By Our Reporter The Nation
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, will on Thursday hear a suit by Bashiru Ali (aka Bash Ali) against former Minister of Sports, Sunday Dare.
Other defendants are the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
The claimant, in suit FCT/HC/CV/6411/2023, is asking for N500 billion in damages.
Through his 10-man legal team led by former Minister of Communication, Adebayo Shitttu, Ali said he received the assurances of the Federal Government鈥檚 support to stage a world-record-breaking boxing fight.
He claimed that Dare, as minister, later made comments that allegedly damaged his reputation and harmed his boxing career.
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He said Nigeria would have received an unprecedented level of positive global publicity as the first country outside the U.S.A. to hold a Guinness World Record Boxing Championship.
Ali claimed that since Dare鈥檚 press conference on May 20, 2020, his associates had been avoiding him like a plague.
He also claimed the International Boxing Union suspended his licence, which stopped him from engaging in any professional boxing engagement.
But, Dare, through his lawyer, denied defaming the renowned boxer.
The former minister stated that after reviewing the proposed fight, it was discovered that it was outside the ministry鈥檚 purview.
He stated that the ministry only dealt with amateur boxing rather than professional boxing, as proposed by Ali.
Dare said he never defamed the boxer, and therefore, he does not deserve any damages.
He urged the court to hold that Ali鈥檚 suit is 鈥渇rivolous, vexatious and a gold-digging venture鈥 and to dismiss it with a cost of N200 million.