A High Court in Port Harcourt has restrained the Federal government from further mentioning the National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, in the looters’ list which it published recently.
The Chief Judge of Rivers State, Justice Adama Iyayi-Lamikanra, who issued the order on Monday, also ordered that the hearing notice be served the respondents by the plaintiff.
The order followed a motion brought by Secondus seeking an interlocutory injunction against further publication of his name on the list.
Secondus, in Suit PHC/1013/2018, is suing the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Federal government and Vintage Press for alleged libel.
He is asking the court to award him N1.5 billion damages for the alleged libel.
He said listing him as a looter who collected N200 million on February 19, 2015 from the Office of the National Security Adviser is libelous.
The PDP chairman’s counsel, Mr. Emeka Etiaba (SAN), said the judge could hear the suit because his client was defamed by the publication.
The respondents were not present in court and the judge adjourned the matter to April 28.