Alleged defamation: Ize-Iyamu threatens ₦2b suit against Okpebholo’s aide

By Jethro Ibileke

An aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the recently concluded Edo South senatorial primary election, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has threatened a ₦2 billion suit against an aide of Governor Monday Okpebholo, Mr. Collins Osaghae, over an alleged defamatory publication against him, circulated on social media.

Ize-Iyamu in a legal notice issued by his Counsel, Emmanuel Usoh, and dated May 28, 2026, alleged that Osaghae who is Okpebholo’s special adviser on Digital Media, in the publication that has gone viral, falsely portrayed him as engaging in fraudulent political activities and desperate lobbying ahead of the Edo south senatorial race.

He described the publication as malicious and capable of damaging his political reputation and public image.

Ize-Iyamu further accused Okoebholo’s aide of circulating what he described as a forged and Ai-generated newspaper front page purportedly linked to Vanguard Newspaper, containing damaging allegations against him and was deliberately designed to “malign, denigrate and injure” his reputation and political standing.

He described the alleged publication which reportedly circulated across several WhatsApp groups and social media platforms, as entirely fake and could not be found on Vanguard Newspaper’s official website, e-paper or verified publications.

According to him, “The publication which allegedly circulated across multiple WhatsApp groups and social media platforms, was entirely fake and did not exist on Vanguard Newspaper’s official website, e-paper, or verified publications.”

The legal notice alleged that the publication portrayed Ize-Iyamu as “a fraudulent and disgraceful person and that the statements had caused embarrassment and emotional distress to his family, political associates, supporters and religious community.

The former APC governorship candidate who said he has continued to receive calls from concerned associates seeking clarification over the viral report, demanded a public apology and retraction in major television stations including Channels TV, AIT, TVC, Silverbird Television, Arise Television and ITV, as well as in seven national newspapers and demanding the sum of ₦2 billion as damages for the alleged defamation.

It warned that failure to comply with these demands within five days will attracts both civil and criminal proceedings in a court of competent jurisdiction without further correspondence.

When contacted, Mr. Collins Osaghae who said he has not been served the notice, noted there are processes of serving a legal notice.