By Albert Akota
Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Mr. Sunday Dare is set to slam a N10 billion suit on Nigeria Football Federation (NFF)’s former head of protocol, Mr. Tunde Aderibigbe, if he fails to apologize for defamation of character arising from the unsubstantiated allegations made by the former NFF Board member on an Abuja radio station.
The legal action against Aderibigbe followed a similar warning letter issued to the presenter of Berekete programme on Human Rights 101.1 Radio, Ordinary Ahmed Isah, who has since apologized to the minister for maligning his image.
A letter from Mr. Dare’s legal counsel, Wole Olanipekun and co to the NFF’s former head of protocol noted that the radio host had maliciously alleged that the Minister was bribed, which Aderibigbe corroborate without evidence. The letter said “(The) disparaging statement about our client, which was a frontal attack on his person and reputation, was/is baseless, unfounded and unsupported by any iota of substance. Nonetheless, in response to the statement, you were quick to corroborate the patently malicious assertion.”
“In light of the foregoing, we have our client’s instruction to demand an unreserved apology from you to be published in two national dailies (with wide readership across the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; Lagos, Oyo and Rivers States) within 7 days of the receipt of this letter. Within the said 7 days of the receipt of this letter, you are also required to tender the same apology on the Human Right Radio, 101.1 FM.
“Kindly take notice that in the event of your failure or omission to comply with our client’s demand as indicated in the foregoing paragraph, we have his standing instructions to institute an action against you.
Seeking injunctive and declaratory reliefs as well as pecuniary damages to the tune of NGN 10,000.000, 000.00 (ten Billion Naira. only for the embarrassment and unwarranted ridicule caused by your defamatory statements,” the letter warned.
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