Court Bars Nigerian Pilot From Reporting Jega

Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof.

Attahiru Muhammad Jega, has obtained an injunction from an Abuja High

Court against Nigerian Pilot Newspapers and Nigerian Newsworld

Magazine restraining reportage on him and his activities till further

notice.
Nigerian Pilot had on April 14, 2015 formally written to the INEC

chairman seeking audience with him on issues thrown up in a four-month

investigation the newspaper did on his tenure as the country's chief

electoral superintendent in fulfilment of the demands of the

profession.
But his solicitors instead replied the missive on April 20, 2015,

asking that Nigerian Pilot acquaint them with details of its findings

which the INEC chairman would respond to in writing devoid of a formal

interview.
Three days after the receipt of the lawyers' letter, the court order was given.

The Certified True Copy of the court order which followed an ex-parte

motion filed by his lawyer, A. B. Mahmoud of Dikko &Mahmoud before His

Lordship, Hon. Justice D. Z. Senchi of the High Court, Apo, Abuja, on

April 23, 2015, reads:
“An order of Interim Injunction is hereby granted restraining the

defendants/respondents whether by themselves, their officers, privies,

agents, employees or otherwise howsoever called from publication in

their Nigerian Pilot Newspapers and the Nigerian Newsworld Magazine,

whether print or online edition or in any medium whatsoever the

libellous findings and conclusions pertaining to the

plaintiff/applicant and to have been unearthed after the

defendants/respondents four months period of thorough investigation

and scrutiny of the plaintiff's activities as INEC boss referred to in

their letter of  April 14, 2015 addressed to the plaintiff pending the

hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed along with the

substantive action now before this court.”
The case has been fixed for May 20, 2015 for mention.

Nigerian Pilot Newspapers and Nigerian Newsworld Magazine have since

filed a counter suit.
In his four-point prayers, Jega asked the court to declare that the

defendants so called “4 months period of investigation and scrutiny”

of the plaintiff's activities as INEC boss, which “unearthed shocking

revelations of malfeasance, self-enrich and abuse of office” and the

finding and conclusion reached by the defendants regarding the honesty

and integrity of the plaintiff that “sharply contrast with public

perception” without confronting the plaintiff with the so-called

allegations or documents containing such allegations in their

possession and affording him the opportunity of rebutting such

allegations are malicious, in bad faith, amount to blackmail and undue

harassment.
The INEC boss also prayed the court to restrain the defendants, by

themselves, their servants, agents or privies or otherwise however,

from proceeding with the publication threatened to be published

against the plaintiff in their letter of 14th April, 2015 for being

libellous and intended to injure his reputation.
In the alternative, Jega sought an order of the court directing the

defendants to submit to the court the result of the defendants' so

called “through investigations and scrutiny of the plaintiff's

activities as INEC boss” to enable the court determine the public

interest dimension of the allegations and direct if such publication

could in the public interest be published by the defendants or any

other person.
He further sought damages in the sum of N1billion as his solicitors'

fees and the cost of the action.
The post Court Bars Nigerian Pilot From Reporting Jega appeared first on Pointblank News .