Ahmed Raji & Co, the legal representatives of former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has threatened legal action against Daily Trust and has demanded N6 billion for defamation.
In a letter signed by Adeola Adedipe, the legal firm said it was writing in respect of the defamation of the character of Chief Femi Fani-Kayode by Iliyasu Gadu.
“We represent Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, in respect of the aforedescribed subject matter,” the law firm said.
“Our client’s attention has been drawn to a spurious publication that was made at your instance, on 30th August 2020, under the caption: FFK, THE DRUG ADDLED THUG IN DESIGNER WEARS on the Daily Trust print media, and the online platform.
Fani-Kayode’s representative said, “In that hateful and malicious publication, you consciously elected to denigrate our client, in the manner hereunder summarized as follows: that he is a dirty person and drug addict and that he is a man of low esteem without dignity or reputation.
“That he is a pariah and disgrace to his state of origin; he lacks character training in the best traditions of an English man and therefore unfit to be an alumnus of the prestigious Cambridge University and University of London; he is not fit to have been called to the Nigerian Bar, as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
“Also, that he is not only a bad ambassador of the Peoples Democratic Party, but is also not worthy to hold any political office; he is an endangered specie, which should be avoided by all and sundry; particularly journalists.
Pained by the descriptions in the Daily Trust opinion, Fani-Kayode said it is on record that the platform whereupon you published this libelous article has an expansive audience and followership across the world, especially the wide spread viewers of both print and online media.
“Apart from the fact that this publication does not resonate any form of truth, it seems to us that you have avoided the professional ethos of investigative journalism, when you also elected to cash on the unverified claims.
“In effect you have maliciously misrepresented our client in the public glare, by deliberately infusing false, dishonest and untrue assertions about him into the minds of right thinking members of the society.
“More worrisome is the fact that you were conscious of this falsehood, in consequence of which you systematically and intentionally failed to admit yourself to caution, but resolved to pollute the mainstream media, for unsuspecting persons to drink of this fabrication, which was actuated by bad faith and dishonorable intentions.
“Without mincing words, you have disparaged our client by your remarks, in the eyes of right thinking members of the society; and these remarks have been found to be false and slanderous of him.
The law firm said, “It is our instruction to intimate you of this grievous breach on the character and hard earned reputation of our client, with patent collateral damage on his pedigree.
“Be aware that our client has not only suffered immeasurable loss of goodwill, but he is currently confronted with unbearable opprobrium by his fans, followers and colleagues across the globe.
“Our client is alive too his rights, both in law and equity, but is disposed to afford you an opportunity to undo the evil you have done, by retracting the said insalubrious remarks on the same platform it was published, and apologizing to him in two other national dailies.
He then went on to demand N6 billion for defamation. “You are also advised to enter into negotiations with us for the sum of six billion naira, being a token amount for penitence, as opposed to the magnitude of infraction caused to our client’s nobility.
“It is imperative to bear in mind that you have 14days from receipt of this letter to comply with the highlighted mitigating measures, the failure of which will leave our client with no preferred alternative than to seek redress in court.
“This redress shall also include a claim that your organization is unfit to function as a media outfit, because your defamatory and slanderous remarks were borne out of an inept appreciation of basic codes of journalism. You are advised,” the letter read.
