The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) in the February 23, 2019 presidential election, former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, has made good on his threat to sue Lauretta Onochie, President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on social media, over an alleged libel and defamation of character. Atiku through his counsel, Mike Ozekhome, (SAN), filed a N2.5bn suit against Onochie before the Federal High Court, Abuja on June 26 after Onochie failed to apologize to the former VP over a tweet he said was libelous.
“To say that the claimant is shopping for terrorists knowing same to be untrue and without any foundation is not only dishonest and reckless, but is calculated and politically designed to instigate security agents against him not only in the UAE, but across the world,” Ozekhome said in the statement filing the suit. Media aide to Atiku, Paul Ibe, confirmed the suit to reporters. “I know that there was development and I want to believe the process (suit) has been advanced. She (Onochie) was asked to withdraw what she said but she refused,” Ibe said.
Onochie drew the ire of Atiku after accusing him on twitter of being on the “watch list” of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for corruption as well as shopping for terrorists in the Middle East. “Security operatives in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are keeping a close tab on a former Nigerian Vice Pres Atiku Abubakar who has been in the Middle East nation for several weeks now. What is he doing there? Shopping for Terrorists?” She did not provide any evidence for her claims and allegations against Atiku; who asked Onochie to issue a public apology over what he called her defamatory statements.
The PDP presidential candidate asked Onochie to publish a retraction in six national newspapers and one international daily as well as on social media. Atiku in a letter through his counsel, Ozekhome, (SAN), threatened to institute a 2 billion Naira suit against Onochie if she did not meet his demands.
Onochie, who appeared not to regret her earlier statements against Atiku, said the former president’s demands are mere plots to distract her from her job with President Buhari whom Atiku is challenging his victory at the election tribunal. Onochie in response to the threat said Atiku was depressed and deserved no apology.
“This is in no way responding to the depressed Alhaji Atiku Abubakar whose aides are constantly cooking up disgrace for him, for the sake of their stomachs, instead of giving him his pills,” Onochie said in a post on her Facebook page.
