Fijabi Olanrewaju
RIGHTS crusader Deji Adeyanju has tendered an unreserved apology to the duo of Ambassador Umar lliya Damagum and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, the National Chairman and Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), respectively, over a defamatory statement he made during a recent podcast.
Eighteen-Eleven Media had on 4th December 2024 reported Adeyanju accusing Damagum of serving tea in the house of President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
He also accused Sam Anyanwu of serving ‘Kilishi’ in Gbajabiamila’s House.
He made the claims while disclosing that President Tinubu plans to install a PDP presidential candidate in 2027.
Featuring on The Honest Bunch podcast, Adeyanju claimed the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and Damagum are Tinubu’s moles in the PDP.
He said: “The current PDP is in Wike’s pocket at the national level, he installed the current PDP National Chairman who goes to serve tea in Femi Gbajabiamila’s House.
“While Damagum is serving tea, PDP’s National Secretary, Sam Anyanwu, goes to the kitchen to serve Kilishi; they are the people in charge of the PDP.
“These are Tinubu’s moles, just like Abure in LP who is an APC mole. There is no opposition, that’s why nobody is challenging the system. Aside from a few of us, who else is talking?
“We are talking about challenging Tinubu and his government, what it means to be an opposition, what it means to challenge the government where people’s houses are being demolished in the FCT and people run to VeryDarkMan to come to their aid.
“People have lost hope in institutions and opposition, the current PDP as constituted are in bed with APC, PDP can’t hold its own NEC meeting. Wike, Damagum, and Sam Daddy have hijacked the party.
“They want to field a candidate given to them by Tinubu in 2027, you know he is a master of crushing opposition; he did it for about 24 years in Lagos.
“What they do is, he will anoint somebody and put him in charge of PDP in Lagos, that’s what he has been doing.”
However, in a letter dated 6th December 2024 signed by Zainab Otega, Esq, the activist says his statements on the podcast were taken out of the bigger context of the conversation which is the need for the leadership of the PDP to provide a virile opposition to the ruling party.
“These statements were not intended to defame your clients, and any perception of defamation in the said statements is regretted and withdrawn with apologies.
“As a human rights activist, our client remains committed to the betterment of Nigeria and will continue to urge those in leadership to prioritise the interest of Nigerians over and above personal interest.”
The letter was addressed to the Principal Partner J.J Usman, SAN & Co.
Eighteen-Eleven Media