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JUST IN: Delta Election Tribunal dismisses Omo-Agege’s application for new witness

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The application of the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, seeking to bring in a statistician expert witness to testify before the tribunal has been dismissed by the Delta State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Asaba.

Led by Justice C.H. Ahuchaogu, the three-man panel also dismissed another application by the APC candidate seeking an extension of time for INEC subpoenaed witness to file a witness statement on oath and also to testify before the tribunal.

Counsels to the second respondent (Governor Sheriff Oborevwori) and third respondent (Peoples Democratic Party, PDP), had opposed the applications on the ground that granting same would overreach the respondents.

They had argued that the first application specifically, was aimed at bringing in new facts when pleadings had long closed, and would not afford them another opportunity to reply.

In dismissing the first application, the tribunal while citing previous cases, agreed with the respondents that the application cannot be granted, noting that it was brought 101 days after an order for inspection of election materials was granted.

The tribunal faulted the petitioners’ claims that INEC was responsible for the delay, declaring that there was no evidence to show that the petitioners applied to INEC for the materials after the order for inspection of materials was granted on April 3 until May 17.

It added while the inspection was done on May 23, the petitioners waited till July 13 to file the report.

“The petitioners having failed to file their expert witness statement on oath, cannot be allowed to eat their cake and have it. The application for an extension to allow for an expert statistician witness is not grantable as it will overreach the respondents who will be left with the short end of the stick as they cannot file another reply to the petition,” the tribunal held.

On the second application which is seeking extension of time for INEC to file a statement on oath based on the subpoena issued by the tribunal, the panel of justices held that the petitioners exhibited no evidence for the application to be granted.

They further held that INEC as an adversary, the tribunal cannot compel the electoral body to file witness deposition for the petitioners, noting that the best the tribunal could do which has been done was the issuance of a subpoena. 

“It is not logical that a party should make a witness deposition for an adversary who is a respondent against a petition. Expecting that such a witness would sign and adopt a statement is beyond human reasoning. 

“Such expectation is beyond our capacity as a tribunal. The best thing to do and we have done in this circumstance, is to issue a subpoena for INEC to appear. In some, we find no merit in this application, and it is dismissed in its entirety,” the tribunal held.

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International

JUST IN: Naira records highest depreciation against dollar amid Trump’s tariff war

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The Nigerian naira recorded its highest depreciation against the dollar this week at the official foreign exchange market amid United States of America President, Donald Trump’s tariff announcement.

The Central Bank of Nigeria’s exchange data showed that it dropped to N1,552.53 per dollar on Thursday from N1,531.25 traded on Wednesday.

This means that the naira slumped by N21.28 against the dollar on Thursday compared to N1,531.25 exchanged the previous day.

This is the highest depreciation against the dollar on a single day since March 22, when the currency dropped by N18.96 weekly at the official market.

Similarly, at the black market, the naira weakened by N5 on Thursday to N1,560 per dollar from N1,555 traded on Wednesday.

The development comes despite CBN’s announcement that the country’s Net Foreign Exchange Reserve (NFER) as of the end of 2024 stood at $23.11 billion, the highest level in over three years.

The drop in the naira at both official and parallel foreign exchange markets follows Trump’s administration’s tariff announcement on Wednesday, which sparked outrage across the world.

Economic experts said Trump’s 10 percent baseline tariffs would affect US-Nigeria trade worth $10 billion.

The chief executive officer of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, Dr Muda Yusuf on Thursday in a statement said Trump’s tariff would affect Nigeria’s economy because it has brought an end to the African Growth and Opportunity Act.

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JUST IN: Court bars parties from granting interviews in Natasha’s case against Akpabio, others

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Justice Binta Fatima Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has barred parties in the suit filed by suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan against the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and three others from granting press interviews on issues relating to the case.

The judge issued the order on Friday following a complaint by the lawyer to Akpabio, Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), that the plaintiff was moving from one television house to another, granting press interviews on issues relating to her case, which is currently pending before the court.

In a brief ruling, Justice Nyako said there shall be no press interviews by all parties and their lawyers regarding the subject matter of the case.

Justice Nyako also barred parties and their lawyers from engaging in streaming the proceedings of the case on social media.

Details shortly.

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BREAKING: Minister of works opens rehabilitated Independence bridge, Lagos, after major palliative works

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…. Says, Lagosians are to kindly use the bride from today, 4th April 2025.

The Minister of Works, Sen. Dave Umahi, has re-opened the Independence Bridge (Ahmadu Bello Way-Marina bound) to vehicular traffic.

The government had announced the closure of the bridge starting from April 1 for essential maintenance and rehabilitation works.

It was to remain closed until May.

However, Umahi urged Lagosians to kindly use the bride from today, 4th April 2025.

He said that palliative works were underway to ensure that the bridge would be motorable.

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