Dennis Idahosa, the All Progressives Congress, APC, deputy governorship candidate for the September 21, 2024 election in Edo State, has filed a N2.15 billion libel suit against Olu Martins, the Deputy Director General, Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship campaign council.
Idahosa, in the suit, accused Martins of authoring an article that portrayed him as a fraudster.
DAILY POST reports that the incumbent lawmaker representing Ovia Federal Constituency instituted the suit at an Abuja Federal High Court.
The case with the suit number CS/2259/24 was filed May 3, 2024 by Ehiogie West-Idahosa, SAN, counsel to the claimant.
In the suit, Idahosa demanded N2 billion as general, punitive, aggravated and exemplary damages from the Martins for a libelous and malicious publication against him.
The APC deputy gpvernorship candidate also demanded N15 million, being the cost of the action.
The Federal lawmaker alleged that the defendant published an article in several social media platforms titled, ‘APC GUBER CANDIDATE, OKPEBHOLO MOCKS OSHIOMHOLE AS IDAHOSA RETURNS FROM FOREIGN TRIP’.
He said the article, published on May 2, 2024 is libelous and discredited his personal and political reputation in the eyes of the general public.
Idahosa, as a result, prayed the court for a declaration that the content of the publication made vide various whatsapp group chat pages, facebook and other social media outlets by the defendant is libelous and malicious.
He also demanded an order of perpetual injunction restraining Martins, his agents or privies from further writing, printing, publishing online or causing to be written, printed or published online, the aforesaid article or words therein or similar words.
Other reliefs sought include “An order directing the defendant to issue a clear and unqualified public apology to the claimant, in words acceptable to him, to be published by the defendant on the group whatsapp chat pages and other social media outlets, running uninterrupted for four weeks and in retraction of the aforesaid publication.
“An order of court directing the defendant to cause the withdrawal and removal forthwith of ...ing of the aforesaid publication.”