Tonye Cole, the 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, has filed a ₦40 billion defamation lawsuit against Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and former Governor of Rivers State, as well as a prominent Nigerian broadcast media outlet.
The lawsuit stems from statements made by Wike during an appearance on Channels Television’s flagship programme, Politics Today, on September 18, 2025. During the broadcast, Wike accused Cole of “stealing state resources,” “selling gas assets for $308 million,” and “taking Olympia Hotel.”
Tonye Cole maintains that the allegations are entirely false and were deliberately made to portray him as corrupt, deceitful, and criminally inclined before millions of viewers, thereby damaging his long-standing reputation built through years of integrity, business excellence, and public service.
Prominent human rights lawyer and activist, Mr Deji Adeyanju has joined the matter as a witness for the claimant, attesting that he personally watched the defamatory broadcast and was “shocked by the recklessness of the allegations”.
In his sworn deposition before the Court, Adeyanju faulted both Wike and Channels Television for using a respected national platform to disseminate unverified and damaging claims, stressing that such conduct undermines public trust in the media and in responsible political discourse.
Tonye Cole also testified that he was personally attacked by the 1st Defendant in a similar manner during a separate live television interview in 2024, where Wike described him as one of “people with no job”.
Adeyanju told the Court that he has tendered evidence of that broadcast to demonstrate what he described as a consistent pattern of malicious and defamatory speech by the 1st Defendant against perceived critics and civic voices.
“I watched that interview live. The words used were malicious and unbecoming of a public officer. The media has a duty to inform, not to defame,” Adeyanju stated in his testimony.
Tonye Cole, a co-founder and former group executive director of Sahara Group, says the defamatory broadcast caused immense emotional, professional, and reputational harm.
Tonye Cole is seeking N40 billion in general and aggravated damages, a public apology, and a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from publishing or rebroadcasting the offending statements.
His writ emphasises that the broadcast not only injured his personal dignity but also jeopardised international partnerships, with several corporate and philanthropic associates pausing engagements pending clarification of the falsehoods.
“This is no longer about politics; it is about truth, accountability, and the integrity of public discourse,” Cole remarked through his legal representatives.
“Every Nigerian deserves protection from reckless abuse of public platforms.”
