Delta North Senatorial candidate and former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ned Nwoko, Governors war has taken a fresh dimension.
The former lawmaker is threatening to sue the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) for libel and disparaging publications.
His lawyer has accused the NGF of publishing false, untrue and concocted stories about him.
His lawyer letter reads:
“One of the false and defamatory statements,” it reads, “which has been trending on the social media since Sunday, 21 August 2022 authored by one ABDULRAZAQUE BELLO-BARAKINDO on behalf of the NGF alleged as follows:
“It is curious that in the introduction of himself, Mr Nwoko said nothing about his current status with the UK Law Society and the widely held belief that he was disbarred for fraudulent activities.’”
Attached to the letter were Hon. Nwoko’s Practising Certificate for the years 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 issued by the Solicitors Regulation Authority – the regulator of solicitors and law firms in England and Wales.
“…Till date our client is proudly and happily in touch with his legal roots in Britain. He has his annual practising certificates as a British lawyer. They don’t issue practising certificates to anyone debarred from practice,” the suit read.
He, therefore, demanded that the NGF:
“1. Publish in two national newspapers as well as in your online news media — statements retracting the libellous publications of 21st August 2022 with an unqualified apology within 48 hours from the receipt of the letter.”
“2. Pay the sum of $40,000,000 (forty million United States dollars) as compensation for the malicious, false and disparaging publications.”
For those who don’t know, Nwoko’s letter is in response to a statement by the Forum on Sunday where the former lawmaker was accused of spilling half-truths about the controversial Paris Club refunds.
Also, NGF wrote to the federal government and argued that an attempt to restart the deduction process of $418 million, which is in the courts would be unconstitutional.
NGF equally accused the Attorney-General, Abubakar Malami, of attempting to illegally make the payment to the consultants.
Be that as it may, Nwoko said his firm, Linas International, was being owed $68 million and not $418 million as stated by the NGF.