LAGOS JULY 20TH (URHOBOTODAY) THE CHAIRMANSHIP aspirant of the Democratic Peoples’ Party (DPP) in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State, Hon. Blessing Erhiavwarie Oborevwori, has filed a N50million suit against a chairmanship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the local government, Hon. J.J Scott and Okpe Mirror Newspaper Ltd over an alleged defamatory and libellous publication.
The suit filed by A. E. Duku in suit No. HOR/13/2013 declared that the paid publication/advert by the PDP aspirant, Chief J.J Scott, 1st defendant in the 2nd defendant, Okpe Mirror, February-March 2013 on page 18 is defamatory and libellous. Speaking with newsmen at the High Court sitting at Orerokpe, headquarter of Okpe Local Government Area, Barrister Michael Akubowe, who held brief for the counsel to the plaintiff, A. E. Duku, said they are in court over a matter between Chief J.J Scott and Okpe Mirror Newspaper and their client, Hon. Blessing Oborevwori, on the issue of a defamatory and libellous publication.
Akubowe said he was in court in respect of the fact that the defendants have failed to file their necessary papers, adding that they only entered an appearance but didn’t do anything.
He said: “We have filed a motion for this honourable court to set it down for hearing and the motion has graciously been granted and the matter is fixed for hearing on the 27th day of September.”
The plaintiff, Oborevwori, who addressed newsmen at the court premises, said the speculation that some interested groups had stepped in to settle the matter out of court was a mere fallacy.
“If somebody had made a mistake and he realises it and apologises, he or she could be pardoned but in this case, it was not so. Therefore, the law should take its course to show and teach us what libel and defamatory statements or publications is all about,” he said.
Source: Daily Independent