The Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in the last election, Barrister Michael Lana, has demanded N5 billion from the state chairman of the party, Mr. Michael Okunlade, for alleged defamation and inciting statements.
Barrister Lana in a letter dated March 20 by his counsel, Ola Adeosun, and addressed to Okunlade, said he defamed his character in an interview he granted a national newspaper by accusing him of collecting money from Governor Seyi Makinde in order to support him for his re-election bid.
The SDP governorship candidate added that in the interview which circulated in an online newspaper based in Ibadan, on the internet spaces around the world and on various social media platforms, the SDP chairman described him as a rogue, lacking in integrity, stating that he knew that the assertion was false.
In the letter titled, “Publication and Circulation of Defamatory and Inciting Statements against Mr. Michael Folorunsho Lana. Demand for retraction and payment of Compensation”, Barrister Lana stated further that apart from misinforming the general public, especially the mass of young lawyers and younger generation of politicians who see him as a role model in terms of integrity, he painted him as a corrupt and irresponsible person that cannot be trusted by anybody in the interview.
According to the SDP governorship candidate, it is important for Okunlade to know that in passing out information on anybody, such must be factual, credible and truthful, hence he must pay for his indiscretions.
Barrister Lana while insisting on dragging the SDP chairman to court within three days of receiving the letter and meeting his demands, demanded retraction of the offensive statements to be published in a national daily, internet and prominent social media platforms. (Blueprint)
