Metuh ‘not aware’ of Lai’s N500m defamation suit

Oliseh Metuh, national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says he is unaware of any libel suit filed against him by Lai Mohammed, his APC counterpart.

In a suit filed before the Lagos state high court, Mohammed requested the court to compel Metuh to pay him N500 million as compensation for damaging his reputation.

Metuh had accused Mohammed of embezzlement and fraud.

“It is a comedy of roles when Alhaji Lai Mohammed speaks on corruption, a topic he practices and has well learnt, being a personal aide to one of the most corrupt politicians to ever bestride the political landscape of the country,” Metuh had said in a statement issued on September 20.

Apart from the monetary compensation, Mohammed prayed for an order directing the defendant to publish an apology and “retract the libellous material in a widely read newspaper for seven consecutive days”.

But Metuh said he only read of Mohammed’s suit on the pages of the newspaper.

“The attention of the office of the national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been drawn to reports in some section of the media, suggesting that the national publicity secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has filed a suit against Chief Olisa Metuh,” read a statement issued by Richard Ihediwa, Metuh’s special assistant.

“The media reports have it that Lai Mohammed instituted a N500 million suit at a Lagos state high court in Ikeja, seeking compensation for alleged defamation of his person by some issues raised by Chief Olisa Metuh in response to one of his (Mohammed’s) statements.

“For the avoidance of doubt, this office wishes to state categorically that Chief Olisa Metuh or any of his lawyers are not aware of any such suit by Lai Mohammed, nor have they been served.

“If it is true that any legal action has been instituted, it should not be limited to newspaper reports, unless it is meant for the media, as Chief Metuh is a prominent Nigerian whose office and residential address are well known.

“We are very much aware that Lai Mohammed as a ministerial nominee may have been nervous and apprehensive of the requirements of his upcoming screening in the senate, and as a renown propagandist, may have decided to orchestrate reports of the said suit, to plead subjudice as a defence ostensibly to stop queries by senators on issues of integrity.

“This office however, insists that if indeed, Lai Mohammed has instituted any case against Chief Metuh, we charge him to ensure that he prosecutes it to the very end.

“Nevertheless, we invite Nigerians to note the relentless attempt by APC leaders, including Lai Mohammed, to threaten, intimidate, harass and cow Chief Metuh into submissive opposition.

“Our advice however, to Lai mohammed on the issue of senate clearance, is that he should not panic, but be humble, as his palm kernel in this regard has already been cracked by a benevolent and forgiving senate president.

“Finally, we counsel Lai Mohammed not to bring his propaganda, divisive and destructive tendencies to national assignment as a minister.”