The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Com. Julius Abure has dragged Arise Television to court for slanderous comments made against him on air.
In Suit No: B/35/2023 filed before High Court of Edo State by his counsel President Aigbokhan, Esq on 18th January, 2023, made available to the press, the chairman stated that he has been defamed more than twice by the television station.
The chairman stated that his attention was drawn to the television’s Morning Show interview granted to the former National Publicity Secretary of Labour Party Mr. Arabambi who has been sacked from the party. The claim of the chairman shows that the Television station broadcasted defamatory statement against him on 11th day of December 2022 through the interview of the party former publicity secretary without cross checking the facts with the party or inviting the party representative for such an interview.
In the same vein, on 8th January 2023 the television station granted another interview to one Miss Agho Blessing and broadcasted the interview from her private office in Benin City to disparage the reputation without giving him the privilege to respond to the allegations. The chairman claims that the TV station sell prime time to people to malign him without giving him or his representative an opportunity to air their part of the story. He claims that the dual interviewed by the defendant was done with malice.
In the pleadings filed on 18th day of January 2023, the chairman states that the principles of fairness, accuracy, and balance in the coverage of political activities was not observed by the Television Station as the TV station failed to comply with ethical code of broadcasting in the interview of its guest and claim against the station the sum of N150, 000,000.00 (One Hundred and Fifty Million Naira Only).
