Gbenga Daniel takes Gov Amosun to court; demands M500m for defamation

Former Governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel has instructed his lawyer to file a N500 million defamation lawsuit at an Abeokuta High Court against his successor, Governor Amosun and some of his commissioners for what he called ‘persistent character assassination’. 

Two different lawsuits have been filed by Otunba Gbenga Daniel and his commissioners by their Attorney, Dr. Ope Banwo, a human rights lawyer and public commentator at the Abeokuta High Court. 

In the Suits, filed under Suit# AB/152/2012 and AB/154/2012, the former Governor Otunba Gbenga Daniel and six commissioners in his former cabinet are seeking N500million damages in a representative class action lawsuit against Governor Amosun for various defamatory statements credited to the governor and some commissioners in his government to the effect that members of his former cabinet were corrupt and fraudulent. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit filed by Barrister Ope Banwo on their behalf include Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Mr. Sina Kawonise (publisher of Compass Newspaper), Mrs Toni Soboyejo, Dr. Isiaq Kunle Salako, Mr. Raheem Ajayi, Mr. Ifekayode Akinbode and Mr. Deji Kalejaiye. The defendants in the suit also include Governor of Ogun State, Commissioner for Information, Yusuf Olaniyonu and Commissioner for Finance, Kemi Adeosun.