Emefiele’s attorney, Matthew Burkaa, issued a notice to the Senate President on February 19, 2024, challenging Akpabio’s statement on February 18, 2024, wherein he claimed, “we don’t know what to charge Emefiele with.”
Emefiele, represented by his lawyer, deemed Akpabio’s statement as “false, distorted, and clearly aimed at disparaging his character.” Akpabio made these remarks during a thanksgiving service in Rivers State, asserting that Emefiele had left the Nigerian economy in disarray and faced unspecified charges from the government.
Contrary to Akpabio’s assertion, Burkaa revealed that charges had been filed against Emefiele by the Federal Government on August 14, 2023. Emefiele had pleaded not guilty to these charges. Burkaa pointed out that Akpabio, as a key member of the previous administration, was well aware of Emefiele’s policies and actions during his tenure as the apex bank chief.
Burkaa demanded an unreserved, written apology from Akpabio, to be published and circulated using the same medium that carried the defamatory statement. Additionally, he requested one billion Naira (N1,000,000,000) as compensation for the unjustifiable damage caused to Emefiele’s reputation. Failure to comply would prompt Emefiele to seek legal redress under the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
