Ighodalo sues Edo APC chair Tenebe for ₦500m over defamation claims
By Jeffrey Agbo
Dr. Asue Ighodalo, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the last Edo State governorship election, has initiated a ₦500 million defamation lawsuit against the acting Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State, Jarret Tenebe.
The lawsuit, filed under case number LD/ADR/5731/2025 at the Lagos State High Court in Tafawa Balewa Square, seeks damages for alleged defamatory statements made by Tenebe, along with a public apology and retraction.
The dispute stems from a viral video released on December 10, 2024, in which Tenebe accused Ighodalo of corruption and the misappropriation of state funds. In the video, Tenebe said: “Asue Ighodalo will not make such a mistake because he has stolen billions before,” referencing a gaffe made by Governor Monday Okpebholo during the presentation of the state’s ₦605 billion budget to the Edo State House of Assembly.
In response, Ighodalo’s legal team, Banwo and Ighodalo, issued a pre-action notice on December 11, 2024, demanding that Tenebe retract his statements and issue an apology within seven days. Tenebe, however, refused.
Through his lawyer, Dr. Blessing Agbomhere, Tenebe denied any wrongdoing, stating, “We further want to state unequivocally that our client did not defame your client in any way, and as such, there is no need for a public apology or retraction of comments made in the alleged video.
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“But if your client decides to stretch this issue further by going to court, we will rely on the defence of justification in accordance with the report of the Edo State Vehicle Recovery Committee, whose report indicted your client and the preliminary report of the Edo State Asset Verification Committee.”
In his court filing, Ighodalo accused Tenebe of intentionally publishing false statements to damage his reputation. He claimed the allegations had subjected him to distress and humiliation, as professional colleagues and business partners, both in Nigeria and abroad, reached out to question the integrity of his character.
“The primary objective of procuring the publication of the defamatory video was to tarnish our client’s reputation,” his legal team stated. “Undoubtedly, this development has exposed our Client to great distress, hurt, and humiliation.”
Ighodalo is asking the court to order Tenebe to issue a written apology within seven days of the judgment and pay ₦500 million in damages.
Justice A.O. Opesanwo has scheduled the case for hearing on March 5, 2025.
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