Uche Secondus
The Federal Government has been restrained from further mention of Prince Uche Secondus, National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the looters’ list recently published by Government.
Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra, the Chief Judge of Rivers, who gave the directives on Monday in Port Harcourt, also ordered that hearing notice be served the respondents by the plaintiff
The judge’s order followed a motion brought by Secondus seeking the court’s interlocutory injunction from further publication of his name on the list.
Secondus, in Suit PHC/1013/2018, is suing Lai Mohammed along with Federal Government and Vintage Press, for N1.5Billion,
The plaintiff also listed Alhaji Lai Mohammed, Information and Culture Minister, the Federal Government and Vintage Press, Publishers of the Nation Newspapers, as respondents in the N1.5 billion suit.
He is claiming the sum as damages for alleged libel when his name was listed as a looter to who collected N200 million on Feb. 19, 2015 from the office of then National Security Adviser.
He also prayed the court to restrain the defendants from further publication of the libelous content regarding him on the list in the Suit PHC/1013/2018.
The PDP’s National Chairman, who filed through his counsel, Mr Emeka Etiaba (SAN), said that the judge could hear the libel suit because Secondus was defamed by the publication.
The respondents and their counsels were not present as hearing opened in court on Monday but the judge adjourned the matter until April 28.
The Plaintiff’s counsel Emeka Etiaba (SAN), who addressed journalist after proceedings said that there is no truth in what they (defendants) published.
“The case has to do with the libel of Prince Uche Secondus which was occasioned when his name was listed as a looter, that he collected N200 million on the 19th of February 2015; money that he never collected and known to the defendants that he never collected the said sum.
“It is a matter for the State High Court. It is a matter that relates to libel and the state High Court has absolute jurisdiction to try the matter.
“That is actually the main claim in the suit; that he was defamed and the state High Court has jurisdiction. And the Rivers State High Court, especially Port Harcourt, where we are, is the best suited for the matter.
“The publication was made all around the world and Nigeria, but specifically in Port Harcourt where it was read by people who complained and confronted him.
“So where the publication was made and we are relying on is in Port Harcourt and that is why we are here,” Etiaba said.
He would not exactly say why the defence counsel’s absence was deliberate.
“We don’t know what happened. Our own is to do our beat and they do theirs. There is no truth in what they published, so I can understand why they are not in court.
But by the time the restraining order comes, may be they will take us more seriously.
“But we have told Nigerians that this is one case of executive recklessness which comes up once in a while.
“We hope, at the end of the day, to prove to Nigerians that this is nothing but a gimmick, a ploy to destroy the PDP and its leadership because of the 2019 election coming up,” he said.
He also restated his client’s prayers that the respondents retract the publications in as many media as they published it and the payment of N1.5 billion to Secondus as damages.
“The judge has granted a restraining order. We moved our motion seeking interlocutory injunction to restrain the defendants from further publishing the libellous materials.
“Prayer one was granted but prayer two was not granted because the honourable court felt it was at large. But we are very satisfied with prayer one which effectively put a halt to further libel.
“The matter has been adjourned to May 28. On that day we believe we will go into the merit of the case.
“The court also ordered that we serve them hearing notice and that we will do just as we served them the court processes.
“We will serve them vide the newspapers and deposit same at the office of the attorney general of the federation,” he said.
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