The Kogi Central Senatorial Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last general elections, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has filed another suit against the Governor Yahaya Bello led Kogi State Government for alleged defamation and linking her to terrorism in the state.
Recall that Akpoti-Uduaghan in November 2022 dragged Bello and the state commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyanya Judicial Division, over same charges.
The case was struck out in a ruling delivered on Friday, June 16, 2023, by Justice Idris Mua’wiya, for being incompetent. The Court, in striking out the suit, agreed with the submission of counsel to the Kogi State Governor that the petitioner filed a defective originating process which could not be amended.
However, in a fresh suit numbered FCT/HC/CV/6529/2023, the PDP candidate has again dragged the government, Kingsley Fanwo and Vanguard Media Limited to court.
The state government had called on security agencies to question the senatorial candidate over alleged terrorism activities capable of dragging the state back to “the dark era.”
The government in a statement signed by Fanwo, stated that despite Governor Bello’s interventions to rid the state of terrorism, it was concerned that some politicians were grooming terrorists in the state as well as importing them from neighbouring states.
In her prayers before the court, she is demanding N10 billion in damages and an order restraining the Governor from using defamatory words against her.
Also, “A declaration that the publication by the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Defendants through the Vanguard newspaper online media on October 31, 2022 titled “Terrorism: Kogi Govt asks security agencies to invite Uduaghan for questioning” is libelous and defamatory against the Claimant.
“An order of this Honourable Court against the Defendants jointly and severally to pay the sum of N10,000,000,000.00 (Ten Billion Naira) as damages for the libelous publication by the Defendants against the Claimant in the vanguard newspaper online publication at https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/10/terrorism-kogi-govt-asks-security-agencies-to-invite-uduaghan-for-questioning/amp/ on October 31, 2022 titled “Terrorism: Kogi Govt asks security agencies to invite Uduaghan for questioning” as same is libelous and defamatory against the Claimant.
“An order of this Honourable Court directing the Defendants jointly and severally retract, remove from the internet and publish a public apology to the Claimant in the Vanguard newspaper both in print and online retracting the libelous publication published in the vanguard newspaper “Terrorism: Kogi Govt asks security agencies to invite Uduaghan for questioning” as same is libelous and defamatory against the Claimant.
“An injunction restraining the Defendants jointly and severally by themselves, agents or servants or otherwise from publishing or causing to be published the said similar words defamatory against the Claimant.”