-Demands Immediate Retraction, Apology
Chief George Eguh, a former Commissioner in Imo State, erstwhile Special Adviser to the Governor of Imo State, on Security and a former Secretary of the People Democratic Party in Imo State, has threatened to drag publishers of on an on-line publication, “Obowo News”,Okafor Elekwachi to court for libel, in respect of a report they published in a whatsapp platform where-in, he was accused of collecting money from a prominent Imo leader to dash the governorship ambition of Okigwe zone in 2027.
Chief Eguh, in a letter captioned, “RE: YOUR HIGHLY LIBELOUS PUBLICATION ON SIR GEORGE EGUH, PUBLISHED ON “OBOWO NEWS” WHATSAPP PLATFORM AND OTHER PLATFORMS, ACCUSING HIM OF “ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDS FROM CHIEF JERRY CHUKWUEKE, A GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRANT FROM OWERRI ZONE TO DESTABILIZE OKIGWE ZONE” DEMAND FOR RETRACTION AND APPOLOGY”, written by his lawyer Nnodim Njoku and Co, dated June 27,2024, demanded immediate retraction and apology from the purveyor of the information, which according to him, is false, mischievous and misleading.
The lawyer’s letter addressed to Okafor Elekwachi, of Obowo LGA, reads, “As Solicitors to SIR GEORGE EGUH of ONICHA UBOMA in IHITTE/UBOMA L.G.A of Imo State, we have been instructed as follows:
1. That our client, Sir George Eguh lost his dear mother sometime in April 2024. As is customary in Igbo land, several of his friends gave him support towards the successful burial of his mother, both in cash and in kind, from all the THREE SENATORIAL ZONES of IMO STATE.
2. For instance, NZE OZICHUKWU CHUKWU, HRM, EZE OLIVER OHANWE, HON. BARR. IKE IBE, HIS EXCELLENCY CHIEF IKEDI OHAKIM, CHIEF MARK UCHENDU and several others from Okigwe Zone gave him financial support, with CHIEF IKEDI OHAKIM giving him the sum of #500,000.00, and SEN. PATRICK NDUBUEZE giving him the sum of #350,000.00.
3. His friends from Owerri Zone, also gave him several sums of money to assist him with the burial. Chief Charles Amadi (Chalvon) gave him #1,000,000.00, Sen Samdaddy Anyanwu gave him #250,000.00, Sen. Ezenwa Onyewuchi gave him #500,000.00, Chief Chidi Ibe, #500,000.00, and Chief Jerry Chukwueke gave him the sum of #350,000.00, among several others.
4. Equally, his friends from Orlu Zone also massively supported him. His Excellency, Chief Achike Udenwa gave him #100,000.00. Chief Okey Ikoro gave him #100,000.00. Rt. Hon. Jerry Alagboso gave him #100,000.00. Evang. Mike Ikoku, #100,000.00, and Hon. Barr. Ralph Nwosu, #100,000.00. These are only a few of the numerous persons from Orlu Zone who supported him for his mother’s burial.
5. Our client was therefore surprised when his attention was drawn to a post you made on the “OBOWO NEWS” WHATSAPP PLATFORM to the effect that:
“The recent revelations about George Egu’s alleged actions are deeply troubling and highlight the dangerous lengths to which individuals can go for personal gain. EGU’S REPORTED ACCEPTANCE OF FUNDS FROM CHIEF JERRY CHUKWUEKE, A GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRANT FROM OWERRI ZONE TO DESTABILIZE OKIGWE ZONE IS A STARK REMINDER OF HOW MONEY CAN CORRUPT AND UNDERMINE COLLECTIVE ASPIRATIONS IT IS ALARMING TO SEE HOW MONETARY INCENTIVES CAN DRIVE INDIVIDUALS TO ACT AGAINST THEIR COMMUNITY’S INTERESTS” (underlines and capitals are ours for emphasis).
6. It is totally false, wicked and malicious to write, as you did, that our client collected the sum of #350,000.00 (or indeed, any amount of money whatsoever) from Chief Jerry Chukwueke (or indeed anybody else) undermine any collection aspirations of to either Okigwe Zone or any other group or person(s) whatsoever. Indeed, Chief Jerry Chukwueke, like several other Imo sons and daughters, merely gave a condolence purse to our client on the death of his mother, and a credible Okigwe son, Rt Hon Ike Ibe, who co-ordinated the Committee of Friends, has boldly and truthfully published that he was fully privy to that monetary gift.
7. By your said publication on the said Whatsapp platform, our client has been portrayed as a corrupt politician, a fraudulent fellow and an unreliable son of Okigwe Zone, whose action has “destabilized Okigwe Zone”. He has also been painted as a person who has been corrupted by money and thus, acting under the corrupting influence of money, has undermined the collective aspiration of Okigwe Zone. Your readers will thus go away with the impression that Sir George Eguh is an individual who “monetary incentive” has driven to act against his “community’s interest”.
8. Our client is thus greatly injured in his credit and reputation as a gentleman, a father of growing-up children, a Knight of the Church and a known politician. The logical and natural consequence of your said publication is that our client will now be shunned and avoided by right-thinking members of the society, being that he is a corrupt politician and an unreliable community member.
On these facts therefore, we hereby demand that, within TWO (2) DAYS from the date of this letter, you pull down and/or delete your said publication from, not just the “OBOWO NEWS” platform alone, but ALL OTHER PLATFORMS where it is published and/or forwarded, and provide verifiable proof thereof to us. Also, we demand that, within the said period of time, you deliver to us, IN HARD COPY, a letter of apology addressed to our client and delivered to him through this Law Firm.
TAKE NOTICE that if you fail, refuse and/or neglect to meet strictly with the demands hereinbefore made, we have our client’s firm and definite instructions to sue you in the HIGH COURT OF IMO STATE for defamation of our client’s character, and seek EXAMPLARY DAMAGES and MANDATORY INJUNCTION against you without any further or other notice to you”.
