President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has launched a fierce counter-offensive against Lagos PDP chieftain, Dr. Adetokunbo Pearse, threatening to drag him to court over what he described as a “reckless and defamatory” attack aired on Arise Television during which he labelled him a criminal.
In a demand letter dated October 7, 2025, signed by his counsel, S. I. Ameh (SAN) & Co., Akpabio accused Pearse of deliberately maligning his character and portraying him as a criminal in a bid to destroy his reputation before Nigerians.
Akpabio as such gave Pearse three days to retract his statements and issue a public apology across several media platforms — including Arise TV, Channels TV, AIT, and major national dailies — or face immediate legal action for defamation and criminal incitement.
According to the letter titled “Demand for Immediate Retraction and Public Apology for Defamatory Publication Against Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON,” Pearse had, during an October 4 Arise TV political segment, launched a verbal assault on Akpabio, branding him “a criminal” and accusing him of manipulating the National Assembly.
Pearse was quoted as saying:
“If we get more women in the National Assembly and we have a Senate President like Akpabio, what is the point? … Akpabio should not be President of the Senate. He’s a criminal; he (Akpabio) shouldn’t be there. He has cases in the EFCC, millions that he stole when he was governor…”
Akpabio’s legal team described the comments portraying the presiding officer as a criminal as “false in every material particular,” arguing that the PDP stalwart’s remarks were “uttered in bad faith and with total disregard for truth.”
The statement said the broadcast and its viral circulation on social media caused the Senate President grave reputational damage, emotional distress, and public embarrassment, undermining confidence in the leadership of the National Assembly.
“Our client finds these assertions deeply offensive, defamatory, and malicious. They portray him as a criminal, corrupt politician, misogynist, and manipulator of democratic institutions — all of which are entirely untrue,” the letter read in part.
The lawyers warned that Pearse’s comments bordered on criminal defamation and public incitement, offences punishable under Sections 373–375 of the Criminal Code, Sections 391–393 of the Penal Code, and the Cybercrimes Act 2015.
They also insisted that freedom of speech does not extend to “spreading falsehoods or mounting malicious attacks on another’s reputation.”
Should Pearse fail to comply within the stipulated deadline, Akpabio’s team vowed to “proceed without further notice to institute full legal proceedings” to enforce his rights and claim damages over the criminal allegations.
The Senate President’s move marks one of his most aggressive legal responses yet — a clear sign that Akpabio is in no mood to let political opponents or television commentators tarnish his image without a fight.
