Rift brews in APC as Omisore accuses Salihu Lukman of libel, seeks N500m damages

Iyiola Omisore, national secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has demanded payment of N500 million from Salihu Lukman, vice-chairman of the party in the north-west, over alleged libel.

Omisore and Lukman are members of the national working committee (NWC) of the ruling party.

On Tuesday, Lukman, while speaking during a programme on African Independent Television (AIT), reportedly said Omisore mismanaged campaign funds meant for Osun state.

“I’m aware the party has given some campaign funds to Osun which was handled by the national secretary and to some extent, he has either mismanaged it but more importantly, he’s not accounting to anybody and you have to activate the process of accountability,” the north-west vice-chairman was quoted as saying.

In a letter dated March 15 and seen by TheCable, Gboyega Oyewole, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and counsel to the APC national secretary, said Lukman’s comment is false and was aimed at maligning Omisore’s character.

“It is clear beyond doubt that your statement and publication was a political ploy with the intent of impugning the reputation and integrity of our client and unjustifiably and unwarrantedly assassinating his character in the eyes of right-thinking members of the public,” Oyewole said in the letter addressed to Lukman.

“Our client has consequently directed us to request for a retraction of your libelous statement and publication and an apology to be published in two major newspapers and several online news outlets not later than 48 hours of the delivery of this letter and also the payment of the sum of N500,000,000 as damages for malicious statement against our client.

“TAKE NOTICE that if you fail to heed the request of our client within 48 hours of the receipt of this letter, we shall be constrained to proceed to the court of law against you for exemplary damages for injurious falsehood and malicious statement made of and concerning our client.”

When contacted by TheCable, Lukman said he would respond appropriately.