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Sylva Pleaded, Requested Settlement Twice, Did Not Win Any Defamatory Case in U.S- Pointblanknews Publisher, Jackson Ude

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The publisher of Pointblanknews.com, Mr. Jackson Ude has said that Minister of State, Petroleum, Timipre Marlin Sylvia, pleaded for out of court settlement and did not win any case against Pointblank News in the US. He stated this in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday. The statement reads “My attention has been drawn to spurious, criminal, malicious, defamatory and disparaging news report being sponsored by the Minister of State, Petroleum, Timipre Marlin Sylvia, in which he claimed victory in a United States Eastern District Court, Pennsylvania.
“Nothing can be more ridiculous than such a claim when indeed the Minister was the one who instituted a defamatory case against me, turned around to twice request for an out-of-court settlement through his attorney, used leaders in Nigeria to reach out to me to accept an out of court settlement.

“In 2021, Sylva came to the U.S court and filed a lawsuit against me for defamation. The case started in February 2022. After discoveries were conducted by attorneys for both Sylva and me. Sylva appeared for deposition via zoom and was interrogated for closed to five hours in May. I was also deposed for about three hours. After the deposition, Sylva through his lawyers approached my lawyers for an out-of-court settlement”.
” The first request was denied. He came back again on July 22, 2022 and made another request. This time, Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, whom I have tremendous respect for, has been reaching out to me on behalf of Sylva, requesting I accept to settle the matter out of court”

“After going through Sylva’s requests and adjustments made by my lawyers, I accepted the request in good faith and directed my attorneys to proceed with it” “Judge Hon. Joseph Leeson Jnr of the Eastern District court, thereafter, set up settlement conference hearing for August 11, 2022. And also set September 14 as the Jury trial date if we did not reach an agreement to settle. I attended the hearing as ordered by the Judge while Sylva pleaded with the Judge to allow him to appear via zoom”.

“At the Settlement hearing, we both went through the agreements. The Magistrate Judge, Hon. Pamela Carlos, supervised the process and both parties agreed and signed off the settlement agreement. No judgment was pronounced. Sylva was not pronounced winner as no trial in the case ever happened”

“In plain language, the suit did not proceed to trial or judgement stage. It was simply a settlement out of court which Sylva, not me, sought”.

“It is, therefore, a violation of the Judge’s order for Sylva to sponsor defamatory, malicious and disparaging publications against my person and that of Pointblanknews.com in other to whitewash himself. In due course, he would return to the U.S court to explain his actions”.

“The amateur attempt to hoodwink the public and spread lies are some of the instrument politicians have employed to deceive Nigerians. Again, Timipre Sylva never won any defamatory case. How can you be a winner in a case that never went to trial? Otherwise, Sylva should show to the public a judgement he obtained from the U.S Court declaring him winner. It is pure lies from the pit of hell” Ude sounded with a note of finality.

 

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Judiciary

Court Restrains BEDC From Disconnecting Teaching Hospital Electricity

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An Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has restrained Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC) from disconnecting the electricity at the Ondo State-owned University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital (UNIMEDTH), Ondo, over alleged indebtedness.
In an order granted ex-parte, the court presided by Justice B J Akinwumi barred the distribution company from tampering with the cable that supplied electricity to the Teaching Hospital
The Teaching Hospital through its counsel, Iyiola Afolabi, had dragged the company to court over the fear of disconnection of its electricity owing to alleged indebtedness.
The institution had prayed for “An Order of interim injunction restraining the Defendant, its agents, servants, privies staff or officers or anybody claiming through or for the Defendant from disconnecting or threatening to disconnect electricity supply to the claimant pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.”
It also prayed for further order as the court may deem fit to make in the circumstances. The Motion was brought under order 20 Rule 1 (1) and (2), Rule 15 of the Ondo State High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019 and under the inherent jurisdiction of the Honourable Court.
Justice Akinwumi in his order after reading the affidavit of Alo, Damilola Olatubosun granted the prayers of the applicant/ complaint.
The court restrained BEDC, its agents, servants, privies, staff officers, or anybody claiming through or for the Defendant from disconnecting the electricity supply of the Claimant/Applicant pending the determination of the Motion on Notice.
Due to the ongoing Courts vacation, no date has been fixed for the hearing of the motion on notice

