The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, has said that he will forgive former Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole if he apologizes

Governor Ortom disclosed it to journalists while distribution of 46 vehicles to the 23 local government chairmen and leaders of the state House of Assembly in Makurdi on Wednesday.

He said the Bible enjoins Christians to forgive. However, he will forgive Oshiomhole only upon fulfillment of conditions to be advised by his lawyers

“I am a Christian and the Bible says forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.

“So, if your brother offends you and comes back to apologise, you will forgive. Moreover, the conditions are there, and I know that I was innocent even when he made all those allegations.

“If he comes back now to tender an apology to me and also go back to the same news medium that he used to scandalise and vilify me to have the apology published and also meet the condition set by my lawyers, I will certainly forgive him.” Ortom said

TNL recalls that Governor Ortom had filed a 10b suit against Oshiomhole at the state High Court in Makurdi alleging that the defendants assassinated his character and damaged his reputation when in an APC sponsored press conference held on Friday July 27, 2018, Comrade Oshiomhole accused Governor Ortom of having a hand in the death of two Catholic priests and other parishioners at Mbalom community on the ground that one of the priests had preached a ‘very critical sermon’ against the Governor.

At the further hearing of the suit on Tuesday, Oshiomhole sought an out-of-court settlement.

The presiding judge, Justice Augustine Ityonyiman, adjourned the case till October 29, 2020, for the report of settlement.

Among the relief sought by Governor Ortom were “a declaration by the court that the Defendants’ allegations and publication of July 27 against the Plaintiff are false, mischievous, unsubstantiated, defamatory and libelous of the Plaintiff.

“An order directing the defendants to publish simultaneous retractions/apologies in respect of the said defamatory and libelous publication against the Plaintiff in the Sunday editions of 10 National Dailies circulating within Benue State as well as paid advertorials to the same effect on the prime time beats of the Nigerian Television Authority, Channels Tv, TVC News, African Independent Television, Independent Television (ITV), Benin, Radio Nigeria, Radio Benue and Harvest FM.”

“An Order of Perpetual Injunction restraining the Defendants, their officers, privies, assigns, surrogates or agents howsoever called from further defaming and libeling the Plaintiff’s character and reputation and any other order(s) that the Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.”

The cost sought by the Governor in the suit includes “an Order of the Court awarding the sum of N10billion as damages in favour of the Plaintiff and against the Defendants jointly and severally for the defamation and libel of the Plaintiff’s character and reputation by the Defendants.”

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