The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in charge of Akwa Ibom state, Mike Igini has instituted a N10 billion libel suit against the factional chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Edo State, David Imuse and Chairman, State APC Media Campaign Council,a John Mayaki.
He said the suit become necessary following the failure of the duo to comply with his protest letter dated August 31, 2020 demanding for the retraction of the said publications.
In a suit numbers B/555/2020 and B/556/2020 filed on Monday before a Benin High Court by Barrister Edwin Okonedo, on behalf of Igini’s counsel, Clement Onwuenwunor demanded the sum of N5 billion as aggravated damages each from the APC factional chairman and John Mayaki respectively.
Igini also joined the Vanguard Media Limited, the African Newspaper of Nigeria Plc, the publisher of the Nigeria Tribune and the Sun Publishing Limited as co- defendants.
The REC also demanded a full page unreserved apology to be published by the duo in every edition of the Punch Newspapers, Tribune, Guardian and the Sun Newspapers for seven consecutive times commencing not later than seven days after the judgment of the case.
Igini also sought a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents, privies and or servants from further publishing same or similar words defamatory against him.
According to the suit, on August 30, 2020 during the just concluded governorship election campaigns, Imuse and Mayaki addressed journalists at a press conference titled, “Press conference on Governor Godwin Obaseki’s criminal attempt to infiltrate INEC officers like Mr. Mike Igini” in Auchi in Etsako West local government area
“The press conference which was published in the three national newspapers with different headlines such as , “APC accuses Akwa Ibom REC, Igini of meeting Obaseki secretly, and INEC REC, Igini, plotting with Obaseki to rig election- APC”, was malicious, reckless, mischievous and with intent to destroy his hard- earned reputation,”
“The claimant states that the defendants’ publications complained of have greatly injured his credit, character, reputation, electoral impartiality and has been brought into hatred, ridicule, odium and contempt of the right thinking members of the society.
“In consequence of the defendants’ published words, the claimant has been subjected to continuous ridicule and his global electoral integrity as an umpire has been adversely affected and could not be considered for special assignments in Edo State for the 2020 governorship elections like his other colleagues”,.
He said he has the permission of the authorities of the INEC to maintain the suit and clear his name.
