The Kano State High Court has ordered Governor Abdullahi Ganduje to pay N800,000 to Mr. Ja’afar Ja’afar, the publisher of Daily Nigerian Newspaper, to cover expenses heincurred in a court case that the governor instituted over the controversial dollar bribery video.
Ganduje had sued Ja’afar and Daily Nigerian newspaper for releasing the video clips showing the governor stuffing his pockets with wads of dollars suspected to be kickback from a contractor.
The governor sued the publisher claiming N3 billion for purported defamation of character.
He, however, filed an application through his counsel, Offiong Offiong, on June 28 seeking to discontinue the case.
When the matter was called on Tuesday, counsel to Ja’afar, U. U. Eteng, and M. B. Azumi, counsel to Penlight Media Limited, publishers of Daily Nigerian, did not object to the application to discontinue the case but demanded N400 million as part of terms to discontinue the suit.
While Azumi asked for N300 million damages for wasting their time and putting the reputation of his client in jeopardy, Eteng demanded N100 million.
They also demanded an apology to be published in national dailies and a pre-action letter.
The judge, Suleiman Na-mallam, in his ruling granted N400, 000 each to Ja’afar and his company, Penlight Media Limited, publishers of Daily Nigerian newspaper.
He was however silent on the prayer by defendants to make a public apology in other national newspapers.