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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has threatened court action against the state Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Uche Aguoru, over a publication the governor considered not only false, but defamatory.
In a statement last week, Aguoru had, among others, alleged that the governor released the sum of N50 billion to a well-known businessman, a former member of the APC and his close associate he intended to use as a conduit to reach certain individuals at the APC National Headquarters.
A portion of the funds, the statement added, was allegedly made available to a frontline aspirant within the APC, with the sole objective of creating confusion, sowing division, and undermining the unity of the party. In a letter written by Kenneth Ahia, SAN, counsel to Governor Otti, Aguoru was asked to retract, apologise, and disclose evidence in respect of the publication titled, “APC raises alarm over alleged plot by Abia State Government to destabilise the party”. Ahia said the publication contained serious allegations concerning the governor, adding that the allegations were false and without factual foundation.
“The publication goes beyond political criticism or partisan commentary; it contains specific allegations of corruption, diversion of public funds, political inducement, and abuse of office against the governor. If true, such allegations would amount to serious criminal conduct; if false, they constitute a serious attack on the reputation and integrity of our client”, Otti’s counsel wrote. Otti’s counsel gave Aguoru seven days to retract the publication and apologise to the governor or face court action.
However, in a release, Aguoru said APC or its officials in the state will not succumb to judicial intimidation by the Otti administration.
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“The attention of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abia State, has been drawn to the increasing use of threats of litigation and judicial intimidation by the Alex Otti administration as a tool to silence critics, suppress dissenting voices, and prevent citizens from exposing what we consider the mis-governance, waste, fraud, and brazen corruption currently taking place in Abia State.
“The APC is aware of several attempts by the state government and its agents to intimidate, harass, oppress, and, in some instances, use their influence within the judicial system to persecute Abians who dare to question government actions or demand transparency, accountability, and improved governance.”
The release said the recent attempt by the Otti administration to threaten the Publicity Secretary of the APC in Abia State, with legal action for carrying out his legitimate responsibility of scrutinising and criticising government actions is both unacceptable and laughably futile.
The release alleged that at the last count, over 10 opposition members have been dragged before various courts in Abuja, Lagos, and Abia simply for demanding accountability, transparency, and responsible governance from the Alex Otti administration.
While calling on the Attorney-General of the Federation and the Chief Justice of Nigeria to closely monitor developments within the Abia State judicial system, Aguoru stated that neither the APC nor its members can be intimidated into silence.
