Senate President Godswill Akpabio has instructed his legal team to withdraw all pending defamation suits against various individuals, citing inspiration from a New Year Mass sermon. Speaking at Sacred Heart Parish in Uyo Thursday, Akpabio said he had instituted nearly nine cases against persons accused of defaming him.
“I had almost nine cases in court against some individuals who defamed me, who lied against me, who slandered my name. But as I listened to the priest, I suddenly realised that the message was directed at me, and I therefore instruct my solicitors to withdraw all the lawsuits against them,” Akpabio said.
The priest, Very Reverend Father Donatus Udoette, stressed peace as mankind’s greatest need, urging parishioners to live harmoniously. “You have to let go of the past, no matter what it was. All of us carry some luggage of pain and hurt. You must let go if you want to move forward,” he said. Akpabio’s decision ends ongoing defamation-related legal actions, drawing a line under widely reported disputes.
