A member of the National
Assembly, Sen. Shehu Sani, has slammed a N5 billion counter-claim in a Kaduna
State High Court against Gov. Nasir El-Rufai for alleged libellous broadcast.
El-Rufai had in February sued
Sani, demanding N500 million for alleged defamatory statement contained in a
publication.
Sani, who represents Kaduna
Central Senatorial District, filed the Statement of Defence and Counter-Claim
in a Kaduna High Court on April 20.
The statement of defence and
counter-claim was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) in Abuja on
Monday.
Sani, in his counter claim, is
seeking compensation for an alleged libelous broadcast maliciously made against
him by the governor during a live broadcast transmitted through a radio station
in Kaduna.
He also prayed for an order of
perpetual injunction, restraining the plaintiff either by himself, agents,
aides, privies or through any persons, from repeating the said “offensive and
libelous broadcast or similar broadcast or publication’’.
The lawmaker further urged the
court to make an order directing the governor to tender unreserved apology in
writing.
Sani said the apology should be
broadcast on seven consecutive days on same channel that the governor made “the
offensive broadcast, and published in conspicuous pages of four national
newspapers.”
He noted that the broadcast
against him, which was in Hausa language, had affected his reputation, his
political career and pitched his constituents against him.
“Sometimes in November 2017, the
plaintiff, speaking at a live broadcast, transmitted on radio, maliciously,
unlawfully and without any justification whatsoever, uttered defamatory
statements in Hausa language.
“The offensive publication has
continuously reduced the counter-claimant’s reputation, his political and
social standing and popularity, which had taken years of hard work, excellence,
diligence, sincerity, service to the people, forthrightness and courage to
build.
“As a result of the malicious and
offensive publication, the counter-claimant has suffered monumental humiliation
and embarrassment and his reputation as a respectable Nigerian has been
severely bruised and battered.
“The plaintiff knew and had every
reason to know that the said broadcast unfairly and unjustly portrays the
counter-claimant as a villain, madman of incurable insanity, among others.
“By reason of the foregoing, the
counter-claimant has suffered humiliation, embarrassment, vilification,
denigration, disparagement and agony, all of which are unquantifiable,’’ he
stated.
Sani averred that the governor
made the malicious statement against him at the live broadcast when he was
reacting to Senate’s rejection of 350 million dollar external loan request by
the Kaduna State Government.
He added that the loan request,
which was rejected by the Senate on March 29 through a voice vote, was
unanimous.
The lawmaker in the statement of
defence denied knowing about or authorising the publication being complained
of.
He prayed the court to dismiss
the governor’s case as being “frivolous, reckless, lacking in merit, malafide
and baseless altogether.’’
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