Key Takeaways
- Pelumi Olajengbesi, a campaign spokesman, has threatened a ₦10bn suit against lawmaker Francis Fadahunsi for defamation and injurious falsehood.
- The lawsuit stems from statements made by Fadahunsi about Olajengbesi during live television interviews.
- Olajengbesi demands a retraction of the statements and a public apology within 24 hours.
Pelumi Olajengbesi, a campaign spokesman for Governor Ademola Adeleke’s re-election, has threatened a ₦10bn lawsuit against lawmaker Francis Fadahunsi for defamation and injurious falsehood. The lawsuit stems from statements made by Fadahunsi about Olajengbesi during live television interviews on Viable TV and Channels Television’s Politics Today.
According to a letter dated August 12, 2026, Olajengbesi’s lawyer, Hammed Lasisi, Esq, considered Fadahunsi’s statements as malicious and injurious to Olajengbesi’s personality. The statements in question include allegations that Olajengbesi is not from Ijebu-Jesha, is from Ogun State, and sponsors cult groups. Olajengbesi has denied these allegations as false, defamatory, and gravely injurious to his personal, professional, and political reputation.
Background and Context
The allegations made by Fadahunsi are particularly serious, as they impute criminality and conduct wholly incompatible with Olajengbesi’s standing as a legal practitioner, public figure, and candidates for elective office. Olajengbesi has stated that he has never sponsored, financed, supported, patronized, or otherwise provided resources to any cult group or its members for criminal, political, or other unlawful activities.
Olajengbesi has demanded that Fadahunsi retract the defamatory statements through the same media and platforms by which they were published and/or disseminated, and publish an unequivocal and unreserved public apology through appropriate national media and social media platforms. If Fadahunsi fails to do so within 24 hours, Olajengbesi’s lawyer will approach the court to compel Fadahunsi to pay ₦10,000,000,000.00 (Ten Billion Naira) as general and aggravated damages for defamation and injurious falsehood.
Why This Matters
The lawsuit highlights the importance of responsible speech in politics, particularly in the context of defamation and injurious falsehood. The case also underscores the need for public figures to be mindful of the potential consequences of their words and actions, and to take steps to protect their reputation and that of others. Ultimately, the outcome of this lawsuit will have significant implications for the political landscape in Nigeria and beyond.