By Abubakar Yunusa
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has threatened legal action against Hon. Barr. Eze Chikamnayo, also known as Iyierioba Chikamnayo, over what he described as “defamatory and malicious” publications against him on Facebook.
In a letter dated October 2, 2025, and signed by his counsel, Dr. Sonny Ajala (SAN), Otti demanded a written retraction, public apology, and compensation of N100 billion from Chikamnayo.
The governor accused the former commissioner of persistently publishing libelous posts on his Facebook page, “Iyierioba Chikamnayo.”
Among the cited publications were posts titled “Alex Otthief is a confirmed criminal and disaster!” (September 22, 2025), “Fighting Promax!!!!” (September 21, 2025), “Old or new Abia?” (September 14, 2025), “Sabbath Message” (September 13, 2025), and “Alex Otthief is a confirmed criminal and congenital liar = looting governor!” (August 15, 2025).
Ajala, of Deeplaw Associates, stated that the posts were clearly targeted at Otti, noting that “our client, for the avoidance of doubt, is the only Governor and Chief Executive of a State within the 36 States of Nigeria who bears the name Alex Chioma Otti. Thus, no effort is required by members of the public to link all your spiteful, false and defamatory attacks to him.”
He described Otti as a man of integrity with a distinguished career in the banking sector, where he rose to the position of Managing Director/Chief Executive of Diamond Bank Plc before venturing into politics.
According to the letter, Otti’s attention was drawn to the Facebook posts on September 29, 2025, while in Abuja for the conferment of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria on the Abia State Attorney-General.
Ajala stressed that Otti “unequivocally denies in their entirety your malicious defamatory materials,” emphasizing that the governor has no criminal indictment or conviction by any court of law. He added that the posts inflicted “unquantifiable mental torture, depression, denigration, and brutal destruction of his reputation built over decades.”
The governor is demanding a written retraction of all defamatory posts to be published both on the same Facebook page and in four national newspapers. He is also seeking a written public apology on the same Facebook page, compensation of N100 billion for reputational damage, and an undertaking to desist from further defamatory publications.
The letter warned that failure to comply within seven days would leave Otti with no option but to seek legal redress in court.
