Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello has filed a N5 million defamation suit against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the senatorial candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the Kogi Central Senatorial District.

In the lawsuit filed at the Kogi State High Court last week, Governor Bello among other things is asking the court to issue a restraining order preventing Akpoti-Uduaghan from making any further statements about him and also seeking compensation as damages in the case.

This development is coming after the National Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Lokoja declared Akpoti-Uduaghan as the winner of the February 25 Kogi Central Senatorial election.

In the governor’s fresh suit, other demands include a “declaration that the defendant’s oral interview aired on Arise on the 4thday of November 2022 which described the Claimant as a murderer, killer, perpetrator of evil acts and a terror to the people Kogi State is capable of and indeed, has lowered the Claimant the estimation of right-thinking members of the society.

“An order of this honourable court compelling the defendant to, within 48 hours of the order of this court, publish in five (5) national dailies and also grant broadcast statement in Arise TV, AIT, NTA and Channel TV platforms, a retraction of her frivolous allegations and also tender unreserved apology to the Claimant for the defamatory statements and comments made against him.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant either acting by herself, or through agents, privies, associates, howsoever described from any publication or further broadcast of the defamatory words and statements complained of or any other similar libellous articles about the claimant or in any other manner, or online, on print or social media, or say or produce any other material on TV or radio which is capable of defaming the claimant.

“An award of the sum of Five Billion (N5,000,000,000.00) Naira only as damages against the Defendant but in favour of the Claimant for the defamatory Broadcast on Arise TV Platform made on the 4thday of November 2022.

“Cost of litigation of five hundred million (N500,000,000) naira only against the defendant.” (Saturday Telegraph)