The political face-off between the immediate past Deputy Chief of Staff (DCOS) in the office of the Deputy Governor, Chief Don Ubani, and former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Abia State, Chief Umeh Kalu, SAN, has taken a legal dimension, MUK can report.
This is as Chief Kalu, alleging libel against him by Chief Ubani, has filed a defamation lawsuit against the former Deputy Chief of Staff in an Abuja Federal High Court.
In the suit sighted by one of our correspondents with the number FCT/HC/CV/6777/2023, Chief Kalu is seeking to compel Chief Ubani to issue a public apology in a full-page advertisement in both Sun Newspaper and ThisDay Newspaper.
He wants Chief Ubani to retract the defamatory statements contained in a press statement titled “What a Demeaning Unprofessional Conduct By Chief Umeh Kalu, SAN”.
Additionally, the former Abia state Attorney General is requesting that Chief Ubani publish an apology on his Facebook social media page/website, retracting the defamatory statements.
He is also seeking general damages of N500 million for the harm caused to his reputation, which he claims is false, malicious, and defamatory.
The writ of summons, dated July 10, 2023, is to be served in both the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Abia State.
According to a copy of the statement, Chief Don Ubani posted an article on his Facebook page, titled “Abia Watch – Centre For Equity And Eradication of Rural Poverty,” on June 14, 2023. The article contained statements that Chief Kalu considers harmful and defamatory to his person.
