Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State has threatened to drag one Mr. Micheal Igbo Nnachi to court over alleged criminal defamation made against his person on a WhatsApp platform.
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The Governor who made his intentions known via a letter by his solicitors, Chukwuma-machukwu ume, SAN & Co., is demanding a public apology for the alleged statements.
The letter which is dated the 16th day of February, 2021, was sighted by TheNigeriaLawyer and is titled, “Re: Your UNEC LAW CLASS ’01 WHATSAPP PLATFORM DEFAMATORY PUBLICATIONS:”
The said letter noted that whilst everyone has a constitutionally protected right of expression, the exercise of such right does not allow for criminal defamation on the person of another, noting that the Ebonyi State Governor has shown his honesty, integrity, and transparency since coming into office in a bid to preserve ‘his good name’, accordingly it was unjustifiable and unreasonable for Mr. Nnachi to have made unsubstantiated claims of corruption and executive recklessness against the Governor.
“We are aware of our duty to observe the inalienable right of citizens to air their view in the governance of, being [sic] it Ebonyi State or any given community or body of persons. That is the right created by our constitution as well as guaranteed by the Universal Declaration for Human Rights, 1948 and African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, 1981.”
“But as you should also be aware, this right does not include pasting crimes on the faces and persons of hardworking individuals. The events in Ebonyi State since he came into its leadership has shown that Governor Engr. David Umahi has all along been guided by the injunction in the Book of Proverb 22:1, ‘A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches”
“Thus what you published against His Excellency, Engr. David Umahi…is a malicious pasting of crime on him. Your action is repugnant to our constitution. You must therefore atone.” The letter reads in part.
The alleged criminal defamation said to have been made by Mr. Micheal Nnachi include, the allegation that the Governor is ‘burying Ebonyi State money at Osborne la palm, Port Harcourt’, ‘the powering of street lights in the state from diesel gotten from the governor’s filling station’, ‘the misappropriation of local government funds for personal use by the governor’ amongst others.
The Governor, therefore, demands a written apology and retraction to (be first vetted by the lawyer’s firm) in a national daily, several online social media, and same published for two (2) weeks running in that same UNEC LAW CLASS 01 WhatsApp platform.
To tender the Hardcopy of the apology and retraction directly and personally to the Governor, Engr. David Nwaeze Umahi.
“Please be advised that from the day you received this Demand Letter, you have one week to commence these above (a-d) and two weeks to complete same. Where you fail and or refuse to comply we would without any other notice, further our client instruction in the court,” the letter reads
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