Former Ekiti Governor Fayemi Begs Court For More Time To Study Sowore’s Blockbuster Defence In Libel Suit
He asks the court to dismiss the suit with substantial costs, arguing that Fayemi has no reputation to protect.
Aformer Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi, has requested additional time from a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja to review a blockbuster defence filed by human rights activist Omoyele Sowore in a libel suit against him and Sahara Reporters Limited.
In June 2024, Sowore submitted a 47-paragraph joint statement of defence in suit No: FCT/HC/CV 2062/2021, with Fayemi as the claimant and Mr. Omoyele Sowore (founder, Chairman, and Director of Sahara Reporters Limited) and Sahara Reporters Limited as the 1st and 2nd defendants.
In his statement, Sowore alleges that the claimant is a thief with no reputation.
He asks the court to dismiss the suit with substantial costs, arguing that Fayemi has no reputation to protect.
Sowore’s counsel, Tope Temokun Esq., submitted the statement on June 10, 2024, asserting that contrary to Fayemi’s claims of piety and incorruptibility, the people of Ekiti State and Nigeria have a different perception of him.
Sowore argues that Fayemi’s reputation is tarnished, and he has no grounds to claim libel.
He pointed out that Fayemi was charged in January 2018 with financial impropriety offences in the High Court of Ekiti State (Charge No: HAD/5c/2018 – The State Vs. Dr. John Kayode Fayemi and Mr. Vincent Dapo Kolawole).
The charges included refusing to obey a witness summons, attempting to prevent or defeat the course of justice, criminal contempt, and abuse of office.
Additionally, the defendants allege that Fayemi secured a N20 billion loan from a bank to build an international cargo airport in Ado Ekiti, despite rejecting an offer from Aare Afe Babalola to contribute to the project, claiming that the state had sufficient funds to complete the airport. This contradicts Fayemi’s claims of uprightness and incorruptibility.
He further noted that the cargo airport in Ado-Ekiti, inaugurated on October 15, 2022, was not fully completed, despite claims by Fayemi that it was a world-class facility.
At the resumed hearing of the case at Apo Court 12 on Wednesday, Fayemi’s lawyer, S.I. Amen (SAN), pleaded with the court for an adjournment to study the defendant’s defence, file a reply, and present witnesses.
This request followed Sowore’s defence filing on June 10, 2024. The counsel for the 1st and 2nd defendants, Temokun, mentioned that his motion for an extension of time was to regularixe the already filed defence.
The trial judge Hon. Justice A.O. Otaluka, therefore, adjourned the matter to March 17, 2025 for the continuation of trial.
