Mike Igini of Akwa Ibom REC would sue the Edo APC spokesman for N1 billion.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Blessing Agbomhere has been threatened with a N1 billion lawsuit by Barr. Mike Igini, the resident electoral commissioner for Akwa Ibom State, over allegedly defamatory remarks the APC chieftain made against him.

In an interview with Arise TV on June 29, Agbomere accused Igini of being biassed against the APC during the party’s primary election in Akwa Ibom and said he worked for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state.

“Mike Igini has abused the privilege of his office, he is partial and biased against the interest of APC in Akwa Ibom State, he is working for the PDP in Akwa Ibom State, he is a ceremonial consultant to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State in electoral matters.

“He has compromised the values of INEC, he is a hatchet man hired by the PDP to work for them in INEC, shamelessly defending the rights of political parties and that he lives in the Lodge of the Government of Akwa Ibom State….. that he has videos of him driving in and coming out,” Agbomere had said among other things.

While taking an exception to the allegations, Igini, in a pre-litigation notice served on Agbomere on Monday by his team of lawyers led by Chief Clement Onwuenwunor (SAN), alleged that the APC chieftain had not only accused him of working for the PDP in Akwa Ibom, but also acting as a ceremonial consultant to Governor Udom Emmanuel who lived in the Government House, which he said were baseless.

Agbomhere was consequently given 48 hours by the REC to withdraw the slanderous allegations and apologise to him in four major media outlets and five newspapers, failing which, he should be ready to face him in court.

The litigation notification states in part:

“The malicious accusations aired to the whole world have, ever since, been given unprecedented publicity and they constitute the most wicked attack on the towering image of our client, who over the years, has earned a deserved reputation in Nigeria and internationally as a forthright electoral umpire.

“Your said bogus allegations were hellish conjectures from the spiral imaginations of a mischief maker who neither have the fear of God nor regard for a man of probity in your misguided foray for ephemeral political power.

“As characteristic of unrepentant blackmailers, you threw caution to the wind, and in your frenzied efforts to disparage our client without checking your facts, you did not know (and will be shocked to know) that our client does not know where the Government Lodge of Akwa Ibom State is located and that our client lives in the official quarters of Independent National Electoral Commission in Uyo, and this is very well known to you.

“We have the instruction of our client to challenge you or anyone else to post your taunted pictures and videos to the whole world.”

“Consequently, we have been instructed by our client to demand from you a retraction of the defamatory statements and an apology to be broadcast on Arise Television, Channels Television, AIT, TVC and to also be published on a full page in The PUNCH Newspapers, Guardian Newspapers, Vanguard Newspapers, Tribune Newspapers and Sunday Sun Newspapers within 48 hours from the receipt of this letter.

“We also demand the modest sum of N1bn from you as damages for the said defamatory statements.

“Take note that if you fail, refuse and or neglect to comply with the above demand within the stated period, we shall have no other option than to perfect our client’s standing instructions against you.”