Yuguda sues APC chieftain for N10bn over defamation

Former Governor of Bauchi State, Isa Yuguda, has taken Alhaji Sani Shehu of APC, before the Bauchi State High Court 9, for alleged defamatory utterances against his personality and his administration and is seeking N10bn in damages.

Counsel to the plaintiff (Yuguda), Mr. Okechukwu Nwaeze, who disclosed this to journalists in Bauchi on Friday, said the former governor filed the suit against Sani Mallam over his allegations that Yuguda was corrupt and fraudulent during his tenure as the governor of the state.Okechukwu said the plaintiff complained of the APC chieftain’s reckless and defamatory public comments about his personality and administration on 2 radio stations: Ray power FM and the Bauchi Radio Corporation.

The counsel alleged that Mallam, who was a former All Nigeria Peoples Party Chairman in the state, “accused Yuguda of woeful performance, excessive looting of public treasury, name-calling such as election rigger and manipulator. All these statements tempered with the reputation and personality of the former governor.

 

“It is not right to persecute people in the media. If the man is guilty of any fraud, the defendant should provide the proof or otherwise focus on his political activities.

“Our prayers are that the court should issue an order for the defendant to tender an apology in two national dailies and two online papers. The defendant should also be banned from featuring on such political programmes in media houses and should pay the sum of N10bn damages to the plaintiff.”

The Presiding Judge, Justice Muazu Abubakar, adjourned the case to October 6, 2015.

 

 

Punch