The paramount ruler of Piem Chiefdom in Gindiri Manomi in Plateau State, Alhaji Ibrahim Manomi, yesterday told an Abuja High Court that Deputy Senate Presidency, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu might be recalled from the National Assembly if it was established in court that the lawmaker was a dupe.
Manomi was in court to testify in a N2 billion libel suit instituted by the senator against the publishers of the Sun newspaper over a publication titled: “military officers take on Mantu” and published on February 21, 2004.
In the said publication, an alleged business associate of the Deputy Senate President, squadron leader Abdullahi Adamu Monjei had allegedly painted Alhaji Mantu as a dupe in an interview granted to the Sun newspaper.
The witness who testified in favour of Mantu said that the people of Gindiri would not hesitate to push for the recall of Mantu if he was established to be a dupe as alleged in the publication.
He said that all that was said about Mantu was still strange to them because they knew him as a man of honour, saying that he was from Gindiri where Mantu grew up and that he had known him for at least 25 years.
He noted that his accuser, squadron leader Monjei was also from the same community with Mantu and had made spirited efforts to confirm the authenticity of the story told about Mantu from him but the accuser (Monjei) was nowhere to be found.
He said he had approached Mantu too who had denied the story making rounds as a tissue of lies and had threatened to drag all his accusers to court if the story was not retracted.
According to him, Mantu is not and has never been a man of questionable character. “In fact, he is a royal son. If he is a dupe, we would not have allowed him to be our representative at the National Assembly. He is our ambassador. He has been helping the community very well.”
He continued, “We have always had high regard for him our impression of him has not changed notwithstanding the publication. If this allegation against him is however found to be true, he will cease to be our ambassador.”
Earlier, another witness and Chief Librarian Assistant, Mr Dantoro Dolititi was also led in evidence yesterday by the lead counsel to Mantu, Chief Chimezie Ikeazor SAN.
Mantu’s counsel tendered copies of the offending publications of the Sun newspaper through Dolititi. The exhibits which were nine in number were of different editions.
The presiding judge, Justice Orji Abaduwa adjourned further hearing in the matter till today.
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