By Taiye Agbaje
Mr Yakubu Dogara, former Speaker of House of Representatives, has threatened to sue four national dailies over alleged defamatory publications.
Dogara made this known in separate letters written through his counsel, Johnson Usman, SAN, to the media organisations.
The certified true copies of the letter were made available to newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja.
The media houses include The Guardian, Nigerian Pilot, Daily Post and New Telegraph Newspaper.
In the letters, signed by Usman, the four organisations were alleged to have defamed the ex-lawmaker.
In one of the publications, captioned: “Ex-loyalist slams Dogara for taking appointment from ‘Muslim-Muslim’ govt,” the former legislator was described to be a “deceitful” politician.
“We are solicitors to Rt. Hon Yakubu Dogara (hereinafter referred to as “Our Client”) on whose firm and absolute instructions we write this letter to you on the above subject matter.
“Our client, a businessman, a renowned politician who rose to become the Speaker, House of Representatives and currently the Chairman of the National Credit Guarantee Company Limited (NCGC).
“Significantly, our clients’ business, political, career life and social standing have remained a template for multiple streams of admirers within and outside his immediate Constituency,
“Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa Federal Constituency, Bauchi State in particular, the people within the Federal Capital Territory; Nigeria at large, and even well-wishers in Diaspora.
“It has become so; on account of the reputation and integrity which our client has built in his foray into life adventures over several decades.
“However, you have intentionally made some inflammatory and derogatory remarks against the person of our client; particularly with the underhanded motive of disparaging and assassinating his reputation and character, before his teaming supporters, admirers and other well-meaning members of the society.
“You maligned our client with imputations of crime; low morality; laced with unhealthy and unwarranted remarks, all of which have had adverse implications on his personal, family, business and political life.
“In the myriad of falsehoods and the array of lies paraded in your publication as indicated above; you have expressly accused our client of being ‘the orchestrator of Zaar land’s division and decay, being deceitful and shameless’.
“By the tenor of your unsubstantiated publication, you went on to discourage members of the public from patronising and holding our client in trust and have him clothed with a toga of being a beggar for ‘political appointment without a shred of dignity,’” one of the letters read in part.
Usman stated that the maker of the news who was described by the media houses as “Dogara’s ex-loyalist,” was not known by the former lawmaker.
According to the senior lawyer, our client denies knowing him.
“Be it known to you that your defamatory statements have exposed our client to serious political embarrassment, psychological trauma, unquantifiable humiliation, public odium and opprobrium,” Usman said.
He, therefore, demanded an immediate retraction of the alleged defamatory statements made against his client within three days of the receipt of the letters.
His words: “We further demand that your retraction which must be published at the front page of these media, should be accompanied by a statement of apology to be published in the national dailies and other social media.
“Failure on your part to toe the path of honour in this regard; we shall be left with no option but to explore the available remedies in protecting our client’s constitutional rights within the legal parameters.
“This shall include both civil and criminal litigations.
“Take final notice, that this last resort shall be without further notice to you and shall be done with all the attendant publicity.
“A word is enough for the wise!”(NAN)
