Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, has threatened to sue activist and lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, over alleged false and defamatory publications against him on social media.
Obi, through his lawyer, Chief Alex Ejesieme, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, accused Adeyanju of persistently using his X and Facebook accounts to publish damaging claims portraying him as corrupt, fraudulent, and a religious bigot.
In a letter dated August 26, 2025, Obi’s legal team said the statements, some dating back to 2022, were calculated to tarnish his image and mislead the public.
Among the allegations cited, Adeyanju claimed Obi diverted Anambra State funds into family businesses, attempted to bribe him after a private meeting, and used religion to manipulate voters during the 2023 presidential election.
He also repeatedly described the former Anambra governor as “a fraud,” “a religious bigot,” “leader of a mob,” and “a scum.”
The letter described the publications as “false, malicious, and contrived,” stressing that they had caused “untold damage” to Obi’s reputation at home and abroad.
Obi’s legal team demanded that Adeyanju delete all the posts, issue a public apology across his social media platforms, and publish apologies in three national dailies.
It warned that failure to comply within seven days would lead to a lawsuit seeking aggravated damages, an injunction restraining Adeyanju from further defamatory remarks, and recovery of legal costs.
However, in a reaction posted on his official Facebook page, Adeyanju dismissed Obi’s demands and vowed to meet him in court.
“Just got this letter from Peter Obi the religious bigot demanding a retraction from me. I laughed so hard. A fraud parading himself as a messiah. This same guy called the great Sowore a blackmailer-in-chief,” he wrote.
The activist further alleged that Obi was attempting to shield his supporters from legal scrutiny, referencing a separate dispute involving his (Adeyanju’s) wife.
“We served his little errand girl Serah a letter to retract all her defamatory publications on Monday against my wife & she ran to the leader of the mob for help. Can’t wait to meet him in court,” he stated.
