Kaduna State Governor Nasir has filed a suit at the State High Court
seeking N500million damages on four defamation charges against the
senator representing Kaduna Central zone, Shehu Sani.
The governor, who personally filed the suit on Friday, is seeking
compensation for the injury he allegedly suffered as a result of “the
malicious statements” by Senator Sani.
He accused the lawmaker of calling him an embarrassment to President
Muhammadu Buhari among others.
El-Rufai is also seeking a declaration that the derogatory remarks
purportedly made against him by Senator Sani are totally false and
injurious to his person in the eyes of the public.
Counsel to the governor, Abdul-Hakeem Mustapha, told reporters at the
court premises that each of the four actions attracts the sum of
N500milion each.
He also dismissed insinuations that Governor El-Rufai, by virtue of
his position, lacks the constitutional right to sue any citizen.
However, in a swift reaction, Senator Sani has said though he has not
gotten any document of the suit, he is fully prepared.
Speaking with ChannelsTv, he denied making any derogatory remarks,
stressing that he never called the governor a drunk, loose cannon, or
an embarrassment to the President.
Instead, the lawmaker said his criticism was limited to issues that
have to do with governance and alleged abuse of power by Governor
El-Rufai.
He also accused the governor of dragging the President into his
battle, saying: “He always hide behind President Muhammadu Buhari …
and all that I mean is about my own state.”
Sani insisted that he has the fundamental right to express himself,
saying he cannot be stopped or silenced by any legal action.
With the governor suing the lawmaker, there seems to be no end in
sight yet in the crisis rocking the Kaduna State chapter of the All
Progressive Congress (APC).
The crisis has been on for a while and has resulted in the suspension
of Senator Shehu Sani in 2016, and Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi in
February by the APC leadership in the state.