Nigerian businessman, Femi Otedola, has taken Umar Sani, a former aide to Vice President Namadi Sambo to court.
Otedola filed a N1 billion libel suit against Sani over his recent comment linking Otedola to the fuel subsidy fraud under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Sani has alleged that over ₦2 trillion was siphoned through questionable subsidy claims under the Jonathan administration.
He had claimed that “Otedola himself enjoyed enormous privileges during the era”.
However, in a statement released late on Sunday night, Otedola described Sani’s claims as “malicious lies.
Recalling his role in exposing the subsidy scam, Otedola said he was the first to alert former President Goodluck Jonathan and then Senate President Bukola Saraki of the fraud at the time, wondering how he could be accused of benefiting from the same scam he blew the whistle on.
Dismissing Sani’s attempts to link him with the subsidy scandal, Otedola declared that his company, Zenon Petroleum, never traded in petrol and therefore could not have accessed the subsidy funds.
Announcing his decision to sue the former presidential aide over the alleged defamatory remarks, Otedola insisted that he would not allow anyone to toy with his hard-earned reputation.
He said, “Because of these deliberate lies and unfounded allegations, I have instructed my lawyers to file a ₦1 billion libel suit against Umar Sani. People must learn that reputations are not to be toyed with for cheap propaganda and to serve as a deterrent for other mischief makers in the future. I will go to every extent that this is achieved.
Continuing, the businessman appealed to President Bola Tinubu to release the full report of the Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede panel set up during the Jonathan administration to probe the monumental petrol subsidy fraud.
According to him, Nigerians deserve to know the truth about those who looted the treasury through the fraud perpetrated under the Petroleum Subsidy Fund scheme.
“I implore President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to release the full Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede report on subsidy fraud as Nigerians deserve to know the truth. It is on record that the Presidency at the time called on the late Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Chairman, Ibrahim Lamorde, to halt the investigation. Let the report be made public so the real subsidy thieves can be unmasked,” Otedola said.
Otedola said, “My attention has been drawn to a mischievous and malicious publication written by one Umar Sani, a former Special Adviser (Media) to former Vice President Namadi Sambo, attempting to twist facts and drag my name into disrepute and allegations of complicity in the subsidy fraud.
“His insinuations are false, baseless, and a shameless attempt to pander to lies and rewrite history. Let me set the record straight for the overall benefit of the discerning public.
“Zenon Petroleum and Gas Limited was wholly an importer and trader of diesel with a market share in excess of 90 per cent, never traded in Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and as such could not have claimed for subsidy under the Petroleum Subsidy Fund scheme. Diesel had been long deregulated even before the adoption of the PSF and did not fall under petroleum products to be claimed under the PSF regime.”
