Godwin Tsa Abuja

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has asked the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Alhaji Mohammed Adamu to commence criminal proceedings against an online Journalist, Mr. Jackson Ude over alleged criminal defamation.

In a petition to the IGP titled “Criminal defamation of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo by Mr. Jackson Ude” dated July 8, 2020, the vice president alleged that the online Journalist and publisher of Pointblanknews criminally defamed him through his publication and his Tweeter handle.

According to the petition written by his counsel, Bayo Osipitan (SAN), the vice president claimed that the said publications are injuriously false in every respect.

He said the criminally defamatory statements were published on July 8, 2020 titled “How Magu embezzled N39 billion, gave Osinbajo N4billion, begs for soft landing”, which is available on Mr. Ude website www.Pointblanknews.com.

That on the said July 8, 2020, “Mr. Ude also published criminally defamtory stories concerning/affecting our client on his Tweeter account with the handle @jacksonpbn as follows “HushBajo- N4billion. The Ghana investment. Okechukwu Enelameh the errand boy. The secretly recorded night vigil prayers at the Villa Chapel. The letter of resignation written for Buhari in Tunis by Tinubu/Osinbajo while Ba was sick. The scheming to take over Etc. This na pay back.”

That the tweet and reactions thereto have also been circulated widely on other social media platforms including Facebook and WhatsApp as well as other online websites including Newsreel.

“Our instructions is that the above statements published by Mr. Ude are false in every material respect and same are designed to injure the reputation of our client.

“These vicious and malicious publications are meant to achieve one objective only to represent to his readership and others (Nigerians and Foreigners) that our client is a dishonest and disloyal public officers and consequently unfit for the position of the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria which he is occupying.

“We are of the view that unless an action for criminal defamation is commenced against the said Mr. Jackson Ude, he will continue to use his social media platform to publish materials that are false and criminally defamtory of our client’s reputation.

“In view of the above, we humbly request that you cause the above allegations, made against our client to be investigated and if the suggested investigation confirm our complaint of the falsehood of these allegations, to initiate criminal proceedings against Mr.Ude pursuant to the provisions of section 391-395 of the Penal Code Act.”