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ICPC desperate to nail me, says alleged randy UNICAL professor

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Cyril Ndifon, the suspended dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Calabar, says ICPC is desperate to create or search for any conceivable crime to nail him.

Mr Ndifon told Justice James Omotosho of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court in a no-case submission filed by his lawyer, Joe Agi, against the ICPC’s amended four-count charge preferred against him and his lawyer, Sunny Anyanwu.

The suspended dean told the court that contrary to the anti-corruption commission’s allegations, the evidence before the court showed that WhatsApp messages between the ICPC’s witness, a female diploma student identified as TKJ, and him were that of “emotional feelings between two lovers and did not in any way put either of the party under fear.”

He argued that there was incontrovertible evidence that he was arrested and investigated on an alleged offence, currently being prosecuted by ICPC, in 2015 when he later proved to the ICPC that he had been cleared of the allegations by the police.

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Mr Ndifon was, on January 25, re-arraigned alongside Mr Anyanwu on an amended four-count charge bordering on alleged sexual harassment and attempt to perverse the cause of justice.

Mr Anyanwu, who is one of the lawyers in the defence, was joined in the amended charge filed on January 22 by the ICPC on the allegation that he called TKJ, the star witness, on her mobile telephone during the pendency of the charge against Mr Ndifon to threatened her.

On February 14, ICPC closed its case after calling four witnesses.

ICPC’s counsel, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, had earlier informed the court that the anti-corruption agency had about seven witnesses, with plans to amend the charge to increase the witness number in proving their case against the defendants.

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But on the last adjourned date, the commission announced the closure of its case, and the defendants told the court of their plan to opt for a no-case submission.

The duo, through their lawyer, said there was no evidence adduced by the prosecution on which the court could convict them.

Meanwhile, in the no-case submission dated and filed February 19 on behalf of Messrs Ndifon and Anyanwu, Mr Agi argued that the “unwholesome and illegal intrusion” into the professor’s phone by the ICPC had put before the whole world what TKJ and Mr Ndifon intended to make a personal and private communication.

He said the act had injured and negatively impacted their (TKJ and Mr Ndifon’s) characters and persons.

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“The commission, who at this time was desperate to create, search for any conceivable crime, seized the telephone of the first defendant (Mr Ndifon), who was under their custody and without obtaining an order of the court as required by Section 45 of the Cybercrime Act,” he said.

The lawyer further argued that the ICPC action also breached Mr Ndifon’s fundamental right as guaranteed by section 37 of the 1999 Constitution by breaking into his phone and going through his phone in search of an offence and without respect to his right to privacy.

“Then, on seeing nude and pornographic pictures in the first defendant’s phone, jumped at the Cybercrime Act to investigate the so-called offence of cyberstalking. This is not only exposing them as an ungovernable monster but like a knight-errant that goes about looking for skirmishes and battles all over the mace.

“My Lord, if this is allowed to stand, then we are all in trouble, and this cannot be the intention of the lawmakers or the law,” he said.

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Mr Agi equally argued that during cross examination of the first prosecution witness (PW1), Ogechi Chima, an ICPC investigator, she admitted that though they received several oral and written complaints against Mr Ndifon, TKJ was never mentioned as one of those complainants.

The lawyer, who described the commission’s act as an afterthought, added that TKJ was not even listed as a witness in the original charge but “surfaced after the amended charge was filed.”

He also wondered why the registrar of UNICAL, who was listed as a witness in the original charge, was dropped in their amended charge.

He said in the light of the above, count four, which alleged that the defendants threatened TKJ not to honour ICPC’s invitation, in the amended charge was not commenced by due process of law, thereby robbing the court of jurisdiction.

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Besides, Mr Agi contended that in the instant case, counts one and two, which deal with sending and receiving nude videos and count three of the charges, were not within the jurisdiction of the court.

“This honourable court must and should keep the ICPC within the scope and their legally demarcated boundaries as clearly provided in the statute that created them,” he said.

He, therefore, prayed the court to decline jurisdiction.

The defendants’ no-case submission will be heard on February 27.

