Table of Contents
- Demand for Apology and Damages
- Background of the Controversy
- Allegations Made by Wike
- Legal Claims by Cole's Lawyers
- Consequences of the Statements
- Demands from Channels Television
The 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Tonye Cole, has requested a public apology and ₦20 billion in damages from Channels Television due to alleged defamatory comments made by Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Cole, through his legal representatives, S.O. Okutepa, SAN & Co., sent a seven-page demand letter dated October 8, 2025, to Channels Incorporated Ltd, the owners of Channels TV, accusing the network of broadcasting “malicious and unfounded statements” that have significantly harmed his reputation.
The controversy originated from the September 18, 2025, edition of Politics Today, a live program hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, titled “One-on-One with Nyesom Wike.”
During the interview, Wike, a former governor of Rivers State, reportedly labeled Cole a “thief,” accused him of “misappropriating state resources,” and described him as a “conduit pipe with Sahara” responsible for “selling Rivers State Gas for $308 million,” which he claimed “crippled the resources of Rivers State.”
Cole’s legal team stated that these remarks, broadcast to millions of viewers and subsequently shared on social media, were made “recklessly and without any factual basis.”
They alleged that Channels TV provided Wike with “unrestricted and unfettered airtime” to make these statements and has since rebroadcast and retained the interview on its YouTube channel, exacerbating the damage.
The letter indicated that the statements portrayed Cole, who is described as a respected architect, entrepreneur, and pastor, as “a dishonest and fraudulent person, an economic saboteur, and a morally bankrupt individual.”
Additionally, it emphasized that these accusations have subjected him to “public disgrace, animosity, ridicule, and contempt,” undermining his reputation among friends, business associates, and the general public.
“Our client categorically denies these allegations and asserts unequivocally that he has never been indicted, convicted, or found guilty of any crime related to the issues raised during the program or any other matter,” the letter states.
Cole’s lawyers accused Channels TV of demonstrating “reckless disregard for truth and fairness” and failing to retract or fact-check Wike’s statements.
To address what they termed “colossal damage,” the legal team set a 14-day deadline, expiring on October 22, 2025, for the station to fulfill several conditions.
These conditions include a complete retraction of the statements aired with equal prominence on Channels TV, a written and broadcast apology, removal of the program from YouTube and other platforms, and payment of ₦20 billion in compensation via bank draft.
The lawyers also requested a written commitment from Channels TV to refrain from further defamatory publications against Cole.
