Court throws out ex-Kaduna governor, El-Rufai’s N2bn defamation suit against Shehu Sani

A Kaduna High Court sitting in Zaria, has dismissed a libel and defamation suit filed by the former Governor of the state, Nasir El-Rufai against former lawmaker, Shehu Sani.

El-Rufai filed a N2 billion suit against the the ex-Kaduna central senator in 2018. He sought relief for alleged injuries suffered as a result of “statements” made by Sani.

Delivering judgement on Thursday, June 15, the judge H. A. L. Balogun dismissed El-Rufai’s suit on the ground that it was an abuse of court process.

The judgment was predicated on the fact that the plaintiff filed several suits over the same cause of action before several courts in Kaduna State.

The defence counsel, Barr. Kimi Livingstone Appah initially filed a notice of preliminary objection to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the suit on the ground that the same case was filed in four different courts in the state.

Speaking to pressmen after the ruling, Appah described the ruling as a victory for democracy and freedom of expression.

It may be recalled that El-Rufai said Sani defamed him by referring to him as a “drunk, loose cannon and an embarrassment to President Muhammadu Buhari”.