Rita Odafe
Jarrett Tenebe, Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, has rejected claims that he defamed Asue Ighodalo, the PDP’s gubernatorial aspirant for 2024.
Tenebe’s accusations in a viral video on December 10th pointed to Ighodalo’s alleged involvement in corrupt activities following a blunder made by Governor Okpebholo while announcing his budget estimates.
He speculated that neither Ighodalo nor the former Governor Godwin Obaseki would have made such errors without being involved in the misappropriation of millions.
In response, Ighodalo’s legal team demanded a public apology and retraction regarding the accusations of appropriated public funds, emphasizing that failure to do so within a week could result in legal action.
However, Tenebe, through his lawyer Blessing Agbomhere, stated that the comments made were not defamatory and dismissed the need for an apology.
Agbomhere clarified, “Our client did not defame your client in any manner, and thus there is no obligation for a public apology or retraction of statements made in the video.”
He also added that should this matter escalate to court, they will defend their position by referencing the findings from the Edo State Vehicle Recovery Committee and the preliminary results of the Edo State Asset Verification Committee, which reportedly implicated Ighodalo.
