According to th e tribunal, “The petitioner did not apply to call him (REC) as witness and did not come within the court practice direction. He cannot testify. We sustain the objection and we hold that PW10 cannot testify.”

He said, in the meantime, the cabinet had ordered demolition of water fronts where compensation had been paid.
Also speaking, the state Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ken Chikere, said the government was coming up with a bill to govern its Public Private Partnership policy in the state.

He urged the youths to shift the agitation to their political representatives, particularly their legislators in the National Assembly.

He said the state government was making arrangement to give the Oba Akenzua Cultural Centre, the dilapidated Ogbe stadium a facelift in preparation for the event, just as he added that Oba’s palace, the National Museum and Monuments ground, KingSqaure, Benin, would also host some events.

“The governor believes the current House of Assembly members in the state have done very well and that there is no basis for the recall of any assembly member. For the avoidance of doubt, the state government would not fold its arms and watch this crop of disgruntled elements and their backers cause trouble in the state in order to oil their selfish political agenda.