Kunle Kalejaye
27 April 2017, Sweetcrude, Lagos — Activist and Lawyer Barrister Natasha Akpoti has added Ifeanyi Ubah and Authority Newspaper in N500 million suit before Abuja Federal High Court for defamation of character in a series of publication on her involvement in reviving Ajaokuta Steel Company of Nigeria and the Nigeria Iron Ore Mines Company, NIOMCO.
Barrister Natasha Akpoti represented by Barrister Samuel Ogala of Falana and Falana chambers had earlier sued Daily Post newspaper and others for the same offense.
The suit number before Abuja Federal High Court: CV/1446/17 and suit No: CV/1502/17
The parties now include Mr. Ifeanyi Ubah, the Authority Newspaper, Mr. James Bamisaye, Daily post, Ali Adoyi and Whistler Communication
Barrister Samuel Ogala of Falana and Falana chambers in the suit filed stated that the amount of 500 million Naira be paid to Barrister Natasha Akpoti for defamation of character for publishing libelous information.
Samuel Ogala noted that the statement issued on behalf of Small Scale Steel Marketers and Scrap Dealers Association of Nigeria (ASSSMSDN) on Natasha being sponsored by the Vaswani brothers to blackmail President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is false adding that the said ASSSMSDN association doesn’t exist as a legal entity and that the CAC search report was attested to that effect.
The particulars of the suit made available to our correspondnet revealed that the media houses should disclose the identity of Mallam El-Habib Ibrahim, the so-called national president of ASSSMSDN and bring him forward before the court to prove Barrister Akpoti’s sponsorship by the said Vasuwani’s running into millions of dollars and the defamatory publication by the above listed media houses also referred to Barrister Akpoti as a “notable and half-clever” woman.
When contacted, Barrister Akpoti vehemently denied being sponsored by the Vaswani brothers or any individual or organisation noting that she is a believer of President Buhari’s vision for Nigeria especially the anti-corruption crusade.
“My only wrong is that I exercised my civic responsibility towards Nigeria as a good citizen and contribute my quota to inclusive governance.
“The content of the publication is false and libelous against my person.”
Akpoti said she believes the moribund state of the Ajaokuta steel complex has caused tremendous economic losses to Nigeria; and as an indigene of Kogi state, she decided to voluntarily apply her best education in helping the government achieve its diversification aim to generate jobs and wealth for Nigeria.