Court Vacates Order Stopping Obasanjo's Book 'My Watch'
An FCT High Court, sitting in Apo District, on Wednesday, vacated its earlier order restraining former President Olusegun Obasanjo from publishing or selling his book titled ‘MY WATCH’.
The judge, Justice Valentine Ashie, had on December 10th, , granted the interim order, restraining Obasanjo from publishing his new autobiography ‘My Watch’, following an ex parte application by Dr Alex Izinyon (SAN), the counsel to Buruji Kashamu, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Alex Iziyon (SAN), had told the court that part of the content of Obasanjo’s book, related to the subject matter of the N20bn libel suit instituted by Kashamu against Obasanjo. The interim order was made pending the determination of the suit.
But at the resumed hearing yesterday, Justice Valentine Ashie, stated in his ruling that the existing order dated 10th Dec, 2014, restraining the publication of the book was obtained by the plaintiff with the intention of concealing and suppressing vital facts.
The judge also ordered that the Nigerian Custom should not charge demurrage on the seized books currently in its custody.
In the substantive suit, the plaintiff is complaining that Obasanjo’s letter to President Jonathan about him titled: ‘Before it is too late’ which was published in the Daily Sun newspaper (pages 47-49) and The Leadership newspaper (pages 3 to 8) of December 12, 2013, was injurious to his person.
Obasanjo had claimed in the letter that Kashamu was wanted for drug-related crime in the United States of America.
The matter has been adjourned to 26th May, 2015, for substantive hearing of the suit.
