THE rift between the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Secretary, Senator Iyiola Omisore and National Vice Chairman (Northwest), Salihu Lukman, has escalated.
The national secretary has threatened to sue the Northwest leader over allegation of mismanagement of governorship campaign funds in Osun State.
Lukman had, in an interview on African Independent Television (AIT), accused Omisore of failure to stabilise Osun State APC and unite the chapter.
The national vice chairman also alleged that “the party had given campaign fund to Osun, which was handled by the national secretary and to some extent, he had either mismanaged it, but more importantly, he’s not accounting to anybody and you have to activate the process of accountability.”
In a letter of March 15, 2023 to Lukman, Omisore’s lawyer, Gboyega Oyewole (SAN), said the television interview, which was also published in the social media, was libellous and defamatory, adding that he had besmirched Omisore’s character and integrity.
The letter is titled: “Request for a retraction, an apology and payment of damages for the libellous statement made of and concerning the person of Senator Iyiola Omisore in your press release and publication titled: ‘APC Vice Chairman accuses Omisore of mismanaging Osun governorship election campaign funds.’
Oyewole said: “The statement is not only false, misleading and without any factual basis, but also malicious in all material respect,” adding that it was a deliberate attempt or design to malign Omisore’s image and political stature in Osun State, Southwest and Nigeria.
According to the lawyer, the former Osun State deputy governor “was neither given any money to prosecute the Osun State governorship election, nor did he mismanage the non-existing campaign funds.”
Oyewole said the statement and publication were a political ploy meant to impugn the reputation and integrity of his client and unwarrantedly assassinate his character in the eyes of right thinking public.
He said Omisore had requested a retraction, publication of an apology in two major newspapers and several online outlets not later than 48 hours of delivery of the letter, and payment of N500 million as damages for the malicious statement.
Oyewole added: “Take notice that if you fail to heed the request of our client within 48 hours of the receipt of this letter, we shall be constrained to proceed to the court of law against you for exemplary damages for injurious falsehood and malicious statement made of and concerning our client.”