Ortom vs Oshiomhole: Court rejects Oshiomhole’s application for stay of proceedings

Justice Augustine Ityoyiman of the Makurdi High Court has turned
down the stay-of-proceedings application filed by the National
Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade Adams
Oshiomhole in the N10billion libel suit instituted against him
by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue.

The APC National Chairman had approached the Court to stay
proceedings in the matter pending the hearing and determination of
his interlocutory appeal at the appellate court challenging the
October 18, 2019 ruling of the Court.

The trial court had on the said day struck out a motion brought
before it by Comrade Oshiomhole urging the court to dismiss
Governor Ortom’s suit over the non-joinder of the media
organizations and social media platforms that reported his press
conference of July 28, 2019.

However, in his ruling on the application Justice Ityonyiman held
that the reasons advanced by the defendant for the stay of
proceedings were not cogent and lacking in merit.He declined the application but however granted Comrade
Oshiomole leave to file his interlocutory appeal at the Court of
Appeal and adjourned the case to December 13, 2019.

Governor Ortom in the suit among others, averred that Comrade
Oshiomhole allegedly assassinated his character and damaged his
reputation when in an APC sponsored press conference held on
Friday, July 27, 2018, accused him of having a hand in the death of
two Catholic priests and other parishioners at Mbalom community
in Gwer local government area on the ground that one of the priests
had preached a ‘very critical sermon’ against the Governor.