Daily Trust had reported that Adewusi was suspended over issues relating to the contentious stamp duty and alleged financial misappropriation.
Former Postmaster-General of the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST), Ismail Adewusi says he wasn’t suspended by the government over alleged fraud.
Daily Trust had reported that Adewusi was suspended over issues relating to the contentious stamp duty and alleged financial misappropriation.
He was reported to have been in a superiority tussle with some members of the NIPOST board which the paper's sources said also contributed to his suspension.
NIPOST is under the supervision of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy.
Following Adewusi’s suspension, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami, approved the appointment of Mr Bulus Samuila Yakubu as acting Postmaster-General of the Federation/CEO.
Bulus, who has a bachelor’s degree from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, joined NIPOST in 1990.
He hails from Takum Town in the Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State.
Reacting to the publication, Adewusi said he wasn’t involved in any corruption case.
He also claimed the story has dented his reputation.
In a letter signed by his lawyer, B. S. Akinwumi Esq, the suspended Postmaster-General demanded a retraction with an apology carried with the same prominence on five national dailies within five days.
It read, “Our client has taken umbrage, particularly, at two false and malicious statements in that publication, which expressly and by innuendo were made by you in reference to him and his position as the Post-Master General, you are ethically restrained from making such publication without seeking our client's side of the story.
“In the body of your said publication wherein you quoted sources at the NIPOST and the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, you wrote that "Adewusi was suspended over issues around the contentious stamp duty and alleged financial infractions".
You further wrote that: "Adewusi was in superiority tussle with some members of the NIPOST board".
“In your said publication, you copiously quoted Daily Trust Newspaper without any effort of your own to investigate the veracity of its story, this in our opinion is apparent sign of indolence, shallowness and recklessness on your path.
“In your publication under reference you passed baseless innuendo and aspersion on our client to injure and destroy the reputation and goodwill he has built for over six decades in both his private and public life. Sir, it is noteworthy that your statement was patently premised upon spite, prejudice and that the same is highly scandalous as it did not bare any iota of truth and sincerity but was specifically presented to disparage our client, to bring him to public opprobrium, loss of goodwill and to expose our client to social and political misfortune especially in his political and public career.
“Our client's antecedents speak volume. He was a lecturer, a banker, managing director of state/region owned ventures, a commissioner and a chief executive officer of a federal government parastatal. At the NIPOST, his achievements within 2 years are daunting and unprecedented.
“As a man of impeccable character, our client has never been found wanting in his public life and the managerial responsibilities bestowed on him. Even as the Commissioner for Finance in Lagos, the largest economy in Nigeria and the 4th largest economy in Africa, his tenure has been untainted with scandal of any sort.
“Our client's good and incorruptible position is well-known hence your aspersive statement on this point sounds illogical on the face of it and it is a mere ploy to cast aspersion on the person of our client and mislead the public by distorting the truth.
“The general societal implications of an ordinary citizen being labelled as corrupt, undisciplined, abuser of office and betrayer of trust are of no mean consequence; these implications become particularly more damaging and harmful in unquantifiable proportion when the subject of such an allegation is someone whose esteemed personality is deeply rooted in decency, honesty, moral rectitude and excellence like our client.”
“Therefore, TAKE NOTICE that unless you publish a retraction (approved by our client) of your false publications in 5 national dailies of our client's choice, in as conspicuous a manner as your offending publication, within 5 days of the date of this letter and further make an offer to assuage our clients injured feelings, we shall, without further communication with you, commence an action against you for the sum of Billion Naira for your unwarranted, false and malicious libel of our client. We also demand that you immediately remove the offending publication from your website.
“Take further notice that the above stated measures shall be without further recourse to you,” it added.