The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a suit by former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dakuku Peterside, seeking to set aside a N6 billion damages awarded against him for defaming the character of Dr Peter Odili, former governor of Rivers State.

In a judgment delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro, the appeal by Mr Peterside was dismissed for want of merit.

The apex court upheld the decisions of the lower courts which imposed a fine of N6 billion against Mr Peterside to be paid to Mr Odili as compensation for his defamed character.

Mr Odili had in October 2016 dragged  Mr Peterside to court demanding N6 billion as damages for character defamation.

In the suit, the former Rivers State governor had claimed that Mr Peterside during a press conference in Port Harcourt defamed him in his allegations that Governor Nyesom Wike’s Supreme Court victory was hatched by him. 

Mr Peterside, under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, contested against Mr Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2016 governorship election in Rivers.

(NAN)