Court Dismisses El-Rufai’s Defamation Suit Against Shehu Sani

A Kaduna High Court has dismissed a defamation suit filed by the immediate past governor of the state, Nasir el-Rufai, against a former senator representing Kaduna central, Shehu Sani

The ex-governor had sought N2 billion in damages over comments credited to the former lawmaker.

In the suit filed in 2018, El-Rufai said Sani defamed him by referring to him as a “drunk, loose cannon and an embarrassment to President Muhammadu Buhari”.

El-Rufai claimed that Sani’s statements are totally false and injurious to his person in the eyes of the public.

While delivering his judgement on Thursday, the trial judge, Justice H.A.L Balogun dismissed the suit filed on the ground that it was an abuse of court processes

Balogun said the same case was filed by el-Rufai in different courts in the state.

Counsel to Sani, Kimi Livingstone Appah, had drawn the attention of the court to the fact that the former governor filed the same case in four different courts in the state.

The judge agreed with Appah’s preliminary objection and dismissed the case.

Addressing journalists after the ruling, Appah described the ruling as a victory for democracy and freedom of expression.

Over the years, El-Rufai and Sani have been involved in a series of altercations based on their political differences.