The Peoples Democratic Party candidate in the last Edo State governorship election, Asue Ighodalo, has filed a ₦500 million defamation suit against the acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Edo State, Jarret Tenebe.
The suit, marked LD/ADR/5731/2025, was filed at the Lagos State High Court, Tafawa Balewa Square, with Ighodalo seeking damages, a retraction of Tenebe’s alleged defamatory statements, and a public apology.
In December 2024, Ighodalo had issued a pre-action notice through his legal firm, Banwo and Ighodalo, demanding that Tenebe retract a viral video statement made on December 10, 2024.
In the video, Tenebe accused Ighodalo of corruption and misappropriation of state funds, following a budgetary error made by Governor Monday Okpebholo during the presentation of the ₦605 billion budget to the Edo State House of Assembly.
The pre-action notice, dated December 11, 2024, gave Tenebe seven days to retract the statement and issue an apology.
However, in a response through his lawyer, Blessing Agbomhere, Tenebe refused, maintaining that he had not defamed Ighodalo.
In the suit, Ighodalo argued that the viral video was created with the intent to tarnish his reputation.
He claimed the publication of the statement caused him “great distress, hurt, and humiliation,” adding that it had led to inquiries from professional colleagues, business partners, and Nigerians at home and abroad about the allegations.
Through his lawyers, Ighodalo is asking the court to compel Tenebe to issue a written apology within seven days of the court’s judgment.
Justice A.O. Opesanwo has fixed March 5, 2025, as the date for the hearing of the case.
