Thursday, October 16, 2025 - The 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate and former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi have instituted a N1.5 billion defamation suit against Abuja-based rights activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju.
According to the court documents shared by Deji, the lawsuit
was instituted at the High Court of Anambra State sitting in Onitsha.
Recall that the former governor had in August threatened to
take a legal action against the lawyer over alleged defamation. In a
letter sent to Adeyanju in August, Obi’s lawyer, Alex Ejesieme (SAN), accused
the activist of spreading false and malicious statements against his client,
portraying him as corrupt, fraudulent, and a religious bigot. According to
Obi’s legal team, Adeyanju’s posts, which date back to 2022, sought to tarnish
Obi’s reputation both locally and internationally.
Some of the claims included allegations that Obi diverted
Anambra State funds into family businesses, attempted to bribe Adeyanju after a
private meeting, and used religion to manipulate voters during the 2023
presidential campaign.
The lawyers described Adeyanju's claims as “false,
malicious, and contrived,” insisting there was no truth in them.
In the lawsuit filed, Obi is seeking a series of declaratory
and injunctive reliefs against Adeyanju for allegedly publishing “false,
baseless, unfounded, malicious, reckless, scandalous, and defamatory”
statements against him across multiple social media platforms.
The writ of summons, issued on October 3 and addressed to
Adeyanju, asked him to enter an appearance within 42 days of service or risk
judgment being entered in default. According to the endorsement on the writ,
Obi is seeking a declaration that Adeyanju’s various publications on his
verified social media handles, including X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and
Instagram, are defamatory and damaging to his reputation.
The ex-governor is also praying the court for an order
compelling the lawyer to publish a full, unreserved apology to him on all his
social media handles and in at least three national newspapers, as well as on
major television and online platforms, such as Channels TV, TVC News, and Arise
News.
Obi is also seeking a retraction and deletion of all
defamatory posts labeling him as a “religious bigot,” “fraud,” “political
prostitute,” “scum,” and other disparaging terms
The former LP presidential candidate is also seeking a
perpetual injunction restraining Adeyanju from further making or publishing any
defamatory material against him.
He is also asking the court to award aggravated or exemplary
damages of N500 million for what he described as “reckless and malicious”
defamation. The former governor is also seeking general damages of N1 billion
for the reputational harm, ridicule, and emotional distress allegedly caused by
Adeyanju’s posts and utterances.
Obi also asked the court to award the cost of litigation and
professional fees incurred in instituting the suit, to Adeyanju with an
additional request for 18 per cent interest per annum on the judgment sum until
liquidation paid by the defendant.
In a post shared on his X handle, Adeyanju confirmed receipt
of the court summons.
“Finally,
Peter Obi has sued me. I am actually happy and relieved that he didn’t chicken
out in the end. Interestingly, he dragged me all the way to Anambra State, even
though he is almost always in Abuja where I reside. But no shaking, we move. I
will prove in court that Peter Obi is corrupt, a bigot, and a fraud. You will
all be entertained, I promise,” he wrote.
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