HELD:

"In the instant, which is an action in defamation by libel, the Respondent had a duty to prove the necessary ingredients to ground a finding of defamation in his favour.

HELD:

"...However, such act of a party deciding not to give evidence on his pleadings which is tantamount to abandonment or a party not even filing a defence to a suit does not ipso facto mean that the action of the claimant will succeed.

HELD:

"There is no doubt that by our well-established legal precedents that pleadings on which no evidence is led is deemed abandoned.

HELD:

"As highlighted in the leading judgment, proof of publication of the statement complained of is an essential pre-requisite for establishing a case of defamation.

HELD:

"Courts cannot speculate in the absence of evidence.

HELD:

HELD:

HELD:

"...See OFFORLETTE VS STATE (2000) LPELR-2270 (SC) where ACHIKE, JSC at 24-25 propounded the position of the law thus:

HELD:

HELD: