I’m Ready To Defend Libel Suit Over P&ID, Seun Kuti Declares
Musician and Grammy nominee Seun Kuti yesterday said he was ready to defend a libel suit against him over comments he made on the controversial Process & Industrial Developments Limited (P&ID) case.
According to him, his comments on the involvement of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Chief Bolaji Ayorinde, resulted in a lawsuit and a police invitation.
At a briefing in Lagos, he said he would also honour the invitation at 11 am today.
After years of intense legal battle, Nigeria secured a landmark victory in overturning a €9.17 billion judgment awarded against it in the case.
Judge Ross Cranston of the Business and Property Courts of England and Wales granted Nigeria’s application for sanction relief.
On October 31, Kuti took to his Instagram page to comment on the case.
He alleged that Ayorinde shared certain information with P&ID while representing Nigeria in the arbitration proceedings.
The SAN denied the allegations and filed a libel and character defamation lawsuit.
The case will come up for hearing in Oyo State on January 25.
Seun said: “All I did was read out what the UK court said in their judgment.
“I went through the entire 140 pages, and everything I mentioned came straight from that judgment.
“But now, Ayorinde, Nigeria’s representative in the case, is dragging me to court, saying I defamed him. He even went to the police about it.
“I called the press here to carry them along and be with me as the eyes and ears of the Nigerian people.
“I didn’t call the press to be on my side but to monitor this issue to the end, to educate Nigerians to open their eyes.
“My interest is in the case is patriotic; anyone who is patriotic should be interested in the case.
“As a patriotic citizen deeply committed to the wellbeing and integrity of our nation, I believe in the importance of raising concerns about issues that affect the nation’s interests,” said the youngest son of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Kuti.
The musician said it was surprising that Ayorinde would file the lawsuit against him, especially considering the 140-page judgment was public.
He also wondered why the SAN chose to file the suit in Oyo when they both reside in Lagos.
Kuti added: “I stand by everything I have said on the case.
“I am ready to meet him in the court and I am optimistic that I will win this case because it runs in my family to fight against cases like this that affect the nation’s interest.”
He restated his commitment to advocating for causes that will advance the country’s progress.
