The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has scheduled December 9 to hear a high-profile defamation lawsuit filed by Tonye Cole, the 2023 All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, against Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and Channels Television.
The case, marked CV/4502/25, will come up before Justice M. A. Hassan for mention. In the suit, Cole is seeking N40.5 billion in total damages, accusing Wike of making false and malicious statements during a live broadcast on Channels TV’s Politics Today program on September 18, 2025.
According to the writ of summons and statement of claim, Wike’s comments during the broadcast implicated Cole in financial impropriety and mismanagement of state resources. Specific references were made to alleged issues involving Rivers State gas projects and the Olympia Hotel, which Cole’s legal team describes as baseless and damaging.
“These statements were false, malicious, offensive, and have caused irreparable harm to my client’s reputation on personal, professional, and public levels,” stated Jibrin Okutepa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) leading Cole’s legal team. The remarks, they argue, impute dishonesty and wrongdoing, injuring Cole’s standing both nationally and internationally.
Cole, a prominent businessman and politician, is demanding:
Among other prayers, Cole has urged the court to:
Prior to filing the suit on November 8, 2025, Cole’s team served a pre-action notice and letter of demand on October 8, 2025, to both Wike and Channels TV. The notice included a 14-day ultimatum for retraction and a public apology, which the defendants allegedly ignored, leading to the court action.