Tonye Cole sues Wike for alleged defamation, demands N40.5 billion compensation

​Tonye Cole, the 2023 All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, has sued the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and Channels Incorporated Limited (Operators of Channels Television), claiming N40 billion in damages for alleged defamation.

The FCT Minister and Channels TV are the first and second defendants in the suit with case number CV/4502/25, while Mr Cole is the claimant.

The suit, filed at the High Court of the FCT, on Friday, 8 November, is coming on the heels of the expiration of a two-week ultimatum earlier given by Mr Cole through his lawyers, demanding that Mr Wike retract the alleged defamatory statement, issue a public apology and pay a compensation of N20 billion as damages.

Mr Wike had allegedly made the defamatory statements against Mr Cole while on a live broadcast on Channels TV’s “Politics Today” on 18 September.

​According to the Writ of Summons and the attached Statement of Claim, Mr Cole said that Mr Wike’s statements during the interview were false, malicious, offensive, defamatory, and calculated to disparage his reputation in his personal, professional, and public capacity.

The court documents sighted by this newspaper specifically mentioned Mr Wike’s broadcast allegations, stating that the minister referred to Mr Cole by name and occupation as a “thief, a person who stole State resources, and who sold Rivers State gas for $308 million.”

​Mr Cole’s legal team, led by J.S. Okutepa, said the statements are libellous as they permanently impute criminal conduct, dishonesty, and corruption, which have gravely injured his client’s standing both nationally and internationally.

Mr Cole also referenced the minister’s allegation that he “stole” the Olympia Hotel.

Mr Cole is seeking N40 billion for alleged damages resulting from the “malicious, reckless, and unfounded defamatory broadcast and publications,” which he said have caused him monumental injury, humiliation, mental anguish, and irreparable harm to his reputation.

He is also seeking an additional sum of N500 million, being claimed as the cost of the legal action.

​Beyond the damages, Mr Cole is seeking several injunctive and declaratory reliefs, including:

​A declaration that the statements made by Mr Wike during the live broadcast are false, malicious, and defamatory.

​An order directing the defendants to jointly and severally retract the libellous publications in full and permanently remove every copy, clip, or rebroadcast from all their platforms, including YouTube and social media.

​An order compelling the defendants to tender an unreserved, public, clear, and unequivocal apology to the claimant via a live broadcast on Channels Television’s “Politics Today” and by publication in not less than five national daily newspapers of wide circulation.

​An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from further publishing or disseminating any defamatory material relating to the claimant.

​The claimant’s legal team noted that before the suit, a pre-action notice and letter of demand dated 8th October were served on both Mr Wike and Channels Television, demanding a retraction, public apology, and payment of N20 billion in compensation from each defendant.

The defendants, according to Mr Cole’s legal team, failed, refused, and neglected to comply, necessitating the initiation of the court action.

​The court has told the defendants to enter an appearance within 21 days of the service of the writ.