Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasiru El-Rufai has welcomed the judgment of high court in the defamation case he filed against the publishers of the Union newspaper.
In a Statement by the Special Adviser to the State governor on Media and Communication, Mr Muyiwa Adekeye explains that, Justice M.L. Muhammed delivered the judgment on the case 1 November 2021, six years after the case was filed.
According to the Statement, In July 2015, less than two months into Malam Nasiru Elrufai tenure as governor of Kaduna State, the Union Newspaper published a false story on his asset declaration”
It says the governor swiftly issued a statement to debunk the story the very day it was published and affirmed his intention to approach the court for redress.
Malam El-Rufai who welcomed the judgment of the court, said the freedom to publish is not a license to defame people or clothe rumour-mongering and malice as journalism.
It reveals that, beyond the damages awarded and the apology ordered by the court, the judgment reaffirms the primacy of facts and appropriate verification in responsible journalism.
According to the Statement, Malam El-Rufai will be donating the N10 million naira damages awarded by the court to the Kaduna State Disability Trust Fund.
The Statement points that, by approaching the court and personally testifying in the case, Malam El-Rufai has demonstrated his belief in the rule of law, a stance he has taken in previous cases, securing apologies and retractions from other newspapers for libel.
The Governor thanked his team of lawyers, led by A.U. Mustapha (SAN), for their diligent pursuit of the matter.
AMINU DALHATU