Oshiomhole Humbled By N10bn Libel Suit, Retracts ‘False, Baseless’ Allegations Against Ortom

Former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, has eaten his words regarding allegations he made against Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, in 2018.

Oshiomhole took to the pages of newspapers on Thursday to admit that he made “false and baseless” allegations against Ortom after the governor switched from the APC to the People’s Democratic Party (PAC) ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The then APC chairman had at a press conference in 2018 accused Ortom of seeking to “make capital out of human graves and celebrate the death of his own people.”

Oshiomhole also accused the Benue governor of squandering N20 billion allocated to the state as bailout funds as well as “huge sum of money Benue state collected from Paris Club refund.”

These allegations prompted Ortom to approach the Makurdi High Court where he filed a N10 billion libel suit against Oshiomhole and the APC.

The APC chairman had in a notice he communicated to the court on October 13, 2020, sought out-of-court settlement with Ortom.

In what is believed to be part of the agreements reached to settle out of court, Oshiomhole has published a retraction of his statement in some national dailies and demitted that his claims were baseless.

One of the retractions published on Thursday in The Nation reads: “On the 27th day of July, 2018 at the National Headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and particularly in my capacity then as the Chairman of the Party, I addressed different national issues as well as some events which occurred in Benue State, including the movement earlier that day of his Excellency, Dr. Samuel Ortom (Executive Governor of Benue State) from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party.

“In the course of the press conference, I made certain comments about Dr Ortom on the basis of information I have since found to be false and baseless.

“His Excellency Dr Samuel Ortom felt embarrassed, defamed and deeply aggrieved by the comments I made at the said press conference, culminating in litigation.

“That politics aside, Governor Samuel Ortom is a dear friend and brother with whom I have shared so much in common, including mutual respect.

“That as former colleagues and one time members of the Nigerian Governors’ forum and most importantly as someone whom I am just a phone call away from, any ridicule, embarrassment, spite and insult caused Dr Samuel Ortom is regretted.

“Owing to the relationship we share and in the larger interest of peace, harmony and brotherliness, I believe a complete retraction of my comments made on 27th July, 2018, and which Dr Samuel Ortom found offensive is proper and necessary.

“In view of all the above, I hereby retract the comments made during the press conference on 27th July, 2018, as it relates to Dr Samuel Ortom.”