An Abuja based Social Activist and media consultant, Prince Yemi Itodo, has concluded arrangements to file a N50m suit against the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Ede Ogaba Ede, for alleged defamatory posts on social media.

It could be recalled that the alleged wheelbarrow scheme of Governor Samuel Ortom elicited a lot of criticisms on the media across the country.

It was gathered that, the Deputy Governor’s aide became angry at the commentaries of the Benue born activist and took to the social media with derogatory post against Mr. Itodo, with attachment of his photograph.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, Mr. Itodo said his team of lawyers had taken step to institute a law suit, adding that, the Chief Press Secretary had shut his ears against every peace deal offered to him.

“When he was making those derogatory posts, in the name of advising me, I asked him to remove my picture from the post, but he refused.

“The following day, I made it open that, my image and personality had already been bastardized by his act, that he should take down my picture, he declined; rather, he got some boys to keep sharing my picture on the Internet, to further expose me to dangers.

“Barely 48 hours after the incidence, one of my friends, Ukan Kurugh, who also joined to express his dissatisfaction over the wheelbarrow scheme, was beaten to stupor in Gboko, by boys alleged to be members of APC and supporters of the Governor. He was accused of making comments on the trending wheelbarrow.

“It then dawned on me that I was next on line, since my picture had gone into circulation, both on the Internet and offline, by the deputy Governor’s aide and his foot soldiers”, Itodo said.

Itodo, had through his lawyer, Dominic Ochenehi (Esq.), written a notice of pre-action to the Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Governor, Ede, informing him of the intention to institute a libel suit against him, if he failed within 7 days to retract the post and tender apology to him.

A copy of the letter which was made available to the press reads in part, “your post has, since, made our client uncomfortable with the way his photograph has been trending online with people you have instructed to do so.

“Your singular act has portrayed our client in bad image before his prospective clients, as a Media Consultant.

“Your posts were not only false and malicious, but they constitute the most wicked attacks on our client’s reputation and integrity that he has built over the years among colleagues, immediate family members, his community and the general public at large”.

The letter was also copied to the Deputy Governor, Engr. Benson Abounu, and the Chief of Staff, whom Ede works directly under, Hon. Adah Ikwum.