Adeyanju dares Peter Obi to court over defamation claims

A legal battle is brewing between former Anambra State Governor and 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and human rights lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, following a court summons issued over alleged defamatory statements.

The summons stems from a series of social media posts made by Adeyanju, in which he accused Obi of misappropriation of state funds and other offenses.

In one particularly controversial Facebook post dated August 21, Adeyanju alleged that Obi diverted money from Anambra’s treasury to finance his family business. He further claimed that during a private meeting, Obi offered him money—daring the former governor to publicly deny the encounter.

Obi’s legal representatives, EJESIMEN & CO MADIBA CHAMBERS, had earlier sent a formal notice demanding an unreserved apology and retraction of what they described as “derogatory and defaming remarks.”

Adeyanju, however, has openly welcomed the lawsuit. In a defiant response shared via Facebook on Wednesday night, he wrote:

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“Just got this letter from Peter Obi the religious bigot demanding a retraction from me. I laughed so hard. I can’t wait to meet him in court finally. A fraud parading himself as a messiah.”

The activist also linked the development to another defamation-related matter involving his wife, revealing that his own legal team had served a retraction notice to a woman he described as “a little errand girl Serah,” whom he accused of publishing false statements.

The escalating feud sets the stage for what could become one of the most high-profile defamation cases in Nigeria’s political and legal landscape.

Observers say the outcome could have far-reaching implications for political discourse, freedom of expression, and the boundaries of social media commentary in the country.