Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state, Friday filed a N60billion suit against the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume at the Makurdi High Court for defamation.
The Governor dragged Senator Akume to court over his last Monday media outing in Abuja where he among others accused the Governor of diverting public funds, encouraging stockpile of armies and killings as well as arming militia gangs in the state.
Suit No. MHC/268/2021 was filed by Mr. Okon Efut and four other lawyers and the writ of summons was backed by 17 paragraph statement of claim.
Governor Ortom in the suit is seeking N50 billion as general damages for libel and N10 billion as exemplary and aggravated damages.
In the statement of claim, Governor Ortom seeks a declaration that “the text of Senator Akume’s press conference on 30th August, 2021, in Abuja and the reports in various national dailies is scandalous, malicious and injurious of his person.”
He complained that the press conference was intended to lower his estimation before right-thinking members of the society and to expose him to hatred, contempt and ridicule.
The Governor also seeks 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 hearing of the matter.
