APC Deputy Governorship Candidate Files N2.15 Billion Libel Suit Against PDP Official

Dennis Idahosa, the All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy governorship candidate for the September 21, 2024 election in Edo State, has filed a N2.15 billion libel suit against Olu Martins, the Deputy Director General, Media and Publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship campaign council.

In the suit filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory with suit number CS/2259/24, Idahosa accused Martins of authoring an article that portrayed him as a fraudster.

The incumbent lawmaker representing Ovia Federal Constituency demanded N2 billion as general, punitive, aggravated, and exemplary damages from Martins for the alleged libelous and malicious publication against him. Additionally, he requested N15 million as the cost of the action.

Idahosa alleged that Martins published an article on May 2, 2024, in various social media platforms titled, ‘APC GUBER CANDIDATE, OKPEBHOLO MOCKS OSHIOMHOLE AS IDAHOSA RETURNS FROM FOREIGN TRIP’, which he claimed discredited his personal and political reputation in the eyes of the general public.

The APC deputy governorship candidate prayed the court for a declaration that the content of the publication made via various WhatsApp group chat pages, Facebook, and other social media outlets by Martins is libelous and malicious.

He also sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining Martins, his agents, or privies from further writing, printing, publishing online, or causing to be written, printed, or published online, the aforementioned article or similar words.

Among other reliefs, Idahosa requested an order directing Martins to issue a clear and unqualified public apology to him, to be published on the group WhatsApp chat pages and other social media outlets, running uninterrupted for four weeks, and in retraction of the said publication.

He also demanded an order of the court directing Martins to withdraw and remove forthwith the posting of the publication.