Nwobodo Sues Lagos Businessman for N20bn Over Alleged Defamation

ENUGU — Former governor of old Anambra State, Senator Jim Nwobodo, has dragged Lagos businessman Basil Ogbuanu before an Enugu High Court, demanding N20 billion in damages over alleged defamatory publications which he says have severely damaged his reputation.

The legal action, filed by Chuma Oguejiofor, followed a long-running dispute over four plots of land sold to Ogbuanu from an estate acquired by Nwobodo in 1976, several years before he became governor in 1979.

The case is supported by a 20-paragraph affidavit, 20-paragraph statement of claim, 22-paragraph statement of oath, eight-paragraph certificate of compliance, a one-paragraph list of witnesses and a 15-paragraph statement on oath by Chris Utazi, an Enugu-based lawyer and principal witness.

Nwobodo, 86, told the court that the dispute began after Ogbuanu allegedly failed to comply with conditions attached to the purchase of the property.

According to the former governor, buyers in the estate were advised to wait before developing their properties until the necessary government documentation was completed.

He explained that the property, known as Plot S/10, Independence Layout, Enugu, was acquired through his company, Linkana Hotels Ltd, in 1976 and was initially covered by a deed of lease.

The former governor said the introduction of the Certificate of Occupancy system in 1978 meant that the existing lease had to be replaced with a C-of-O, a process he described as time-consuming.

Nwobodo alleged that Ogbuanu instead proceeded to develop the four plots without waiting for the documentation and necessary government approvals. He said the government subsequently demolished the structures the businessman had begun erecting.

Rather than accepting responsibility for the setback, Nwobodo alleged that Ogbuanu embarked on media campaigns against him, which he said had harmed his public image and caused him psychological distress.

The former governor joined five other defendants to the action, including ThisDay newspaper, which he alleged published some of the reports.

He is asking the court to restrain the defendants from further publishing allegedly defamatory material against him and to compel them to retract the publications and apologise publicly.

He is also demanding N20 billion in damages, jointly and severally, for libel.

Specifically, Nwobodo is seeking an order:

• Restraining the defendants, their agents, privies or anyone acting on their behalf from publishing or continuing to publish defamatory or offensive materials against him.
• Directing the defendants to retract the publications and publish written apologies to him in at least three leading national newspapers, including THIS DAY and GUARDIAN NEWSPAPERS.
• Awarding him N20 billion in damages, jointly and severally, for libel.

Defending his record and reputation, Nwobodo told the court that he had accumulated substantial wealth before entering politics.

Part of his statement read: “That my integrity is doubtless and top-notch, before going into politics, I was a very wealthy man sitting atop several companies like the Links Group Ltd, Jimson Nig Ltd, Linkana Ltd, and etc.

“In fact, I am one of the few Nigerians that left office as Governor Poorer than when I entered office. Long before I entered politics at about 1976, I had acquired a large expanse of land at the highbrow Independence Layout Area of Enugu through my company, the Linkana Hotels Ltd, intending to use same for leisure business including building a hotel/resort on same. The property is known as Plot S/10 Independence Layout Enugu.

“That in 1980 when I got elected as the first civilian Governor of old Anambra State and was sworn into office, I resigned my direct ownership of the companies, but turned attention recently back to plot S/10 only to discover that more than 3/4 of same has been lost to land grabbers and speculators.

“Someone else with even half of my influence would have insisted on recovering all of the plots but I walked away and parcellated what was left of the said plots S/10 into plots of more than 20, 4 of them I had sold to the 1st defendant i.e. plots R/18-R/21, and I sold the rest to the teeming public.

“That the 1st Defendant who had bought the 4 plots did pay a total consideration of N235,000,000= to me for same, I have never denied receiving such consideration from him or selling the property to the 1st defendant.”

Nwobodo said the businessman was aware that the property had been registered under Moss Island Ltd after the ownership structure was changed for personal and inheritance-related reasons involving his wife and children.

He said Ogbuanu had conducted searches at the Enugu Lands Registry and discovered the registration in the name of Moss Island Ltd before he explained the relationship between the company and Linkana Hotels Ltd.

According to Nwobodo, the businessman was satisfied with the explanation and subsequently paid N235 million for plots R/18, R/19, R/20 and R/21.

He said Ogbuanu was given vacant possession but was advised to delay development until the Certificate of Occupancy covering the entire Plot S/10 was obtained from the Enugu State Government.

Nwobodo added that an estate development scheme had also been submitted to the relevant government agencies for approval.

He said that when Ogbuanu became unwilling to wait for the necessary approvals and documentation, he offered to refund the entire N235 million paid for the four plots.

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