Former SGF files two suits against PDP executives

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim has filed two separate suits against the National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP (South-South), Dr. Cairo Ojougboh and the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressive Congressý (APC) Timi Frank over alleged libel. In the suits, which were filed […]

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim has filed two separate suits against the National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP (South-South), Dr. Cairo Ojougboh and the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressive Congressý (APC) Timi Frank over alleged libel.
In the suits, which were filed before an FCT High Court by Anyim’s counsel Mike Ozekhome (SAN), Anyim claims that the PDP officials published “false, unfounded and libelous” statements against him some national dailies on July 13 and 15 over the Centenary City Project initiated in 2014 by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Anyim is demanding the sum of N1 billion each against the PDP stalwarts as “general, aggravated, punitive and exemplary damages over embarrassment, public odium, derision, ridicule, obloquy, mental agony, and psychological trauma which the publications have cause him.”
In his affidavit, Anyim avers that he was rudely woken up by numerous calls on the morning of July 18 and urged to read the defendant’s comments on one of the national dailies of the same date with the screaming headline: “Ojougboh Alleges Ex-SGF, Anyim Threatening His Life,” where the Centenary City project was described as “an elaborate scam.”
He said a similar libelous publication was caused to be made on Monday July 13 by another national daily with the caption: “Jonathan’s Centenary City is Crime Personified.”
Anyim, however wants the court to make an order compelling Ojuogboh to take out and make a full page written retraction of, and apology to him for the said offensive publication to be published in each of six major national dailies.
In addition, he wants an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from further publishing any libelous statement or alleging that the Nigeria Centenary City project, which was facilitated by him in his capacity as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation was and is a scam and fraud.
No date has been fixed for hearing of the suits.