Gov. Alex Otti’s ₦5bn libel case against blogger Sir Don Ubani adjourned to November 3 as the FCT High Court fails to sit in Abuja.
The ongoing ₦5 billion defamation lawsuit filed by Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, against a blogger, Sir Don Ubani, has been adjourned to November 3, 2025, following the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court’s failure to sit on Monday.
The case, marked FCT/HC/CV/4474/2024, was scheduled for the cross-examination of the claimant’s first witness, but the court session did not hold for undisclosed reasons.
Present in court were Arc. Jude Uche, Governor Otti’s first prosecution witness (PW1); Dr. Sonny Ajala (SAN), counsel for the claimant; and S.M. Oluebube, representing the defendant, Sir Don Ubani.
Background of the Case
Governor Otti instituted the ₦5 billion lawsuit over an alleged defamatory publication made by Ubani on Facebook and his blog titled “Governor Alexander Otti of Abia State Should Be Clapped For.”
In the post, Ubani accused Governor Otti of acquiring two hotels in Umuahia—Comfort Hotel and Maget Hotel—through proxies and engaging in “wanton land grabbing” in Umuehim and Umuguru villages within the Ehi Na Uguru Autonomous Community of Isialangwa South Local Government Area.
The blogger further claimed that Otti’s alleged acquisitions demonstrated questionable leadership practices, casting doubts on his integrity and commitment to public service.
Governor Otti’s Response
Governor Otti vehemently denied the allegations, describing the publication as “false, satanic, and defamatory.” His legal team, Deeplaw Associates, led by Dr. Ajala (SAN), issued a demand letter dated October 2, 2024, giving Ubani seven days to retract the story, publish an apology on his platforms, and place public apologies in four national newspapers, ThisDay, Punch, The Nation, and National Ambassador.
When the blogger failed to comply, the governor proceeded to file a ₦5 billion defamation suit, along with an additional ₦150 million to cover legal costs. Otti also requested the court to compel Ubani to issue a public apology and acknowledge the reputational damage caused by the publication.
Court Proceedings So Far
During a previous sitting on April 8, 2025, the court overruled an objection by Ubani’s counsel regarding the admissibility of certain documents.
Governor Otti’s witness, Arch. Uche Uche, took the stand as the first prosecution witness and adopted two depositions dated December 14, 2024, and January 13, 2025, respectively. He testified on the negative impact of Ubani’s publications on the governor’s public image.
Dr. Ajala (SAN) also tendered two additional documents one being Ubani’s publication titled “No Lawyer from Governor Otti Has Served Sir Don Ubani Any Notice” and another report by THE WHISTLER titled “Lawyer Counters Blogger’s Claim of Not Receiving Gov. Otti’s Libel Notice.”
While the defence counsel objected, arguing that the documents were not shared in advance as required by court rules, Justice Nwosu-Iheme ruled in favour of the claimant, declaring that the documents were relevant and properly pleaded. The court consequently admitted them as evidence and directed Otti’s team to submit an ordered list for record-keeping.
Next Hearing
With Monday’s court session cancelled, the case will now resume on November 3, 2025, for the continuation of cross-examination and further hearing.
Governor Otti maintains that the lawsuit aims to protect his reputation and integrity against what he calls “malicious and false propaganda” intended to damage his public standing among his constituents and professional peers.