By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA–A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, on Tuesday, okayed for hearing, a N40billion defamation suit that was brought before it by a former governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Rivers state, Mr. Tonye Cole.
Justice M.A Hassan fixed March 25, 2026, to hear the case after he granted an order for all the legal processes to be served on the defendant through substituted means.
Cited as 1st defendant in the suit marked: CV/4502/25, is the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr. Nyesom Wike.
In the statement of claim he filed before the court, Cole, through his team of lawyers led by Mr. Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, prayed the court to award monetary damages against the defendant, following alleged defamatory statements he said was made against him on September 18, during a live broadcast on Channels TV’s “Politics Today.”
He told the court that the defendant, during the television program, made imputations that suggested his involvement in financial malfeasance and gross mismanagement of state resources, as well as allegations related to Rivers State Gas/Olympia Hotel.
Insisting that the allegations were “false, malicious, offensive, and damaging to his reputation in personal, professional, and public capacities,” the claimant, told the court that his public image was impugned both nationally and internationally.
Aside from his claim that he suffered “humiliation, mental anguish, and reputational harm,” the former APC governorship candidate prayed the court to award a separate cost of N500m to cover the cost of th litigation.
He equally urged the court to direct the defendant to retract the claims and remove the interview from all platforms, as well as to order that a public apology be issued to him not only on the television station, but also published in at least five national newspapers.
Besides, the claimant sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from further publishing or disseminating defamatory material related to him.
He told the court that he had on October 8, issued a pre-action notice and served same on the defendants.
Meanwhile, when the case came up on Tuesday, Justice Hassan, after he heard an ex parte motion that was filed by the claimant, gave the nod for the court processes should be pasted at the headquarters of the FCT, in Garki, Abuja.
The order was made aftee Cole’s lawyer, Okutepa, SAN, told the court that his client found it difficult to effect personal service of the court processes on the defendant.
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