Popular media consultant drags Benue government's official to court

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– An Abuja based social activist and media consultant, Prince Yemi Itodo has filed a N50million suit in court

– The suit is against the chief press secretary to the Benue state deputy governor, Ede Ogaba Ede

– Itodo claims the media aide of the deputy governor has maligned his character with a defamatory post on social media

An Abuja based social activist and media consultant, Prince Yemi Itodo, has concluded arrangements to file a N50million suit against the chief press secretary to the Benue state deputy governor, Ede Ogaba Ede, for allegedly maligning his character with a defamatory post on social media.

The genesis of the law suit was due to the alleged wheelbarrow scheme of Governor Samuel Ortom, which elicited a lot of criticisms from Nigerians on social media, and later transcended to the print media, with various public commentators and analyst condemning the scheme.

The stinging criticisms of the state government was said to have infuriated Ede, who singled out Itodo for his comments and took to the social media with a derogatory post against the popular Abuja-based journalist, with his photograph attached.

Governor Ortom’s government has been at the receiving end of frequent criticisms, with many accusing the governor of non-performance

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Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, June 5, Itodo said his team of lawyers has taken steps to institute a law suit, adding that, the chief press secretary had shut his ears against every peace deal offered to him.

His words: “When he was making those derogatory posts, in the name of advising me, I asked him to remove my picture from the post, but he refused.

“The following day, I made it open that, my image and personality had already been bastardized by his act, that he should take down my picture, he declined, rather, he got some boys to keep sharing my picture on the internet, to further expose me to dangers.

“Barely 48 hours after the incident, one of my friends, Ukan Kurugh, who also joined to express his dissatisfaction over the wheelbarrow scheme, was beaten to stupor in Gboko, by boys alleged to be members of APC and supporters of the governor. He was accused of making comments on the trending wheelbarrow.

“It was then dawn on me that I was next on line, since my picture had gone into circulation, both on the internet and offline, by the deputy governor’s aide and his foot soldiers.”

Itodo, had through his lawyer, Dominic Ochenehi (Esq.), written a notice of pre-action to the Ede, informing him of the intention to institute a libel suit against him, if he failed within 7 days to retract the post and tender apology to him.

A copy of the letter which

was made available to ZENITHBLOG.com reads in part,“Your post has since made our client uncomfortable with the way his photograph has been trending online with people you have instructed to do so.

“Your singular act has portrayed our client in bad image before his prospective clients as a media consultant.

“Your posts were not only false and malicious, but they constitute the most wicked attacks on our client’s reputation and integrity that he has built over the years among colleagues, immediate family members, his community and the general public at large.”

Copies of the letter obtained by ZENITHBLOG.com

The letter was also copied to the deputy governor; Engineer Benson Abounu, his chief of staff, Hononourble Adah Ikwum and the plaintiff, Yemi Itodo.

Below is a Facebook post made by Itodo calling on the Ede to remove his picture on the internet.

READ ALSO: Nigerian blogger Kemi Olunloyo regains freedom after 81 days in prison

In a related development, a civil society organization, Ogun Progressive Mandate (OPM), has cautioned the governor of Ogun state, Senator Ibikunle Amosun to refrain from making inflammable statements that are likely to overheat the polity.

In a statement sent to ZENITHBLOG.com by the convener of the group; Mr Ahmed Bamidele, OPM opined that the successor of any elected leader can only be determined by God.

Part of the statement read: “On the race towards the 2011 general elections, no one gave the current governor a chance, everyone’s thought was with the ruling party, due to its structure and federal might, but when God acts, human would be in a confused state.

“Also, if he doesn’t understand the Lord’s doing on how he became Daniel’s sucessor, then he should probably understand how Yayaha Bello became a governor. All in all, one fact is sacrosanct, only God can anoint a successor for him.”

Watch the video report of ZENITHBLOG.com TV where former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode talked about his meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

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