PDP Chairman Secondus slaps N5bn libel suit on Edo Commissioner, Afegbua

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has instituted a suit against former Edo State Commissioner for Information, Prince Kassim Afegbua, claiming N5 billion damages over alleged libelous publications against him.

In the suit brought before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, Secondus is claiming that the allegation by Afegbua published by several media outlets accusing him of misappropriating the sum of N10 billion libelled him as nothing of such happened.

In the writ of summons filed by Emeka Etiaba against Afegbua and two media organisations, Secondus is seeking a declaration of the court that Afegbua failed to prove that the PDP collected N10 billion from sale of nomination forms and/or other sources since 2017.

Others are a declaration that the publications complained against were false and malicious; a declaration that the false and malicious publications made by the defendants against the claimant are defamatory.

Also sought is an order of the court directing the defendants to publish a written apology in all the news and social media platforms where the defamatory materials were reportedly published and in particular.

Secondus similarly wanted an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their agents and privies from further making the defamatory publications against the him and damages for the sum of N5 billion being general damages for the humiliation, castigation, vilification, attack of the his integrity and person by the defamatory publications.

Secondus further claimed that apart from being false, the publications had brought him to odium and challenged his right standing in the society as a trustworthy character.

He also noted that the libelous publications had been read by prominent members of the PDP, members of the public as they were published in several news and social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and others operating both in Nigeria and in the whole world.