Alleged Libel: Ned Nwoko Writes Govs Forum DG, Demands $40m

A former House of Representatives member, Mr Ned Nwoko, has written the director-general of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Abdulrazaque Bello-Barkindo, over allegation of libellous statement.

Nwoko, through his lawyer, Onyeka Nwokolo Esq., is demanding an apology from the NGF DG and $40m as damages.

According to the letter, Bello-Barkindo was quoted to have said while responding to the issue surrounding the Paris Club refund, “It is curious that in the introduction of himself, Mr. Ned Nwoko said nothing about his current status with the UK Law Society and the widely held belief that he was disbarred for fraudulent activities.”

But Nwoko described the statement as untrue and a damage to his reputation.

Nwoko, therefore, attached his practising certificates for 2020/2021 and 2021/2022 legal years issued by the Solicitor Regulation Authority, to Bello-Barkindo.

Nwoko said, “The above unguarded and unwarranted statement was issued by you as part of the rebuttal of the very serious issues raised by our client about your refusal to fulfll obligations including even commitments entered into in the court of law over the Paris Club Refunds. Your resort to unfounded and fabricated story to attack his person instead of responding to the issues is devious, wicked and libelous.

“Your quest is to damage his reputation, cast him as a devious, manipulative, dishonest and fraudulent person of questionable character who is making claims against you. The implication and innuendos from the false allegations is to abuse the minds of the public and rouse public support against your refusal to pay his consultancy fees instead of addressing the issues in controversy.

“It is common knowledge that our client attended universities of Keele and Kings College, University of London, two world renowned institutions where he obtained his first degree and masters. After his call to the English Bar, as member of the Lincoln’s Inn, he requalified as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales.

“He had the rare fortune of establishing and growing one of the most successful law firms in Great Britain in the 1990s. By dint of due diligence and divine grace, he was adjudged by credible legal authorities in London as the best black Lawyer of African descent resident in the UK.

“Our client came back to Nigeria in 1999 to embrace an equally enchanting destiny, heading to the House of Representatives, Abuja to represent his people – Aniocha/Oshimili Pederal Constituency, as the nation returned to multi-party democracy.

“Till date our client is proudly and happily in touch with his legal roots in Britain. He has his annual practicing certificates as a British lawyer. They don’t issue practicing certificates to anyone debarred from practice.”