Vice President, Osinbanjo Demands Immediate Retraction And Apology From Vanguard Newspaper – TheNigerialawyer

The Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof Yemi
Osinbajo has asked the Vanguard Newspaper to retract the
publication that he mismanaged N90 billion from the Federal Inland
Revenue Service.

This was contained in a letter addressed to the editor, Mr. Eze
Anaba, and dated the 24th day of September, 2019.

According to the VP, the entire publication was a vicious,
wicked and reckless ploy to impugn his reputation.

Below read the letter

FALANA & FALANA CHAMBERS
               
                 
   September 24, 2019

Mr. Eze Anaba,
The Editor,
Vanguard Newspaper,
Apapa, Lagos.

Re: N90 bn FIRS election fund, Osinbajo’s problem, not
2023 politics-Frank

We are solicitors to Professor Yemi Osinbanjo SAN, the Vice
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (hereinafter referred
to as “our client”) on whose behalf and instructions we write this
letter.

Our client’s attention has been drawn to your highly
libelous story entitled “N90 bn FIRS election fund, Osinbanjo’s
problem, not 2023 politics-Frank” recklessly published in the
Vanguard newspaper edition of September 23, 2019.

In the story credited to one Comrade Timi Frank, your
newspaper informed your large readership that our client’s travail
“has nothing to do with 2023 but alleged mismanagement of about N90
Billion Naira (sic) released by the Federal Inland Revenue Inland
Service (FIRS) to prosecute the last general elections in favour of
the APC”.

The false contextual background and specific untrue and
defamatory statement include the following:

“The presidency discovered how Osinbajo allegedly mismanaged
N90billion from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

When confronted by the presidency, he confirmed to General
Buhari that he indeed allegedly took N90billion from FIRS but it
was used for the 2019 presidential election campaign in strategic
states of the South-west.

Gen Buhari asked for a breakdown of how the money was spent
and he said he gave N11 billion to Lagos state APC leader but when
the said national leader and one former APC chairman were invited
for an explanation, it was confirmed that Osinbajo gave only
N5billion and not N11billion to Lagos state.

‘The cabal is asking to know how come they beat PDP in the
South-west with less than 60,000 votes if the money was actually
spent in the strategic states of the South-west as allegedly
claimed.’

The activist insisted that if the information is true,
Osinbajo must resign his position as Vice President, adding that
such is akin to the characteristics of ‘yahoo boys.”

It is clear that the entire publication was a vicious,
wicked and reckless ploy to impugn the reputation of our client and
lower him in the estimation of right thinking members of the
public. Without any scintilla of evidence you deliberately gave the
dubious impression that our client colluded with the Federal Inland
Revenue Service to divert public funds to the tune of N90 billion
to prosecute the 2019 general elections in the South west
region.

In view of the foregoing we have our client’s firm
instructions to request for the immediate retraction of the
offensive and derogatory publication coupled with apology
prominently published in your newspaper.

Take notice that if we do not receive your formal retraction
and apology within 24 hours of the receipt of this letter, we shall
proceed with our client’s instructions to seek legal remedies
including aggravated damages in the appropriate High
Court.

Yours Sincerely,

FEMI FALANA, SAN