relief to consumers.
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Chinedu Ukadike, National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), assured the public that the price drop aligns with the Federal Executive Council’s recent directive on the Naira-for-Crude agreement.
“We are confident that this price reduction will be beneficial for the Nigerian people,” Ukadike said.
In a related development, the Federal Executive Council has authorized the full implementation of the long-suspended Naira-for-Crude agreement with local refiners.
This policy aims to reduce Nigeria’s reliance on foreign exchange for petroleum imports and boost local refining capacity.
The Ministry of Finance released a statement following a meeting between Finance Minister Wale Edun and Dangote Refinery officials.
The statement emphasized that the Naira-for-Crude initiative is a long-term policy, not a temporary measure.
“The initiative is designed to support sustainable local refining, enhance energy security, and reduce the country’s dependency on foreign currency for petroleum products,” the Ministry’s statement read.
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