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Judiciary

Seized National Assets/Ogun/Guangdong FTZ: Our Story

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Since the report of the Arbitration and legal matters between a Chinese Firm and the Federal Government of Nigeria/Ogun State Government on the termination of Management contract at the Ogun/Guangdong Free Trade Zone, the Media Office of His Excellency,  Otunba  Gbenga Daniel, FNSE, FAEng has been inundated with calls requesting for Otunba Daniel’s reaction on the matter.
We need to establish clearly that Otunba Gbenga Daniel, or his administration is not in discussion on the matter before the courts and arbitration, neither were the terms or proprietary of the Agreement for the establishment of the FTZ, rather it is the termination of a Management Contract. The judgements in all the courts are very clear on this.
It is also important to note that this is a very sensitive matter involving our collective national assets and commonwealth, which every patriotic Nigerian should feel concerned about. And as a Patriotic elderstatesman who has had the privilege of serving Ogun State as the Governor through which he was able to bring about several developmental projects including the establishment of the Ogun/Guangdong Free Trade Zone and others, and through which he has impacted on the lives of many citizens, also as a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is this patriotic path he chooses to thread.
Rather than engaging on media comments, the most reasonable course of action that The Senator Otunba Gbenga Daniel would rather engage in is helping Nigeria, through the President and Commander-in-Chief, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to finding a diplomatic solution to the issue at hand with available records that could assist the Federal Government in pursuing its course at the arbitration and before the courts. He can not do this on the pages of the newspapers and on other media, which may also compromise the strength of Nigeria’s arguments in the courts.
We also need to appreciate that this matter is before various courts in several countries, and it is subjudice for anyone to speak on them.
However, let us emphasise once again that the Ogun/Guangdong Free Trade Zone project still exists and several Nigerians are working there as we write, just as there are several companies still doing their legitimate businesses. It is from this perspective of development that the efforts of Otunba Gbenga Daniel should be well appreciated.
At the time of his handover in 2011, about 56 companies were at various stages of operations, construction, and showing interests in the Free Trade Zone and through which various life impacting developments (including but not limited to the construction of roads, schools for the local community, scholarship and sponsorship of many Nigerians for academic pursuit etc) have taken place in the Igbesa area, which was an otherwise rural community before the establishment of the Free Trade Zone.
There are so many incorrect reports and misrepresentation of facts on Timelines of activities relating to the establishment and Operations of the Free Trade Zone in circulation especially on the social media, and we plead that the media should partner with the Nigerian government in finding a very productive solution to this matter in Nigeria’s interest. It is not time to play politics with the assets and integrity of our dear country.
We sincerely appreciate all efforts at reaching out for Otunba Daniel’s side of the story as we also seek the understanding of all those who called to appreciate his sturdy silence to be able to assist the President on the way out of this testy time and situation.

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Lawyer Petitions Police, DSS over Alleged Defamatory Publications, Threat to life

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A lawyer, Chief Yinka Oguntimehin of Yinka Oguntimehin & co, has petitioned the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged defamation publication and threat to his life and that of his client, Otunba Wole Ogunbayo.
In the multiple petitions, addressed to the Area Commader, Nigeria Police Force, Sagamu Area Command and the Director, Department of State Services (DSS), Ogun state command, and titled: Petition on Azeez Oladimeji Ashiru’s Criminal activities calculated at causing a breach of public peace, civil unrest and threat to the life of and properties of Otunba Wole Ogunbayo of Amba Properties Limited, Oguntimehin alleged that “Azeez Oladimeji Ashiru resorted to criminal acts, defamatory publication, cyber bullying and threats against our Chief Yinka Oguntimehin through numerous publications made by him on his mobile telephone number,”
The petition further stated: “We are Solicitors to Otunba Wole Ogunbayo and Amba Properties Limited hereinafter referred to as our Clients and on whose instruction we write.
“Please be informed that Otunba Wole Ogunbayo is the alter ego of Amba Properties Limited.Whereas Otunba Wole Ogunbayo is a philanthropist, community and church leader, property consultant and business man of good repute; Amba Properties Limited is a reputable company well known for property management, real estate consultancy and facilities management for more than two decades.
“Our Clients have referred your false, malicious and defamatory content published through Azeez Ashiru on phone number 08034237237 via whatsapp medium on the 3rd of June, 2024 and via STV 24 television medium around 22.56 and 22:59 on the 3rd of June, 2024 to members of the general public and the whole world and accordingly sought our intervention.
“You maliciously published the said defamatory content to members of the general public and the whole world as follows: ‘Please save us from AMBA and Gani Onimale. He has stationed land grabbers on the farm land, They are after us.’
Oguntimehin expalined the said publications have damaged the reputation of his client, Otunba Wole Ogunbayo, who he described as a highly respected chief in Remoland and a devout christian.
“This man published several damaging messages about my client. For the records, Otunba Wole Ogunbayo is the managing director/CEO of Amba Properties Limited, a company he established in February 2002. He is reputable well known for Property Management, Real Estate Consultant and Facilities Management in Nigeria.
“Beyond this, he is a well-decorated chief in Remoland. Among his titles are, Akile of Itori Land; Otunba Fiwagboye of Ijoku Land; Bashorun of Isara Remo; Diocesan Adviser to Remo Anglican Diocese on Property Matters; Baba Ewe of Emmanuel Anglican Church and an award of honour by the Nigeria Police Force, Sagamu Area Command among several others.”
Speaking on the possible cause of the crisis, Oguntimehin explained that Ashiru Azeez resorted to blackmails and threats after several failures to grab some land that was purchased by Amba Properties some years ago.
“The real reason behind all of this is Ashiru’s failure to grab some parcels of land that Otunba purchased Otunba Ogunbayo purchased some acres of land from the original owners some years ago. He has tried several tricks, but has failed. The latest of the criminal activities of Azeez Oladimeji Ashiru is the orchestration of false, malicious and defamatory content published on his phone number.”
Oguntimehin stated that Ashiru Azeez, who he alleged started sponsoring frivolous petitions and campaign of calumny against them since the year 2019, has variously dodged efforts to serve him court summons, while he has also refused to answer invitations by the police and the DSS.
“The purpose of this is to alert the world to the desperation of this man. We have observed that he is getting more desperate as the days pass bye. All these acts of blackails and treats cannot work,” Oguntimehin maintained.

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