Tinubu Vs AIT: Court Adjourns N150bn Libel Suit

Justice Iyabo Akinkugbe adjourned the suit for further direction after hearing the submissions of lawyers representing the claimant and the defendant. Tinubu had instituted the suit against Daar Communications Plc, owners of AIT, for airing of a documentary titled “Lion of Bourdilion’’.The judge had on April 1, granted an interlocutory injunction restraining the broadcast station from further airing the documentary, pending the determination of the libel suit.

At the resumption of proceedings on Thursday, Tinubu’s counsel, Mr Ayodele Adedipe, told the court that the claimant had filed Forms 17 and 18 which had been served on the defendant.
However, the defendant’s counsel, Mr Jeffery Kadiri, while admitting service, noted that the 42 days period they were expected to file their reply had not elapsed.
Kadiri said the defendant intended to file a counter-claim and join issues with the claimant, adding that a long adjournment was needed to ensure that all processes could get into the court’s file.
Following the development, the judge adjourned the matter, directing that all documents relating to the suit should be filed and entered into the court’s file to enable the parties to proceed to Pre-Trial Conference.
Tinubu, who is the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), filed the suit claiming that the documentary, which AIT started airing on March 1, was defamatory “in all respects’’.