Journalist drags deputy governor’s aide to court

An Abuja-based journalist, Prince Yemi Itodo has concluded arrangements to file a N50 million suit against the chief press secretary to the deputy governor, Ede Ogaba Ede, over a defamatory post against him on social media.

The alleged wheelbarrow scheme of Governor Samuel Ortom elicited a lot of criticism across social media, which later transcended to print media, with various commentaries across the country.

Irked by Itodo's commentaries, Ede took to the social media with derogatory post against the journalist with an attachment of his photograph.

Addressing journalists in Abuja, Itodo said his team of lawyers has taken step to institute a law suit against Ede who "has shut his ears against every peace deal offered to him.”

His words: "When he was making those derogatory posts, in the name of advising me, I asked him to remove my picture from the post, but he refused.

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"The following day, I made it open that my image and personality had already been bastardized by his act, that he should take down my picture but he declined. He rather got some boys who kept sharing my picture on the Internet to further expose me to danger.

"Barely 48 hours after the incident, a friend of mine, , who expressed his dissatisfaction over the wheelbarrow scheme was beaten to stupor in Gboko, by boys alleged to be members of APC and supporters of the Governor. He was accused of making comments on the wheelbarrow saga.

"It was then dawn on me that I was next on line, since my picture had gone into circulation, both on the Internet and offline, by the deputy Governor's aide and his foot soldiers,” he added.

According to a copy of the letter made available to , Itodo is demanding a retraction of the post and an apology from the deputy governor’s aide.

"Your posts were not only false and malicious, but they constitute the most wicked attacks on our client's reputation and integrity that he has built over the years among colleagues, immediate family members, his community and the general public at large,” read the letter by his lawyer, Dominic Ochenehi (Esq.).