Dr. Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate in the last Edo State governorship election, has filed a defamation lawsuit seeking N500 million in damages against Jarret Tenebe, the acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State.
The suit, identified as LD/ADR/5731/2025, was filed at the Lagos State High Court at Tafawa Balewa Square.
Ighodalo is demanding that Tenebe retract his alleged defamatory statements, issue an apology, and pay N500 million in damages.
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Last year, through his legal firm, Banwo and Ighodalo, Ighodalo sent Tenebe a pre-action notice on December 11, 2024, requesting an apology and retraction within seven days.
The Edo APC chairman had made accusations of corruption and misappropriation of state funds against Ighodalo in a viral video on December 10, following a mistake made by Governor Monday Okpebholo during the presentation of the state’s N605bn budget to the House of Assembly.
“I don’t know figures. You see, that is how to know original and innocent people. Obaseki will not make such a mistake because he has stolen billions before.
Asue Ighodalo will not make such a mistake because he has stolen billions before,” Tenebe claimed in the video.
Tenebe, in a letter by his lawyer, Dr. Blessing Agbomhere, rebuffed Ighodalo’s demand for a retraction, insisting that he did not defame him.
Agbomhere, in the letter, said, “We further want to state unequivocally that our client did not defame your client in any way, and as such, there is no need for a public apology or retraction of comments made in the alleged video.
“But if your client decides to stretch this issue further by going to court, we will rely on the defence of justification in accordance with the report of the Edo State Vehicle Recovery Committee, whose report indicted your client and the preliminary report of the Edo State Asset Verification Committee.”
In his suit, Ighodalo is praying the court to order Tenebe to issue a letter of apology to him within seven days of the delivery of judgment.
Ighodalo, through his lawyers, said, “The primary objective of procuring the publication of the defamatory video was to tarnish our client’s reputation.
“Since the publication of the defamatory video, our client has received numerous calls from professional colleagues, business partners and other well-meaning Nigerians, locally and in the Diaspora, inquiring as to the propriety of the allegations. Undoubtedly, this development has exposed our Client to great distress, hurt, and humiliation.”
Justice A.O. Opesanwo has fixed March 5, 2025, for a hearing.