Former Anambra State Governor and 2023 Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has threatened legal action against human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju over alleged defamatory statements made on social media.

Obi’s legal team, EJESIMEN & CO MADIBA CHAMBERS, issued a notice accusing Adeyanju of repeatedly publishing derogatory remarks against the former governor on X (formerly Twitter) and other platforms.

The petition specifically cited a post from August 21, in which Adeyanju alleged that Obi diverted funds from Anambra State into his family business and also claimed the politician once attempted to give him money “as a thank you for coming.”

Obi’s lawyers are demanding a public retraction of the statements along with an unreserved apology.

In his reaction, Adeyanju dismissed the demand and said he is ready for the legal battle. Writing on his Facebook page Wednesday night, he stated:

“I can’t wait to meet him in court finally. A fraud parading himself as a messiah.”

Adeyanju, a longtime critic of Obi, has frequently clashed with the former governor’s supporters — popularly known as Obidients — over his posts. He has also maintained that Obi is unlikely to become Nigeria’s president.

The case could now set the stage for a legal showdown between the outspoken lawyer and the former presidential candidate.