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Embattled young editor, Ifreke Nseowo has claimed that Governor Akpabio’s P.A on Security, Captain Iniobong Ekong (retd) is a gold-digger for demanding from him N500m as damages over a story he published on his blog back in June last year where an altercation ensued at Play Terrace, a popular nite club in Uyo.
It could be recalled that the claimant, Captain Ekong (retd) had dragged Nseowo who is the Managing Editor of Akwa Ibom based newspaper, Community Pulse to court for alleging in his blog publication that he (Ekong) is the owner of the said Play Terrace Lounge/Bar. Ekong claimed the story was defamatory in nature, while demanding N500m from Nseowo for damages.
But in his statement of defence and counter-claim, the defendant (Nseowo) who became a full-fledged editor at the age of 21 claims that the said article he published on his blog has no reference, resemblance or connection with Ekong.
“The defendant denies paragraph 15 of the statement of claims and urges the court to dismiss the claims as being frivolous, vexatious and attempt at gold digging”, stated Nseowo in his statement of defence.
He stated that Ekong’s denial of the ownership of the club goes a long way to proving that he (Nseowo) did not refer to him in the said publication, hence Ekong had no rights to sue him for defamation.
Parts of Nseowo’s statement of defence reads thus: “The defendant admits paragraph 6 of the Statement of claim as regards Play Terrace Nite Club in Uyo and further state that the publication refers to the alleged owner of the nite club who happens to be one Capt. Iniobong Ekong and not the claimant who does not know anything about the nite club and has no resemblance concerning the publication.
“The defendant denies paragraph 7 of the Statement of claims and state that the publication is not in any way libelous and the claimant cannot be said to suffer any embarrassment since the claimant is not the alleged owner of the nite club.
“The defendant denies paragraph 8 of the Statement of Claims and further state that the publication does not in any way lower the claimant in the estimation of the right thinking members of the society since the publication did not concern him but about the alleged owner of the Play Terrace.
“The defendant further state that the claimant has no cause whatever to fret or panic as the publication has no reference, resemblance or connection to him but concerning the alleged owner of the Play Terrace Nite Club.
“The defendant admits in paragraph 10 of the statement of claim to the effect that the claimant neither owns nor have anything to do with the Nite Club. He further states that the publication was not false, malicious or defamatory of the claimant.
“The defendant admits paragraph 11 of the statement of claim and wonder why the publication should be a cause for concern to the Claimant who is not the owner of the Nite Club”.
“The defendant denies paragraph 12 of the Statement of Claim and state that the publication was not out of malice or targeted at the claimant, his job or reputation.
“The defendant denies paragraph 13 (a) of the Statement of claim and states further that the Editor is not a child and has published many reputable journals to his credit and will not therefore exhibit such acts of infantilism and unprofessionalism.
“The defendant states that since the claimant is not the owner or has anything to do witht eh Nite Club and does not attend the Nite Club and was not at the scene of the incident, he has no cause for action.
“The Defendant denies paragraph 15 (d) of the claim and state further that there is no way such publication can embarrass the claimant and his boss when he does not know or have anything to do with the Nite Club.
Meanwhile, Justice Ifiok Ukana of Uyo High Court 7 sat on Monday, 5th May, 2014 to entertain the case. After listening to Barr. Eddie Ntukidem (Nseowo’s counsel) and Obio Mkpanam, Esq (Ekong’s counsel), the judge gave Ekong 15 days to reply Nseowo’s statement of defence and counter-claims while adjourning the case to May 22, 2014.