The national leader of All Progressives Congress and former Lagos State governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has withdrawn a N150 billion libel suit he filed at the Ikeja High Court against DAAR Communications Plc, owner of African Independent Television, AIT, over the documentary titled “Lion of Bourdillon”, which was aired on the station in the run-up to the last general elections.
The APC chieftain said the documentary was not only libelous in the extreme, arguing that it was calculated and also sponsored to lower his esteem and damage his hard-earned reputation.
At the resumed hearing of the case on Friday, counsel to the applicant, Wole Olanipekun (SAN) and AIT’s counsel, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), told the trial judge, Justice Iyabode Akinkugbe that both parties have agreed for an out of court settlement after the management of AIT on January 29th, sent a letter of apology to Tinubu.
The letter reads in part: “DAAR Communications Plc acknowledges that Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu is an outstanding political leader of unblemished character and integrity, as well as a leading public figure and opinion-moulder, who has made and continuous make immense contributions to the progress and development of the nation in general and Lagos State in particular. DAAR Communications Plc admits that in airing the said documentary, it had no intention, whatsoever, to embarrass or diminish the high reputation of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu which it respects and attests to”.
Confirming the request for an out of court settlement, Olanipekun urged the court to adopt the settlement terms and allow them settle out of court.
In her ruling, Justice Akinkugbe after adopting the settlement by both parties, ordered DAAR Communications Plc to publicly and unequivocally retract the said documentary and also tender an unreserved public apology to Tinubu.
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