Nmaa Ukpabi, Diaspora Alignment Project Manager of the Obidient Movement, has vowed to defend herself in court against a ₦5 billion defamation suit filed by former National Coordinator of the movement, Dr Yunusa Tanko.

The dispute centres on allegations surrounding the Nigeria Democratic Congress House of Assembly ticket for Kawo Constituency in Kaduna State.

Tanko, who now serves as Political Adviser on Northern Nigeria to NDC presidential candidate Peter Obi, accused Ukpabi of making defamatory statements on social media and WhatsApp. His lawyers alleged that she claimed he manipulated the party primary to secure the ticket for his son, Yunusa Mohammed Salisu.

Ukpabi maintained that Rakiya Baba Mohammed won the primary with 225 votes against Salisu’s 132, but was later replaced as the party’s candidate. She said she has evidence to support her claims, including the fact that Rakiya is alive and can testify, as well as Certified True Copies of relevant electoral documents.

“I am meeting Dr. Tanko in court. I have my evidence. Rakiya is alive and is my life evidence. Her CTC is also my evidence,” Ukpabi said. She added that neither the internal dispute nor the lawsuit had intimidated her and that she was prepared to face Tanko and his supporters in court.

The controversy had already become public before Ukpabi joined the discussion. Tanko has previously denied hijacking the ticket, stating that his son was the contestant and that he could not take any party ticket.

Efforts to get his latest response were unsuccessful at the time of the report.

Photo credit: Punch Newspaper