- Senator Dino Melaye said he has been abandoned by friends and colleagues over the certificate scandal leveled against him despite the unsuccessful call to investigate his certificate saga
- Dino who has filed a libel suit against Sahara Reporters was accused of not graduating from the Ahmadu Bello University
- Dino Melaye who also recently shared his NYSC photo is suing Sahara Reporters for a whopping sum of N5bn
Senator Dino Melaye says he has been abandoned by friends and colleagues alike as a result of the campaign against him
Senator Dino Melaye who is currently battling a certificate scandal says he has been abandoned while filing his N5bn libel suit against Sahara reporters.
In the suit he filed through his lawyer, Mr. Mark Ikongbeh, Senator Melaye insisted that he indeed bagged a B. Sc in Geography from the University.
Melaye told the court that the certificate scandal has exposed him to great psychological stress and emotional trauma, saying he has been abandoned by his friends and associates owing to the defamatory publication by the defendants.
He said: “Many invitations to honourable events have been withdrawn and attempts to reach out to several people who had very cordial relations with the plaintiff has been met with a cold shoulder.
“The plaintiff has suffered great psychological stress and emotional trauma by reason of the defamatory publications arising from the loss of company he has suffered from friends and associates.
“This precarious psychology state has been exacerbated by the number of people whom the plaintiff has had to reach out to or who have reached out to him for explanation and reassurance of the truth in the situation.
“The plaintiff has greatly been weighed down emotionally by the sudden loss of huge public goodwill which he enjoyed prior to the publication of the defamatory publication.
“Further, the defendants published the defamatory words out of malevolence and spite towards the plaintiff and with a view to cower the plaintiff into soft pedalling on his stance in several issues ongoing in the Senate chambers.”
In a 15-paragraphed affidavit that was personally deposed by the plaintiff, he averred: “That I am a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria representing Kogi West Senatorial District of Kogi State and I was once the honourable member of the House of Representatives representing the Kabba/Bunu/Ijumu Federal Constituency. Amongst other duties; I currently serve as the Chairman of the Senate Committee on the FCT.
“The 1st defendant is an organisation setup under Part C of the companies and Allied Matters Act as a non-profit organisation ostensibly dedicated to promoting a brand of investigative journalism pioneered by the 4th defendant. The 1st defendant is the Nigerian arm of the 4th defendant. The 1st defendant by its official filings at the Corporate Affairs Commission is based in Lagos.
“The 2nd and 3rd defendants are the Trustees of the 1st defendant and also the promoters of the 4th defendant. They are self-styled investigative journalists who are not visibly known to be accredited by or affiliated to any registered media outfit.
“They operate under the popular ‘Sahara Reporters’ brand. The 2nd and 3rd defendants operate all over Nigeria but have listed addresses located in Lagos in their corporate filings.
“The 4th defendant is a business Corporation organised under the laws of New York State in the United States of America and is the proprietor of a website and other online channels through which it disseminates news items predominantly about governance issues in Nigeria.
“The 2nd defendant is listed as the Chief Executive Officer of the 4th defendant. That the 4th defendant is based in New York, United States of America but is represented in the country by the 2nd defendant who is also its alter ego and service of court process on the 2nd defendant will definitely bring the suit to the 4th defendant’s attention.
“On the 19th and 20th March 2017, the defendants falsely and maliciously wrote, posted, and published or caused to be written on their verified Twitter handle identified as @SaharaReporters hosted online at the web address of and concerning me by directly mentioning and linking it to my Twitter handle identified as @dino_melaye hosted online at the web address ; the following words:
“FLASH: University teachers at the Geography Department of Ahmadu Bello University in Zaria insists that @dino_melaye did not graduate, bribed his HOD/1 (posted at 4:09 PM- 19th March 2017. “FLASH: University teachers at the Geography Dept of ABU, Zaria insists that @dino_melaye never graduated, DG DSS informed but covered it up. (posted at 4:11 PM- 19th March 2017.
“FLASH: At least 3 Exam Officers at ABU, Zaria insists that @dino_melaye never graduated from Geography Dept, DG DSS alerted but covered it up (posted at 4:14PM – 19th March 2017).
“FLASH: Exam Officers at ABU, Zaria insists that @dino_melaye never graduated from Geography Dept, they said Dino’s name was not on graduation list (posted at 4:16 PM -19th March 2017).”
He said that Sahara Reporters also posted that his HOD assisted him to forge his transcript and that he applied for a Post Graduate program at UNIJOS, went to ABU for transcript and none could be provided.
“By the said words in their natural and ordinary meaning, the defendants meant and were understood to mean: That I am dishonest and have deceived the public about the state of my academic qualifications.
“That my academic credentials are shady and questionable. That I am guilty of bribery and corruption. That I have corruptly influenced investigation against me.
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