Toba Owojaiye reportingÂ
Lawal Adamu Usman, Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial Zone, has refuted allegations of using fraudulent academic certificates during the 2023 election process, as claimed by the All Progressives Congress (APC). The APC is challenging Senator Usman’s election victory, asserting that he falsely claimed to have attended certain schools in his nomination form submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
One of the witnesses, Halima Ibrahim Ndanusa, a former student of the Department of Public Administration at Ameer Shehu Idris College of Advanced Studies in Zaria, alleged in a recent article published by Leadership Newspapers that the Kaduna Senator used her result to gain admission into a university.
In response to the publication, Senator Lawal Adamu Usman, through his solicitors Messrs E. N. Ogbu & Associates, issued a two-page letter categorizing the article, titled “KADUNA SENATOR USED MY RESULT FOR VARSITY ADMISSION, WITNESS TELLS TRIBUNAL,” published on July 12, 2023, as defamatory and libelous. The Senator threatened legal action and demanded an immediate retraction of the story. Furthermore, he filed a claim for damages amounting to one billion Naira against the newspaper, alleging that the publication was a deliberate attempt to tarnish his image and reputation.
The letter stated that the newspaper article portrayed Senator Lawal Adamu Usman as someone who illegally and fraudulently used Halima Ibrahim Ndanusa’s certificate to gain admission into a university. The letter also mentioned that the report falsely claimed that Halima Ibrahim Ndanusa made this information known during her appearance at the Election Petitions Tribunal. However, the Senator’s solicitors clarified that Halima Ibrahim Ndanusa was neither subpoenaed nor present at the tribunal, as confirmed by their correspondent. They further contended that the report failed to provide an opportunity for Senator Lawal Usman to present his version of the events that transpired.
The letter emphasized that the reportage focused on tribunal proceedings, which are available to the general public, and that the fairness of the reportage was compromised. The solicitors argued that it was a calculated effort to maliciously tarnish Senator Lawal Usman’s hard-earned reputation.
The letter also highlighted the emotional and psychological trauma suffered by the Senator due to the publication of false and non-existent information that has damaged his reputation. It emphasized that the harm caused cannot be fully remedied by monetary compensation and stressed the Nigerian Government’s repeated warnings against spreading “fake news.”
The Senator concluded the letter by stating that if the media house fails to formally retract the libelous information and issue an apology within seven days of receiving the letter, he will pursue legal action.