Gov. Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State is in fresh trouble as Senator Shehu Sani has filed a counter claim at the Kaduna State High Court against him claiming N5 billion for alleged libelous broadcast.

Senator Shehu Sani and Gov. Nasir El-Rufai

It would be recalled that Gov. El-Rufai in February sued the outspoken senator demanding N500 million for alleged defamatory statement contained in a publication.

However, the senator filed the Statement of Defence and Counter-Claim on April 20. Senator Sani in his counter claim is asking for compensation for an alleged libelous broadcast maliciously made against him by Gov. El-Rufai during a live broadcast transmitted through a radio station in Kaduna.

Senator Sani also urged the court to make an order directing the governor to tender unreserved apology in writing. He said the apology should be broadcast on seven successive days on the same channel that Governor El-Rufai made “the offensive broadcast, and published in renowned pages of four national newspapers.”

The senator asserted that the broadcast against him, which was in Hausa language, had affected his personality, political career, etc… “Sometimes in November 2017, the plaintiff, speaking at a live broadcast, transmitted on radio, maliciously, unlawfully and without any justification whatsoever, uttered defamatory statements in Hausa language.”

“The offensive publication has continuously reduced the counter-claimant’s reputation, his political and social standing and popularity, which had taken years of hard work, excellence, diligence, sincerity, service to the people, forthrightness and courage to build. “As a result of the malicious and offensive publication, the counter-claimant has suffered monumental humiliation and embarrassment and his reputation as a respectable Nigerian has been severely bruised and battered.”

“The plaintiff knew and had every reason to know that the said broadcast unfairly and unjustly portrays the counter-claimant as a villain, madman of incurable insanity, among others. “By reason of the foregoing, the counter-claimant has suffered humiliation, embarrassment, vilification, denigration, disparagement and agony, all of which are unquantifiable”.