Justice Yusuf Halilu of an FCT High Court on Wednesday fixed May 3 to continue hearing in a N1 billion alleged defamatory suit by Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi against Ms Lauretta Onochie.
Halilu fixed the date after the conclusion of cross-examination of Nwaoboshi.
Nwaoboshi, Chairman of Senate Committee on NDDC in June 2020, filed a N1 billion suit against Onochie, accusing her of making defamatory posts on her social media pages on June 8.
He is seeking N1 billion against Onochie after a Facebook post of June 8, 2020, titled ‘NDDC- The Chicken has come home to roost.’
He alleged that the post touched on
his reputation.
“I am here to protect my character. My reputation has been lowered in the eyes of right-thinking members of the public as I am portrayed as a thief without a court conviction.
“I am here because I have been labelled, scandalised, and called all sorts of names, and I am here to clear my name.”
Attached to the processes was the allegation on Facebook that Nwaoboshi collected a contract of N3.6 billion through his companies for the provision of 4,800 plastic desks and chairs for primary and secondary schools in nine states of Niger Delta in 2016.
Onochie however, objected to the claims, arguing that the statements were not signed by her, and that the lawmaker does not have her Facebook page.
Nwaoboshi in his prayers, urged the court to declare that ‘the defendant’s post/publication of June 8, 2020, posted/published on her Facebook page Lauretta Onochie captioned: “NDDC: The Chicken Comes Home To Roost”, amounts to libel.
“An order of this Honourable Court awarding the sum of N1billion only, to the claimant as general damages against the defendant.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, her agents, servants, privies and any other person howsoever described, acting for and on her behalf, from further publishing/posting any other false and damaging publication in respect of the claimant.”
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