A High Court in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, on Friday fixed May 14, to hear the report on the out of court settlement of the N10 billion libel suit instituted by the state governor, Samuel Ortom against the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
Recall that the Benue Governor had in 2018, dragged the former governor of Edo State to court over alleged defamatory comments against him in an APC press conference which the former APC Chairman organized on July 27, 2018.
During the conference, Oshiomhole accused Ortom of been involved in the killing of two Catholic priests and others who were shot dead at the Mbalom community, Gwer East local government area of the state.
After filing six preliminary objections to the suit and losing all, the former APC Chairman bowed and approached the court for an out-of-court settlement with the governor.
Counsel to Oshiomhole, Titus Akuha, who held the brief of Festus Jumbo told the court that though the matter was fixed for a definite hearing, there is a new development on the out-of-court settlement earlier canvassed by Oshiomhole.
The counsel who disclosed that Oshiomhole has accepted to settle the case out of court said what remains is a retraction of the publication in electronic media and some other sundry issues.
He, therefore, asked the court for another date to enable the parties to resolve the outstanding issues and report back to it.
Counsel to Governor Ortom, Samuel Irabor corroborated the submission of Oshiomhole’s counsel.
After listening to the submissions of both counsels, Justice Ityonyiman who presided over the proceedings, adjourned the suit to May 14 for report on the out-of-court settlement.
