The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has asked an Oyo State High Court, sitting in Ibadan to strike out the defamation suit filed against him by Yoruba Nation activist, Mr Sunday Adeyemo, alias Sunday Igboho.

Igboho in the suit is seeking an order compelling Adams to pay him N500m as aggravated damages over the content of a leaked audio conversation between Adams and another person, which he (Igboho) claimed impugned his reputation.

Igboho is also seeking, among others, “a declaration that the content of an audio clip between the defendant (Adams) and a third party named Nuru Banjo that took place sometime in November 2021 and further published on all news media platforms, including Youtube, is slanderous, libelous and defamatory”.

However, Adams, in a Motion on Notice filed by his counsel, Oluwole Kehinde of OKC Attorneys, prayed the court to strike out the suit.

In the affidavit in support of the motion dated May 22, 2024, deposed to by one Micheal Okunore, on behalf of the respondent, Adams asked the court to strike out Igboho’s suit, insisting the summons served on him was not duly signed.

The affidavit, a copy of which was obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday, partly read, “A copy of the Writ of Summons filed by the claimant in this suit was served on the defendant by substituted service through his counsel, OKC Attorneys, in Lagos State on the 10th May 2024. A copy of the said Writ of Summons is attached herewith and marked as Exhibit A.

“The Writ of Summons in this suit does not have the required mandatory endorsement that it is for service outside Oyo State and in Lagos State.

“The Writ of Summons is not signed by a legal practitioner or the claimant himself.

“It is in the interest of justice to strike out the claimant’s suit before the honourable court for the foregoing reasons.”

Ighoho had complained about a viral voice note in which Adams was heard allegedly saying that the Chief of Staff to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, Mr Tayo Ayinde, had hired Igboho to undertake an assassination.

In the said voice note, Adams was allegedly heard saying in Yoruba language: “So, be careful associating with Igboho. Just last night, he was with Tayo Ayinde, the Lagos State Governor’s Chief of Staff. He was heavily paid. You know that I have an extensive intelligence network as Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland. Until about 2:45 am, he was with Tayo Ayinde, the Lagos State Governor’s Chief of Staff, who Tinubu also uses in Lagos to coordinate the execution of his evil machinations. He has been doing work of that nature for Tinubu since his days in the SSS.

“Tayo Ayinde gave N45m in cash to Igboho for the operation, thus shortchanging Igboho to the tune of N5m out of the N50m purse provided by Tinubu. The discovery of this has brewed disenchantment in their midst.”

Igboho had through his lawyers demanded a retraction and an apology.

According to the writ of summons filed before the court, Igboho is seeking, among others, “a declaration that the content of an audio clip between the defendant (Adams) and a third party named Nuru Banjo that took place sometime in November 2021 and further published on all new media platforms, including YouTube, is slanderous, libelous and defamatory.

“A declaration that it is unlawful, inappropriate and inexcusable for the defendant to defame, disparage and put to disrepute the character and reputation of the claimant (Igboho) in an audio clip published on all new media platforms, including YouTube, in a publication that took place between the defendant and a third party, Nuru Banjo, sometime in November 2021 or thereabout.

“An order of this honourable court directing the defendant to publicly retract the slanderous, libelous and defamatory content contained in the publication to Nuru Banjo which was further published on all new media platforms, including YouTube, where the claimant was defamed, maligned and disparaged by the defendant in the conversation published in November 2021 by the defendant.

“An order of this honourable court directing the defendant to engage all new media platforms, including YouTube, to take down the slanderous, libelous and defamatory content against the claimant.

“An order of this honourable court directing the defendant to tender an unreserved apology to the claimant in five national newspapers in Nigeria over defamatory content against the claimant by the defendant which has been published on all new media platforms, including YouTube.”

He wants the court to perpetually restrain Adams, “his agents, privies or assigns from further embarrassing, degrading or defaming the person of the claimant.”

Also wants “an order of this honourable court for the payment of exemplary and aggravated damages in the sum of N500,000,000 in favour of the claimant for defamation of the person of the claimant by the defendant.”

The cost of litigation was put at N10m. (The PUNCH)

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