From Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
A Makurdi High Court has fixed December 21,2021 to deliver ruling on the application filed by the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs, George Akume, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the N60 billion libel suit instituted against him by the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom.
When the case came up on Friday, Haruna Adokele, who held the brief of Akume’s lead counsel, S.I Ameh told the Court that it has no jurisdiction to hear the matter because service was not effected on the defendant.
The counsel also submitted that, Akume does not reside in Benue State but Abuja.
But counsel to Governor Ortom, Okon Efut, (SAN) argued that service was effected on Senator Akume as required by law, arguing further that the application filed by Akume was misconceived since service was effected within the jurisdiction of the court.
Okon therefore prayed the court to dismiss Akume’s application with cost stressing that the application is a strategy to delay the course of justice.
After listening to the arguments of both counsels, the trial judge, Justice Augustine Ityonyiman adjourned the matter to December 21,2021 for ruling on the application.
It would be recalled that Governor Ortom instituted the suit against the Minister over his comments in the press conference of Monday, 30th August, 2021.
Governor Ortom in the suit is seeking N50 billion as general damages for libel and N10 billion as exemplary and aggravated damages.
In the statement of claim, Governor Ortom is seeking, amongst other things, a declaration that “the text of Senator Akume’s press conference on 30th August, 2021, in Abuja and the reports in various national dailies is scandalous, malicious and injurious to his person.”