The crisis within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State has taken a more dramatic turn as Southwest Zonal Leader, Buruji Kashamu sued former President Olusegun Obasanjo for defamation of his character.
He is seeking damages of N20bn from the former president for maligning his character. The suit followed the refusal of Obasanjo to retract his claim that Kashamu is wanted by the United States Government over issues of drugs.
Chief Obasanjo had, in a protest letter to the former national chairman of the PDP, Bamanga Tukur as well as President Goodluck Jonathan, condemned a situation where the party, which he said is revered, would put its structure in the South-west in the hands of someone wanted for drug-related offences.
Though documents confirming this had been on circulation since last week with the US government confirming that Kashamu has questions to answer, the PDP chieftain has denied, arguing that it is a case of mistaken identity and that the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency of Nigeria had cleared him. He is therefore seeking the face of the Abuja High Court on the matter.
In a writ of summons filed on his behalf by Dr. Alex Aigbe Izinyon (SAN), Kashamu argued that the criminal imputation made against him by Chief Obasanjo had injured him and that as a result, the court should award the sum of N20bn to defendant in his own favour as damages.
Kashamu is seeking a declaration that the words complained of and published by the plaintiff against the defendant in a letter titled: ‘Before it is too late,’ addressed to Dr. Goodluck E. Jonathan and dated December 2, 2013, which inter-alia carried criminal imputation against the plaintiff and published in several newspapers on December 12 is defamatory of the person of the plaintiff.
He is further seeking an order awarding the sum of N20bn to the plaintiff against the defendants as aggravated and exemplary damages against the defendant for libel falsely and maliciously published by the defendant against the plaintiff in the said letter.
Also, he is seeking order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, his agents, servants or privies from publishing or further publishing or cause to be published any defamatory words against the plaintiff to any person or persons; and the sum of N100m as cost of this action.
He said he, being the plaintiff, is a Nigerian citizen of Ogun State origin and consummate businessman, industrialist of international repute, community leader and elder statesman while the defendant (Obasanjo) is an elder statesman and two-time former Head of State of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
