Leaders of the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), Henry and Charles Okah, have jointly filed a N5 billion lawsuit against former President Goodluck Jonathan over allegation of assassination the ex-president leveled against them.
Making good on an earlier threat to sue Jonathan over his allegation, the Okah brothers, who are standing trial for alleged terrorism in Nigeria and South Africa, have instructed their lawyers (First Law Solicitors) to sue the former president and his media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, who released a press statement on his behalf recently.
In filing the suit, the brothers said the entire contents of the said statement issued by Eze breached their fundamental right to fair hearing as secured and guaranteed to them by the extant provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) as well as the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2004.
The brief on the lawsuit was contained in a statement issued and released by the counsel to the Okah brothers, First Law Solicitors (Legal Practitioners) and signed by the Senior Partner, Timipa Jenkins Okponipere, Esq., a copy of which was obtained by ThisDay yesterday.
In the statement titled, 'Former President Goodluck Jonathan and Niger Delta Avengers: We Hold Okah Brothers' Brief to Sue Ex-President for Five Billion Naira', Charles Okah also filed a 14-paragraph narrative in which he reacted to and corroborated the recent revelations made by one Cynthia Whyte regarding the unsuccessful attempts made by former President Jonathan to lobby the MEND to endorse the former President's 2015 failed re-election bid.
The solicitors, according to the information said, "We have been consulted and our professional services were subsequently retained by Messrs. Henry Emomotimi Okah and Charles Tonbra Okah (whom we shall hereinafter, jointly refer to as our "clients").
"Our clients have instructed us to file a Five Billion Naira (N5bn) lawsuit against former President Goodluck Jonathan and one Ikechukwu Eze who released a Press Statement on behalf of the former President on or about August 8, 2016.
"It is our client's brief that, the entire contents of the said statement breached their fundamental right to fair hearing as secured and guaranteed to them by the extant provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) as well as the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act 2004.
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