The defamation case instituted by Sen. Chris Anyanwu against former Imo State governor Ikedi Ohakim at FCT High Court suffered a second adjournment in one week due to the absence of the defendant’s principal counsel, Mr. Ken Njemanze, SAN.
The case which was slated for hearing on June 17, two days ago, was adjourned to June 19 after lawyers from Njemanze’s Chamber, informed the presiding judge, Justice M.I. Sani that their principal took ill that day. Three lawyers stood in for Mr Njemanze for Ohakim.
Though Anyanwu’s counsel Mr. Adekunle Kosoko, objected to the application, insisting that they had enough notice to have prepared for cross examination of the witnesses, irrespective of the senior lawyer’s absence, the judge granted it and fixed June 19 for conducting examination in chief and cross examination.
At the resumed hearing today, there was no representation from the Ohakim’s lawyers. Kosoko, after announcing his appearance for the plaintiff, told the Court that at about 4.30pm yesterday, they got a letter from Njemanze’s firm that he was still indisposed. The judge said the Court got the same letter.
He wondered why they did not send a physical representation to sort out this, especially as their key witnesses have been present in Court for the two days. He tried to address the issue of extra costs but the judge said under the circumstances, he did not have much option but to grant the adjournment.
Kosoko then applied that the judge should Order that the case must be heard on the adjourned date, whether the defence team’s the principal counsel was present in court or not. October 13, 2025 was selected as the new adjournment date and the judge ruled that the trial will be commenced and possibly closed that day. He also ordered the plaintiff’s counsel to serve the hearing notice on the second defendant, Vintage Press Ltd.
Senator Anyanwu has taken Ohakim to court over an interview he granted to The Nation Newspaper, published on January 12, 2025, in which she alleged that the former governor defamed her. Through her lawyers, she requested that he publish an apology in two national dailies, including The Nation, which first published the interview. Instead, Ohakim filed a defence in which he admitted to the alleged defamatory comments and justified them as fair comment.
He has also declared that he intends to publish a letter of apology in his forthcoming book, which he claims Senator Anyanwu sent to the late military Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha.
In response to the suit, The Nation newspaper published a retraction and an apology to Senator Anyanwu on June 1, 2025.
The Nation stated, “In the light of this, we have taken prompt steps to retract the publication across all our digital and print platforms. Furthermore, we have issued a retraction and a public apology in our May 18, 2025, edition of The Sunday Nation newspaper in order to correct the record and ensure our readers are properly informed.
