Edo State Governor, Monday Okpebholo, has issued a five-day ultimatum to Chris Osa Nehikhare, the Edo State Publicity Secretary of the Folks’s Democratic Party (PDP), and a chieftain of the celebration, Shadrach Udugbai, demanding an unreserved apology over what he described as defamatory remarks made by them on varied media platforms.
Nehikhare was accused of creating unsubstantiated allegations towards the Governor by means of a press launch on March 19, 2025, titled: “Edo PDP Condemns Okpebholo’s N200m Bribery Ploy to Purchase Defection of Every Member… Reckless Misappropriation of State Sources.”
Within the assertion, he alleged that Governor Okpebholo had summoned all Councillors from the 18 Native Councils of Edo State in a determined try and woo them with ₦2 million every to defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Equally, Udugbai was accused of creating defamatory remarks whereas showing on “This Morning on ITV”, a program aired on Benin-based Unbiased Tv (ITV) on March 13, 2025.
Throughout the broadcast, he alleged that Governor Okpebholo bribed three PDP members within the Edo State Home of Meeting with ₦200 million every to defect to the APC.
A pre-action discover, signed by the Governor’s authorized representatives, Blessing Agbomhere, Esq., and Taiwo Elizabeth Olorunfemi, Esq., each of Blessing Agbomhere and Companions and sighted by Sunday Telegraph, acknowledged that the defamatory feedback advised that the Governor is a dishonourable man who engages in bribery and corruption and mismanages Edo State’s sources.
It additionally implied that he’s a dishonest politician who depends on corrupt practices to realize his targets and is unfit to control Edo State or maintain any public workplace.
The authorized workforce lamented that the large circulation of the press launch and tv interview, together with their distribution on Fb, YouTube, and Instagram, amplified the affect of the defamatory remarks, inflicting important reputational hurt to Governor Okpebholo.
They additional asserted that the allegations had been utterly false and a calculated try and tarnish the Governor’s hard-earned fame.
Governor Okpebholo has been adjudged by well-meaning Edo indigenes and Nigerians as one of many few state governors managing public funds prudently.
Earlier than changing into Governor, he was a distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the place he carried out his legislative duties impeccably, resulting in his nomination because the APC governorship candidate, a place he now occupies.
The Legal professionals additionally pressured that Governor Okpebholo has by no means been arrested, charged, or convicted of any monetary impropriety in Nigeria or elsewhere and has by no means engaged in bribery or different corrupt practices.
They argued that it’s obscure why the Governor’s title ought to characteristic in what seems to be an try to deal with defections inside the PDP.
In line with them, the one affordable conclusion is that the statements had been supposed to topic the Governor to public ridicule and injury his fame within the eyes of society.
Governor Okpebholo additional mentioned that because the publication and broadcast of the defamatory remarks, he has been inundated with calls from buddies, political associates, and anxious Nigerians domestically and within the diaspora, inquiring in regards to the allegations—inflicting him nice misery, harm, and humiliation.
As a treatment, the Governor’s authorized workforce has demanded that the PDP chieftains retract the defamatory statements and publish the retraction on the identical platforms the place the allegations had been made.
They need to additionally situation a letter of apology to the Governor, to be printed in two main newspapers circulating in Edo State and nationwide.
The retraction and apology should even be printed on all social media platforms the place the unique statements had been circulated.
The PDP chieftains have been given 5 days from the receipt of the discover to conform or face authorized motion.
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