A Makurdi High Court presided over by Justice Theresa Igoche has granted leave to the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom to serve the National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and the All Progressives Congress, APC with his writ of summons in Suit No. MHC/280/2018.

When the suit came up on Friday, counsel to Governor Ortom, Mr. Samuel Irabor moved an ex-parte application seeking the leave of the Court to serve the Defendants in Abuja outside the Benue State Judicial Division. In her ruling, Justice Igoche found merit in the application and granted leave for the defendants to be served at the APC National Secretariat, No. 40, Blantyre Street, Wuse II, Abuja.

Governor Ortom in his application had among other things, averred that the defendants allegedly assassinated his character and damaged his reputation when in an APC sponsored press conference held on Friday, July 27, 2018, Comrade Oshiomhole accused Governor Ortom of having a hand in the death of two Catholic priests and other parishioners at Mbalom community on the ground that one of the priests had preached a ‘very critical sermon’ against the Governor.

Among the relief sought by Governor Ortom were “a declaration by the court that the Defendants’ allegations and publication of July 27 against the Plaintiff are false, mischievous, unsubstantiated, defamatory and libellous of the Plaintiff.

“An order directing the defendants to publish simultaneous retractions/apologies in respect of the said defamatory and libelous publication against the Plaintiff in the Sunday editions of 10 National Dailies circulating within Benue State as well as paid advertorials to the same effect on the prime time beats of the Nigerian Television Authority, Channels Tv, TVC News, African Independent Television, Independent Television (ITV), Benin, Radio Nigeria, Radio Benue and Harvest FM.

“An Order of Perpetual Injunction restraining the Defendants, their officers, privies, assigns, surrogates or agents howsoever called from further defaming and libeling the Plaintiff’s character and reputation and any other order(s) that the Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.”

The cost sought by the Governor in the suit includes “an Order of the Court awarding the sum of N10billion as damages in favour of the Plaintiff and against the Defendants jointly and severally for the defamation and libel of the Plaintiff’s character and reputation by the Defendants.”

The court held that once served with the writ of summons, the defendants had 30 days to enter appearance and file their defence in the matter.

•Sourced from a Vanguard report