The last will definitely not be heard on the N50million grant given to the Nigerian film industry by Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa-Ibom State few months ago.
Since the money was collected by Stephanie Okereke Linus, Zik Zulu, Andy Amenechi and Abubakar Yakubu, who received the money on behalf of Nollywood associations, the industry has not known peace. Read It HERE
Few days ago, the president of ANCOP, Alex Eyengho invited the EFCC and the fraud unit of the Nigerian police in Lagos. He wrote a petition against those who collected the money claiming that they have allegedly shared the money among themselves.
Two of the alleged beneficiaries of the largesse, Zik Zulu and Andy Amenechi have slammed a lawsuit of N150million on Eyengho.
In a statement made available to Nigeriafilms.com, Zulu said he and Amenechi, “have filed a N150 million libel suit against one Mr. Alex Eyengho, at the High Court of Lagos state of Nigeria in a suit No LD/ADR/440/13.”
He also said that, “on or about August 19, 2013, [Eyengho] maliciously and with intent to destroy the character of the claimants (Zulu and Amenechi) published false words about the claimants in a petition to the Police Special Fraud Unit, Milverton Road, Ikoyi, where he categorically accused them of squandering the N50 million grant given to the industry by Governor of Akwa Ibom state, Chief Godswill Obot Akpabio.”
Counsel to the claimants gave Eyengho “a leeway to issue a retraction of his spurious allegations within five days from September 9, 2013 and to commence immediate negotiations with the claimants’ lawyers on payment of damages.
“The failure to take the window of opportunity according to Odikpo is the option of N150 million claim as damages against the defendant, plus an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant by himself or by his servants, agents and privies from further publication of the said defamatory or similar words.”
The statement advised that, “the likes of Mr. Eyengho must be brought to face the full force of the law to serve as a deterrent to some other frivolous characters that do not weigh the gravity of their statements against other people.”
