By Nsibiet Iniabasi
The Editor-in-Chief, Nigerian Pulse Newspaper Mr. Kufre Etuk, has floored one of the APC chieftains in Nkim Itam Ward 6, Itu Local Government Area, Prof. Etok Ekanem in court, following libel suit instituted against the editor by the party chieftain.
In a suit no: HU/398/2016, titled Prof. Etok Okon Ekanem Vs. Mr. Uko Umoh, Mr. Kufre Etuk, in the State High Court, Uyo, presided over by justice Charles Ikpe, the complainant, Prof. Etok Ekanem represented by Victor Iyanam & Co, had instituted a libel case against defendants, Mr. Uko Umoh and Kufre Etuk represented by Nwoko & Co, claiming N200m in damages.
On 11th November, 2016, Nigerian Pulse had published a banner story titled, “How Prof. Etok Ekanem Sabotaged Akpabio’s Govt” with a rider, “Misappropriated N12b Livestock , aquaculture Fund”.
Furious over the story, Prof Etok Ekanem, through his lawyer, on 16th November, 2016, wrote to the Editor-in-Chief demanding a retraction of the story within seven days, with N2b in damages for defamation.
Upon the expiration of the seven days of which the newspaper refused to retract the story, the plaintiff instituted a defamation suit against the defendants claiming 200million in damages against the duo.
The opposing counsel, Ubong Offiong Esq who represented the claimant and Ubokutom Umana Esq, Hannah Isang and Ubong Umoh represented the defendants, upon close of pleadings, the suit was set down for pre-trial and the plaintiff counsel filed the pretrial papers out of time making the application incompetent before the court and upon their failure to bring an application to regularize the incompetent application, the counsel to the defendants Hannah Isang Esq of Nwoko & Co, filed a preliminary objection challenging the competency of the said application filed by the plaintiff’s counsel and urged the court to dismiss the suit.
The plaintiff’s counsel failed to react to the motion filed by the defendants’ counsel.
On the 18th of July, 2018, when the matter was slated for motion, sensing possible defeat, counsel to the plaintiff informed the court of the unwillingness of his client to continue with the matter and applied to withdraw the suit for out of court settlement.
Hannah Isang Esq, Counsel to the defendants in that ground, asked for cost against the plaintiff for bringing them to court and wasting their time for no just course.
Upon the application of the plaintiff to discontinue the matter, the case was struck out and a cost of N20, 000 awarded against the plaintiff or in favour of the defendants.
However, on 16 November, 2016, Prof. Etok Ekanem had taken to his Facebook page celebrating the submission of the retraction notice to the newspaper with a vow to use the case as a lesson to other who may attempt to write against him.
