Popular opposition politician, Dr. Sylvia Blyden, has on Wednesday, May 17, 2023 filed a complaint with the Independent Media Commission (IMC) against Satellite Newspaper and its Managing Editor, Ibrahim Babatunde Sesay.

The complaint alleges that a front-page lead story titled “As They Condemn Voter Identity Cards For June Elections… APC Secretary General Misfires Big Time-Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden” was published under the managing editorship of Ibrahim Babatunde Sesay.

Below is the complaint filed by Dr. Blyden to the Independent Media Commission:

“I am writing regarding the front-page lead story published on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, in THE SATELLITE NEWSPAPER, titled: ‘AS THEY CONDEMN VOTER IDENTITY CARDS FOR JUNE ELECTIONS… APC SECRETARY GENERAL MISFIRES BIG TIME-DR. SYLVIA OLAYINKA BLYDEN.’ This article, which featured my picture, contains words that I did not author. These words were circulated by mischief-makers on social media, including the notorious Adebayo, a ventriloquist mammal of former President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma. I want to make it clear that those were not my words. Regardless of any differences I may have with de-facto APC Secretary General Lansana Dumbuya Esq, I would never use such words against him. I am indebted to him in this life, and if I cannot show him gratitude, I will not join in publicly demeaning him since he has never done me wrong.

Therefore, I am deeply pained and do not understand the malicious conduct of Ibrahim Babatunde Sesay. Despite being a noted SLPP member while I am a noted rival APC party member, Ibrahim Babatunde Sesay and I have maintained a very good relationship for well over a decade. He has readily agreed to print my newspaper at his printing press whenever my machine breaks down, and vice versa. I consider him a brother in journalism. He is someone I can reach at any time of the day or night, and I will pick up his phone calls even if I am incurring international roaming call costs. That is the kind of unfettered access he has to talk to me.

Ibrahim Babatunde Sesay made no effort to reach me and verify whether the words alleged to be mine by Adebayo in his nefarious broadcasts were actually written by me. He simply published them without verification, causing me distress and embarrassing Lawyer Dumbuya.

Therefore, I urge the Independent Media Commission to investigate this matter and provide their findings on what motivated Ibrahim Babatunde Sesay to use his newspaper to spread such calumny against Lawyer Lansana Dumbuya and falsely attribute it to my reputable name. I also request an apology to be issued to Lawyer Dumbuya and myself, of similar front-page size as the original defamatory material.”