THISDAY Insists Governor Wike not a Consistent Personality

* Rivers court fixes September 15 for adoption of addresses in libel case

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt

A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt yesterday adjourned till September 15, this year for adoption of addresses in a libel suit by the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike against THISDAY newspapers and others.

The trial judge, Justice Adolphus Enebeli adjourned the matter, after the final cross examination of witnesses for the defendants in the case registered in suit No. PHC/1505/CS/2020.

Earlier, the third witness for the defendants during cross examination by the applicant’s lawyer, Emmanuel Ukala (SAN) yesterday, told the court that the summary and interpretation of the report published in THISDAY of June 23, 2020, explained that Governor Wike was inconsistent when making public comments.

The witness, Mr. Iyobosa Uwugiaren, who identified himself as an Editor, Nation’s Capital of THISDAY, insisted that “Wike is not a consistent person when it comes to his utterances and public comments.”

When asked by Ukala to explain the headline of the report “With a friend like Wike, Obaseki Meets His PDP’s Waterloo: Almost”, Uwugiaren explained that it was an interpretation and summary of the whole story as written by the reporter.

Again, Ukala asked the witness if the headline portrays Wike as a reliable friend of Obaseki’s, Uwugiaren replied “By the time the publication was made, Wike and Obaseki were in the same political party. Therefore, they may be friends as at the time.”
Speaking to journalists outside the courtroom, lawyer to THISDAY, Tuduru Ede (SAN) explained that his clients produced witnesses who judiciously testified in the interest of defendants.

Ede explained: “We have concluded defence with our last witness and so the matter has been adjourned for parties to file written addresses and then we come back on September 15 to adopt them.
“The case is not won or lost on the number of witnesses; we have fielded competent, capable, intelligent, well read and good witnesses who have testified on behalf of the defendants.

“Have shown that the interpretation which the claimant seeks to place on the publication does not arise. A newspaper had the right to make a fair comment on a man who has been all along in public life, and emphasised that the man is inconsistent.”

He added: “The same Obaseki’s story is now in the public domain. Is he today, in good terms with Obaseki and Shaibu? And that is the inconsistency the witnesses conveyed, that this is a man who relates with you today, tomorrow he turns 360 degrees.”

Also speaking, one of the applicant’s counsels, Mark Agwu said: “Incidentally, the defence called their last witness today. At our last adjourned date, they took a motion to call an additional witness and he led the evidence in chief and he was fully cross examined.

“The defence, thereafter, has closed their case. The next adjourned date, September 15 is for final written addresses and by the rules, the defendant has 21 days to file a written address.

“The court is going on vacation now but we want to believe as the court resumes we will be able to do the adoptions.”