Minister of Information, Culture and
Tourism Alhaji Lai Mohammed has threatened to sue two writers, Mr. Akin Fadeyi
and Mr. Omo Bazuaye, for accusing him of plagiarising the “Change Begins With
Me” campaign.
He also threatened the executive
editor of The Independent
with a suit for claiming the launching of the campaign cost N3.4 billion.
Mohammed asked the writers and
the executive editor to withdraw their claims within seven days.
The minister made the demands in
separate letters to them through his counsel, Falana and Falana’s Chambers.
The letters were signed by Oludare
Falana, on behalf of the chambers.
The letter to the two writers reads,: “We
are counsel to Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the minister of Information and Culture on
whose behalf and instructions we write this letter.
“Our attention has been drawn to
your highly libellous statement published and circulated in some online media
where you claimed, albeit falsely, that the ‘’Change Begins With Me,” launched
by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, September 8, 2016, was stolen from
you by our client.
“In one of your reckless
statements published online, you stated that ‘What I didn’t realise was that I
could become the next victim until Thursday, September 8, 2016, when I saw that
the idea we dropped on the Office of the Minister of Information and National
Orientation, Lai Mohammed; what seems a perfect replica of it was being
launched by the minister without the consent of the real originators.”
“Having damaged our client’s
hard-earned reputation by your reckless action, we have his instructions to
demand a retraction of your libellous publication within seven days of the
receipt of this letter.
“Take notice that if you fail of
refuse to accede to our client’s demands, we have his instruction to sue you
with a view to restoring his reputation, which your reckless publication has
damaged.”
In the letter to the executive
editor of The Independent,
the counsel said: “Our attention has been drawn to your highly libellous
statement published and circulated in Volume 14, No. 208 of September 15
edition of your newspaper with the screaming headline: ’Change Begins With Me
Campaign gulps N3.4billion’.
“You also claimed in the
publication, albeit falsely, that the Change Begins With Me”, launched by
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday , September 8, 2016, was stolen by
our client.
“Having damaged our client’s
hard-earned reputation by your reckless action, we have his instructions to
demand a retraction of your libellous publication within seven days of receipt
of this letter.
“Take notice that if you fail of
refuse to accede to our client’s demands, we have his instruction to sue you
with a view to restoring his reputation, which your reckless publication has
damaged.”
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Society