A Nigerian newspaper, The Guardian, has apologized to the former Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun over ‘unhealthy demand’ allegation made against him in its recent publication on the relocation of Dangote Refinery earlier billed to be sited in Ogun State to Lagos.

The Newspaper had in its publication of July 20, 2024 alleged in an article titled ‘A Sunday with Aliko Dangote’ that the Refinery wasn’t sited in Ogun State because the then Governor was making an 'unhealthy demand.’

Governor Amosun, through his lawyer, COPLEY Partners, had written a public note published in some daily newspapers demanding a total retraction of the ‘patently false contents of the article and an unequivocal apology’ from the newspaper.

The newspaper responded saying that the publication was an opinion article which did not represent the position of the ‘The Guardian’.

But in another letter, Amosun insisted that the newspaper’s response was a further manifestation of unassailable fact that the newspaper published a content that it knew it was false or at minimum had reason to doubt its veracity.

Amosun further alleged that the newspaper flagrantly violated professional ethics of responsible journalism and threw caution to the wind by publishing content that is false.   

A copy of the letter seen by HorizonTimes read, ‘succinctly stated, your publication manifestly contradicts your purported mantra to wit: ‘Conscience Nurtured by Truth’. Your publication which you now feebly seek to deflect as an “Opinion article of the named author therein” and simultaneously contend ‘does not represent the position of the Guardian’, actually confirms the unassailable fact that your newspaper published content that it new was false, or at a very minimum, had reason to doubt its veracity.

“Put ion another way, despite the foregoing, The Guardian Newspaper in flagrant violation of the professional ethics of responsible journalism namely: Truth, Accuracy, Objectivity, and Accountability, threw all cautions to the wind and went ahead to publish content that is false and has seriously damaged our Client’s reputation.”

But in a full page advertorial of Saturday, the newspaper retracted the publication, while apologizing to the former Governor.

It said, “There was absolutely no intention whatsoever by The Guardian to besmirch, defame, injure, malign, nor smear, the name of your Client, the former governor of Ogun State, His Excellency Senator Ibikunle Amosun (C.ON.), in The Guardian Newspaper of the weekend of July 20/21, 2024.

“The overriding thrust of The Guardian's publication of July 21/22, 2024 "A Sunday With Aliko Dangote", was to showcase Nigeria, and by compelling inference, Africa, on the global stage; as a formidable economic powerhouse with the Dangote Refinery's 650,000 barrels per day nameplate capacity when fully operational; which currently employs 30,000 people, of which 97% are Nigerians, with the potential to employ 100,000 people as production increases.

“References to the purported siting of the Dangote Refinery in Ogun State are completely immaterial to the compelling, overriding, and materially significant rationale for a competitive, employment-generating, sustainable petrochemical and refining plant or plants anywhere in Nigeria, as justified by market forces.

“Accordingly, the statement contained within The Guardian publication of July 20/21 2024: "The refinery...but the state government had delayed in providing the land because the governor then was making unethical demands...that's one of the negative outcomes of corruption" is hereby fully And unreservedly retracted.

“The Guardian Limited hereby tenders a full and unreserved apology to the former Governor of Ogun State, His Excellency Senator Ibikunle Amosun (C.0.N.) as there was no intention to besmirch, defame, injure, malign, nor smear him direct nor indirectly.”