Turnah: when he appeared in court during his trial

Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt

A political godson of ex- President Goodluck Jonathan and former Special Assistant to the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), George Turnah, has given a seven-day ultimatum to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and a social media practitioner, Mr. Bodmas Kemepadei, to apologise and pay him the sum of N100 million compensation over alleged defamatory statements they made against him.

Turnah is facing allegations bordering on obtaining by false pretence and money laundering pressed against him and eight companies connected to him by the EFCC, before the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt.

In statement issued in Port Harcourton Sunday by his lawyers, Amuda-Kannike (SAN) and Co, the Ogbia, Bayelsa State-born politician-cum legal practitioner, also demanded for bail as well as setting aside of the interim order of forfeiture made by the Federal High Court n May 23, 2017.

The statement, which was signed by the Principal Partner of Amuda-Kannike (SAN) and Co, Obiareri Anugbum, insisted that the apology must be published in three national dailies, on Facebook and two most visited blog sites in Nigeria, to avoid N10 billion defamation suit.

It reads in part, “Embattled political godson of former President Goodluck Jonathan and Special Assistant to Mr. Dan Abia, ex-Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. George Turnah, a lawyer and Member of the Order of the Niger (MON), is seeking the grant of bail, set aside of the interim order of forfeiture made on May 23, 2017 and heartfelt apology and deep-freeze retraction of defamatory statements credited to Mr. Ishaq Salihu, the EFCC South-South Zonal Head and Mr. Bodmas Kemepadei, a Social Media practitioner.

“Barrister Turnah has given Messers Ishaq Salihu and Bodmas Kemepadei seven-day ultimatum to tender unreserved apology over their claims that he corruptly enriched himself. The duo also alleged that his eldest daughter is retaining billions in her account. Barrister Turnah’s demand for apology and compensation was made in letter addressed to Mr. Ishaq Salihu, the EFCC South-South Zonal Head and Mr. Bodmas Kemepadei, a Social Media practitioner, respectively.

“In the light of the forgoing and in the spirit of second chance, we have our client’s instructions to give the duo an ultimatum of seven days from the date/ receipt of the letters to issue an apology in three national dailies, Bodmas Kemepadei’s Facebook page, two most visited Nigerian blog sites and the payment of N100 million only to avoid a defamation suit of N10 billion only.

“The apology, which should be heartfelt, must be a total withdrawal of your claims and imputations, it must contained also a manifest expression of deep regret for the unwarranted attack and must also con0D