All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart, Tonye Cole, has taken legal action against Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and Channels Television, demanding ₦40.5 billion in damages for alleged defamation.

The case, registered as CV/4502/25, was filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja. Cole, who previously ran as the APC’s governorship candidate in Rivers State, claims that Wike made untrue and damaging remarks about him during a live episode of Politics Today on Channels Television on September 18, 2025.

According to Cole, Wike’s statements painted him as someone who mishandled Rivers State’s resources and sold off key gas assets valued at $308 million. The politician says those allegations tarnished his public image and professional reputation, especially since the broadcast was later shared across Channels TV’s YouTube channel, website, and social media pages.

Cole also alleges that Wike accused him of serving as a “conduit” in diverting state funds under the administration of former governor Rotimi Amaechi. Additionally, Wike reportedly claimed that Cole and his associates “stole” government property, including the historic Olympia Hotel.

Describing the comments as false and malicious, Cole insisted that Wike ignored the actual details of a 2015 privatization process one in which Wike himself served as Chief of Staff to the state government. To back his case, Cole submitted a downloaded copy and a transcript of the controversial broadcast as evidence.

The APC leader also accused Channels Television of failing to verify the accuracy of Wike’s statements before airing and amplifying them.

Cole, who described himself as an accomplished entrepreneur and philanthropist with a record of integrity, said the allegations directly contradict his reputation and decades of professional achievements. He clarified that the transaction referenced by Wike was a legitimate $432 million privatization deal, of which NG Power paid $302.4 million in full. Multiple judicial panels, he added, have reviewed the matter between 2015 and 2023 and found no evidence of wrongdoing.

Cole is asking the court to declare Wike’s statements false and defamatory, order a public apology and retraction on Politics Today and in five national newspapers, and issue a perpetual injunction to stop any further repetition of the claims.

He is seeking ₦40 billion in general damages and ₦500 million to cover litigation expenses. Cole is represented by Jibrin Samuel Okutepa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).