ABEOKUTA — Comrade Abayomi Arabambi and Prince Awofala have demanded ₦120 billion in damages from the Ogun State chairmen of the Young Progressives Party (YPP) and the BOOT Party over alleged defamatory statements linked to the 2027 Ogun State governorship litigation.
Through their solicitors, Lex Fortis LP, the duo issued the demand in a pre-action letter dated September 15, 2026, addressed to Arch. Akerele Abiodun John, Chairman of the BOOT Party in Ogun State.
The legal document also named Hon. Adeyemi Solomon Oluwaseyifunmi, the Ogun State Chairman of the YPP, as a principal defendant in the dispute.
According to the solicitors, the two party chairmen allegedly made and disseminated statements accusing Arabambi and Awofala of connivance, misrepresentation, intimidation, surveillance, and harassment regarding the court case.
The controversial allegations were reportedly made during a media briefing on September 9, 2026, centering on the discontinuance of legal proceedings related to the upcoming 2027 governorship contest.
The solicitors noted that the allegations gained wide circulation after being published under the headline: “OGUN 2027: YPP, BOOT PARTY REJECT WITHDRAWAL OF SUIT, ACCUSE YAYI CAMP OF MISREPRESENTATION.”
Counsel to Arabambi and Awofala stated that the widespread coverage caused severe injury to their clients’ public standing, credibility, and personal relationships built over three decades.
They argued that the ordinary meaning of the statements portrayed their clients as dishonest individuals who improperly interfered with judicial proceedings and engaged in criminal intimidation.
Arabambi and Awofala categorically denied all the assertions, maintaining they never harassed, threatened, or placed anyone under surveillance to force the withdrawal of the legal action.
The solicitors emphasized that disputes over the authorization to discontinue a court case are strictly legal matters to be determined by judicial records, counsel instructions, and applicable law.
They accused the defendants of acting with calculated malice by publicly naming Arabambi and Awofala without presenting any verifiable factual evidence to back their claims.
The law firm noted that framing unsubstantiated claims of threats and surveillance as factual assertions during a politically charged press conference was an act of extreme recklessness.
Consequently, the lawyers demanded an immediate retraction of all allegations, a full public apology published across major media platforms, and the removal of all offending online content.
The defendants were handed a strict 48-hour ultimatum from the receipt of the letter to retract the statements or present concrete evidence supporting their allegations.
Lex Fortis LP warned that failure to meet these demands would result in immediate court action seeking aggravated damages, permanent injunctions, and full legal costs.
The legal team concluded by advising the party chairmen to preserve all digital and physical evidence, reiterating that their clients’ reputations would not be used as a political bargaining tool.
