A High Court, Federal Capital Territory Division, has directed the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, to enter an appearance over a defamation suit brought against him by Tonye Cole.

Mr Cole sued Mr Wike and Channels Incorporated Limited, the parent company of Channels Television, over alleged defamatory comments made by the FCT minister in September during an interview.

In a notice seen by Peoples Gazette on Friday, FCT High Court said it will on December 9, 2025, hear the suit number CV/4502/25 filed by Mr Cole against Mr Wike and Channels Incorporated Limited. The case is before Justice M. A. Hassan in Court 33, FCT High Court.

“Take notice that suit no: CV/4502/25 Tonye Patrick Cole vs NYESOM EZENWO WIKE & ANOR will come up on the 9th day of December 2025 before Hon. Justice M. A. Hassan (Court 33) for Mention,” the notice read.

Mr Cole’s legal team led by J.S. Okutepa, said the court proceedings were prompted by Mr Wike and Channels Television’s refusal to comply with a pre-action notice and letter of demand dated 8 October, 2025, which were served on the defendants.

Mr Cole, the 2023 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, is seeking N40 billion in damages over alleged defamatory statements made by Mr Wike during a live broadcast on Channels TV’s “Politics Today” on September 18, 2025.

According to the writ of summons and the attached statement of claim, Mr Cole said Mr Wike’s statements during the programme were false, malicious, offensive, and damaging to his reputation in personal, professional, and public capacities.

Court documents indicate that Mr Wike referred to Mr Cole in a manner suggesting that the latter was involved in financial impropriety and mismanagement of state resources, including allegations related to Rivers State gas and the Olympia Hotel.

Mr Okutepa on behalf of Mr Cole, argued that the statements were defamatory, as they imputed dishonesty and wrongdoing, gravely injuring his client’s standing both nationally and internationally.

The claimant is seeking N40 billion for alleged damages resulting from what he described as a “malicious, reckless, and unfounded defamatory broadcast and publications,” which caused him injury, humiliation, mental anguish, and reputational harm.

Mr Cole is also seeking N500 million for the cost of the legal action, as well as several injunctive and declaratory reliefs.

These include a declaration that the statements were false and defamatory, an order directing the defendants to retract the claims and remove copies from all platforms, and a public apology broadcast on Channels Television and published in at least five national newspapers.

The claimant also seeks a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from further publishing or disseminating defamatory material related to him.

The court further directed the defendants to enter an appearance within 21 days of service of the writ.