The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has demanded a retraction, public apology and N10 billion damages from National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole for damaging his reputation.
In a letter written by Orton’s counsel, Samuel Irabor, to Oshiomhole, the governor alleged that the APC boss damaged his reputation in a press conference in Abuja on July 27, 2018.
Ortom said that Oshiomhole made “astonishing, unsubstantiated and wild” allegations against him at the conference.
The Herald recalls that Oshiomhole at the press conference said that Ortom mismanaged bailout funds and Paris Club refund and also refused to pay salary in his state.
He added that the governor therefore deepened the circle of poverty in his state.
Read Also: Nigeria Police Arrests Fake United States Soldier, Others in Imo
The party boss, who made the comments in response to Ortom’s defection from the APC to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), also said that the APC was relieved that Ortom left its fold.
But Ortom described the statements by Oshiomhole as false, defamatory and libellous.
Ortom, who asked that the apology be published within seven days, also demanded an undertaking that Oshiomhole would not engage in any further “false publication” against him.
The letter read in part, “A letter of retraction/apology addressed to our client in respect of the false, defamatory and libellous statement made against him in the sponsored press conference herein complained of.
“That the said retraction/apology be simultaneously published in the Sunday edition of 10 National Dailies circulating within Benue State as well as a paid advertorial to the same effect on the prime time beats of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Channels TV, TVC News, African Independent Television (AIT), Independent Television (ITV) Benin, Radio Nigeria, Radio Benue and Harvest FM, Makurdi.
“An undertaking not to indulge in any such false publication against our client in future. Payment of #10,000,000,000.00 (Ten Billion Naira) only to our client as punitive, general, exemplary and aggravated damages.”