ABIA STATE GOVERNOR, DR. ALEX OTTI DEMANDS ₦50 BILLION COMPENSATION OVER ALLEGED DEFAMATORY FACEBOOK POST
The Executive Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, has issued a stern legal demand to Hon. Tobias Chukwudi Egeonu, popularly known as Hon. Toby Chuks, for allegedly publishing a defamatory post on Facebook. The demand includes a retraction, a public apology, and ₦50 billion in damages.
The contentious post, titled "What Alex Otti Cannot Destroy Does Not Exist: Vol. 1," was published on December 8, 2024, on Egeonu’s Facebook page.
In the post, Egeonu, who identifies as a public affairs analyst and political commentator, accused Governor Otti of financial mismanagement during his tenure as Group Managing Director of the defunct Diamond Bank and of corruption in his current position as governor of Abia State.
In a demand letter dated December 13, 2024, Dr. Sonny Ajala, SAN, of Deeplaw Associates, acting as Governor Otti’s legal counsel, described the post as “unwarranted online libelous publication from the pits of hell.”
Ajala labeled the accusations as “patented falsehood” that inflicted “unquantifiable mental torture, depression, denigration, [and] corrosive erosion of reputation” on the governor.
The letter argued that Egeonu’s post had damaged Governor Otti’s public image, particularly among the people of Abia State and the banking community.
Ajala outlined the following demands on behalf of Governor Otti:
1. A Written Retraction: Egeonu must retract the defamatory post and publish the retraction on his Facebook page, as well as in four national newspapers: ThisDay, Punch, The Nation, and The National Ambassador.
2. A Public Apology: Egeonu must issue a written apology to Governor Otti, to be published on his Facebook page.
3. ₦50 Billion in Damages: Egeonu is required to pay ₦50 billion as compensation for the alleged harm caused to Governor Otti’s reputation.
Ajala warned that failure to comply within seven days would result in legal action. In the demand letter, he emphasized the far-reaching damage caused by the publication, noting:
“By your online libelous publication on your Facebook Wall, ‘Hon. Toby Chuks’ on the 8th day of December, 2024, which you ought to know and indeed knew to be patented falsehood, you let loose your intent to cast on permanent form, retrievable and available to the global audience, your syndicated tissues of wicked and malicious lies against our client.”
Ajala further highlighted the broad reach of the post, mentioning its dissemination on various WhatsApp platforms and the reactions it garnered online.
The letter also stressed that Governor Otti “unequivocally denies in its entirety” the allegations contained in the post, affirming that the claims were “blatant falsehood.”
Ajala reiterated that Governor Otti has no criminal indictment and described Egeonu’s actions as malicious and baseless.
As the deadline for compliance looms, this legal battle underscores the growing concerns over the use of social media for political commentary and defamation.
Governor Otti’s demands signal a zero-tolerance stance on allegations deemed to tarnish his reputation. The coming days will reveal whether Egeonu will comply or face the promised legal action.