Ortom drags Oshiomhole, APC back to court as N10bn as settlement talks suffer setback

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, has dragged former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, and the party back to a Makurdi High Court asking for a date for definite hearing in the N10 billion libel suit he filed against them. This is as a result of the collapse of the out-of-court settlement talks between Ortom, Oshiomhole and the APC.

Oshiomhole had sought an out-of-court settlement with Ortom, a move that was communicated to the court on October 13, 2020.

The presiding judge, Justice Augustine Ityonyiman, adjourned the matter till October 29, 2020, for the report on the out-of-court settlement.

After two adjournments, the last being on December 16, 2020, the case resumed yesterday for the report on the out-of-court settlement.

Ladi Achibong, who held brief for Ortom’s counsel, Samuel Irabor, told the court that the out-of-court settlement had failed and that it appeared that the defendants were not serious about the proposed settlement.

The lawyer said she had Irabor’s express instruction to ask the court to fix a date for definite hearing of the suit.

But Titus Akuha, who held brief for counsel to Oshiomhole and the APC, Festus Jumbo, opposed Ortom’s lawyer’s submission.

The lawyer said all the terms of settlement had been met, except one issue that was still pending.

So, the settlement cannot be said to have failed, he insisted.

After listening to counsel to the parties, Justice Ityoyiman adjourned the matter till February 26 for the report on the out-of-court settlement or the definite hearing.