Jalla, Baribote shift attention to NNL Chairman, Aluo and Newstap Communications, threaten legal action
One time President of Nigeria Players Union, Harrison Jalla and his Lawyer friend, Ransome Baribote who have been engaging in ceasless legal battle with every board of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have now shifted their attention to the Chairman of Nigeria National League (NNL) George Aluo and Newstap Communication, a leading online platform in the country.
In a letter written to the media outfit from the Law Chambers of Baribote signed on his behalf by Tekena Ediyekio, Esq, they alleged that in March this year, Newstap published a libelous story on Harrison Jalla and demanded N50m as damages from the organisation within seven days of the receipt of the letter.
Apart from this, they also demanded a retraction of the story and public apology in two national newspapers, failure which they’ll institute legal action against the organisation to seek redress.
However, the management of Newstap is surprised that the letter was addressed to the Chairman of Nigeria National League ( NNL), Mr. George Aluo who never wrote nor authorized the publication of the story and the big question now is why dragging the NNL Chairman into the story when he has hands off the management of Newstap shortly after he was appointed the Chairman of the second tier League.
The management of Newstap, want to categorically state that the story it published was a press release from the country’s League sponsors GTI in response to Harrison Jalla’s damaging publication on their continued sponsorship of the League in which he called for the cancellation of the sponsorship, alleging that it was not transparent.
Our records also shows that the release was also published by other media houses and one wonders why the duo decided to pick on Newstap Communication as the one to drag to Court instead of beaming their search light on GTI that initiated the publication.
We are also surprised that it took them six months after the said publication to realize that it was libelous and one wonders what they want to achieve.
We hope that good reasoning will prevail on Harrison Jalla and Barrister Ransome Baribote to have a rethink and avoid unnecessary litigation that will do them no good.
