From Damisi Ojo, Akure
The lingering Obaship tussle in Afin-Akoko, Ondo State, has assumed a new dimension as the state Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Alhaji Rasheed Badmus, has threatened to drag the town’s kingmakers to court for alleged defamation of character.
The commissioner, who is an indigene of Afin-Akoko, through his lawyer, Olufemi Oludare, accused the kingmakers headed by Chief Zachaeus Adewumi of defamatory statement against him on the Obaship tussle.
Badmus has therefore demanded N500m damages for defamation, a retraction and public apology within 14 days, failing which he would commence legal action against the kingmakers.
His lawyer said: “Our client, being a law-abiding citizen,while carrying out his lawful duty on October 27,his attention was drawn to a report in ‘The Nation’ where the Kingmakers at a news conference made a defamatory statement against the commissioner of using his influence to impose a candidate for the vacant stool on the people.
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“They called him several unprintable names during the programme held in Ikare-Akoko, accusing him of complicity in the chieftaincy rigmarole.
“Our clients’ friends and relations have since the report been avoiding him as they see him as a wicked person who could mobilise thugs to disrupt peaceful deliberation in the community.
“We demand an immediate public retraction of the report in both print and electronic media with copies forwarded through the chamber to the commissioner.
“The kingmakers should also pay N500m aggravated damages for the defamatory statement with letter of apology to be written to the commissioner through his lawyer within the stipulated 14 days.”
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