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Trump fails at Apex Court to stop hush money sentencing
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The United States Supreme Court on Thursday denied a last-minute bid by President-elect Donald Trump to halt sentencing in his hush money case.
The top court, which includes three justices appointed by Trump, rejected his emergency application seeking to block Friday’s sentencing by a 5-4 vote.
The court, in a brief unsigned order, said the “burden that sentencing will impose on the President-Elect’s responsibilities is relatively insubstantial” and noted that Trump will be allowed to attend virtually.
The court also noted that the judge who presided over the hush money case has already said he plans to impose a sentence of “unconditional discharge,” which does not carry any jail time, fine or probation.
Trump is scheduled to be sentenced in Manhattan at 9:30 am (1430 GMT) on Friday after being convicted by a New York jury in May of 34 counts of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Trump, 78, who is to be sworn in as president on January 20, filed an emergency application with the Supreme Court on Wednesday seeking to halt his sentencing.
Four justices — Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, all conservatives — were in favor of granting Trump’s request to halt his sentencing.
Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett, also conservatives, joined the three liberal justices in rejecting the president-elect’s bid.
Barrett, Gorsuch and Kavanaugh were appointed by Trump.
Trump’s lawyers made several legal maneuvers in an effort to fend off sentencing arguing that it would be a “grave injustice” and harm “the institution of the presidency and the operations of the federal government.”
Trump’s attorneys also claimed that the immunity from prosecution granted to a sitting president should be extended to a president-elect.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg rejected their arguments in his response on Thursday, saying Trump was a private citizen when he was “charged, tried, and convicted.”
– Convicted felon –
Bragg also said the Supreme Court “lacks jurisdiction over a state court’s management of an ongoing criminal trial” and preventing sentencing would be an “extraordinary step” by the top court.
“There is no basis for such intervention,” Bragg said.
In the order, the Supreme Court said Trump can still appeal his conviction through the New York state courts.
Judge Juan Merchan said last week he was leaning towards giving Trump an unconditional discharge that would not carry jail time, a fine or probation. He also agreed to allow Trump to attend Friday’s Manhattan sentencing virtually instead of in person.
Trump is the first former US president to be convicted of a crime and will be the first convicted felon to serve in the White House.
Trump potentially faced up to four years in prison, but legal experts — even before he won the November presidential election — did not expect Merchan to incarcerate him.
Trump was certified as the winner of the 2024 presidential election on Monday, four years after his supporters rioted at the US Capitol as he sought to overturn his 2020 defeat.
AFP
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the establishment of a new campus of the Police Academy in Erinja, Yewa South Local Government Area in Ogun State.
President Tinubu also approved a special take-off grant of N15billion for the college.
The President’s approval was in fulfilment of the provisions of the Nigeria Police Academy (Establishment) Act, 2021, particularly with respect to the expansion of the Police Academy based in Wudil, Kano state, into multiple campuses across the country.
The intervention fund will be sourced from the TetFund 2026 allocation to finance priority infrastructure, academic facilities, student accommodation, and core training assets.
A high-level consultative meeting involving the Minister of Police Affairs, the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, officials of the Federal Ministry of Education, the Inspector-General of Police and the Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC) recommended the siting of the new campus in Erinja.
The meeting considered student intake capacity, funding realities, academic quality assurance, and the long-term needs of the Nigerian Police Force, which is currently recruiting more men.
President Tinubu believes the expansion will strengthen institutional governance, modern policing education and national security.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), South West Zone, has disowned a press conference purportedly held in Ibadan on Monday, which claimed that the zone had condemned the former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, declared support for Governor Makinde of Oyo State and loyalty to a Turaki-led National Working Committee.
In a statement issued on Monday, the Zonal Publicity Secretary, Akinloye Oyeniyi, described the event as the work of organised impostors who do not represent the party at any level.
“The Zonal Chairman, Engr. Deji Doherty, was away in Abuja attending the 108th meeting of the National Executive Committee of our great party and no zonal officials held any press conference. The claim of an Ibadan press conference is therefore a barefaced lie,” Oyeniyi said.
The statement said those behind the Ibadan gathering do not speak for the party, hold no mandate, and are not recognised by any organ of the PDP from ward to national level.
Oyeniyi further said the illegality of the group was very pronounced, noting that they do not even have a Zonal Vice Chairman, which is very significant for any structure claiming to speak for the PDP South West.
“These are the ones whose agenda was to destabilise the party but they failed. Looking at them, one could see that their group is now a psychiatric ward with no staff. Destabilising elements always end up as wanderers. Karma never forgets, and wickedness by default carries consequences too,” the statement read.
According to Oyeniyi, “these ones slung toboggan, and now the stones are expectedly raining on them, and their current noise and theatrics will not substitute for acceptance by party members or the public.”
The PDP South West said its loyalty to the Abdulrahman-led National Working Committee and the National Leader, His Excellency Nyesom Wike remains unalloyed and also advised the impostors to retrace their steps and rejoin the party through the proper channels, rather than constituting themselves into a nuisance, as no amount of media stunts or paid propaganda will confer any legitimacy on illegitimacy.
He urged the general public, party faithful, and the media to disregard the publication, stating that official communications of the PDP South West Zone would continue to come only through recognised party channels in the zone under the leadership of Engr. Deji Doherty.
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has announced a change in the orientation schedule for prospective corps members posted to Enugu and Osun states for the 2026 Batch A Stream II exercise.
In a statement issued on Monday by its Director of Information and Public Relations, Caroline Embu, the scheme said the orientation course in the affected states will now commence on April 28 and end on May 18, 2026.
The NYSC attributed the adjustment to ongoing renovation works at the orientation camps by the state governments.
The scheme clarified that the change applies only to Enugu and Osun states.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the orientation exercise for all other states and the FCT will hold from Wednesday, April 22, 2026, to Tuesday, May 12, 2026,” the statement said.
The NYSC advised affected prospective corps members to take note of the revised schedule and comply accordingly.
Meanwhile, NYSC has announced the release of call-up letters for prospective corps members under the 2026 Batch ‘A’ Stream II programme.
The scheme disclosed this on Monday via its 𝕏 account, stating, “2026 Batch ‘A’ Stream II deployment has been released.”
The development follows the recent publication of the timetable for the upcoming orientation exercise.
In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Caroline Embu, the NYSC confirmed that the orientation course will commence nationwide on April 22.
Tinubu approves N15bn take off grant for new police academy
PDP South West Disowns Ibadan Press Conference, Calls Organisers Criminal Impostors
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