N6bn S’ Court award to Odili fake news – Peterside

Dakuku Peterside, a former governorship candidate in Rivers state, has debunked the viral report that the Supreme Court on Friday awarded N6 billion damages against him for libeling Peter Odili.

Odili was Rivers state governor between 1999 and 2007.

In a statement released by his media team, Peterside said the Supreme Court only dismissed his motion challenging how the litigant (Odili) chose to serve court summons on him.

“Against what is being bandied in the social media, the Supreme Court of Nigeria did not enter into a N6 billion or any such judgment against former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside.

“The apex court dismissed an appeal by Peterside challenging the decision of the Court of Appeal to sustain an earlier dismissal of his preliminary objection to the service processes adopted by the litigant.

“Not satisfied with the processes of service, Peterside had filed an objection through a notice of preliminary objection challenging the service of the originating processes.

“In her ruling, Justice Laminkara dismissed the objection ruling that the services were properly instituted.

“But dissatisifed with the court’s stand, Peterside approached the Court of Appeal, Port Harcourt Division, which, however, dismissed his appeal, ruling that the lower court was right after all.

“Peterside, still not satisfied, filed Appeal No. SC. 667/2018 before the Supreme Court which was determined today by the Supreme Court.

“So by today’s decision of the apex court, the Port Harcourt High Court can now hear the substantive case,” the statement read.