Senator Musiliu Obanikoro Sues Sahara Reporters, Punch, Premium Times And Others For Defamation Of Character

 According to the Breaking Times Former Minister of State for Defence, Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro has gone to court to seek redress over a case of defamation of character by online newspapers Sahara Reporters and Premium Times.

 Joined in the suit are Punch Newspapers Ltd., Omoyele Sowore, Publisher of Sahara Reporters and Festus Owete, General Editor at Premium Times.

The defendants had published an audio recording of Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, purportedly in a conversation with other individuals to rig the Ekiti State gubernatorial elections, an allegation Senator Obanikoro and the others have since disclaimed.

In a suit filed at the Lagos State High Court Ikeja on Tuesday, 10th February 2015, Senator Obanikoro is suing the defendants for damages to the tune of N1 billion. According to the suit filed on his behalf by Dr. Yemi Oke of MJS Partners, Senator Obanikoro is seeking “1.) An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from publishing or causing to be published either directly or indirectly, defamatory, damaging, offensive or degrading statements, articles and/or materials against the claimant, 2.) An order directing the defendant to jointly or severally pay to the claimant the sum of N1 billion being damages for harm caused to his political, professional, business, social and institutional reputation as a result of the defamation by willful and scandalous publication of false statements by the defendants, 3.) An order directing the defendants to retract the false and damaging publication by a letter of apology directed to claimant and published on the same media through which the defamatory publication was circulated and 4.) An order of court for the cost of this suit against the defendants.”

Meanwhile, in a similar development, Senator Obanikoro has hired Tacopina & Seigel one of New York’s top law firms reputed for their groundbreaking defense of celebrity baseball player, Alex Rodriguez in his case against the 211-game doping suspension slammed on him by Major League Baseball (MLB). Tacopina & Seigel is handling Senator Obanikoro’s case against Sahara Reporters in New York, United States of America.

The defendants have 42 days to prepare their defense and make an appearance in court to defend themselves in the Lagos suit.

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Senator Obanikoro Disclaims Audio Recording On Ekiti Elections, Threatens To Sue Sahara Reporters

 Below is a  press statement from Musiliu Obanikoro's office...

 Our attention has been drawn to an audio recording released on Thursday by Sahara Reporters, an online news website. In the audio recording, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro is presented as having a conversation alongside current Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, Senator Iyiola Omisore amongst other names purportedly identified by Sahara Reporters as participants in the said meeting.

But these are the facts:

1. That Senator Obanikoro wishes to state categorically and emphatically that you will never find him anywhere in the world talking about rigging an election in favour of anyone. The context of the conversation being reported by Sahara Reporters has been deliberately concocted, manipulated and misrepresented to achieve a predetermined narrative. Nowhere in the purported recording did Senator Obanikoro mention directly or indirectly a plan to rig the Ekiti State elections as the Sahara Reporters narrative suggests.

2. That Senator Obanikoro’s team was approached by an agent of Sahara Reporters to pay for the doctored recording. Senator Obanikoro’s refusal to be blackmailed led to Sahara Reporters going ahead to publish the said recording.

3. That it is an open knowledge that Sahara Reporters is a paid mouthpiece of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and as such cannot be taken seriously and credibly.

4. That the eventual timing of the release of the doctored audio coming on the eve of the ruling of the Osun State Election Petitions Tribunal makes it even more sinister. For all intents and purposes, it is a failed attempt to compromise the outcome of the Tribunal ruling and set the tone for public sympathy in the event of an unfavorable ruling.

5. Old habits die hard. The APC is known for its manipulative antics in the manufacturing of forged certificates, hacking, propaganda and now the doctoring of audio recordings.

6. That Dr. Kayode Fayemi and the APC have failed to explain how their gross unpopularity led to the loss of their wards and local governments to PDP’s Ayodele Fayose.

7. That there was a Tribunal set up for the Ekiti Election. Why was this audio recording not presented to that Tribunal? Having lost an election woefully and at the Election Petitions Tribunal, this is nothing short of a lame after-thought and a futile attempt to pervert the minds of unsuspecting Nigerians against the PDP in the coming general elections.

8. That the role the Nigerian Army played in safeguarding the elections in Ekiti and Osun States remains commendable, to general acclaim, locally and internationally.

9. The APC and their cronies are the ones known for anti-democratic tendencies. Where was Sahara Reporters when free and fair local government elections were annulled by the APC in Lagos State?

10. That beyond this statement, Senator Obanikoro will not dignify the immoral construct of the APC through its hired media platforms with any further response. Senator Obanikoro refuses to be distracted by the failed antics of the APC and is focusing on the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan.

11. That Senator Obanikoro is initiating legal action against Sahara Reporters in New York and Nigeria for defamation of character.

Signed

Ohimai Godwin Amaize

Special Adviser on Media Strategy to Senator Musiliu Obanikoro

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Obanikoro Confirms Buhari Was Stoned At Lagos Rally

 Senator Obanikoro released a statement through his Special Adviser (Media Strategy) Ohimai Amaize 

 Immediate past Minister of State for Defence and former PDP Lagos gubernatorial aspirant, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro on Friday chided the All Progressives Congress (APC) over denials that its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari was stoned in Lagos while making his way to the APC Lagos presidential rally.

 Senator Obanikoro had condemned the stoning of General Muhammadu Buhari in Lagos on Friday after the news of his stoning broke via online news media platforms and went viral across the social media.

The APC on Friday through its spokesperson, Lai Mohammed denied the report stating that General Buhari was not stoned but rather received cheers from bystanders.

However, Senator Obanikoro in a statement on Friday issued by Ohimai Amaize, his Special Adviser on Media Strategy, noted that the APC’s denial of Buhari’s stoning in Lagos was not only pointless and futile but also does not give the APC any advantage.

“When things go wrong, we must acknowledge and condemn it in order to forestall any future occurrences.

“Senator Obanikoro, based on eyewitness accounts is aware of the stoning incident at Idumagbo area of Isale-Eko, Lagos State and the fact that a woman was injured in the ensuing fracas after General Buhari's security detail had to shoot into the air to dispel the irate mob”, the statement noted.

Signed

Ohimai Amaize

Special Adviser (Media Strategy) to Senator Musiliu Obanikoro

30/01/2015

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