HEDA: We’ve sued Adoke for ‘defamation’

The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) says it has filed a suit against Mohammed Bello Adoke, former attorney-general of the federation, for allegedly defaming the organisation and its chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju (pictured).

Adoke had, in a petition to the inspector-general of police, alleged that an e-mail used as evidence in the OPL 245 trial in Italy was forged to falsify his relationship with one of the defendants, Aliyu Abubakar.

He also alleged that a taped telephone interview was forged to create the impression that he admitted to an Italian journalist that he knew the OPL 245 deal was a scam.

But in the suit it said it has filed before a federal capital territory (FCT) high court in Abuja, HEDA is asking Adoke to withdraw the “malicious publications” and pay N100million as damages.

HEDA said attempts were being made to subvert the wheel of justice in the ongoing criminal trial of parties connected with the OPL 245 settlement agreement in Italy and Nigeria.

The group said in the “process of covering up dirty tracks, suspects in the high profile case resorted to blackmail and arm-twisting tactics targeting HEDA, which is leading the global campaign, and its leaders.”

The summon claims that “friends and partners of Suraju were shocked by the allegations of Adoke in the statements, whom they had hitherto regarded to be an advocate of good governance.

“As a matter of fact, some of  my friends could not fathom how I could engage in activities causing embarrassment to the organization.”

Apart from asking Adoke to withdraw the said publication, the group is also seeking an order compelling Adoke to immediately “tender an unreserved apology in two national daily newspapers circulating all over the federation”.

A court in Italy has dismissed allegations of corruption against Shell and Eni in the OPL 245 deal while the Italian prosecutors are now being investigating for manipulation evidence in order to get the defendants convicted.

Adoke has petitioned the Italian ministry of justice alleging professional misconduct on the part of the prosecutors in their bid to rope him into the corruption allegations.