An Ikeja High Court on Thursday adjourned a N150 billion libel suit filed by former Lagos State Governor, Chief Bola Tinubu, against African Independent Communication (AIT), till May 27.
Justice Iyabo Akinkugbe adjourned the suit for further direction after hearing the submissions of lawyers representing the claimant and the defendant.
Tinubu had instituted the suit against Daar Communications Plc, owners of AIT, for airing of a documentary titled “Lion of Bourdilion’’.
The judge had on April 1, granted an interlocutory injunction restraining the broadcast station from further airing the documentary, pending the determination of the libel suit.
At the resumption of proceedings on Thursday, Tinubu’s counsel, Mr Ayodele Adedipe, told the court that the claimant had filed Forms 17 and 18 which had been served on the defendant.
However, the defendant’s counsel, Mr Jeffery Kadiri, while admitting service, noted that the 42 days period they were expected to file their reply had not elapsed.
Kadiri said the defendant intended to file a counter-claim and join issues with the claimant, adding that a long adjournment was needed to ensure that all processes could get into the court’s file.
Following the development, the judge adjourned the matter, directing that all documents relating to the suit should be filed and entered into the court’s file to enable the parties to proceed to Pre-Trial Conference.
Tinubu, who is the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), filed the suit claiming that the documentary, which AIT started airing on March 1, was defamatory “in all respects’’.
His lead counsel, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), said the documentary showcased various properties and companies across Lagos State purportedly owned by him and he was described as “Nigeria’s biggest landlord’’.
Olanipekun said the programme also claimed that Tinubu was “charged for narcotics’’ in 1993 in the U.S.
He alleged that the documentary was politically sponsored to tarnish Tinubu’s reputation in the eyes of the populace.
Olanipekun had therefore, asked the court to award N150 billion as damages against AIT for tarnishing his client’s reputation.
Responding, Chief Mike Ozekhome, lead counsel to AIT, had argued that the content of the documentary were facts which had been in the public domain for over two decades.
According to him, these were published independently prior to the broadcast and had remained unchallenged till date.
He further contented that Tinubu was a former senator, two-time governor of Nigeria’s most populous state and the leader of the APC which claims to be anti-corruption.
Ozekhome said AIT had a responsibility to its audience to scrutinise their public officers, adding that Tinubu had not shown how the said documentary had damaged his reputation. (NAN)

Source: Vanguard Newspaper

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Let them no allow him to bribe the judge

Jagaban himself

AIT is a very unprofessional and irresponsible media outfit.

It's difficult to believe that it is the same business that was kept afloat with charitable effort of many Nigerians when it was about to go bankrupt, that has become this useless and made itself a willing tool in going against the society.

By the time they're directed to pay damages through their nose, no one should start begging for handouts for this station to survive.

I dont blame or pity them,they thought Uncle Joe was going to win.

I doubt if Uncle Joe even have anyone's time again.

He should sue their sorry arse.

Hope the amount the sponsors of the documentary is up to N150B....?

That TV station is done for....I only pity the staff.

DOPKESI WILL BE REGRETTING PLAYING THAT DOCUMENTARY

Business gone bad. This is the reason why business,brand should not be partisan in politics. They should just remain neutral because when power change hands, the business may be forced out of existence. Had Dangote step into politics or seen openly campaigning for Jonathan, his business will crumple like pack of cloths with just a single policy change in new Government. AIT reportedly got 9 billion to air defamatory documentary against Tinubu and Buhari. Now they had to pay 150 billion in addition to what they stand to lose when Buhari descend on them.