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“We will burn River state if you touch Amaechi,” APC faction threatens courts
Hundreds of people who described themselves as members of a faction of “burn down and completely destroy River State,” should there be any court ruling, declaring former governor and Transport minister, Rotimi Amaechi as no longer a member of the party.
They also threatened a faction of the party in the state led by Senator Magnus Abe that if they obtain any court judgment against Amaechi, they would not find peace in the state as they were ready to destroy everything.
They also accused River state Governor, Nyesom Wike of using the State judiciary to fight their Amaechi.
“To Rivers State Judiciary, that has made themselves Nyesom Wike Private company- if they do anything against his Excellency, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, we are going to burn down Rivers state.”
“We are going to shut down every federal agency, every multinational company, we are going to destroy everything and put the River state in Crisis. We are going to show them that Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi is not a man they can toy with and we will make sure that any person who wants to die, we are going to die with him and any person who wants to live, we are going to live with him”.
“We are warning Magnus Abe and Ike Aguma and all of them. They say they want peace, what is their business with what is happening in Edo. What is happening in Edo has exposed them, exposed their allegiance and people they are working with.
“As it stands now if they want to live, then they should be cautious because we will not be alive to see them alive to do whatever they want to do against Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi,” they stated.
June 23, 2020
Court bars Obaseki from contesting in PDP primary
A federal high court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers state, has stopped Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, from participating in the Peoples Democratic Party governorship primary.
Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, one of the PDP aspirants, filed the suit seeking exclusion of the governor from contesting in the PDP primary election rescheduled to hold on Thursday, June 25.
Ogbeide-Ihama said only aspirants who purchased the party’s nomination forms and were screened within the stipulated time should be allowed to contest in the primary.
Obaseki and his deputy Philip Shuaibu defected to the PDP just last Friday after Obaseki’s disqualification from the All Progressives Congress, the party under which he was elected in 2016.
PDP rescheduled its primaries from last Friday to June 23 to allow it screen Obaseki to fulfill elections formalities.The party also gave a waiver to Obaseki and Shuaibu to participate in the primary.
To further challenge Obaseki’s candidacy, Ihama also questioned the validity of Obaseki’s certificates – the same reason APC disqualified him.
In his ruling on Monday, EA Obile, the judge, granted Ogbeide-Ihama’s request.
The court also asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise the governor as an aspirant until the determination of the suit.
The eventual candidate of the PDP will face off against Osagie Ize-Iyamu, who won the APC governorship ticket at the party’s primary election on Monday.
June 23, 2020
Magu to be replaced as EFCC chairman
Having served nearly five years in acting capacity, time may be ticking fast against Ibrahim Magu as plans are being concluded to replace him as the boss of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Among those being considered to replace Magu as EFCC chairman are the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory, Bala Ciroma, a former director, Operations of the EFCC,
Diseye Nsirim-Poweigba, a retired police commissioner in Niger State and Mohammed Sani Usman, a retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police.
Magu, has been the head of EFCC since November 9, 2015 but in acting capacity following the refusal of the Bukola Saraki led 8th Senate to confirm him on grounds that his hands were not clean as he was facing criminal investigation. President Muhammadu Buhari had later re-nominated Magu for confirmation but he was still rejected by the senate.
Although the President refused to remove Magu from the position, a recent memo said to have been written to the President by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami seems to have come as the last nail on Magu’s coffin as Malami was said to have accused the acting EFCC boss of looting monies and assets recovered from fraudulent individuals.
June 23, 2020
Gov. Fayemi exposed, plotting to run with Atiku for Buhari’s office
While he is opening pretending to be working for the success of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) to retain the federal seat of power in 2023, Ekiti state Governor, Kayose Fayemi is working underground to be the running mate to former vice president, Atiku Abubakar in the 2023 general election.
Atiku was the presidential candidate of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 election in Nigeria.
The Special Assistant to the President on Political matters, Chief Babafemi Ojudu, made the disclosure in an interview with an online platform, ‘The Coven News.’ He said Fayemi who is the Chairman of Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) is using his position and trust that the president has on him to be lobbying for his personal interest at the detriment of the president’s party and interest.
He said- “I’ve never seen that kind of ambition before, granted, every human being should be ambitious but then if you want to aim to be the president of Nigeria, you must have been known to have done something good.
“If you govern Ekiti and turn all the roads in Ekiti to something that has never been seen before and you are providing water for everyone living in Ekiti, you’ve employed almost everybody in Ekiti, the place is looking good and clean, then Nigerians can say this man has done something spectacular, come and govern us!
