Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has threatened legal action against the Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress in the state, Uche Aguoru, over a publication the governor described as false, defamatory and damaging to his reputation.
The dispute arose from a statement issued by Aguoru, in which he alleged that the governor released ₦50 billion to a well-known businessman, said to be a former member of the APC and close associate of the governor, as part of an alleged plot to destabilise the party.
According to the statement, part of the funds was allegedly made available to a frontline aspirant within the APC with the aim of creating confusion, sowing division and undermining the unity of the party.
In a letter written by Governor Otti’s counsel, Kenneth Ahia, SAN, Aguoru was asked to retract the publication, tender an apology and disclose the evidence on which the allegations were based.
The publication, titled, “APC Raises Alarm Over Alleged Plot By Abia State Government To Destabilise The Party,” was described by the governor’s counsel as containing serious allegations of corruption, diversion of public funds, political inducement and abuse of office against the governor.
Ahia said the allegations were false and without factual foundation, adding that they went beyond political criticism or partisan commentary.
“The publication goes beyond political criticism or partisan commentary; it contains specific allegations of corruption, diversion of public funds, political inducement, and abuse of office against the governor,” the letter read.
“If true, such allegations would amount to serious criminal conduct; if false, they constitute a serious attack on the reputation and integrity of our client.”
The governor’s counsel gave Aguoru seven days to retract the publication and apologise to Otti, failing which legal action would be commenced against him.
However, Aguoru, in a response issued on behalf of the APC in Abia State, said the party and its officials would not succumb to what he described as judicial intimidation by the Otti administration.
He accused the state government of using threats of litigation to silence critics, suppress dissent and discourage citizens from raising questions about governance, public spending and accountability in the state.
“The attention of the All Progressives Congress, Abia State, has been drawn to the increasing use of threats of litigation and judicial intimidation by the Alex Otti administration as a tool to silence critics, suppress dissenting voices, and prevent citizens from exposing what we consider the mis-governance, waste, fraud, and brazen corruption currently taking place in Abia State,” the statement read.
Aguoru alleged that the state government and its agents had made several attempts to intimidate, harass and oppress Abians who criticised government actions or demanded transparency and accountability.
He described the threat of legal action against him as unacceptable and “laughably futile,” insisting that his role as APC Publicity Secretary includes scrutinising and criticising government conduct.
The APC spokesman further alleged that more than 10 opposition members had been dragged before courts in Abuja, Lagos and Abia for demanding accountability, transparency and responsible governance from the Otti administration.
He called on the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Chief Justice of Nigeria to monitor developments within the Abia State judicial system, alleging that state institutions were being used to intimidate opposition voices.
Aguoru maintained that neither the APC nor its members would be intimidated into silence.
The development has deepened the political confrontation between the Labour Party-led government in Abia State and the opposition APC, with both sides now locked in a dispute over whether the controversial publication amounted to legitimate political criticism or actionable defamation.
The post “Retract And Apologise” — Otti Threatens Court Action Against Abia APC Publicity Secretary Over Allegedly False, Defamatory ₦50bn Claim appeared first on TheNigeriaLawyer.
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