Ebun Francis || Rotimi Amaechi, the former Governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transport has given Fani-Kayode, a former aviation minister and Lere Olayinka, the media aid of Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose a seven-day ultimatum to apologise to him publicly over their allegation that he is the owner of the N13bn ceased by the Economic and Financial Commission (EFCC) at a flat in Osborne towers, Ikoyi, Lagos last Wednesday.
Kayode
In addition to the apology and retraction which must be published in five national dailies, Mr. Fani-Kayode must pay a compensation of N500 million to Mr. Amaechi while Mr. Olayinka must apologise to Mr. Amaechi, issue a retraction and pay a compensation of N750 million for allegedly defaming Mr. Amechi’s character.
Amaechi’s demands were conveyed by his lawyer, Lateef Fagbemi, who informed Messrs. Fani-Kayode and Olayinka in separate letters dated April 14 that some comments they posted on social media amounted to defamation.
“The attention of our client has been drawn to your tweet posted on your Twitter timeline (@realFFK) where you claimed that:
“The $43 million is Rotimi Amaechi’s. He owns the flat it was found in too (sic). NIA story is fake news! NIA does not keep cash in Minister’s flats”.
Fagbemi asserted that the claims as uploaded by Mr. Fani-Kayode were “blatantly false, malicious and aimed at impeaching the credit” of the minister, who’s also a former governor of Rivers State.
“Our client neither owns the cash nor the house where the cash was found and your story and claim are unfounded.
Amaechi warned that the due should be ready for legal battle if they refuse to adhere to his demands.