‘I didn’t launder money through contract scam’

Obasa described as “absurd, abusive” and “malicious”, the claims that he awarded contracts to himself through companies registered in the names of his father, wife and children.

The allegations, he said, were made by an online news medium, Sahara Reporters, in a publication titled: “Exposed: Speaker of Lagos Assembly, Obasa, Awards Contracts to Self Through Company Registered in Son’s Name”.

But, Obasa’s counsel, Mr. Lawal Pedro SAN, in an April 30 letter seen by The Nation, said none of the firms mentioned by the publication had ever been engaged or awarded any contract by the lawmakers.

He demanded that Sahara Reporters publisher, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, should retract the story within seven days and apologise, otherwise he faces a N1 billion defamation lawsuit.

The letter, ‘Demand for retraction of defamatory statements published against and concerning the person of Rt. Hon, Mudashiru Ajayi Obasa and apology for the publication’, reads:

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“Upon our discreet inquiry, we were able to confirm that the House of Assembly has never at any time engaged or awarded any contract to any of the listed companies in the publication.

“Therefore, we find the publication utterly absurd, abusive and malicious. It amounts to irresponsible journalism to deliberately tarnish the image of the Rt. Honourable Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly (our client).”

Pedro said although the lawmakers had already denied the “said false and malicious publication on social media platforms”, the online medium repeated the claims elsewhere.

“In your subsequent publication of March 25, 2020 headlined: ‘Exclusive: Tinubu, GAC back Lagos Assembly Speaker, Obasa, Over Suspension of Lawmakers, Corruption’, you repeated the same malicious statement concerning our client…” Pedro said.

According to him, the publication had damaged Obasa’s reputation globally.

He added: “In the circumstance, it is our client’s instruction and we hereby demand of you, within seven days of receipt of this letter, a retraction of the said false, malicious and defamatory publication against our client through your online publication, social media platforms and three national newspapers circulating in Nigeria.

“You are also to tender a written unreserved apology to our client for the publication.

“Take notice that, if you fail, refuse or neglect to meet our client’s humble request within the stipulated number of days, we have his further instruction to commence a legal action against you and your organisation for the malicious defamatory publication and to claim N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) damages.”

Members of the House of Assembly have described as baseless and misleading, media report alleging that Speaker Obasa spends N17million monthly on maintenance of his home and guest house. The Clerk, Mr. Azeez Sanni, who called the attention of the lawmakers to the report published online by SaharaReporters on April 26, said the report was erroneous. He said: “The sum covers various expenditure of the full offices; the Office of the Chief of Staff, Special Advisers (Budget, Political Matters), Office of the Chief Press Secretary, Special Assistant (Protocol), Special Assistant (Research and Development), Special Assistant (Women Affairs), and 15 special assistants engaged to attend to the growing demand and specialty of the House.”I must also state that this expenditure has been in existence prior to the emergence of Speaker Obasa. In fact it is dated as far back as 2012 when it was N27million monthly and I have the document here to show that the expenditure had been in existence since 2012.”