Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has threatened to sue four national newspapers over what he described as defamatory and damaging publications.
Dogara, through his legal counsel, Johnson Usman (SAN), issued formal letters to the affected media outlets: The Guardian, Nigerian Pilot, Daily Post, and New Telegraph. Certified true copies of the letters were made available to journalists on Tuesday in Abuja.
The publications in question reportedly included headlines such as: “Ex-loyalist slams Dogara for taking appointment from ‘Muslim-Muslim’ govt,” in which Dogara was described as “deceitful” and accused of lacking political integrity.
In the letters, Usman stated:
“Our client, a businessman and renowned politician who served as Speaker of the House of Representatives and currently chairs the National Credit Guarantee Company Limited (NCGC), has built a reputation based on integrity and public service. These publications have deliberately sought to malign his character and reduce his standing among his constituents, associates, and the Nigerian public.”
The legal team said the media houses published “false, inflammatory, and defamatory” statements with the intent to damage Dogara’s personal, political, and social reputation.
“You maligned our client with imputations of crime, low morality, and unwarranted insults, describing him as the orchestrator of Zaar land’s division and a beggar for political appointments,” the letter read.
Dogara’s lawyers also noted that the person identified in the reports as Dogara’s “ex-loyalist” is unknown to their client.
“Our client denies ever knowing the individual described as his ex-loyalist. These defamatory statements have caused political embarrassment, emotional distress, and irreparable reputational harm,” Usman stated.
The law firm is demanding the following from the media organisations within three days of receiving the letter:
A front-page retraction of the alleged defamatory report.
A public apology, published both in the newspapers and across social media platforms.
Failure to comply, according to the letter, will lead to civil and criminal legal actions without further notice.
“We shall be left with no option but to explore all legal remedies to protect our client’s constitutional rights—this includes full litigation, carried out with the widest possible publicity. A word is enough for the wise,” Usman warned.
