Lawyer sues Okorocha’s CPS, claims N2 billion over alleged libel

A RENOWNED legal luminary, Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN), has sued the Chief Press Secretary (CPS), to Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, over alleged libel, claiming N2 billion.

Ahamba, who is also the lead counsel to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Imo governorship election, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, in the case between him and Okorocha at the Supreme Court, sued Owuemeodo, who is the publisher of an Owerri- based local tabloid, The White-Paper.

In a suit number HOW/525/2015, filed by the claimant’s lawyer, C.C Okoroafor of Iwuoha Chambers, he alleged that defendant, the White –Paper and the Managing Director, Ogadi S. Ogadi on the 8th and 9th of July, 2015, the trio “falsely and maliciously” published that “Chief Ahamba might have also won many cases in court but such cases do not include election petition matters. He has no record of legal success in election petition cases and the current one he is handling for the PDP and its governorship candidate in the 2015 election wouldn’t be an exception”.

Ahamba in court papers made available to journalists at the weekend and yesterday in Owerrri, averred that the publication, which was also aired on radio, undermined his competence as a lawyer since 1974 and a SAN for 19 years, not minding that he had won some landmark tribunal cases, notable among which are “Achike Udenwa against Ezekiel Izuogu; Ideato North and South Federal Constituency; and Agbakwuru versus Nnanna Igbokwe for Ahiazu /Ezinihitte Mbaise Federal Constituency in 199 and 2011 respectively.

He claimed that the defendants in a caption “Press Release” ‘defamed and consequently damnified him.

Ahamba had through his lawyer in a letter dated July 21, 2015, directed Onwuemeodo, within 14 days, to carry out four tasks, including apology in two national dailies with his lawyer, Okoroafor’s approval, back page of The White Paper and two other local newspapers on three consecutive editions; and “depositing of bank draft for the sum of N500,000,000 only in Our Chambers above mentioned.”

Dissatisfied that the conditions were allegedly not met, he headed for court.