‘Tea man, Kilishi man’ defamation: Adeyanju retracts statements, apologises to Damagun, Anyanwu

A lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, on Friday, retracted the alleged defamatory statements made against Umar Damagun, acting National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, the acting National Secretary.
Adeyanju, in a letter dated December 6 written from his law firm, Deji Adeyanju & Partners, and signed by Zainab Otega, a lawyer, tendered an apology for the perceived defamation.
Otega, in the letter addressed to Johnson Usman, SAN, counsel to Damagun and Anyanwu, said the “statements were not intended to defame your clients.”
She further said that “any perception of defamation in the said statements is regretted and withdrawn with apologies.”
The letter reads: “We are solicitors to Deji Adeyanju, Esq (hereinafter referred to as our client), on whose instruction we act.
“Our client is in receipt of two letters from the law firm of the revered Senior Advocate of Nigeria, J. J. Usman, alleging that some statements he made on a podcast a few weeks ago were deemed defamatory of Damagun and Anyanwu, the National Chairman and Secretary of the PDP respectively.
“Our client’s statements on the podcast were taken out of the bigger context of the conversation which is the need for the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party to provide a virile opposition to the ruling party.
“These statements were not intended to defame your clients, and any perception of defamation in the said statements is regretted and withdrawn with apologies.
“As a human rights activist, our client remains committed to the betterment of Nigeria and will continue to urge those in leadership to prioritise the interest of Nigerians over and above personal interest.”
On Wednesday, Damagun and Anyanwu, through their lawyer, had threatened to sue Adeyanju over allegations bordering on defamation if he failed to apologise.
Damagun and Anyanwu had, in two separate letters, accused Adeyanju of describing them as “tea man” and “Kilishi man” respectively on a podcast interview.
The activist was said to have described Damagun as “a Tea man who goes to serve tea in Femi Gbajabiamila’s House.”
He was also said to have described Anyanwu as “a Kilishi Man who goes to serve ‘Kilishi’ at the residence of the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila,” in the interview.
Adeyanju was also accused of alleging that Damagun and Anyanwu had failed to lead PDP as credible opposition party in the country.