Protesters from different communities in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State have given the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, 72 hours to withdraw a defamation suit against Darlington Onyebuchi Agoha, threatening further demonstrations if their demand is not met.
The protesters, who staged a demonstration outside the Umuahia High Court on Monday morning, said they were concerned about the court proceedings involving Agoha, whom they alleged was being targeted for seeking accountability and transparency over the execution of a Federal Government-funded ecological project in the area.
The protest was organised by the Niger Delta Mobilization Team (NIMOT) for Good Leadership, Abia State Chapter, with the motto, “Transparency, Accountability and Good Governance.”
The demonstrators carried placards bearing inscriptions such as “We Stand With Darlington Onyebuchi Agoha, The Voice Of Bende,” “Emma Trump Eke, You Cannot Sue Darlington Agoha To Silence Him,” and “The Court Is For Justice, Not For Bullying Public Advocates Like Agoha,” among others.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Dickson Kalu Uwakwe, identified as the Abia State Chairman of NIMOT, said the people of Bende elected Kalu to represent their interests and address the developmental challenges facing their communities.
Uwakwe argued that elected representatives should remain open to public scrutiny, insisting that citizens have the right to question the handling of public funds and the quality of projects executed in their communities.
He alleged that several roads constructed in Bende deteriorated within three to six months of completion, raising concerns about the quality of the work and the utilisation of funds allocated to the projects.
The protest leader specifically questioned the execution of an ecological fund project along the Bende–Umu road, claiming that although the project was initially expected to cover approximately 13 kilometres, only about eight kilometres were completed.
He further alleged that a bridge constructed as part of the project collapsed about six months after its completion.
According to Uwakwe, Agoha’s demand for explanations regarding the project’s execution and the collapsed bridge was the reason behind the legal action against him.
Uwakwe also alleged that some residents had faced intimidation in connection with the dispute, claiming that security operatives had previously been brought in to arrest an individual. He said intervention by people from Bende prevented the situation from escalating.
The protesters maintained that they were prepared to extend their demonstrations to different communities in Bende and visit the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) if the suit was not withdrawn within the stipulated 72 hours.
They insisted that their action was motivated by concerns about accountability in the execution of public projects rather than electoral politics.
Uwakwe added that the protesters had expected Kalu to appear at the court premises, where they intended to communicate their grievances directly to him.
The protest comes amid an ongoing civil defamation suit instituted by Reverend Emmanuel Trump against Darlington Onyebuchi Agoha, who is being represented by counsel Vincent Bernard Nwabueze.
Meanwhile, Nwabueze has described the defamation suit filed by Reverend Emmanuel Trump against his client as an attempt to intimidate concerned citizens who raised questions about an allegedly substandard and incomplete Federal Government road project in Mba community.
Nwabueze made the allegation while speaking with journalists after appearing in court in the case between Trump and Agoha.
The lawyer said the dispute arose after Agoha complained about the condition of a Federal Government road project in Nkpa community, which he alleged was poorly executed and left incomplete despite claims that the contractor had been fully paid.
According to Nwabueze, his client’s concerns were motivated by the hardship the condition of the road had imposed on residents and the wider community.
He described the matter as one of public interest, arguing that attention should be focused on determining whether the project was properly executed and whether the community received value for public funds.
Nwabueze also alleged that some young people who expressed concerns about the project had faced threats, adding that his client appeared in court out of fear of possible arrest.
The lawyer, however, declined to discuss the substantive issues in detail, noting that the matter was already before the court.
He disclosed that the defence had filed a motion seeking to strike out the suit, arguing that it constituted an abuse of court process and was contrary to public policy.
Nwabueze maintained that complaints arising from abandoned or poorly executed public projects should be addressed by the appropriate authorities, including the relevant government agencies, local government authorities and community leadership.
He argued that the central issue should be the completion and quality of the road project rather than litigation against a citizen who raised concerns about its condition.
On the court proceedings, Nwabueze said the matter was scheduled for pre-trial proceedings, but the defence had not been served with the pre-trial form required for its response.
He therefore indicated that the proceedings could not effectively continue as expected without the necessary document.
The lawyer clarified that the case was a civil defamation matter, explaining that defamation could have civil and criminal dimensions depending on the circumstances and the legal proceedings involved.
The allegations concerning the project’s execution, payment to the contractor and alleged intimidation were made by the defence and have not been independently established.
The outcome of the suit and the court’s decision on the defence motion seeking to strike it out remain to be determined.
Responding on the matter, Emmanuel Trumps Eke said that the protest by residents of Bende Local Government Area of Abia State over a defamation suit involving the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, is part of democratic culture.
Trumps stated that the protesters had the right to express their views, stressing that everyone was entitled to have their say.
He, however, maintained that individuals also had the right to protect their integrity if they believed their names had been defamed.
According to him, the decision to institute a defamation suit was a way of protecting one’s reputation, particularly for a public servant like him.
When asked whether the matter could be resolved through mediation, Trumps said he was unaware of any such plan.
He reiterated that the protesters had the right to demonstrate and express their grievances, adding that the court would ultimately determine the matter.
