Thread by @ChidiOdinkalu

The Hi Court of Rivers State sitting in Port-Harcourt, presided over by Justice A.U. Kingsley-Chuku has adjournd to 9 Jan 2019, hearing in suit no PHC/3193/2018 betwn Dr Peter Odili v. @ChidiOdinkalu & @Naijavote, the libel suit over #TooGoodToDie. Here's the story of #OdiliLibel

On 31 Oct 2018, former Rivers State Gov, Dr. Peter Odili, issued Writ of Summons at High Court of Rivers State against @ChidiOdinkalu & @Naijavote claiming that their recent book, #TooGoodToDie libeled him with claims that were "untrue" & "painted him in bad light"
#OdiliLibel

In his filing, Dr. Odili complained about specific claims in on pages 129-130; 136-138; & 162 of #TooGoodToDie which address aspects of violence & mismanagement of state resources under his watch when he was Governor of Rivers State 1999-2007
#OdiliLibel

Specifically, Dr. Odili claims that in the course of his public life, he "has earned for himself a reputation for honesty" & that #TooGoodToDie "has indeed altered the minds of so many in respect of their rating of him."

Dr. Odili seeks an injunction against the authors restraining them from publication of #TooGoodToDie. He also seeks N1Billion in damages (just a little under $3 million). His lawyer is Kanu Agabi, SAN, 2-time Attorney-General to President OBJ
#OdiliLibel
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After issuing the Writ, on 14 November 2018, Dr. Odili, applied for an interlocutory injunction against @ChidiOdinkalu & @Naijavote precluding further publication of #TooGoodToDie pending the disposal of the proceedings
#OdiliLibel

In #Nigeria, where court proceedings can last until the day after eternity, an interlocutory injunction in this kind of case cld amount to get everything that the claimant asks for in the case without even having to prove anything. That wld be a travesty.
#OdiliLibel

On 28 Nov, the Court granted an application by Dr. Odili for the Writ & other processes in the to be served on the defendants by substituted means. This was the means by which @Naijavote & @ChidiOdinkalu were formally served with the processes in the case
#OdiliLibel

On the same day, 28 Nov, the same court set adjourned to 5 Nov to hear the application by Dr. Odili for interlocutory injunction. However, under the Rivers State High Court Rules, the defendants were entitled to 7 working days from 29 Nov to respond to this filing
#OdiliLibel

When it sat on 5 Dec to hear the "interlocutory" injunction application, the court was informed it the time within which the defendants cld file their response under the law had not expired, so it cld not hear the application. It adjourned argument on #OdiliLibel to 17 Dec 2018

On the same day, 5 Dec, the Court issued an "interim" injunction restraining the respondents "from further publishing the defamatory words complained of in the book #TooGoodToDie" pending the hearing of the hearing of Dr. Odili's motion
#OdiliLibel

On Friday, 14 Dec, @naijavote & @ChidiOdinkalu, through their counsel, Idaye Opi, entered conditional appearance in the case. On the same day, they also filed & served by way of notice of motion an objection to the High Court of Rivers State as venue for #OdiliLibel

The Court resumed hearing on 17 Dec intent on hearing the application for interlocutory injunction. Dr. Odili was again present in court in person as were his lawyers. However, in the face of the objection by @Naijavote & @ChidiOdinkalu arguments cld not proceed

Dr. Odili, thro his counsel, Kanu Agabi, SAN, has asked for a short adjournment to respond to the objection by @Naijavote & @ChidiOdinkalu to hearing this case in the Rivers State Hi Court. The court adjourned the case to 9 Jan 2019
#OdiliLibel

So, here guys, those are the facts of where the case is: @TunjiLardner; @nkanga_p; @AbdulMahmud01; @elnathan_john; @PUREHAIRE; @SamuelOgundipe; @MausiSegun; @pius_adesanmi; @simonkolawole; @martobono; @bbiodun; @Olusegunverdict; @ukwuomaibe; @ChiomaChuka; @EiENigeria
#OdiliLibel

@TheICIR; @WSoyinkaCentre; @IPCng; @cislacnigeria; @SocialActionNg; @Africmil; @NFF2008; @noprin; @livingtruely;@akinfadeyi1; @ptcij; @SERAPNigeria; @Globalrightsng; @oghalebu; @Citizens4Africa; @Citizenmohammed; @AfricanLawyers; @NULAINigeria; @AfAafrica; @OSIWA1
#OdiliLibel