The N500 million libel suit filed
by Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture against Mr
Olisa Metuh, a former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman, is set to
proceed to trial at the Ikeja High Court.
This followed the inability of
the parties to reach an amicable settlement at the mediation court.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
reports that Justice Oluwatoyin Ipaye had on April 27, 2016 ordered Mohammed
and Metuh to settle their dispute at the mediation court.
“Now that pleadings have been
closed, seven days from today, please head to Alternative Dispute Resolution
(ADR) Centre for mediation of this dispute,” Ipaye ruled.
Confirming the development, a
reliable source from the court’s registry told NAN on Friday that the case will
now be assigned to a court for trial.
Mohammed, a former spokesman of
the All Progressives Congress (APC), had on Oct. 12, 2015, filed a suit against
Metuh, accusing him of publishing libelous materials against him.
Mohammed alleged that Metuh had
falsely accused him of embezzling funds meant to build a fence at an airport in
one of the Southwest states under the control of APC.
The publication also alleged that
Mohammed had obtained funds to supply ambulances to the Southwest states, but
failed to do so.
The minister is demanding a
compensation of N500 million on account of the alleged false publication
against him.
The case is coming up before Ipaye
on Nov. 3 for further directive.
NAN
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