The Chairman of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Mr Jarrett Tenebe has insisted that his comments in which he accused the governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the November 16 election, Asue Ighodalo of corruption and misappropriation of Edo State funds are justifiable.
In a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, Tenebe said that he maintained his stand following the preliminary report of the Edo State Asset Verification Committee and the Edo State Vehicle Recovery Committee whose reports indicted Ighodalo who was the economic adviser to the former Governor Godwin Obaseki for eight years.
Recall that lawyers to Asue Ighodalo from Banwo and Ighodalo law firm in Lagos had in a letter to Tenebe dated 11th December 2024, demanded an apology and retraction within seven days, of what they described as the defamatory comment that he made in a virile video on the 10th of December 2024, the day Governor Monday Okpebholo made a presentation of N605 billion budget estimates to the Edo State House of Assembly.
Tenebe was quoted as saying: “…the social media has been agog with our governor’s budget presentation about a mistake on a 650 billion naira and the rest of it. It’s a normal thing, Zuma made such a mistake, and a lot of people make such mistakes. I don’t know the figures.
“You see, that is how to know original and innocent people. Obaseki will not make such a mistake because he has stolen billions before. Asue Ighodalo will not make such a mistake, because he has stolen billions before…
However, in a response through his lawyer, Dr Blessing Agbomhere of Blessing Agbomhere and Partners, dated 17th December 2024, Tenebe stood by his comments and denied each and every allegation of fact contained in the said letter.
He added that the alleged video was devoid of any atom of defamation or defamatory innuendo, insisting that as the Edo state APC Chairman, he made the comments in accordance with his rights of free speech as a citizen of Nigeria.
Agbomhere in the letter further said; “We further want to state unequivocally that our client did not defame your client in any way and as such, there is no need for a public apology or retraction of comments made in the alleged video.
“But if your client decides to stretch this issue further by going to court, we will rely on the defence of justification in accordance with the report of the Edo State Vehicle Recovery Committee whose report indicted your client and the preliminary report of the Edo State Asset Verification Committee.”