“That is why he is now trying to bring down the party, of recent, I learnt that his dream now is to be a running mate to Atiku, the meetings he’s been having trying to break the party so that he can leave the party and join Atiku to become his running mate come 2023.
“It is wrong, you don’t destroy the ladder that brings you up, you don,’t Ojodu said.
Ojudu, a former senator who hails from Ekiti state like Fayemi said he and a few others brought the governor into politics and described the former solid minerals and steel development minister as a betrayer.
He described Fayemi as petty and pedestrian, adding that the governor recently sent thugs to his house to harass the house staff and dumped some few bags of rice.
According to the report, “The incident, he said, was in response to having criticized the Fayemi administration expressing his worry that despite the trust reposed on the Governor, there has been nothing positive so far for the State from the Fayemi Government.
“The Former senator also harped much on what he described as Governor Fayemi’s selfish style of Governance while hinting at the Governor’s destructive ambition:
“Nothing, he has done nothing in the State! I have granted interviews on the radio and Television, I have written it down, nothing has happened and that gets us worried as politicians of Ekiti state.
“During his first coming, this is how he did the same thing and that was how we lost the election. So this time we are not going to keep quiet, we are going to continue to point out his misdeeds hoping and believing that he will initiate calls and correct himself and if he doesn’t, we are already letting the people of Ekiti state know that it is not a collective thing; that he is the only one ruling the state and the only one managing the affairs of the party but very soon, we are going to take our party away from him. So we are appealing to Ekiti, we made a mistake bringing him, we made a mistake voting for him and we are apologizing to the people of Ekiti and this is not going to happen again,” it quoted Ojudu as saying.
June 23, 2020
COVID-19: Plateau State Govt. threatens to reimpose lockdown
Plateau State Government has threatened to reimpose lockdown directives, following complacency by its residents.
The Commissioner of Information and Communication, Mr. Dan Manjang, in a statement on Monday in Jos, said the rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in the state was due to complacency.
Plateau recorded 31 new cases of COVID-19 on Sunday, as published by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), bringing the total number of cases in the state to 251.
Manjang said the disregard for the preventive guidelines given by the state government was causing grave concerns, noting that the indefinite relaxation of the lockdown on June 11, was to reduce hardship faced by residents.
“The government, therefore, warns that it will not hesitate to restore the lockdown earlier lifted by Gov. Simon Bako Lalong as it views with dismay, the non-compliance with regards to the wearing of face masks, social distancing, hand washing and the use of hand sanitiser,” he said.
According to him, findings show that some worship centres, markets, motor parks, commercial vehicles, tricycles are flagrantly violating the preventive guidelines.
“In view of the foregoing therefore, the government hereby states categorically that such an unbecoming attitude stimulates the government to contemplate severe measures to address and arrest the situation.
”This can include among many, a total lockdown of the state, for a longer period, and the indefinite sealing of such premises that refuse to adhere to the guidelines,” he said.
Manjang reminded Plateau people that mobile courts were still operational as directed by Gov. Simon Lalong, to prosecute violators of its COVID-19 guidelines.
He appealed to Plateau residents to abide by the COVID-19 protocols, to curtail the disease and save lives, saying the government should not be made to take decisions which will further hurt the people.
June 23, 2020
Resident doctors in Bayelsa yet to suspend strike
Resident doctors at the Bayelsa State Government owned Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital (NDUTH), Okolobiri, have yet to resume from the indefinite strike suspended on Sunday by their national body.
The leadership of National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) had on Sunday directed its members across the country to resume work as the Federal Government said it has cleared outstanding hazard allowances, among other demands.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NDUTH hosts the 100-bed capacity COVID-19 isolation centre located at the outskirts of Yenagoa, the state capital.
The rising spread of confirmed cases to 169 from 130 in Bayelsa with less than 200 bed isolation capacity has raised concerns of an impending crisis in the coming days.
Dr. Olu Inestol, the President of NDUTH chapter of Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), told NAN on telephone on Monday that members of the association were still on strike.
“We cannot resume work yet like our counterparts in Federal Government establishments who are being paid the promised hazard allowances, but the same cannot be said for us at the state level.
“As we speak, nothing has been done about our own at NDUTH and that is why we cannot return to work, the strike therefore continues,” Inestol said.
However, at the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa some resident doctors were seen at their duty posts attending to patients’ haven complied with the directive on the nationwide strike suspension.
Dr. Divine Irole, the President of ARD in the hospital, told NAN that the doctors have returned to work as directed.
She however said that her members were still to be paid the hazard allowances as announced and were still awaiting its implementation.
