Ex-President Jerry John Rawlings has threatened to deal legally with Speaker of Parliament, Peter Ala Adjetey for allegedly passing libelous comments against him. According to a statement issued by the office of the former President, the Speaker on a recent visit to Nigeria granted an interview to a newspaper during which he is alleged to have said that Rawlings enjoyed part of the booty, which the late Nigeria President, Sani Abacha looted from state coffers.

The statement noted that the ex-President was studying a transcript of the interview and would respond appropriately.

This is not the first time that rumours have circulated that the late Nigerian Head of State paid bribes to Rawlings for his support for his regime. In 1998, Nigerian newspapers published allegations that Abacha had been giving Rawlings kickbacks for defending him.