President Muhammadu Buhari’s nephew, Sabi’u Tunde Yusuf, has denied working against presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Bola Tinubu
TMY Newspapers recalls that convener of North-South Progressive Alliance, Alwan Hassan, had alleged on Channels Television on Monday that Yusuf was leveraging on his closeness with the president to ensure that Tinubu does not win the elections.
He also said that Yusuf, who is personal assistant to Buhari, has a huge influence on the new naira notes policy.
“There is this kid called Sabi’u Tunde, he is the only one doing all these things,” Hassan said.
“So he is trying to use that opportunity because he is very close to the president, he could manipulate everything or anything he wants to. It is just sad that a boy of that age will be doing all these things without looking at examples of other people that had done these things and where are they today.
“Everything that is happening on these Naira notes is Sabiu Tunde.
“He has spoken to a lot of people. He has told people that he is hell-bent on making sure we don’t win elections and that Asiwaju doesn’t win elections.”
But, in a letter dated February 8 and addressed to Hassan, Tunde through his solicitors, Wole Olanipekun & Co, described the allegations as “made up”.
“Our client denies the allegations and references to him contained in your publications as made-up, concocted, fabricated, fictitious and deliberately erroneous,” the letter read.
“Your said publication was/is intended to reduce our client’s estimation in the eyes of well-meaning people.
“Presumably, your actions towards our client were eventuated by bad faith, spite and hatred.
“Our client’s reputation has been seriously damaged, and he has also suffered considerable distress and embarrassment. This is more so that, issues in respect of which you publicly laid the blame at the doorstep of our client are those which have garnered national attention and, in some reported instances, led to violent protests. Thus, your actions, in fact, put our client at risk of physical harm.”
As a result, Tunde is asking Hassan to pay N5 billion as damages for defamation.
He also wants “an unequivocal retraction of all allegations published by you about our client in the course of the above referenced telecast.