Seun Kuti apologizes to Bolaji Ayorinde over unfounded claims

Seun Kuti, scion of late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, has apologised to Bolaji Ayorinde after he made incriminating claims considered to be libelous against the senior lawyer.

Seun had implied in a social media video that Ayorinde, who was representing Nigeria in arbitration proceedings over their contentious gas deal, purposefully gave information to Process and Industrial Development, or (P&ID)

Additionally, the Afrobeat artiste declared that he was prepared to take Ayorinde to court about the P&ID gas processing contract dispute.

Days after the allegations were made by the musician, Ayorinde went to an Oyo State High Court in Ibadan and filed a libel and defamation of character complaint against Seun.

However, the parties informed the court during the suit’s hearing on April 18, 2024, that they had met, accepted the conditions of the settlement dated April 15, 2024, and filed on the same day.

They asked the court to accept the conditions of the settlement as the ruling.

Justice K. Olawoyin consequently acknowledged the settlement as the court’s decision.

“In view of the foregoing and in accordance with the expressed desire of the parties in this suit as confirmed by the respective counsel in court, I hereby enter the foregoing terms of statement as the judgement of the court.” The court ruled.

Seun clearly stated in the declaration that the accusations against Chief Ayorinde, which he made and shared on October 31, 2023, on his Instagram profile @bigbirdkuti, were untrue and unfounded, and that they have been retracted.

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He said, “It is not true that the claimant (Chief Ayorinde SAN) leaked confidential documents to the adverse side in the P & ID vs. . Nigeria arbitration matter or in any way conducted himself in any unethical or corrupt manner in his work as a legal practitioner for Nigeria in the said case.

“It is not true that the claimant deliberately planned with the opponent to lose in the P & ID vs. . Nigeria Arbitration Matter and sabotaged the interests of Nigeria in the case.

“It is not true that the claimant committed treason against Nigeria in the said P & ID vs. Nigeria Arbitration Matter.

“It is not true that the claimant charged $197 million for a case in which the claimant intentionally sabotaged his country, Nigeria.”

Seun, in his defence before the court, said: “Having now conceded that my allegations are untrue and unfounded and that I have unjustifiably impeached the character and reputation of Chief Ayorinde, SAN, I hereby publicly recant and retract my aforesaid untrue imputations against Chief Ayorinde, which stood to damage the hard earned good name and good will of Chief Ayorinde’s character.”

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