Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, has asked an Ikeja High Court to stop the national spokesperson of People Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh, from publishing any further ‘libelous’ statement against him.

Mohammed had on October 12 filed a N500 million suit against Metuh before Justice Atinuke Ipaye, alleging that the PDP spokesperson defamed him in a press statement on September 20, 2015.

He alleged that Metuh accused him of embezzling funds meant for fencing an airport, as well as obtained money to supply ambulances, both in APC-controlled states in the Southwest, which he never did.

During yesterday’s hearing, counsel to Mohammed, Mr. Wahab Shittu, brought an application dated November 8, urging the court to “restrain the defendant, his agents, groups or associations from further publishing libelous writing against the applicant pending the hearing of substantive suit.’’

“We need a stop-gap of this court. The claimant is accused of corruption and embezzlement, meaning the claimant is a fraudster and an economic saboteur. This is a claimant who has not been arraigned or found guilty of any corrupt practices and a legal practitioner of great standing. He is currently serving as Minister of Information,” Shittu argued.

He added: “The claimant’s legal right has been violated and is threatened by the defendant who seems to be on rampage. The defendant should be restrained from further publication of libelous statements.”

In his response, counsel to Metuh, Emeka Etiaba (SAN), urged the court ‘‘to strike out or dismiss the application for incompetence.

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