A High Court sitting in Abuja has issued a summons to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, directing him to formally respond to a massive defamation lawsuit filed against him. The suit, seeking forty billion naira in damages, was initiated by Tonye Cole, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the 2023 Rivers State governorship election.
Court Orders and Case Details
The court has mandated Wike to enter an appearance within twenty-one days of receiving the legal writ. Channels Incorporated Limited, the parent company of Channels Television, is also named as a defendant in the case. The matter, with the suit number CV/4502/25, is scheduled for mention on December 9, 2025. The hearing will take place before Justice M. A. Hassan at Court 33 in Abuja.
According to a court notice issued on Friday, December 5, 2025, the legal action proceeded after the defendants allegedly failed to comply with a pre-action notice and a formal demand letter dated October 8. Cole's legal team, led by renowned Senior Advocate of Nigeria Jibrin Okutepa, is spearheading the litigation.
The Core of the Defamation Claim
The lawsuit stems from comments made by Nyesom Wike during a live interview on Channels Television's programme, Politics Today, on September 18. Tonye Cole contends that the statements were false, malicious, and severely damaging to his reputation on personal, professional, and public fronts.
Court documents reveal that Wike's remarks implied Cole's involvement in financial misconduct and mismanagement of state resources. The allegations specifically referenced affairs related to Rivers State gas assets and the Olympia Hotel. Cole's counsel argues that these assertions imputed dishonesty and criminal wrongdoing, thereby injuring his standing both within Nigeria and internationally.
Reliefs Sought by the Plaintiff
In his suit, Tonye Cole states he has endured humiliation, mental anguish, and significant reputational harm from what he terms a "malicious, reckless and unfounded defamatory broadcast and publication." Beyond the colossal forty billion naira claim for damages, he is seeking an additional five hundred million naira to cover litigation costs.
Cole has asked the court for several specific orders, including:
- A judicial declaration that Wike's statements were false and defamatory.
- An order compelling both Wike and Channels Television to publish a full retraction and apology on the station and in at least five national newspapers.
- A directive for the defendants to delete the contentious broadcast from all platforms.
- A perpetual injunction to restrain Wike and Channels TV from publishing further defamatory statements about him.
The case sets the stage for a major legal confrontation between two prominent figures in Rivers State's political landscape, with significant implications for media liability and political discourse.
