Ateke Slams N1bn Suit against Eight APC Chieftains for Defamation

The Amanyanabo of Okochiri clan in Okirika Local Government Area of Rivers State, King Ateke Tom, on Thursday filed a N1 billion suit against eight chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC) allegedly defaming his person when they embarked on a pro-SARS rally in Port Harcourt.

In the suit PHC/345/2018 before a State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Ateke also demanded an apology from the APC chieftains on national newspapers for denting his character.

The defendants in the suit are: Deputy Governorship candidate of the APC in the 2015 election, Hon. Asita O. Asita; the Chairman of APC in the state, Dr. Davies Ikanya; Dumo Lulu Briggs; and Sampson Ngerigbara.

Others are Prince Tonye Princewill; Sekonte Davies; secretary of the APC in the state, Emeka Beke, and Lawrence Chuku.

The suit read in part: “On the 11th Day of December, 2017 at Port Harcourt, Rivers State, all the Defendants falsely and maliciously wrote and published or caused to be written and published of and concerning the claimant in the way of his office as a Second Class Traditional Ruler recognised by the Rivers State Government in the form of Written Banner wherein his picture was displayed in his Traditional Regalia beside that of the Executive Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Chief Nyesom Wike, with the following inscriptions on it: Gov. Wike Is Making Criminals Kings And Attacking Security Agents.”

Ateke wants the court to compel the defendants to jointly and or severally pay him the sum of N1 billion for libel and defamation of his character.

He also wants the court to make an order directing the defendants to render a written apology in a prominent and conspicuous medium retracting the said offensive banner publication and publication in three national dailies.

He further sought a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants whether by themselves or their supporters from making any further defamatory publication concerning the claimant or his office in any form whatsoever as well as an undertaking to that effect.

The Council of Chiefs of Koniju Town in Okrika local government area of Rivers State, have condemned what they described as derogatory statement against the Paramount Ruler of Okochiri community, King Ateke Michael Tom by the All Progressives Congress (APC). 

The community also threatened to sue the APC unless it tenders a public apology and retracts the comments.

Leaders and members of the APC in the state, had during a protest in support of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Port Harcourt last December, accused Governor Nyesom Wike of recognising criminals as traditional rulers in the state.

The protesters displayed, among others, a flex banner with a picture of Wike with the Okochiri monarch during his coronation, with a bold inscription, 'Wike is Making Criminals Kings'.

The Chairman of Koniju Council of Chiefs, Chief Chris Biriowu Opuayaraya, had demanded for a retraction of the statement by the APC and an apology published in both local and national media.

Mbonu-Ayagara had said, "We, the chiefs, elders and people of Okochiri Kingdom and indeed the entire Wakirike ethnic nationality wholly condemn in the strongest terms the damaging malicious, provocative and insultive inscription targeted to malign and denting the hard-earned reputation of our monarch.

"We view the act as sacrilegious, inciting and intended to demean not only the image of our well respected traditional stool and its occupant but also a great disrespect and disservice to the people of Okochiri Kingdom, who after a thorough selection picked His Royal Majesty to ascend this exalted ancient throne.

"We, the chiefs, elders and good people of Okochiri Kingdom and indeed Kirikebese therefore demand that the statement be retracted, and a public apology rendered in both local and national print and electronic media by the perpetrators of this treacherous act without further delay or we will take legitimate and necessary action as we may deem appropriate."

 He described the claim by members of the APC that Wike coroneted Ateke Tom as paramount ruler, as an affront to the respected cultural values of the Wakirike people and the Ijaw nation in general.

“What right has these uninformed members of the APC to tag an innocent man a criminal? Has there been any competent court judgment to that effect? And what right do these uninformed persons of the APC have to challenge the right and choice of the Okochiri Kingdom in the selection of their?” he queried.