Defamation Suit: UNIMKAR VC Urges FCT High Court to Dismiss N100.5bn Claim by Nasarawa Gov, Sule

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Mkar, Benue State, Prof. Zacharys Anger Gundu, has urged the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to dismiss or strike out a defamation suit instituted against him by the Nasarawa State Government and Governor Abdullahi Sule.
Gundu made the request in a notice of preliminary objection filed through his legal team led by senior advocate, Sebastian Hon (SAN), challenging the competence of the suit and the jurisdiction of the court to entertain it.
In the objection, the defendant described the suit as frivolous and an abuse of court process, arguing that the claimants failed to comply with the mandatory conditions precedent for initiating the action, as stipulated under Order 2 Rule 8 of the FCT High Court Civil Procedure Rules, 2025.
He further contended that the suit amounted to an abuse of process because of the joint pleadings and reliefs sought by the claimants, insisting that the first claimant—the Government of Nasarawa State—lacked the requisite right of action or reasonable cause of action against him.
According to Gundu, although the claimants pleaded the alleged defamatory statements attributed to him, the name of the Nasarawa State Government was not mentioned anywhere in the said words. He added that, under common law, a government cannot sue for defamation or claim damages and other related reliefs.
In addition to the preliminary objection, the Vice Chancellor also filed a statement of defence, raising the defences of justification and fair comment.
He argued that the comments complained of were made in reference to the actions of a public office holder—the second claimant—in the discharge of his official duties as governor of Nasarawa State. He maintained that the statements reflected empirical and practical realities in the state under successive administrations.
On the defence of fair comment, Gundu said his remarks were made on matters of public interest, particularly concerning security and land tenure issues in Nasarawa State. He noted that Governor Sule, as the state’s Chief Security Officer and Chief Trustee of all lands, was subject to public scrutiny and commentary.
The Nasarawa State Government and Governor Sule had dragged the academic to court over comments he allegedly made during a television programme, which they claimed portrayed them as promoting insecurity in the state.
The claimants are seeking several reliefs, including an order compelling Gundu to retract the alleged statements, as well as N100.5 billion in damages and the cost of prosecuting the suit.
At the last hearing on Monday, Justice Hamza Muazu heard arguments from counsel to both parties on the defendant’s preliminary objection and adjourned ruling to a date to be communicated to the parties.