Odili vs Odinkalu, Osori: Court adjourns to Jan 9 for objection on location

A High Court sitting in Port-Harcourt and presided over by
Justice A.U. Kingsley-Chuku has adjourned to 9 Jan 2019, hearing in
suit no PHC/3193/2018 between Dr Peter Odili v. Prof Chidi Odinkalu
& Aisha Osori.

On 31 Oct 2018, former Rivers State Gov, Dr Peter Odili, issued
Writ of Summons at High Court of Rivers State against the duo
claiming that their recent book, ‘Too Good To Die’ libelled him
with claims that were “untrue” & “painted him in a bad light.

He is demanding a published apology and N1 billion from Mr
Odinkalu and Ms Osori, and that further publication of copies of
the book must cease immediately.

During a hearing on Monday for intent on hearing the application
for interlocutory injunction, Dr Odili was again present in court
in person as were his lawyers. However, in the face of the
objection by the defendants, arguments could not proceed.

Dr Odili, through his counsel, Kanu Agabi, SAN, therefore, asked
for a short adjournment to respond to the objection by the
defendants to the hearing of the case in the Rivers State High
Court. The court adjourned the case to 9 Jan 2019

In the defamation charges prepared for Odili, the former
governor said he took note of excerpts of the book in which the
authors narrated how late politician, Harry Marshall, was
assassinated soon after they publicly fell out with each other in
2003.

The book cited a letter which Marshall had written to the police
in Rivers at the time, expressing strong concerns about a growing
spate of intimidation and violent attacks against members of the
All Nigeria’s Peoples Party (ANPP) in the state.

The book also painted vivid details of how Odili helped bankroll
the third term agenda which Obasanjo pushed to perpetuate himself
in power beyond the 2007 expiration of his
constitutionally-approved two terms of eight years.

“Most of the cash distributed in support of the project were
wrapped in bundles bearing the stamp of First Inland Bank. Unknown
to most people, First Inland Bank’s history lay buried in networks
of loyalty between some of the most influential leaders of the
ruling party, including President Obasanjo himself,” the authors
wrote on page 162.

“The corporate trail however disclosed a deep financial bond
between the president, Senator Ararume and the governments of
Bauchi and Rivers States, then ruled, respectively, by two of
President Obasanjo’s closest governorship acolytes, Adamu Muazu and
Peter Odili, who were at the centre of shadowy, complex, unlawful
and, almost certainly, criminal financial operations behind third
term,” the authors added.

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