Dino Daniel Melaye, Senator representing Kogi West, has instituted a N5 billion libel suit against Sahara Reporters, the Incorporated Trustees of Sahara Reporters Media Foundation, Omoyele Sowore and Temitope Olumuyide.
Melaye filed the suit on Thursday at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court Abuja claiming that Sahara Reporters maligned his reputation with allegations of forgery of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria degree certificate.
In the suit filed by his lawyer, Marx Ikongbeh, Melaye who is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the FCT is demanding for N5 billion as compensation for damages done to his reputation and another sum of N10 million as cost for the court action.
In the statement of claim, he claimed that he is a highly visible politician known in Nigeria and globally and ranks high among well-known public office holders currently in Nigeria having served in several capacities especially as a member of the lower and upper chambers of the National Assembly.
He added that he has been exposed to ridicule, odium and his reputation brought down in the eyes of the people by the publication of the online media outfit which said that he (Melaye) did not graduate from ABU.
He also prayed for an order of the Abuja High Court restraining the media outfit, its agents, servants and privies from further publishing same against him.