Defamation Suit: Court Battle Looms As Ighodalo Demands ₦500 Million From APC Chairman

The candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last Edo State governorship election, Asue Ighodalo, has dragged the acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Jarret Tenebe, to court.

The ₦500m defamation suit marked LD/ADR/5731/2025, was filed before the Lagos State High Court at the Tafawa Balewa Square.

In the suit, Ighodalo is demanding a retraction of Tenebe’s alleged defamatory statement against him, an apology, as well as damages in the sum of ₦500m.

Ighodalo had last year, through Banwo and Ighodalo law firm in Lagos, written Tenebe a December 11, 2024, pre-action notice demanding an apology and immediate retraction of the alleged defamatory statement within seven days.

The Edo APC chair had, in a viral video on 10th December, accused Ighodalo of corruption and misappropriation of state funds in the wake of the gaffe made by Governor Monday Okpebholo during the presentation of his ₦605bn budget estimates to the Edo House of Assembly.

Tenebe, in a letter by his lawyer, Blessing Agbomhere, rebuffed Ighodalo’s demand for a retraction, insisting that he did not defame him.

In his suit, Ighodalo is praying the court to order Tenebe to issue a letter of apology to him within seven days of the delivery of judgment.

Ighodalo, through his lawyers, said, “The primary objective of procuring the publication of the defamatory video was to tarnish our client’s reputation.

“Since the publication of the defamatory video, our client has received numerous calls from professional colleagues, business partners and other well-meaning Nigerians, locally and in the Diaspora, inquiring as to the propriety of the allegations. Undoubtedly, this development has exposed our Client to great distress, hurt, and humiliation.”

Justice A.O. Opesanwo has fixed March 5, 2025, for a hearing.