by Kolapo Olapoju

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has been ordered to stop plans to publish his autobiography, titled ‘My Watch’.

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Wuse Zone II, Abuja, has given an order restraining him from proceeding with the publishing of the book.

The court restrained the former President from publishing the book, pending the determination of the libel suit instituted against him by a member of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ogun State, Buruji Kashamu, who filed an ex parte application.

Justice Valentine Ashi gave the order on Friday, December 5, stating that part of the content of the book is related to the issue of the N20bn libel suit instituted by Kashamu against Obasanjo.

The content of the book was said to be related to a letter dated December 2, 2013, written by Obasanjo to President Goodluck Jonathan, claiming that Kashamu was wanted for drug-related crime in the United States of America.

The lawyer representing Kashamu, Alex Iziyon (SAN), argued that since part of the content of the autobiography related to the December 2, 2013 letter, which is the subject matter of the libel suit, it was therefore improper for Obasanjo to be allowed to proceed to comment on, write books about or make publications on the issue, which was yet to be decided by the court.

Justice Ashi, in his ruling, restrained Obasanjo from either publishing the book or have it published on his behalf by anybody, pending the determination of the main suit.

The court order stated in part: “The defendant, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, whether by himself, his agents, servants, privies or any other person by whatever name called and howsoever described, is hereby restrained from publishing or caused to be published in the yet to be published book, ‘My Watch’ or any autobiography or biography and any extracts of same, by whatever name called or howsoever titled, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice hereof.”

Furthermore, the judge restrained Obasanjo “from further writing, printing, publishing or causing to be published or printed or circulated, or otherwise, publishing of and concerning the plaintiff, the statement contained in the Daily Sun (pages 47-49) and The Leadership (pages 3 to 8) newspapers of December 12, 2013, and which statements are alleged to have reproduced the letter written by the defendant to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, titled: ‘Before it is too late’ or similar statements pending the determination of the motion on notice.”

The judge, would however, instruct Kashamu to enter into a bond with the Chief Registrar of the court for damages he would pay should the order restraining Obasanjo from publishing the book turn out to be something the court ought not to have been granted.

The judge ordered the applicant to “execute a bond with the Registrar of the court to pay such damages as shall be assessed should it turn out that the order ought not to have been granted in the first place.”

The case has been adjourned till December 10 for hearing in the original suit.