By Lukman Olabiyi
The preliminary objection filed by Omoyele Sowore, the publisher of Sahara Reporters, seeking to stop one billion naira libel suit filed against him by Apostle Johnson Suleman before the Lagos State High Court, has been dismissed.
The suit which is currently pending before Justice Lawal Akapo has witnessed has witnessed several twists and turns, and apart from the preliminary objection that was dismissed by court, the judge also awarded cost of N25, 000 against the respondent.
Besides, the respondent’s counsel, which is Festus Keyamo, SAN chamber has also withdrawn his legal service.
Sowore’s counsel, Keyamo’s Chamber withdrew his legal service after it failed to stop the suit, in his bid to stop the suit before the court, he asked the judge to strike out the suit for lack of jurisdiction. He argued that the claimant, Apostle Suleman supposed to sue Sahara Reporters and not Sowore.
However, Osa Director counsel to the claimant averred that his client, Apostle Suleman was at liberty to sue either Sowore or Sahara Reporters, or both parties jointly. He, therefore, prayed the Judge to dismiss the application with substantial cost awarded against Sowore, as he described the application as frivolous, lacking in merit, and a calculated attempt to waste the precious time of the court.
In the suit, Suleman in his statement on oath, averred that the online publisher turned politician published libelous materials against him in March 2017. And the said defamatory publication was allegedly given wide circulation, in order to injure his reputation.
In his ruling, Justice Akapo dismissed the preliminary objection and awarded a cost of N25, 000 against Sowore.