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Wike testifies in N7bn libel suit against ThisDay Newspapers

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The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday appeared before the State High Court in Port Harcourt, to testify as a witness in a N7 billion libel suit against ThisDay Newspaper.

This came after Wike, in August 2020, sued the newspaper for publishing a report captioned “With Wike, Obaseki Meets His PDP’S Waterloo; Almost” on June 23, 2020.

The Governor told the court, which was presided over by Justice Adolphus Enebeli that the publication portrayed him as deceitful and an unreliable person who exerts great influence on judicial matters and over court sittings in Port Harcourt.

Read also: We are winning the war against insurgency —Wike

In his written statement on oath, Wike stated that the defendants accused him of influencing the decision of the Court sitting in Port Harcourt that granted an injunction restraining Godwin Obaseki from participating in the primaries of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State in 2020 to favour his ally, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, who was the beneficiary of the order.

Speaking to journalists outside the court, one of Wike’s lawyers, Mark Agwu said it was important for the governor to clear his name from the alleged malicious publication.

Other defendants in the suit are Leaders and Company Limited, (ThisDay’s parent company) Davidson Iriekpen, Chuks Okocha and Adibe Emenyonu.

The court adjourned the matter for further hearing to the 12th, 13th and 14th of January 2022.

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