Human rights lawyer and activist Deji Adeyanju has retracted statements he made about the acting National Chairman and Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagun and Senator Samuel Anyanwu, respectively. The retraction and apology were conveyed in a letter dated December 6, issued from Adeyanju’s law firm, Deji Adeyanju & Partners, and signed by Zainab Otega.
The letter, addressed to Senior Advocate of Nigeria Johnson Usman, legal counsel for Damagun and Anyanwu, expressed regret over the statements, clarifying they were not intended to defame the PDP leaders.
The letter read:
“We are solicitors to Deji Adeyanju, Esq (hereinafter referred to as our client), on whose instruction we act.
“Our client received two letters from the law firm of the revered Senior Advocate of Nigeria, J.J. Usman, alleging that some statements he made on a podcast a few weeks ago were deemed defamatory of Damagun and Anyanwu, the National Chairman and Secretary of the PDP, respectively.
“Our client’s statements on the podcast were taken out of the broader context of the conversation, which focused on the need for the leadership of the PDP to provide a robust opposition to the ruling party.
“These statements were not intended to defame your clients, and any perception of defamation in the said statements is regretted and withdrawn with apologies.
“As a human rights activist, our client remains committed to the betterment of Nigeria and will continue to urge those in leadership to prioritize the interest of Nigerians above personal interests.”
Adeyanju’s retraction followed controversial remarks he made on The Honest Bunch podcast, where he accused Damagun of serving tea and Anyanwu of serving kilishi (a Nigerian dried meat snack) at the residence of President Bola Tinubu’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.
The activist alleged that Tinubu was working to install a PDP presidential candidate for the 2027 elections, asserting that Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Nyesom Wike and Damagun were “moles” within the PDP.
He said:
“The current PDP is in Wike’s pocket at the national level. He installed the current PDP National Chairman, who goes to serve tea in Femi Gbajabiamila’s house. While Damagun is serving tea, PDP’s National Secretary, Sam Anyanwu, goes to the kitchen to serve kilishi. These are the people in charge of the PDP.”
The apology and retraction come amid rising tensions within the PDP and efforts to address internal criticism. Adeyanju emphasized his commitment to advocating for strong leadership that prioritizes the welfare of Nigerians over personal or partisan interests.
