A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Wuse Zone II, Abuja, has granted an order restraining former President Olusegun Obasanjo from going on with plans to publish or have someone publish on his behalf, his new autobiography titled, ‘My Watch.’
Request for the order was made by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Buruji Kashamu, in an ex parte application.
Justice Valentine Ashi made the order on Friday as he agreed with Kashamu’s lawyer, Alex Iziyon (SAN), that part of the content of the book related to the subject matter of the N20bn libel suit instituted by the PDP chief against former President Obasanjo.
The content of the book was said to be related to a letter dated December 2, 2013, written by Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan, claiming that Kashamu was wanted for drug-related crime in the United States of America.
The court order read in part, “The defendant, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, whether by himself, his agents, servants, privies or any other person by whatever name called and howsoever described, is hereby restrained from publishing or caused to be published in the yet to be published book, ‘My Watch’ or any autobiography or biography and any extracts of same, by whatever name called or howsoever titled, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice hereof.”
Kashamu had, shortly after the content of the letter was widely published in electronic and print media, sued Obasanjo for alleged defamation of his character.
He argued that Obasanjo “maliciously and recklessly published a letter, titled, ‘Before it is too late,’ which contained words which he (Obasanjo) knew to be false.”
He is praying the court to award in his favour, and against the ex-President, N20bn for the damage he had suffered as a result of the allegation.
Source: Punch