Atiku counters Buhari’s ‘frivolous suit’, seeks N2bn damages

The Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Atiku
Abubakar, has responded to a libel suit instituted against him by
President Muhammadu Buhari.

Atiku, in a counter-claim which he filed in response to the
suit, demanded an apology from Buhari for allegedly filing a
“frivolous suit” against him.

In addition, the former Vice-President urged the High Court of
the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja to order Buhari to pay a
total sum of N1bn damages to be sent to Internally Displaced
Persons’ camps and a balance of another N1bn for equipment of
libraries and information technology equipment for all state
universities in Nigeria.

The main suit marked FCT/HC/CV/ 804/2019 was filed by Buhari and
Buhari Campaign Organisation against Atiku and his aide, Phrank
Shaibu, both of whom are joined as defendants in the suit.

Both defendants, however, sought, “An order of this honourable
court mandating the plaintiffs (Buhari and BCO) to apologise to the
defendants/counter-claimants for filing this frivolous suit against
them.

The plaintiffs accused the two defendants of making defamatory
statements in some national newspapers to the effect that Buhari
used his position as Nigerian President to fraudulently acquire two
private companies, Keystone Bank Plc and 9Mobile Communications Ltd
for himself and family members and friends.

The plaintiffs told the court that the defendants also falsely
claimed that the President acquired the said companies using his
influence and the control he had over the head of parastatals or
organisations that were connected with the activities of such
companies.

But in response, the defendants, through their counsel, Mr.
Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume (SAN), filed a statement of defence, a
counter-claim and a motion seeking an order of court striking out
the name of Buhari Campaign Organisation as the second
plaintiff.

In their statement of defence, they said the alleged libelous
statements were mere “dispassionate expressions of opinions based
on true facts”.

In their counter-claim, the plaintiffs narrated alleged
instances of Buhari’s constitutional breaches, failure to secure
life and property.