The Edo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has given Vanguard newspaper 24 hours ultimatum to retract a publication which the party described as “libelous and defamatory.”

This is contained in a letter addressed to Vanguard newspaper Editor by the party’s lawyer, Martin Omo-lghekpe, a copy of which was made available to INFO DAILY on Tuesday.

Vanguard newspaper was said to have carried an advertorial today July 23, 24, wherein faces of some APC chieftains in the state were published and labelled: Edo Airport Violence: Faces of Suspected Culprits.

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In the letter titled: ‘LIBEL AND DEFAMATION AGAINST THE ALL PROGRESSIVES CONGRESss (APC) EDO STATE CHAPTER WITH RESPECT TO THE NAMED PERSONS, WHOSE PHOTOGRAPHS APPEARED IN PAGE 15 OF THE VANGUARD’, the APC lawyer said it was meant to malign the party and the persons whose photographs wete published by the paper.

The party said Vanguard’s failure to publish a retraction and apology within the said 24 hours would lead to the party instituting “criminal and civil action” against the paper over what the paper referred to as “defamatory and libelous” publication.

The letter reads in part: “It is our brief that you termed the photographs of the aforesaid gentlemen as “Edo
State Airport Violence faces of suspected culprits”

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“We take serious reservations to your audacious, malicious, libelous and defamatory publication which has no legal foundation, as the said publication is orchestrated to
malign the image of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Edo State Chapter, in the eyes of the general public as our Client had written a comprehensive petition to the office of the Knspector General of Police, in respect of the incident at the Benin Airport on the 18 of July, 2024, which said petition is subject to police
investigation.

“We are of the firm view that a newspaper of your standing, ought to maintain the highest ethical standard put in place by the regulatory agencies.

“Flowing from the above, our Client hereby demand as follows:
a) The immediate retraction of the aforesaid malicious, libelous and
defamatory publication within 24 hours of the receipt of this letter.
b) A letter of apology to our Client within a full cover space of your
newspaper. TAKE NOTICE; that failure to abide by the penultimate paragraphs, will leave us with no option than to institute both criminal and civil action against Vanguard.”