***demands N1.2bn compensation
From: Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi has asked former aviation Fani-Kayode to pay the sum of N500m as compensation for alleged libelous and defamatory claims that he owned the controversial sum $43m recently confiscated by the Economic and financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) at the Ikoyi luxury flats in Lagos state.
Similarly, Amaechi equally asked an aide to the governor of Ekiti State, Lere Olayinka to pay him N750m for similar offence.
The demand of the former Rivers state governor demand is contained in a letter by his counsel, LateefFagbemi (SAN) dated February 14, 2017 and titled “Re- defamation of character”.
Aside the monetary payments, Amaechi also asked Fani Kayode and Olayinka to apologise to him in five national Newspapers and on their twitter handle as well as other social media outfits.
The letter to Fani kayode reads:
“The attention of our client has been drawn to by our tweet posted on your tweeter posted on your time line ( @ real Ffk) where you claimed that;
” The $43milion is Rotimi Amaechi’s. He wins the flat it was found in too (sic). NIA story is brake news! NIA does not keep case in Minister’s flats.”
“This story as uploaded by you is to our knowledge, blatantly false, malicious and is aimed at impeaching the credit of boys clients, a two-time Speaker of Rivers State house of Assembly, a two-time governor of Rivers state and current minister of the Federation. Our client neither owns the cash nor house where the cash was found and your story and claim are unfounded. As a matter of fact, our client does not own any house is Lagos state not bob talk of keeping cash in one and your story is preposterous.
” in the view of vegetables foregoing and on the spirit of a second chance, we have our client’s instructions to give you an ultimatum of seven days from the receipt of this letter to issue an apology in five national dailies and your twitter handle. Your apology, which should be heartfelt, must be a total withdrawal of by our claim and it’s imputations must contain an expression of deep regret for this unwarranted attack and contain a complete retraction of the false statements of yours. We also demand from you a sum of N500m as compensation for the malicious and defamatory claim.”
For Olayinka, Amaechi equally demand apology from him and should be on different platform from Fani Kayode. He asked him to pay N750m for what he calls malicious and defamatory statements.
The minister has threaten to institute legal actions against if try fail to meet his demands within seven days.