The management of The Guardian Newspaper Limited has apologized to a former Speaker of the House of Representatives and the current Chairman of the National Credit Guarantee Company Limited (NCGC), Yakubu Dogara, over its initial publication that challenged his role at the NCGC as well as his constituency.
The apology and the deletion of the said publication are contained in the company’s letter to Dogara’s lawyer, J.J. Usman SAN, and signed by The Guardian’s Legal Adviser, Eki Durojaiye, Esq.
Nairametrics previously reported that Dogara, through Usman, had threatened legal action against three media houses, including the Guardian, over an alleged publication.
Dogara disclosed this in a letter from Usman to the Guardian, Nigerian Pilot, and Telegraph newspapers, titled “DEMAND FOR THE IMMEDIATE RETRACTION OF THE DEFAMATORY STATEMENTS MADE AGAINST RT. HON. YAKUBU DOGARA… WITH A CALL FOR A CORRESPONDING APOLOGY.”
Allegations
Usman had alleged in his letters of demand to The Guardian, Nigerian Pilot, and Telegraph newspapers that they that while his Client—a businessman and renowned politician—rose to become the Speaker of the House of Representatives and is “currently the Chairman of the NCGC,” the media houses published a purportedly defamatory publication dated July 19, 2025.
The report was said to be an open letter by Barrister Maigida Yakubu.
- In the letter referenced by Usman, Yakubu allegedly accused Dogara of criticizing President Bola Tinubu’s presidential ambition but eventually accepting an appointment in his government.
- The senior lawyer alleged that the platform’s “defamatory statements” have exposed his Client to “serious political embarrassment, psychological trauma, unquantifiable humiliation, public odium, and opprobrium.”
- He demanded an immediate retraction of the above defamatory statements made against his Client within three days of receipt of the letter, accompanied by a statement of apology to be published in the national dailies and other social media platforms.
The lawyer warned that failure to honor his demand would compel him to explore available remedies to protect his Client’s constitutional rights within legal parameters, including both civil and criminal litigations.
The Guardian Retraction
Responding to Usman via the letter, Durojaiye clarified that the allegations of facts “therein(in the said publication)” solely represent the position of the named author, Yakubu Maigida.”
“Please be informed that we immediately deleted the subject publication from the aforementioned digital channels upon realising that the allegations were not verified before publication.
“Similarly, we caused the headline and associated metadata to be permanently deleted from search engines,” the newspaper added.
- The Guardian added that in further demonstration of utmost good faith, it published a retraction/apology on its print, online, and social media platforms.
“In closing, kindly convey our unreserved apologies and profound regard to the distinguished Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara,” the letter reads.
- The paper expressed the belief that its subsequent remedial action sufficiently satisfies Dogara’s demand and hence prayed that the matter be resolved amicably.
What to Know
In May 2025, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu established the National Credit Guarantee Company Limited (NCGC) and approved the appointment of its board and management team.
As part of the rollout, Tinubu appointed former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, as Chairman of the NCGC Board, while Mr. Bonaventure Okhaimo will serve as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer.
The new institution, backed by an initial capital of N100 billion, was designed to de-risk lending and expand access to finance for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), small corporates, manufacturers, consumers, and large businesses across Nigeria.
