– Following the publication of a patently false story against her by POINTBLANK NEWS, an online news medium, the Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has sued the medium for N10 billion.
The minister is claiming the amount against POINTBLANK NEWS COMMUNICATIONS INC. and its directors – Jackson Ude and Churchill Umoren – as general damages for libel and the same amount as exemplary and aggravated damages for libel.
The suit is with regard to a news story titled “Okonjo-Iweala buys N1.2 billion Abuja mansion!”published on January 10, 2012 which, among other false claims, alleged that the Minister purchased the “mansion” from Chief Fabian Nworah, owner of EFAB Properties Ltd in November 2011.
In response to a rebuttal issued by the minister’s office, POINTBLANK NEWS responded that it had “overwhelming evidence to prove that she owns the mansion but if she insists we are wrong she knows where to seek redress”.
Chief Nworah issued a statement in which he denied that he or his company sold the alleged property – No 3 Nworah Street, Off Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja – or any other property to Dr Okonjo-Iweala. He added for emphasis that the property described in the story was in fact still available for purchase at the time the story was published.
In the statement signed by Chief Nworah: “It is a fact that we have properties for sale but nonehas been sold as at today – January 11, 2012. We are still looking for buyers and we want to say categorically that we did not sell any of the houses to Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.”
In confirmation that its intent was malicious rather than professional, POINTBLANK NEWS refused to retract its story and in fact continued to prominently display the egregious falsehood on its website, in defiance of all standards of professionalism and decency.
Paul C Nwabuikwu
Senior Special Assistant to the Coordinating Minister for the Economy/Minister of Finance
It is unfortunate dat d likes of Ude and his pointblank should be allowed to be deceiving Nigerians. He is a foolish idiot.
I have asked the masses lawyer to sue Madam Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for double talk, selective amnesia, round about denials and false claim on budget performance at 56%, but she ran away to make time for another rationalization, when the senate called her to explain. Does she have a right to sue anybody?
Madam should be treated with selected statement. She’s a world class woman.
Anybody who has stolen our commonwealth should be investigated and brought to book accordingly. But it should be based on fact and it should also be all inclusive. No sacred cow… Oil subsidy probe,$16b expended on the power sector during OBJ…etc. We the unemployed youths of this nation are waiting. We are following with keen interest the position and plans of Save Nigeria Group (SNG).
So many commentators here are IGNORANT of how the judicial process works. This is just image laundering for Okonjo Iweala by her lapdog, paul nwabuikwu. How do you claim you have a suit against an organization but fail to state the suit number and the court…hahahahaha…an some idiots bought it. she knew she would want to run for world bank presidency so to ake her look good she resorted to suing on pages of rags. why didnt top papers like Punch, guardian, nation Thisday carry this silly statement. Bcos they had no suit number or court to back it up. so they give it to useless rags..lol
Pointblank must be shown how to practise journalism.
Let the Hon. Minister prove her case in court. If found culpable, let the law take its course. However, if the Media house in question is found to have defamed the Hon. Minister’s character, let the maximum weight of the law be brought to bear, not only on the Newspaper house, but also on both the writer of the story and the editor. If possible, let the financiers of the media house also face the music. Enough of deceiving the public!
She wants money to buy more houses. 10 billion? A ridiculous amount in an environment where more than 70% of the population lives on less than a dollar (160 Naira) a day and where she is the Finance Minister.
Pity Nigerian politicians and appointees can no longer think in thousands, nor in millions….only billions and maybe soon in trillions.
What frivolity!
Occupy Nigeria while Igbos are massacred a guise to kick GEJ out of office.
Where is Bankole with his stolen billions, Sorowe the Sahara Reporters diverting our attention while fighting Igbo people at every turn with lies and disrepute. All the Nigerian money that got lost during Obj (Ajaokuta steel to India co. for penny on 10 dollars), trillion dollar NNPC oil revenue that got lost, was not even in the news and all Nigerian industries sold to ghost foreign companies. You guys better tone this anti-Igbo sentiment down, Tiye. If it is not Iwuala, it is Deziea Ani. We can not back down for blackmailers. The war is over and the British are gone. SE, SS and middle Belt have formed a union. This gives serious political power to members.
There will be no peace for all that hate the IGBOS of nigeria the salt of this country
Do you ever listen to your own ignorant ranting? She wants money to buy more houses? How dare you fail to understand the substance of the suit in the first place? There is no house link to her in the first place.Really is the sun shining where your head is?The fact that she sued for that amount shows the extent to which she’d go to protect her name. It is that simple. You cannot have a silly little tabloid outfit surly her reputation without serious retribution. NO, SHE DOES NOT WANT THEIR MONEY(IT ISN’T THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE), SHE WANT HER GOOD NAME BACK. Got it?
Lastly, I sure don’t care that Nigerians are living on $1 a day or is it $2? When you fellows applauded military take-over after military take-over, this is what you end up with.IBB sure is laughing at you now.So am I by the way.
A test of new Nigeria judicial system.
It will set a standard for the few months or years that the cancerous union may still last.
Sis Ngoooo….go for it! Set the stage for the future!
I doubt if Pointblanknews is the one that should be sued instead of that other one that has been battering Nigeria from it’s US location for years now. I forget their long name but Ngozi will know because that other one has published more false stories about her than Pountblanknews
Okonjo please bite hard these guys that are good only in desecrating good people of repute. When you bite do not let go and maybe in the balls (Liquidation).
Everybody should be careful indeed. But lets watch and see!