Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has instituted a 60 billion Naira suit against the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume, at the Makurdi High Court.
In the suit filed by Okon Efut, SAN, and four other lawyers, the Governor is claiming N50 billion as general damages for libel and another N10 billion as exemplary and aggravated damages.
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The write of summons was backed by 17 paragraph statement of the said claim.
The Governor is also seeking a declaration, that the text of Senator Akume’s press conference on 30th August 2021, in Abuja and the reports in various national dailies as scandalous, malicious, and injurious to his person.
He complained that the press conference was intended to lower his reputation before the right-thinking members of the society and to expose him to hatred, contempt, and ridicule.
The Governor is seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant by himself or through any agent, servants or privies, from similar or further publication of any defamatory statement against him.
No date has yet been fixed for the case.
Edited by Tunde Orebiyi
