A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has summoned Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to enter appearance in a ₦40 billion defamation suit instituted against him by former Rivers State APC governorship candidate, Tonye Cole.

Also joined in the suit is Channels Incorporated Limited, owners of Channels Television.

The matter, marked CV/4502/25, is slated for mention on December 9 before Justice M. A. Hassan of Court 33.

According to court documents, Cole—through his legal team led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Jibrin Okutepa—approached the court after Wike and Channels TV allegedly ignored a pre-action notice and a demand letter dated October 8.

Cole is seeking ₦40 billion in general damages over comments made by Wike during a September 18 live interview on Channels TV’s Politics Today, which he claimed portrayed him as dishonest and involved in financial mismanagement, including issues linked to Rivers State gas transactions and the Olympia Hotel.

He said the remarks were false, malicious and injurious, insisting they damaged his reputation nationally and internationally.

The claimant is also asking the court to award ₦500 million as cost of the suit, issue a judicial declaration that the statements were defamatory, and compel the defendants to:

retract the comments,

delete the broadcast from all platforms,

publish public apologies on Channels Television and in at least five national newspapers.

Cole is further seeking a perpetual injunction restraining Wike and Channels TV from making or publishing any similar defamatory statements against him.

The court directed the defendants to file their appearance within 21 days of receiving the writ.