From Steve Oko, Umuahia
Counsel to the former Governor of Imo State, Ikedi Ohakim, Alloy Ejimakor, has refuted a media publication against the former governor, describing it as a concocted falsehood aimed at defaming the former Imo state chief executive.
The lawyer exonerated his client of any involvement in the multi-million naira fraud allegation, saying he is only a target of personal vendetta by the petitioner – one Chinyere Amuchinwa, who is currently being investigated by the Police, following an earlier petition against her by Ohakim.
He explained that the petitioner resorted to the counter petition as an afterthought to whip up public sympathy, knowing that his client is a politically exposed person.
“Let me make it clear that Dr Ohakim is a politically exposed person and thus seen (by some unsavoury characters) as a soft target for clumsy schemes of the nature falsely stated in Amichinwa’s petition”, the lawyer said in a statement.
The lawyer expressed disappointment that a national newspaper decided to publish the “injurious and libellous falsehood”, without waiting for his client’s response.
“It is pertinent to mention that other four prominent media houses had also contemporaneously contacted our client (during the same timeline as one national daily had done) on this same matter and all awaited our response, even as we have since tendered such response to all on August 12, 2020.
“It therefore came as a rude shock to us when – on Wednesday, August 12, 2020, we woke to the instant libellous publication. Why a publication from a media house our client highly respects would publish such a story without waiting for our client’s response (which it had requested ) is a matter that will shortly be deconstructed at the appropriate time and forum of our own choosing.
He noted that the said publication bears several libellous allegations against Dr Ikedi Ohakim, a former Governor of Imo State, adding that the “highly injurious publication was based on a self-serving petition filed – ostensibly by Amuchinwa”
While denying all the allegations by Amuchinwa, the lawyer stated further that “it is not true that Dr Ohakim was arrested over Ms Amuchinwa’s petition and then granted an administrative bail.
“It was Ms Amuchinwa that was arrested, detained and then granted administrative bail and the matter over which she was arrested (assault of Dr Ohakim) is pending being charged to Court.
“What is true is that Ms Amuchinwa capitalized on a close and trusting relationship with Dr Ohakim and resorted to blackmailing, extorting, seducing and threatening Dr Ohakim since last year (2019) and Dr Ohakim has done his best, within the constraints of being a politically exposed person to resist and contain her myriad misconducts towards his person. It came to a point where Ms Amuchinwa assaulted Dr Ohakim at Abuja, for which she was arrested, detained and later granted bail. This is a matter of verifiable public record.”
