I didn’t authorize anyone to write petition against Justice Tsoho – Fani-Kayode

A former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode has disassociated himself from purported petition against Justice John Tsoho, acting chief judge of the federal high court, saying he did not authorize anyone to write a petition on his behalf.

Fani-Kayode who was reacting to reports that he wrote a petition to the presidential advisory committee against corruption (PACA) against the judge described the news as false, misleading and attempt by his enemies to drag his name.

In a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday, the former minister denounced the story and the report as false in their entirety.

He said, “They did not originate from me and I did not mandate anyone to write such an absurd, damaging and defamatory story and neither did I write any petition against Justice John Tsoho.

“I do not know, have never heard of and have never spoken to Mr Lanre Amu who is allegedly the author of the petition and who falsely claims to be acting on my behalf. The claims in the petition and the attachments that were sent with it are fake and false.

“Mr Lanre Amu, if such a person truly exists, is a liar, a merchant of deceit, a bearer of falsehood, a degenerate malefactor and a criminal who is working for some evil forces that appear to be hell-bent on using my name to effect their evil agenda’’.

Fani-Kayode added that he has directed Ahmed Raji, his counsel, to inform the committee that the petition did not come from him.

“I have also asked them to report this matter to the appropriate security and intelligence agencies to investigate and to bring those behind this dangerous, damaging, criminal and libellous course of action to justice.

‘’I wish to emphasis the fact that anyone or any medium that attempts to publish or circulate such a fake and damaging story would have contravened the Laws of Defamation and would have violated the provisions of the Cyber Crime Law and I will not hesitate to exercise my lawful and legitimate rights in a court of law in order to protect my name and reputation’’, Fani-Kayode said.

Meanwhile, the United Young Professional has commended Chief Femi Fani-Kayode for coming out to disclaim a fictitious petition against Justice Tsoho.

The National Coordinator of the United Young Professionals, Adewole Kehinde said in a statement on Wednesday that the body is shocked that a man who has never been called to the Bar, could be used as agent of blackmail against a man who has come to lead the Federal High Court of Nigeria with knowledge, experience, good Judgement, independent and excellent character.

“We commend Chief Femi Fani-Kayode for coming out to debunk the news and disclaimed the fictitious Petition.

“Hon. Justice John Terhemba Tsoho will continue to exhibit patience, brilliance, open-mind, courtesy, courage, punctuality, firmness, understanding and humility in discharging his duties despite all the unwarranted distractions.

The group further called on security agencies and Body of Benchers to investigate the so-called “Mr. Lanre Amu” and his co-sponsors.

‘’We have it on good authority that Mr Amu was never called to Bar and he walks round the premises of the Federal High Court of Nigeria Abuja pretending to be a Lawyer.

Further investigation shows that he was deported from the United States of America because he was heavily involved in drugs peddling.

“We are also calling on the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption under the amiable Professor Itse Sagay to investigate the originator and sponsors of the fictitious petition and bring them to book’’.