Akpabio threatens lawsuit against PDP chieftain Pearse over ‘criminal’ label

By Henry Ojelu

President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has threatened to institute ineligible enactment against Lagos Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse, implicit what helium described arsenic mendacious and defamatory statements made against him during a unrecorded broadcast connected Arise Television.

In a request missive dated October 7, 2025, and signed by his ineligible representatives, S. I. Ameh (SAN) & Co., Akpabio accused Pearse of making reckless and malicious comments intended to harm his reputation.

The Senate President directed Pearse to contented a nationalist apology and retraction wrong 3 days oregon look ineligible proceedings for defamation and transgression incitement.

The letter, titled “Demand for Immediate Retraction and Public Apology for Defamatory Publication Against Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON,” stated that during a governmental conception connected Arise TV connected October 4, 2025, Pearse made unsubstantiated allegations of corruption, manipulation, and criminality against the Senate President.

Pearse was quoted arsenic saying: “If we get much women successful the National Assembly and we person a Senate President similar Akpabio, what is the point? The National Assembly we person present is simply a rubber-stamp assembly. Any president who wants to manipulate it tin bash so. And this 1 is really manipulating it to the detriment of advancement for Nigerians.

“Akpabio should not beryllium President of the Senate. He’s a criminal; helium shouldn’t beryllium there. He has cases successful the EFCC, millions that helium stole erstwhile helium was governor… If helium has transgression cases, fto him spell and reply them. There’s nary mode a antheral similar that should beryllium determination successful the archetypal place.”

Describing the comments arsenic “false successful each worldly particular,” Akpabio’s lawyers said the remarks were made with full disregard for the information and successful atrocious faith.

They argued that the statements were intended to represent their lawsuit arsenic a corrupt and dishonest politician, thereby exposing him to nationalist ridicule and hatred.

According to the letter, the broadcast and its consequent circulation connected societal media caused the Senate President “grave reputational injury, affectional distress, and embarrassment,” and besides undermined nationalist assurance successful the enactment of the Senate.

“Our lawsuit finds these assertions profoundly offensive, defamatory, and malicious.They represent him arsenic a criminal, corrupt politician, misogynist, and manipulator of antiauthoritarian institutions — each of which are wholly untrue,” portion of the missive read.

The instrumentality steadfast warned that Pearse’s behaviour amounted to transgression defamation and nationalist incitement, contrary to Sections 373–375 of the Criminal Code Act, Sections 391–393 of the Penal Code, and provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.

Ameh (SAN) & Co. demanded that Pearse contented a retraction and nationalist apology to beryllium broadcast connected Arise TV, Channels Television, AIT, Cool FM, RayPower, Nigeria Info FM, and published successful The Guardian, Punch, The Nation, THISDAY, and Leadership newspapers.

The missive further warned: “If you neglect to comply wrong the stipulated 3 days, we shall, without further notice, proceed to institute due ineligible proceedings against you to enforce our client’s rights and question afloat redress nether the law.”

The lawyers maintained that Pearse’s utterances exceeded the limits of escaped code guaranteed nether the Nigerian Constitution, stressing that “freedom of look does not see spreading falsehoods oregon making malicious attacks connected another’s reputation.”

The station Akpabio threatens suit against PDP chieftain Pearse implicit ‘criminal’ label appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.