Former governor of Imo State, Dr. Ikedi Ohakim, at the weekend in Umuahia, Abia State, said he filed N1 billion defamation suit against Imo politician, Mr. Batos Chikezie Nwadike, for accusing him of channeling $1million bribe, which was used to influence the outcome of the Labour Party (LP) governorship primary that produced Senator Athan Achonu.
The governorship election in Imo State is slated to hold in November 2023. Speaking through his counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, the former governor said the defendant in the suit filed on July 4, 2023 and marked HOW/701/2023, will prove his allegations at the State High Court, Owerri.
Ejimakor said his client was embarrassed and defamed by the allegation posted on or about April 23, 2023, by the defendant.
“Nwadike recorded in his own voice an audio circulated widely through WhatsApp social media platforms worldwide, particularly, in Nigeria and Imo State.
“On April 23, 2023, a viral audio circulated on the WhatsApp Messenger platform in which a certain person was alleging to another person on a phone call that Dr. Ohakim had distributed $1million to Imo State Labour Party governorship primary delegates as an inducement to influence the nomination of Senator Athan Achonu as its candidate for the upcoming midterm governorship election in Imo State.
“And in the developments that rapidly followed, it was confirmed that the voice on the viral audio making the allegations was that of one Mr. Batos Chikezie Nwadike, a former political appointee of the Uzodimma-led administration in Imo State,” he stated.
According to him, the defendant’s utterances as aforesaid were false, malicious, wicked and reckless and were heard worldwide, including, particularly in Nigeria and Imo State.
He stated that “the publication and circulation of the audio have seriously injured his fine character, credit, reputation and integrity.”
The Plaintiff is consequently urging the court to declare that the allegations made in the viral audio are slanderous, libelous and defamatory, urging the court to order him to pay him (Ohakim) the sum of N1 billion, being general and exemplary damages for the defamation of his character.
In addition, he seeks the orders of the court directing the defendant to retract the allegations made on the said audio through another audio of his own making and voice and circulate the same in the stream of WhatsApp Messenger social media platforms.
He also wants the court to mandate the defendant to publish a full page unreserved apology in two national newspapers and two newspapers circulating in Imo State.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant from further uttering and publishing the said slanderous and libelous words about or concerning the Plaintiff,” he prayed.
