Defamation: Fayemi drags Arise TV, former senatorial aspirant to court, demands N500m

Former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has filed a suit against a former senatorial aspirant in the state, Mr. Kayode Otitoju and Arise Television for alleged defamation of character and malicious airing of offending broadcast against him.

In the suit filed before an Ekiti State High Court, Fayemi is demanding a sum of N250 million from Otitoju and another N250 million from Arise TV for alleged libelous statements made by the politician as an analyst on the station.

According to the Writ of Summons, Fayemi through his lawyer, Mr. Babatunde Oke, is demanding a retraction of the defamatory statements aired against him by the 1st defendant (Otitoju) while appearing as an analyst on NEWSDAY, a programme of the 2nd defendant (Arise TV).

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Apart from the total sum of N500 million as exemplary and aggravated damages from the two defendants, the former governor is also demanding a public apology which must be published in at least three prominent national newspapers in Nigeria and posted on the internet/social media.

The claimant (Fayemi) is also seeking the leave of the Court for a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from making similar or further defamatory statements or publications against him while also demanding the sum of N20 million cost of the suit from them.

Another relief being sought by the ex-governor from the Court is 10 percent interest on the judgment sum from the date the judgment is delivered until the judgment sum is finally liquidated.

According to the former Governor, Otitoju, who is also a former Commissioner for Information in Ekiti State, made several grievous and damaging allegations against his person while appearing on the said programme on Arise TV on 22nd November 2022 in which he (Otitoju) described him (Fayemi) as “the problem we have in Ekiti.”

The politician also accused Fayemi of wanting to impose his wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi as the Senator for Ekiti North in the run-up to the 2023 National Assembly elections.