By Kajo Martins, Makurdi

An anti -corruption crusader, Dr. Godwin Adzuana Dabo, has dragged former minority leader of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hon. Nanev Uhondo, before a Makurdi high court claiming the sum of three hundred million naira for libel.

  In a suit filed against Uhondo last Wednesday, Dr. Dabo, among others alleged that Hon. Uhondo, in a petition against Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State portrayed him as a tout and thug in the service of the governor who was paid to flatter and earn a living from flattery.

 Dr. Dabo, in the suit averred that Uhondo’s malicious publication against him was based on a letter he (Dabo), had written to President Musa Yar’Adua, dated September 10, 2008, stating that based on investigation, Governor Suswam was not corrupt. 

  He further averred that despite his letter to the president giving Governor Suswam a clean bill, Uhondo had gone a head to circulate, including through publication, a document alleging that the governor was corrupt, thus exposing him (Dabo) to public ridicule and scorn in the eyes of Benue citizens.

  Dabo further maintained that he had requested Uhondo to withdraw his document since, according to him, it was false, unjustified and unsubstantiated. According to him, he has requested Uhondo to produce documents in respect of his allegations against the governor but that Uhondo could not do so.

  He further averred that he was prepared to, at the trial, produce evidence that would prove that, the contents of Uhondo’s allegations were malicious, baseless and without foundation since Uhondo did not at any time crosscheck his facts with the governor or any arm of his government.

  Dr. Dabo added that apart from the elders and leaders of Guma (where Uhondo comes from) who advised him to withdraw his petition against the governor, the MINDA (his ethnic development association) also disassociated itself from and condemned Uhondo’s allegations against the governor.

  Consequently, Chief Dabo is praying the court to order Uhondo to produce documents to substantiate his wild allegations as well as tender a written apology and retraction of the publication to be published in seven national dailies.

  He is also demanding N300, 000.000 general damages as well as an order of perpetual injunction restraining Uhondo and his agents from further writing and circulating falsehood and libel.

  Joined in the suit were the Paradigm Communications Limited, publisher of National Daily newspapers, their editors and reporters.