A Makurdi High Court presided over by Justice Augustine Ityoyiman, on Friday, January 24, 2020, refused to grant the application filed by national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole for stay of proceedings in the N10 billion libel suit instituted against him by Governor Samuel Ortom.
Oshiomhole approached the Court to stay proceedings pending the hearing and determination of his interlocutory appeal at the Court of Appeal, challenging the October 18, 2019 ruling of the Court.
The Court had on October 18, 2019 struck out a motion brought before it by APC National Chairman, urging the court to dismiss Governor Ortom’s suit over the non-joinder of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, Vanguard Media Limited, publishers of Vanguard Newspaper and social media platforms that reported his press conference of July 28, 2019.
However, in it’s ruling on Saturday on the matter of stay of proceedings, Justice Ityonyiman held that the reasons given for the stay of proceedings were not cogent and lacking in merit.
Consequently, the Judge declined the application for stay of proceedings but however granted Oshiomhole leave to file his interlocutory appeal at the Court of Appeal and adjourned the case to December 13, 2019.
Ortom in the suit among other things averred that Oshiomhole allegedly assassinated his character and damaged his reputation when in an APC sponsored press conference held on Friday, July 27, 2018, Comrade Oshiomhole accused the Benue governor of having a hand in the death of two Catholic priests and other parishioners at Mbalom community on the ground that one of the priests had preached a ‘very critical sermon’ against the governor.
