Court admits evidence against social media commentator, Toby Chuks for ‘defaming’ Alex Otti
A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Bwari, Abuja, on Wednesday continued proceedings in Abia State Governor Alex Otti’s ₦50 billion defamation lawsuit against Facebook user and political commentator, Hon. Tobias Chukwudi Egeonu, popularly known as Hon. Toby Chuks.
According to court records, neither Egeonu nor his lawyer, Nnamdi U. Mba, Esq., appeared for the resumed hearing before Justice A. O. Ebong. However, the court confirmed that the defence had prior notice of the hearing and had participated in the case during an earlier session on March 27, 2025.
Justice Ebong, therefore, granted leave to the claimant’s legal team to proceed with the hearing.
Representing Governor Otti, a legal team led by Dr. Sonny Ajala, SAN, called Arch. Uche Jude Uche, a former schoolmate of the governor, as the first prosecution witness (PW1).
Uche took an oath and adopted his written deposition dated January 13, 2025, as his testimony in the matter. He also tendered a copy of a Facebook post allegedly authored by the defendant and titled, “What Alex Otti Cannot Destroy Does Not Exist.”
The court admitted the publication and other supporting documents as evidence. The matter was adjourned to December 8, 2025, for cross-examination of the witness, provided the defence is present.
The libel suit stems from a Facebook post published by Egeonu on December 8, 2024, in which he accused Governor Otti of financial impropriety during his tenure as Group Managing Director of the now-defunct Diamond Bank, as well as alleged corruption in his current role as Abia State governor.
Otti’s legal team described the post as an “unwarranted online libelous publication from the pits of hell” and a “syndicated tissue of wicked and malicious lies.”
Through his lawyers, Governor Otti demanded a public apology and retraction on Facebook and in four national dailies—ThisDay, The Punch, The Nation, and The National Ambassador—along with ₦50 billion in damages and ₦150 million in legal costs.
After Egeonu failed to comply within seven days of receiving the demand letter dated December 13, 2024, the governor filed suit.
On February 11, 2025, Justice Ebong granted an application by Otti’s legal team to serve court processes on the defendant via electronic means (Facebook and WhatsApp), having confirmed that Egeonu acknowledged receipt of the demand via WhatsApp on December 14, 2024.
In the suit marked FCT/HC/CV/66/2025, Governor Otti is seeking a court declaration that the social media post damaged his reputation and an order restraining Egeonu from making further defamatory statements against him.
