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Adeyanju hits back at Obi over defamation charge

Published

4 months ago

August 29, 2025

Adeyanju hits back at Obi over defamation charge

Lawyer and political activist Deji Adeyanju has opened up on his past encounters with Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, describing him as a “political fraud” while reacting to a defamation suit filed against him.

Adeyanju made the revelation on Friday morning during Channels Television’s Morning Brief programme, where he narrated how his early excitement about Obi’s candidacy later turned into disappointment.

“I’m just expressing my thoughts about why the opposition should come together and unite against the criminal APC and roguish APC government that always rig elections, that if the opposition is divided, that there’s no way they can win,” Adeyanju said.

He explained that the idea of Obi’s candidacy initially appealed to him.

“The idea of the Obi candidacy excited me, and I said that he needed a buy-in of Atiku and Konkosu. I even urged Konkosu to deputize Obi. I urged Atiku to step down for Peter Obi,” he stated.

According to Adeyanju, Obi persistently sought to meet with him after his comments.

“So then Peter Obi, all of a sudden, started trying to reach out to me, to meet me. But at that time, I was out of the country… So he was persistently reaching out to me, and I was avoiding him,” he said.

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Adeyanju said he eventually met Obi through one of his aides but was left unimpressed by Obi’s defense over corruption allegations.

“I now made some observations about the things that he has been accused of doing in the past… Then I also raised the issue about these issues of him using state resources in Anambra to invest in his family business. His explanation to me in his defense was that he had resigned from the company before he became a governor. I was flabbergasted… I was completely disgusted.”

He further alleged that Obi attempted to offer him an envelope during the meeting.

“Then he got into a room and said, oh, please, he’s coming. That he wants to go inside the room and he has something for me. So he brought one envelope or something like that. And said, no, this is just a small thing. It’s just for company. I said, oh, I laughed… I said, God forbid.”

The activist also criticized Obi’s political judgment during the Ekiti election, alleging that his supporters responded with online attacks.
“I criticized and said, you should be in Ekiti and not in Egypt. And I said, because you want to be president, you must go and campaign for your candidate and try to win… Some of these young boys that are around him… they insulted me… I said, me?”

He accused Obi’s supporters, popularly known as Obidients, of political intolerance.

“We cannot have a situation in our country or in our polity where political extremism becomes the order of the day… After the Buharis, the obedient mob is the most toxic political movement that we have ever witnessed in this country. They’re threatening Supreme Court judges, Court of Appeal court judges, threatening artists, threatening Professor Wole Showinka, insulting everybody in this country. Because of Peter.”

On Obi’s political character, Adeyanju maintained,
“What are the things I said? I said he’s a political fraud. That he’s parading himself as a messiah. Of course he is a political fraud… The only thing that I forgot to say, among the things that he should not add to his defamation suit, is that he’s a political prostitute. He’s a political prostitute.”

He added that Obi’s current political moves contradict his earlier stance.

“Look at what he said about the people that he wanted to defeat in the last election. He said they operate a structure of criminality. But today he’s with them. He has one leg in PDP, they are discussing with him. Another leg in ADC. And he’s still a member of a Labour Party. So if you do, it’s worse.”

Adeyanju insisted that his remarks were truthful and therefore defensible.

“In a civil suit or criminal suit of defamation, justification, truth is a defense,” he said.

Adeyanju hits back at Obi over defamation charge

Related Topics:Adeyanju Defamation Featured Obi political fraud

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Two Catholic Priests Stabbed in Nasarawa Parish Attack Near Abuja

Published

36 minutes ago

December 30, 2025

Trends Admin

Nasarawa State Commissioner of Police, CP Shetima Jauro Mohammed

Two Catholic Priests Stabbed in Nasarawa Parish Attack Near Abuja

ABUJA – Two Catholic priests were brutally attacked by bandits at the Parish House of St. Rita Catholic Church, Unity Estate, Mararaba, Nasarawa State, near the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), raising fresh alarms over worsening security challenges in the region.

The assailants reportedly stormed the parish residence around 2:30 a.m., stabbing the priests and leaving them in pools of blood. The Parish Priest narrowly escaped unharmed.

The victims were identified as Rev. Fr. Comas Baye, the priest in residence and a Cadet of the Knights of St. John International (KSJI), and Rev. Fr. Chris Pever, a visiting priest and former Assistant Priest of the parish. Fr. Baye is reported to be battling a partial stroke.

Both priests were rushed to Nativity Catholic Hospital, Jikwoyi, Abuja, for urgent medical attention. Fr. Pever sustained severe injuries, including a fracture of his left arm, and successfully underwent surgical implant surgery. Both are now stable and responding to treatment.

