Edison Ehie, chief of staff to Siminalayi Fubara, suspended governor of Rivers, has filed a N2 billion defamation suit against George Nwaeke, former head of civil service in the state.
The second defendant in the suit is Channels Television.
In the suit, Ehie said Nwaeke, in an interview televised by
the second defendant on March 29, alleged that he was responsible for the fire
that engulfed the Rivers house of assembly complex in October 2023.
The chief of staff said the “false” publication against him
by the former head of service caused serious injury to his character and
reputation.
“An order for immediate retraction of the said publication
and an apology to the claimant by the defendants for the said invidious and
libelous publication forthwith and same to be widely publicized in the second
defendant’s (Channels TV) television network, another television network and
two newspapers with nationwide leadership in Nigeria,” part of the court
documents reads.
Ehie prayed the court to issue an order restraining the
defendants from further publishing or circulating any malicious information
against him.
He asked the court to award him N2 billion as general
damages against the defendants.
On Monday, Jumbo Stephens, a judge at the high court in Port
Harcourt, ruled that Nwaeke be served the originating processes in the suit via
substituted means.
The judge ruled that the processes should be pasted at the
first defendant’s residence in Port Harcourt and published in a national
newspaper.
BACKGROUND
In October 2023, fire razed a section of the Rivers state
house of assembly complex in Port Harcourt.
The fire incident occurred as Rivers lawmakers loyal to Nyesom
Wike, minister of the federal capital territory, plotted to initiate
impeachment proceedings against Fubara.
The feud between Fubara and Wike polarised the state’s
parliament and sparked a political crisis.
Owing to the crisis, President Bola Tinubu on March 18
declared a state of emergency in the oil-rich state.
The president had suspended Fubara and his deputy, Ngozi
Odu; and all members of the Rivers assembly for six months.
Ibok-Ete Ibas, a retired vice admiral, was appointed as the
sole administrator.
In March, Nwaeke claimed that Fubara directed Ehie to burn down the Rivers house of assembly.
He alleged that he was at the government house “when a bag
of money was handed over to Edison for that operation, though I do not know the
amount inside”.
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