It’s a great relieve for the National Leader All Progressive Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Monday, when a court, in Lagos, restrained the African Independence Television (AIT) from airing a controversial documentary “Lion of Bourdilion.”
Justice Iyabo Akinkugbe of the Lagos High Court, in Ikeja, gave this order granting an interim order stopping AIT from broadcasting the documentary on the former Lagos State governor.
Through his lawyer, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, Tinubu had instituted a N150 billion claim against AIT alleging that the documentary was not only libelous, but aimed at tarnishing his image.
In an ex-parte motion, Tinubu sought an order of interim injunction stopping AIT whether by itself, agents, privies and or other persons from producing or continuing airing, or to reproduce the documentary.
The matter was presented as urgent before the court, because it was described as threat to the person of Tinubu, if the offensive broadcast was not stopped and if the ex-parte motion was not granted.
The motion further stated that the claimant would not be duly compensated if the ex-parte order was not granted and prayed that the rest of the suit may be extinguished if the ex-parte order was not granted.
At the proceeding, Olanipekun also sought to move the interlocutory application, while counsel to AIT, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN), objected the move, stating that he had not responded to the application.
Ozekhome said he was only served the application last Thursday, and that he still needed time to respond to the application for fair hearing.
He, therefore, asked for a short adjournment to file the reply and the court granted his request.
Thereafter, Olanipekun made an oral application asking the court to grant an interim order restraining AIT from airing the documentary.
Although Ozekhome objected to the application, Justice Akinkugbe upheld the application.
She said: “The defendant is hereby restrained from further airing, publishing or disseminating broadcasting the documentary “Lion of Bourdilion”, pending the determination of the interlocutory application,”
The matter has been later adjourned to March 20, for argument on the interlocutory application.
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