Ortom sues Akume for alleged defamation, demands N60bn

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has sued the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Senator George Akume, for alleged defamation.

In a suit marked MHC/268/2021 filed on Friday at the Benue State High Court, Makurdi, Ortom accused Akume of libel and defamation.

The suit was filed on his behalf by Okon Efut and four other lawyers.

The governor demanded N50 billion as general damages and N10 billion for exemplary and aggravated damages.

Akume had at a press conference on Monday in Abuja, asked Ortom to apologise to President Muhammadu Buhari.

He also asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the Benue State financial dealings under Ortom.

READ ALSO: Sen Akume warns Gov Ortom against using foul language on Buhari, demands apology

The governor had criticized President Buhari over his poor handling of the security situation in Benue and the country as a whole.

In the writ of summons backed by 17 paragraph statement of claim, Ortom insisted that the minister’s press conference was meant to lower his rating before right-thinking members of the society, and make him vulnerable to hate and ridicule.

The statement read: “The text of Senator Akume’s press conference on 30th August, 2021, in Abuja and the reports in various national dailies is scandalous, malicious and injurious of his person.”

No date has been fixed for the hearing of the matter.

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