Osinbajo suit seeking to stop alleged damaging documentary on AIT, NTA adjourned

A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, Friday, adjourned till March 27, to hear the suit by the Vice Presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, challenging the legality of an alleged damaging documentary being aired by the African Independent Television, AIT and the Nigerian Television Authority,  NTA.

Trial judge, Justice James Tsoho had earlier in the week, granted an interim order, restraining AIT and NTA from further broadcast of the said documentary pending the hearing and determination of the suit.

Osinbaja in the suit by his lawyer, Mr Femi Falana, SAN,is  contending that the airing of the said documentary was against his fundamental rights.

 At the resumed hearing in the matter, yesterday, Falana told the court that the two defendants had been served, and that he was ready to come back for hearing.

AIT was not represented by any lawyer, while Anthony Okochu represented NTA.
Okochu confirmed that the processes had been served on his client and that he needed time to respond to same.

 

The matter was thereafter, adjourned till March 27 for hearing, after all the necessary processes must have been filed and served.

 Osinbajo, in the suit is complaining that the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, having adjudged him a threat, sponsored documentaries to cause him disaffection in the eye of the public.

He argued that the videos were being aired in violation of his fundamental human right to dignity of human person, right to privacy and family virtue and right to life and/or livelihood as protected by Sections 33, 34 and 37 of the 1999 Constitution.

He is praying the court restrain AIT, NTA and any other broadcast stations under the control of BON from further disseminating and broadcasting the damaging videos.

 

According to him,  “Unless the respondents are restrained in the manner requested in this application, damages will be grossly inadequate to compensate or redress the unquantifiable, unwarranted and malicious damage to the applicant’ right to dignity of human person, right to livelihood and privacy guaranteed and protected under Sections 33, 34 and 37 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”