One of Nigeria’s national dailies, The Guardian Newspaper, has tendered an unreserved apology to the former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, over its recent publication on the circumstances surrounding the siting of Dangote Refinery in Lagos State.
*Background*
The Guardian Newspaper had on Saturday, July 20, 2024, published an article titled ‘A Sunday with Aliko Dangote’ where it alleged that Dangote Refinery could not be sited in Ogun State because “the state government had delayed in providing the land because the governor then was making unethical demands.”
Reacting to the allegation contained in the said publication, Amosun, in a letter to The Guardian Newspaper (which was sighted by our correspondent), through his lawyers, Copley Partners, titled, Cease and Desist Letter, Defamatory and Malicious Publication in the Guardian Weekend Newspaper, July 20-21, 2024 titled A Sunday with Aliko Dangote”, accused The Guardian Newspaper of deliberately publishing false and malicious content without carrying out due diligence to verify the allegation, thus describing it as a violation of the professional ethics of responsible journalism.
Amosun’s lawyer, therefore, demanded a retraction of the publication and an unreserved apology to the former Governor, which must be published in a full page of The Guardian Weekend Newspaper.
*Retraction and Apology*
Meanwhile, the Guardian Newspaper through its solicitors, Balliol Myers LP, has in its publication of Saturday, August 10, which was sighted by our correspondent, retracted the malicious and defamatory content of the publication, and subsequently tendered an unreserved apology to Amosun.
The Guardian Newspaper, in the retraction, said, “The statement contained within The Guardian publication of July 20/21 2024: The refinery… but the state government had delayed in providing the land because the governor then was making unethical demands….. that’s one of the negative outcomes of corruption” is hereby fully and unreservedly retracted.
“The Guardian Limited hereby tenders a full and unreserved apology to the former Governor of Ogun State, His Excellency, Senator Ibikunle Amosun (CON) as there was no intention to besmirch, defame, injure, malign, nor smear him directly nor indirectly.”
