Leadership Journalists CASE: Falana talks to Presidency, FG drops case

The Federal Government had on Thursday discontinued the case it instituted against two LEADERSHIP journalists ( Group News Editor, Tony Amokeodo and Politics Reporter, Chibuzor Ukaibe) and their employer.

This development comes six days after Lagos-based lawyer and human rights activist, Mr. Femi Falana,SAN, leadership council in the case, met President Goodluck Jonathan at Aso Rock Villa in Abuja,

The closed-door meeting lasted for two hours.

After the parley, journalists asked Falana who is the counsel to LEADERSHIP Newspapers, his mission at the State House. He simply said, “It is a private visit, it is strictly a private visit”.

The Federal Government’s withdrawal notice on Thursday read: “Take notice that the complainant, the Hon. Attorney General of the Federation intends that the criminal proceedings consisting 6-counts charge against the accused persons, Tony Amokeodo, Chibuzor Ukaibe, LEADERSHIP Group Ltd, be discontinued and the 6-counts against them are hereby withdrawn.”

The withdrawal came as Falana filed a notice of preliminary objection challenging the competence of the charge and the jurisdiction of the court to hear and determine the complaint.

He held that the court lacked the requisite jurisdiction to entertain and determine the complaint against the journalists as presently constituted and consequently seek an order of the court dismissing it. DailyPost