Benue: Gov. Ortom’s Media Adviser files N50 million suit

The Special Adviser to Benue State Governor on Media and Information Communication Technology, Mr. Tahav Agerzua, has filed a suit claiming damages of N50 million against the State Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mr. Bemgba Iortyom.

In suit number MCH/316/16 filed at the Makurdi High Court by his son, Mr. Terna Agerzua of Emmanuel Law Partners, the Adviser is seeking three other major reliefs.

These include “a declaration that the libelous publication by the defendant on Facebook dated 19th day of September, 2016 against the plaintiff is false, unfounded, unwarranted and defamatory in nature.”

“An order of court directing the defendant to retract the said libelous publication via the same medium (Facebook),” as well as “directing the defendant to tender a public apology to the plaintiff and cause same to be published in at least two national and local newspapers.”

In his statement of claim, Mr. Agerzua stated that Mr. Iortyom made a libelous publication alleging that he diverted the sum of N10 million meant for members of the Independent Print-Media Publishers Association of Nigeria.

According to Mr. Agerzua, upon seeing the fallacious publication he immediately issued a rejoinder and demanded a retraction within 24 hours.

He said the leadership of IPPAN also issued a public statement refuting the publication through its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Nelson Ogbu.

Rather than retract the publication, the defendant continued to circulate the said publication to different Facebook groups while his allies shared it to defame the plaintiff’s reputation, the statement of claim added.

Mr. Agerzua stated that when the defendant ignored his demand for a retraction he instructed his solicitor to write to him requesting same within seven days but he again refused hence his resort to the suit.