Former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the general elections, Atiku Abubakar, has threatened to slam a N2 billion suit against President Muhammadu Buhari’s Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, if she fails to tender apologies and pay N500 million, over what he claimed was an attempt by the aide to defame his name.
Atiku issued this threat in a letter dated May 14 and addressed to Onochie by his lawyer Mike Ozekhome, which was made available to BusinessDay on Sunday, even as the former Vice President decried the association of his name with terrorism by Onochie, who claimed in a series of tweets that the Wazirin Adamawa is on the watch list of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which was published on various media platforms in Nigeria and abroad.
.On May 7, Onochie had tweeted that the former vice-president was on a United Arab Emirates (UAE) watch list. “Atiku on UAE watchlist- Security sources.” “Security operatives in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are keeping a close tab on a former Nigerian Vice Pres Atiku Abubakar who has been in the Middle East nation for several weeks now What is he doing there? “Me: Shopping for Terrorists?” she tweeted.
Ozekhomein his letter to Onochie said, “your odious publication is clearly also aimed at rubbishing our client’s image and reputation.”
“It has caused him national and international backlash and embarrassment and done incalculable damage to him. “Your publication has also caused our client, in the eyes of reasonable members of the public, unspeakable odium, obloquy, hatred, ridicule and psychological trauma.
“He has thereby been subjected to the shame and infamy of being viewed by members of the public as not only corrupt, but as a terrorist and sponsor of terrorism. Numerous telephone calls, emails, visits, letters and private social media chats by his family members, friends, political and business associates, and international statesmen and women in the last few days attest to the alarm and serious concerns generated by your false publication.” the letter read.
Innocent Odoh, Abuja
