Minister of works and housing Babatunde Fashola has sued the chief executive of Sunrise Power and Transmission Company Ltd Leno Adesanya and two newspapers for N2 billion over some alleged libellous publications.
In a statement of claim in the suit before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Fashola accused Mr Adesanya of making false and disparaging publications against him in The Guardian and ThisDay newspapers of January 11 and 16, 2019, in respect of the Mambilla Power Project.
In the publications, Adesanya allegedly accused Fashola of frustrating the completion of the project and engaging in acts of corruption in relation to the project while serving as minister of power, works and housing.
Fashola said the publications “amount to nothing less than character assignation, with a view to achieving damaging effects” against him.
He further stated that the publications portrayed him as “a dirty politician who would take beneficial steps in governance only when it is for his personal advantage even at the risk of causing his country and political leader great harm.”
On Tuesday, The Guardian denied any wrongdoing in its statement of defence.
The Guardian, while pleading qualified privilege, said it acted within its constitutional responsibilities, including the duty to inform the public on matters relating to the conduct, activities, operations and policies of the state, its ministries, parastatal and agencies.
It argued that the publication referred to by Fashola “is a fair and accurate publication of a rejoinder about issues relating to the management and/or administration of the Mambilla Power Project by the claimant as to the Minister of Power.”
The Guardian stated that it did not hold Fashola in malice or in contempt and has never made any publication or done anything against him to cast him in a bad light.
The court heard that Adesanya and ThisDay had not filed their responses.
Justice Sylvester Oriji adjourned till December 6 for hearing of a pending application filed by the claimant.
