Quash Atiku’s N200bn Claims, Buhari Begs Court | Nairalaw

President Muhammadu Buhari and his campaign organisation – the
Buhari Campaign Organisation (BCO) have asked a High Court of the
Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Apo to dismiss the counter-claim
made by the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party
(PDP), Atiku Abubakar in a defamation suit pending against him.

Buhari and BCO had on January 22, 2019 sued Atiku, accusing him
of defaming President Buhari and his family in a statement issued
by his spokesman, claiming the President and his family acquired
substantial shares in 9mobile and Keystone Bank with total assets
of $1.916 billion (equivalent to N307.5 billion) and purchased
about ₦3 billion worth of shares in the new Pakistani Islamic
Bank.

But, upon being served with processes in the suit, Atiku,
through his lawyers, filed a counter-claim in which he queried
Buhari’s competence and sought to compel the President to pay him
damages in the sum of N200 billion.

Atiku complained about what he called the rising insecurity in
the country and the plight of victims of insurgents, democratic
instability in the country and lopsided appointment in the country,
which he blamed on the President.

In a fresh motion by the plaintiffs, through their lawyer,
Abdulrazaq Ahmed, they argued that Atiku’s counter-claim, in which
he challenged Buhari’s capacity and performance in office as the
President could only be sustained in a separate suit.

The plaintiffs contended that Atiku ought to provide documentary
evidence and proof to substantiate the false and defamatory claims
made against Buhari and his family, “rather than leaving the
substance to tackle the trash with a motion seeking to address an
entirely different matter from the substantive suit.

“The defendant/counter-claimers claims against the 1st plaintiff
(Buhari) based or on the question of the 1st plaintiff’s capacity
and or performance in the office as Executive President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria can only be sustained in a separate
suit or proceeding filed by the defendant against the 1st
plaintiff.”

The plaintiffs are, in the suit seeking damages against Atiku to
the tune of N40m.

BCO, in its witness statement on oath deposed to by its Director
of Communication and Strategic Planning, Mallam Gidado Ibrahim,
stated that Atiku and his media aide allegedly engaged in smear
campaign of calumny against Buhari by willfully allowing and
sponsoring the said purported defamatory and image-damaging
statements to be published by some newspapers to members of the
public.

Justice Binta Mohammed has adjourned further proceedings till
April 8 this year.

Appeal Court confirms Abba as Kano PDP Guber
candidate

The Appeal Court sitting in Kaduna presided by Justice Daniel O.
Kalio has today Thursday, 7th March 2019 confirmed Engr Abba Kabir
Yusuf as the bonafide Kano state PDP Gubernatorial candidate in the
coming Saturday 9th General Elections.

While delivering judgement, the appeal Court granted all the
prayers put forward by the appelant.

The PDP sought a stay of execution on the previous judgement
passed by a Federal High Court in Kano on the validity of the
party’s October 2nd primaries.

The appeal Court also restrained INEC from removing the name of
Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf and other  PDP candidates from the list
of 2019 contestants.

Responding shortly after the verdict, Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf said
he is not surprised with the outcomes from the appeal Court.

“As I always metion, the case mainly concerns our party and an
agrieved member who is working with the ruling All Progressive
Party (APC) in the state to remedy the fast growing unpopularity of
Gov Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.”

Engr Abba Kabir Yusuf also call on his supporters and PDP
faithful to keep their hope alive and come out enmass to vote for
all People’s Democratic Party’s candidates.

Signed:

Sanusi Bature Dawakin-Tofa

Spokesperson to the PDP Gubernatorial Candidate.