The embattled General Overseer of the Omega Fire Ministries, Johnson Suleman, on Friday traded words with Festus Keyamo, a human rights lawyer, over the latter’s client who accused the preacher of forceful abortion of pregnancy.
Stephanie Otobo, a Canadian-based singer, had also accused Mr. Suleman, through her lawyer, of failing to keep a marriage promise made to her last year.
But in a statement by Phrank Shaibu, Mr. Suleman’s spokesperson, the cleric accused Mr. Keyamo of plotting to clone his (the pastor’s) voice in a forthcoming video on the marriage scandal.
The preacher also accused Mr. Keyamo “and his paymasters” of plotting to kill or cause bodily harm to Ms. Otobo and blame the pastor for perpetrating the act.
“There are indications that so-called human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo and his paymasters have concluded plans to unveil cloned video clips involving the General Overseer of Omega Fire Ministries Apostle Johnson Suleman in a desperate bid to prove that the latter had an amorous relationship with one Miss Stephanie Otobo,” Mr. Shaibu said.
“Similarly, it was gathered that Keyamo and his paymasters have also decided to kill or terribly harm the said Miss Otobo and frame Apostle Suleman or his agents as being responsible for the heinous act.”
The preacher’s claims came just as Ms. Otobo, 23, provided lurid details of her alleged affair with Mr. Suleman.
At a hastily convened press conference at Mr. Keyamo’s Lagos office on Friday, Ms. Otobo said her relationship with Mr. Suleman involved a lot of sex.
Earlier, she had accused the pastor of impregnating and dumping her, via two letters written and signed by Mr. Keyamo.
Mr. Suleman denies all the allegations.
On Thursday, Mr. Suleman threatened legal action against Mr. Keyamo, demanding N1 billion from the lawyer “for all the injuries inflicted on him,” as well as a retraction of all the allegations within seven days.
In his latest statement, the preacher said the unfolding events stemmed from his recent stand against issues bordering on national security, adding that some “powerful forces” are after him.
Claims ‘ridiculous, laughable’
The Festus Keyamo Chambers promised an official response to Mr. Suleman’s claims on Monday.
But speaking shortly after Ms. Otobo’s press conference in Lagos, Festus Afeiyodion, the Deputy Head of Chambers, described the preacher’s claims as “ridiculous” and “laughable,” adding that the threat was a mere ploy by Mr. Suleman to deceive the public.
“We don’t have any problem with Apostle Suleman, we are not personal, we are professionals,” said Mr. Afeiyodion, who heads the law firm’s Lagos office.
“By Monday, we will personally respond to (Apostle Suleman’s) letter, our official response.
“It is a matter between Stephanie Otobo and Apostle Suleman, we are only claiming the ethical right and professional right of a lawyer.
“I don’t want to go into all that, but the Supreme Court has decided that a letter written by a lawyer on behalf of his client cannot ground a case in defamation. So we’ll be eager to meet him in court.”
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