News
Another SAN slams N500m alleged defamatory suit on Farotimi
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a partner at Afe Babalola law chamber, Olu Daramola, has filed a N500 million suit at the Ojodu Abiodun Division of Ogun State High Court against Tomilola Titus Farotimi also known as Dele Farotimi for alleged defamation in his new book, titled: Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.
The suit was filed barely a month after the one filed by Chief Afe Babalola (SAN) over similar and alleged defamatory words in the book.
The writ, dated December 13, 2024, was taken on behalf of the applicant by Iheanyichukwu C. Uwa on behalf of Daramola (SAN).
The claimant is seeking a declaration that the book, titled: Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System authored by the defendant and in circulation within and outside the country and within the jurisdiction of the court contains some defamatory words on page 64.
Daramola averred that the book is offensive, defamatory and derogatory and has brought him into ridicule, odium, disrespect, disrepute and scorn in the eyes of the right-thinking members of the society.
The claimant is seeking a declaration that the book has injured his character, prestige, pedigree and reputation as an honest, law-abiding, competent, dutiful, reliable, diligent and trustworthy legal practitioner.
He is seeking an order of the court to award him N500 million against the defendant, being exemplary and general damages in favour of the claimant for the book authored by the defendant and said to be in circulation all over the country.
Daramola is seeking a court order to compel the defendant to publish an unreserved apology in The Guardian and The Punch or any other two widely national newspapers to retract the libelous excerpts in the book.
The claimant is also seeking a court order directing the recovery and destruction of the book authored by the defendant and currently in circulation across Nigeria and within the jurisdiction of the court in hard and soft copy formats from all bookshops, libraries, archives, booksellers, social media and online platforms, amongst others.
He is also seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, whether by himself, privies, agents, servants, workers, officers, or any other person howsoever described from publishing, causing to be published or in any other manner circulating the said offensive book in hard and soft copy formats authored by the defendant on the claimant.
Daramola is praying the court to direct the defendant to pay interest on the judgment sum awarded to the claimant at the rate of 10 per cent per annum from the date of judgment in this suit until the judgment debt is fully and finally liquidated.
No date has been fixed for hearing of the suit.
Farotimi is currently in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) and is yet to file a response to the suit.
The Osun State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has received thousands of decampees from the All Progressives Congress and other political parties into its fold.
The decampees, who are mostly from the Omisore Youth Support Forum (OYSF) joined the party at a ceremony held at party secretariat in Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, on Wednesday.
The were received by the Chairman of the PDP in Osun, Hon. Sunday Bisi, former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Lasun Yusuff and other party leader.
While receiving the decampees, Bisi renamed the group as Adeleke Youth Support Forum (AYSF) as they declared their support for Adeleke’s 2026 re-election bid.
One of the leaders of the decampees, Mr Francis Fasogbon said they were “inspired by the good governance delivered by Governor Ademola Adeleke”.
Hon. Dennis Agbo, representing Igboeze North/Udenu Federal Constituency in the 10th House of Representatives, has resigned from the Labour Party (LP) and defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Addressing aa gathering in his ward, Ezzodo, Agbo cited his admiration for Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Ndubisi Mba’s performance, as the reason for his decision.
“I acknowledge Governor Mba’s outstanding work, and I believe it’s essential to support him,” Agbo said. “As a federal legislator from Enugu State, I’m joining hands with him to provide a link between the state and federal government, promoting the good work he’s doing to uplift our state.”
Agbo, who was elected on the LP ticket, expressed his desire to work with Governor Mba, citing the governor’s vision and achievements since his inauguration in 2023.
He also emphasized that the internal crisis and division within the Labour Party was part of the factors influencing his decision to leave the party and return to PDP.
The lawmaker invited his supporters and members of Labour Party to a formal ceremony marking his transition to PDP, scheduled for May 1, 2025, at the PDP State Secretariat in Enugu.
Governor Alex Otti says he is not bothered about the noise coming from members of the opposition parties in Abia State.
Otti said his critics should not be taken serious as they are not coming out to contest elections but to seek negotiations and relevance.
Governor Otti stated this while receiving the member representing Bende North constituency in Abia State House of Assembly, Nnamdi Ibekwe who recently dumped the PDP and joined the Labour Party, LP in Abia State.
“We are not bothered about the oppositions and their noise. There are different reasons why people show up for elections.
Sometimes, they just want recognition; that their names showed up for the primaries, knowing fully well that they will not win the election.
“Some of them also come for negotiations and then of course, some others also show up for projections; they look at themselves and say, ‘if I start the noise in 2025, maybe by 2040, they will know that I have been in the race and they will call me and recognize me’, so they are projecting themselves,” Gov. Otti explained.
Governor Otti said he is rather focused on doing the job the people elected him to do and respond to the noise of the opposition across the State.
He congratulated Nnamdi Ibekwe for dumping the PDP for LP, explaining that nobody pressured him to come over to the LP, reiterating that he does not emphasize much on political platforms.
Earlier while presenting himself to the Governor, the member representing Bende North constituency, Nnamdi Ibekwe said he was attracted to the Labour Party by the achievements of Governor Alex Otti which he described as unprecedented.
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