A Retired Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon. Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, has come out to deny viral social media reports that she is negotiating a pathway for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal.
Africa Today News, New York reports that the reports, authored by Jackson Ude, had alleged that Peter-Odili, was regularly meeting with the Appeal and Supreme Courts in respect of the matter.
A statement which was signed by the media assistant to Peter-Odili, Chief Felix Enebeli, said lawyers of the retired Supreme Court Justice were working on the defamation arising from the false allegation.
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The statement reads in part: ‘Our attention has been drawn to a publication circulating in the social media against the person of the retired Justice Mary Ukaego Peter-Odili, wherein the author, one Jackson Ude, falsely and maliciously alleged inter alia, that the revered jurist is ‘currently negotiating a pathway for Bola Tinubu’ and that ‘she meets regularly with Appeal and Supreme courts’ in that regard.
‘While the defamation arising from the false allegation has been referred to the lawyers of her lordship to deal with in accordance with the law, we consider it appropriate, particularly for the sake of the public, to issue this unequivocal denial of the false allegation.
‘We deny every allegation contained in the publication and state that the publication is false, malicious, mischievous and a deliberate attempt at smearing the integrity and solid reputation of her lordship. We say nothing of the fact that the publication has the potential of inciting the public against her Lordship on an issue of grave national importance.
‘For the records, her lordship is neither a judicial consultant to anyone nor is she in any way connected with or involved in any of the presidential election petitions or any other election petition whatsoever. The public is hereby urged to disbelieve, disregard and ignore this false publication.
‘Lawyers acting for Hon. Justice Mary Peter-Odili have been instructed to demand retraction and public apology from the publisher, Jackson Ude, failing which redress will be sought in a court of law.
‘Meanwhile, a criminal complaint has been lodged with the police. In addition, lawyers acting for Justice Mary Peter-Odili have addressed petitions to the State Security Service, the Nigeria Police and Interpol calling for immediate investigation of this grave but false and malicious allegation aimed at inciting the public against Hon. Justice Mary Peter-Odili (rtd).’
Meanwhile, Africa Today News, New York can confirm that the report has continued to go viral.