Tensions rise after suspended APC MP drags Speaker and seven media houses to court, citing reasons

• APC MP Adah Isibor, who was suspended by the Edo State House of Assembly, has dragged the House and seven other media houses to court
• Isibor accused the house and the media houses of making and publishing defamatory statements about him and thus damaging his reputation.
• The Edo MP is demanding 30 billion naira in damages in the suit filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja

Benin, Edo – Adah Isibor, the representative of Esan Northeast I in the Edo State House of Representatives and member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who was suspended indefinitely on May 6, 2024, has filed a suit against Speaker Blessing Agbebaku and seven media houses at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja.

The lawsuit alleges defamation and the unlawful publication of false allegations and seeks damages of 30 billion naira.

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Why the Edo Parliament suspended three MPs

Isibor, along with two other MPs, Donald Okogbe (Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Akoko-Edo II) and Bright Iyamu (PDP, Orhionmwon II), were suspended indefinitely amid fears of juju scaremongering in the assembly complex and an alleged impeachment plot against the Speaker and other key officials.

Isibor, in the suit bearing the case number FCT/HC/CV/2856/2024, Agbebaku and the seven media houses were named as the first of eight defendants jointly and severally accused of defamation for broadcasting or publishing the false and defamatory statements made by the first defendant (Agbebaku) during the plenary session.

Edo: Why an APC MP dragged the Speaker to court

The APC MP alleged that the Speaker’s statements and broadcasts/publications had damaged his reputation in the eyes of his learned colleagues, his parishioners, church members, clients and constituents, etc., and demanded that Agbebaku immediately publish a retraction with an apology in five print and five online media outlets.

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He also sought an order requiring the second to eighth defendants to immediately publish a retraction of the defamatory publications and broadcasts in their respective media.

Isibor demanded that the defendants pay jointly and severally 3 billion naira in damages and 50 million naira towards the costs of the case, as well as 10 percent interest on the damages from the date of judgment until the judgment debt is paid in full. However, a date for the hearing has not yet been fixed.

Source: Legit.ng