BUZZ-Afren: Seplat deal deadline dawns
** Afren (LSE: AFR.L - news) rallies on day of deadline for Nigeria's Seplat to firm up its offer for co
** Traders cite hopes that deal will be signed by 1700 GMT deadline
** Shares (Berlin: DI6.BE - news) up 30 pct in relatively strong volume having earlier this wk suffered biggest ever 1-day drop on funding concerns
** Still, stock down 96 pct since July when co suspended CEO & COO
** Co been hit by series of issues, including payments scandal & plunging oil price (RM (LSE: RM.L - news) : tricia.wright1.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)