[UPDATE] Gov Mbah vs NYSC: Judge warns against false reportage of court proceedings

Justice Inyang Ekwo of a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has warned against false reportage of court proceedings.

Justice Ekwo, during the hearing of the N20 billion lawsuit between Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State and the National Youth Service Corp, NYSC, warned against reporting what never transpired in court.

This also came on a day the court struck out an application by the candidate of the Labour Party in Enugu State in the March 18 governorship election, Hon. Chijioke Edeoga, seeking to be joined in the lawsuit instituted by Mbah, against the NYSC for alleged misrepresentation of facts concerning his NYSC discharge certificate.

During the proceedings, before parties began to move pending motions, Justice Ekwo interjected and warned against false reportage.

He said: “In this court, I operate an open door policy. I have instructed my registrars to make available to the media whatever document they need. I have always said that all that I want is accurate reportage of proceedings before this court.

“It’s is only in this country that some persons who called themselves journalists will report falsehood and get away with it. I am not even saying you should be objective but report the facts the way they are, that’s why the registrars have been working with the media to ensure court proceedings are not misrepresented”.

He warned about the consequences of misrepresentation of court proceedings.

During Tuesday’s proceedings, counsel to NYSC, Aminu Sadauki, told the court that he filed a notice of preliminary objection and the court asked, if he filed it alongside substantive matter, to which he responded in the negative.

Counsel to Governor Mbah, Mr. Emeka Ozoani, SAN, conceded to more time to allow Sadauki regularise his papers.

The court, therefore, fixed adjourned to July 11, 2023 for definite hearing of the substantive matter.

Recall that shortly after the case was held, a section of online media, who were not on ground to cover proceedings before the court went ahead to report that Justice Ekwo refused to grant an order of interlocutory injunction sought by the Dr. Mbah, restraining the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, from appearing before the Election Petitions Tribunal to give evidence with respect to the allegedly forged NYSC certificate he presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

However, the application being referred to was never moved before the court set the matter down for definite hearing for July 11.

Also, during Tuesday’s proceedings, the court struck out an application by Chijioke Edeoga, to join as an interested party in the suit.

The court struck out the application for the joinder after it was withdrawn by the applicant.