LEDUN MITEE SLAMS N1B SUIT ON COMMUNITY OVER LEADERSHIP TUSSLE

Emmanuel Ukudolo

Nigeria, May 06, 2016 – Former President Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People(MOSOP), Dr. Ledun Mitee has filled a N1.1 billion suit at a Port Harcourt High Court against Chief Enoch Tombari Gbarabe, Festus Z. Legbara and Olulu Sunday Olulu and Kegbara Dere community in Gokana Local Government Area of Ogoni in Rivers State, Nigeria for defaming his character.

In the suit, PHC/1907/2015, Mitee is demanding among others N1,000,000,000 being damages on exemplary and aggravated footing for the said defamation; N1,000,000 being cost of the litigation and an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants and each of them, whether by themselves, their servants or agents or otherwise from further publishing or disseminating or causing to be published or disseminated the said words or similar words defamatory of the claimant.

But the defendants/counter-claimants in reply denied each and every allegation of fact enunciated in the claimant’s statement of claim. Similarly, they doubted and raised grave credibility questions regarding Mr. Mitee’s profile.

They argued that the claimant as President of MOSOP operated the organisation like a private family enterprise/business and that throughout the claimant’s tenure, the claimant appointed Mr. Batom Mitee (claimant’s younger brother) to head the Ogoni Development Foundation (ODF), an affiliate/organ of MOSOP funded by local, national and international organisations including the European Union (EU).

“That the ODF office space located at 28 Ordu Street, Ogbunabali, Port Harcourt and the entire facilities, assets of the foundation was not handed over to claimant’s successor.

They argued that the said property was rather converted to family use as soon as claimant stepped aside as MOSOP President. (The office is now being occupied by claimant’s younger brother, Mr. Batom Mitee and claimant’s cousin, Mr. Baridi Lekpa Legbara).

“That the claimant appointed Fegalo Mitee (his elder brother) to head another instrument/affiliate of MOSOP, the Information and Communication Training Centre (ICTC), located at the Peace and Freedom Centre, Boris and that assets belonging to the centre including computers, and other documents, were not handed over by claimant to his successor and that the facilities have since been converted to family property now used as a local computer business centre on Wike Road (adjacent to the claimant’s Port Harcourt residence), in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State.

Meanwhile, Hon. Justice Iheanyichukwu Wodi has fixed Monday, May 16, 2016 for further mention of the suit.