*Centenary City: PDP chief threatens counter-suit against Anyim*

The National Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), South South, Dr. Cairo Ojuigbo, has said he would respond to a libel suit instituted against him by the immediate past Secretary to the Government of Federation, Pius Anyim.

Ojuigbo, who spoke through his lawyer, Mr. Kayode Ajulo, in Abuja on Tuesday, said though he had yet to be served with the processes of Anyim’s suit, he had already given instruction to file a counter suit as soon as he received copies of the court papers.

Anyim had filed the N1bn libel suit against Ojuigbo, claiming that his (Ojuigbo’s) comment in a newspaper interview linking him to a fraud in the Centenary City Project in Abuja was libelous.

Anyim stated in the suit marked CV/2598/15 filed by his lawyer, Mike Ozekhome (SAN), that Ojuigbo’s position on the Centenary City Project was libellous of his person and capable of scaring away foreign investors.

Ojuigbo, who is also Chairman of the Board, at the Nigeria Export Processing Authority, has also insisted that, “processes leading to the establishment of the Centenary City, were indeed an elaborate scheme, cunningly conceived to defraud the Government and the good people of Nigeria.
“On behalf of our client, we state that he however remains un-intimidated and resolute in his claims and submission that the Centenary City Project, is indeed a project devised to trick the authorities into giving a huge chunk of land to only one man under the guise of a Public Private Partnership.

“Our client is resolute about his submissions and would leave no stone un-turned in his bid to bring the full details of this scam to the light of public scrutiny and to ensure that the perpetrators of this fraudulent exercise are brought to book by the relevant law enforcement authorities.

“Indeed, we have the authority of our client to initiate legal proceedings by way of sending petitions to the appropriate authorities as regards the issue.

“It is this that made so laughable and ridiculous, the reports that the counsel for the ex-SGF had initiated legal proceedings against us; we are therefore expectant and eager to receive the said papers and to have our day in court, even as we also pursue justice and reparations for victimization in appropriate quarters.

“We hereby call on the members of the Fourth Estate and the general public to remain vigilant and to keep these burning issues on the front burner, even as we are confident in the victory of justice and equity, over crime, corruption and dishonesty.”