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INEC extends PVCs collection in Ekiti for 72hours

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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ekiti State Office, on Thursday announced the extension of the ongoing collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) has been extended from Friday, 12th June to Sunday, 14th June 2026.

The was contained in a statement by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi in Ado Ekiti

The statement read: “The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Ekiti State Office, wishes to inform all registered voters in the State that the ongoing collection of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) has been extended from Friday, 12th June to Sunday, 14th June 2026

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“The extension is intended to provide an additional opportunity for eligible voters who are yet to collect their PVCs to do so before the Governorship Election scheduled for Saturday, 20th June 2026.

“Collection of PVCs will continue at the designated Local Government Area Offices of the Commission during official hours. Voters are advised to collect their PVCs personally, as collection by proxy will not be permitted.
INEC urges all registered voters who have not collected their PVCs to take advantage of this extension, as the PVC remains the only means of identification for voting on Election Day.

“The Commission remains committed to ensuring that every eligible voter is given the opportunity to participate in the electoral process.”

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Trump Stops Scheduled Bombings Against Iran

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US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he was calling off strikes on Iran and flagged the signing of a possible deal with Tehran after top-level talks.

“Based on the fact that discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran have been brought to the highest level of Iranian leadership and approved, I have… cancelled the scheduled strikes and bombings against Iran this evening,” Trump said on his Truth Social network.
“Time and place of the signing to be announced shortly,” he added.

Iran Warns Of ‘Endless Quagmire’

Iran had warned Washington on Thursday that it risked wading into an “endless quagmire” of war and soaring energy prices, after Trump vowed to launch a new round of airstrikes and to seize an island oil terminal.

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Iran’s chief negotiator in talks with the Americans, parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, issued his stark warning after the two sides exchanged overnight fire and Trump threatened that US forces would hit “VERY HARD TONIGHT”.

“Wrong strategies and impulsive decisions will reset the entire board for the worse, explode energy infrastructure and markets and create an endless quagmire that you will be stuck in for years,” Ghalibaf said.
The war, which began on February 28 with a wave of US-Israeli strikes on Iran, was paused under an April truce, but efforts to hammer out a permanent end to the fighting have since stalled.

US forces have also, since the ceasefire, hit radar arrays and disabled Iranian ships, and Tehran has maintained a chokehold on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

“At some point in the not too distant future, we will be taking Kharg Island, and other oil infrastructure points, and assume total control of their Oil and Gas Markets, much like we have with Venezuela,” Trump said, in a post on his own social media platform, referring to a Gulf island that hosts Iran’s biggest oil export terminal.

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General Ali Abdollahi, head of the Iranian military’s central headquarters, warned that “if the United States once again seeks to carry out attacks against heroic Iran, it would receive a harsher response than before, and the flames of war, in addition to creating insecurity in the region, will become more widespread and far-reaching”.
The conflict has destabilised oil and gas prices, fuelling inflation and fears of recession in many economies.

On Thursday, the World Bank lowered its global growth forecast to its lowest level since the coronavirus pandemic, predicting it would drop to 2.5 percent in 2026, from 2.9 percent last year.

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Akpodiete Hails Rt. Hon. Fred Agbedi on Appointment as House Minority Leader

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Hon. Dr. Olotu Akpodiete JP, who’s vying for the Ughelli North, South and Udu Federal Constituency seat in the House of Representatives, has sent his congratulations to Rt. Hon. Frederick Agbedi. Agbedi’s new role as Minority Leader was announced today during plenary by Speaker Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas.

Dr. Akpodiete said Agbedi’s emergence shows the trust and confidence his colleagues have in him. He described the new Minority Leader as dependable, strong-willed, and a politician of principle who acts on conviction rather than convenience.

Rt. Hon. Agbedi represents Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency in Bayelsa State. Before this appointment, he led the PDP Caucus in the House and also served as Bayelsa PDP chairman. He remains a committed PDP member and believes the party has a vital role as a strong opposition.

Akpodiete said he’s confident Agbedi will use his experience, competence and character to serve the House, the legislature, and Nigerians well.

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Signed:
Hon. Dr. Olotu Akpodiete JP
House of Representatives Candidate Hopeful
Ughelli North, South and Udu Federal Constituency

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