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Knights of St. John React

The Abuja Grand Commandery of the Noble Order of the Knights of St. John International (KSJI) condemned the attack, describing it as a “heinous, barbaric, and reprehensible assault” on innocent clergy and a disturbing sign of growing insecurity around Abuja and neighbouring states.

In a statement signed by Brig. Gen. Francis Ulonna Njoku (Grand President) and Col. Etta Peters (Grand Secretary), the KSJI said the attack was part of a troubling pattern targeting places of worship and religious leaders.

The Knights urged relevant security agencies to investigate the attack, apprehend the perpetrators, and ensure swift justice, while calling on all levels of government to strengthen security around religious institutions and communities.

The statement also expressed solidarity with the Catholic Diocese of Lafia, the clergy, and the faithful of St. Rita Catholic Church, offering prayers for healing, protection, and lasting peace.

Two Catholic Priests Stabbed in Nasarawa Parish Attack Near Abuja

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ICPC Secures Court Order to Freeze N1.1bn Diverted from Kano Federation Account

Published

41 minutes ago

December 30, 2025

Trends Admin

ICPC Secures Court Order to Freeze N1.1bn Diverted from Kano Federation Account

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the interim forfeiture of N1.1 billion allegedly withdrawn illegally from the Kano State Federation Account and held with the United Bank for Africa (UBA).

The order, delivered by Justice Emeka Nwite, followed an ex-parte application by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), represented by Oluwafunke Bada. The judge held that the motion was meritorious and granted the interim forfeiture, directing its publication in a national daily to allow any interested party to appear before the court to contest the forfeiture.

The case, FHC/ABJ/CS/2634/2025, lists the Federal Republic of Nigeria (FRN) and the recovered N1,109,230,000 in the ICPC Recovery Account. The suit, filed on December 8, 2025, arises from Petition ICPC/P/NC/564/2024, which alleged that N2.3 billion was withdrawn in cash from the Kano State Federation Account for purposes unrelated to government business.

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Investigation by the ICPC revealed that on November 9, 2023, the Accountant-General of Kano State, Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, authorised payments totaling N1.17 billion to two Bureau de Change companies, Namu Na Kune Global Resources Ltd and Kazo Nazo Global Concept, purportedly for the supply of diesel. However, the managing directors of two oil companies involved—A.Y. Maikifi Oil & Gas Ltd and Ammas Petroleum Company Ltd—stated that the contracts were fictitious and no supplies were delivered.

Further inquiries showed that the funds were converted into $1 million and allegedly handed over to Abdullahi Ibrahim Rogo, Director of Protocol of the Kano State Government House, through an intermediary. The ICPC successfully recovered N1,109,230,000 from the companies in two instalments in February and March 2025.

Justice Nwite adjourned the matter until January 21, 2026, for a report of compliance, while the forfeiture order serves to preserve the recovered funds and allow interested parties to come forward.

ICPC Secures Court Order to Freeze N1.1bn Diverted from Kano Federation Account

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Court Declares LGs Autonomous, Orders Direct Access to UBEC Funds

Published

2 hours ago

December 30, 2025

Trends Admin

Federal High Court in Abuja

Court Declares LGs Autonomous, Orders Direct Access to UBEC Funds

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that local governments (LGs) are entitled to direct access to funds from the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) without interference from State Universal Basic Education Boards (SUBEBs).

Delivering judgment on October 13, Justice Emeka Nwite declared that Sections 11(2) and 11(3) of the Universal Basic Education (UBE) Act, 2004 are inconsistent with the 1999 Constitution and are therefore “null, void and of no effect.”

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1536/2020, was filed by Sesugh Akume against UBEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF).

In his ruling, Justice Nwite affirmed that the local government system is the third and autonomous tier of government recognised by the Constitution and not an appendage of state governments.

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“The local government system is the third and autonomous tier of government designated by the Constitution and administered by laws enacted by the House of Assembly, in accordance with the Constitution,” the judge held.

The court further ruled that the National Assembly lacks the power to enact laws placing Local Government Education Authorities (LGEAs) under the supervision or control of state governments.

Justice Nwite noted that although states may legislate on local government administration, such laws must strictly conform with constitutional provisions.

He held that provisions of the UBE Act requiring local governments to access counterpart funding through state governments violate Sections 7(1) and (5), Section 318, and Item 2(a) of the Fourth Schedule to the Constitution.

“The combined effect of Sections 11(2) and (3) of the UBE Act, 2004, is inconsistent with the true construction and meaning of Section 7(1) and (5) and the Fourth Schedule Item 2(a) of the Constitution,” the judge ruled.

The court consequently declared that local governments, acting through their LGEAs, are entitled to pay their counterpart funds and access UBEC funds directly, without going through SUBEBs.

Justice Nwite also directed UBEC to formally communicate the judgment to all 36 SUBEBs and the 774 LGEAs nationwide within the stipulated period.