A FCT
High Court in Abuja, has lifted an order stopping former President
Olusegun Obasanjo from publishing his autobiography, ‘My Watch’ which
was earlier banned in December 2014.
Justice
Valentine Ashi had earlier banned the book following a N20bn libel suit
filed by an Ogun state People’s Democratic Party chieftain, Buruji
Kashamu.
Kashamu
had instituted the libel suit against Obasanjo having been dissatisfied
with his being described by the former President in the letter which
was widely published in the electronic and print media as a fugitive
wanted for drug offences in the United States of America.
On
December 8, 2014, Justice Ashi granted an ex parte application
restraining Obasanjo from publishing the book pending the determination
of the libel suit. But Obasanjo went ahead to present the book to the
public in Lagos, an act which the court held on December 10, 2014, as
contemptuous.
Justice
Ashi, upheld an application by Obasanjo’s lawyer, Chief Kanu Agabi
(SAN), and has ordered the Nigerian Customs Service which had
intercepted the books to release it without charging demurrage for the
period the books had been in its custody.
The court holds that Kashamu’s libel suit against Obasanjo in the same court, lacked vital facts to obtain the order.
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