The hospital premises were scanty as few patients were seen around.
June 23, 2020
Saudi Threatens to ban Nigerian Muslims, others from Hajj
The hope of some Nigerian Muslims to visit the Holy Lands of Mecca and Medina this year for pilgrimage has been dashed by the Saudi Arabia authorities which has banned such travel travels due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The country’s authorities said they would only allow a limited number of Muslims already resident to perform the Hajj this year.
In a statement on Monday, the Saudi Ministry of Hajj and Umrah said the pilgrimage will take place “this year with a very limited number of those who want to perform the Hajj from all nationalities residing in Saudi Arabia only,’’
It said the decision aims at ensuring preventive measures and social distancing protocols are observed to limit the spread of COVID-19, saying- “in accordance with the teachings of Islam in preserving the lives of human beings.’’
More than two million people perform the pilgrimage in the holy city of Mecca every year, including many travelling from abroad.
It usually takes place over five days, from the eighth to the 12th day of Dhu al-Hijjah, the last month of the Islamic lunar calendar.
June 23, 2020
COVID-19: FG kicks over reopening of schools in Oyo
The Federal Government on Monday kicked against the reopening of schools in Oyo State amidst COVID-19 pandemic, describing such as insensitive to the health of the people.
Mr. Emeka Nwajiuba, Minister of State for Education, said this at the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 daily news conference in Abuja.
Our correspondent reports that Gov. Seyi Makinde of Oyo State had earlier ordered the reopening of schools across the state.
According to the minister, it is expedient to recognise the fact that Oyo State is a government operating under the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a Federating unit.
He noted that though the governor had the right to reopen school as he deemed fit, but added that the primary purpose of governance remained the security of its people.
Nwajiuba said the Federal Government had over 138,000 schools across the country and for the governor to open the schools was in the very least insensitive.
He, however, urged parents to, as a matter of urgency, keep their children and wards under lock and key, to forestall contacting the COVID-19 pandemic.
The minister appealed to parents and guardians, whose children and wards would be writing the West African Examinations Council to bear with the government, pending when the necessary arrangements would be made.
He noted that if there was anything the government could do to help in the present circumstances, it would not fail to act.
Nwajiuba stated that the ministry had fixed a meeting with WAEC on how it would arrange the examination time for the exit year children, for revisions in their subjects, to be able to prepare well for their exams.
June 23, 2020
Access Bank extends Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Ton programme to 6 African countries
Access Bank PLC has extended its Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Ton programme to six African countries.
These countries are Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, Zambia, Sierra-Leone, Gambia and Congo. The Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Ton Africa is targeted at women above the age of 18 years who have been in business for at least one year.
According to the World Economic Forum, women are seen as the future of Africa, being one of the largest contributors to economic growth and having the highest entrepreneurship rates in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Interestingly their contributions are not fully maximized as there are vast potentials not harnessed due to barriers such as finance, manpower, skillset, technology and more.
Access Bank’s W Initiative offers women across various segments opportunities to new markets, access to affordable finance and capacity building programs in addition to a wide array of financial and lifestyle offerings.
Launched in 2019, the Womenpreneur Pitch-A-Ton was the first women-in-business support initiative of its kind in the industry offered by the Access Bank W Initiative.
The program in its maiden edition provided financial grants worth N9Million to the top 3 applicants with a free mini MBA certification for 50 women entrepreneurs in Nigeria.
This it did in conjunction with the International Finance Corporation (IFC, a member of the World Bank Group). This year, the program is being extended to 6 other African countries where Access Bank’s W initiative has its presence.
Speaking on the initiative, Ayona Aguele-Trimnell, Group Head, W Initiative Access Bank stated that the Pitch-A-Ton is an expansion of the Womenpreneur Business Workshop, under the Bank’s women proposition.
She further commented, “Having had a successful program last year, we are really excited to take it a step further by extending this opportunity to more women entrepreneurs trying to power the wellbeing and growth of their societies. This time around, we will provide up to N9 million financial grant and a unique capacity building program aimed at empowering women entrepreneurs.”
Access Bank has been a leading advocate for women’s economic empowerment in Nigeria and this is the key motivation for the W Initiative which caters to the women economy particularly in the areas of capacity building and creating networking opportunities for women” she added.
June 23, 2020
Nigeria’s economy slipping under Buhari, says Secondus
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), on Monday, tackled President Muhammadu Buhari-led government, saying “Nigeria’s economy is slipping under his watch”.
Uche Secondus, national chairman of the party, who stated this in Akure, the Ondo State capital, said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) government at the federal level, has also failed Nigerians.
He spoke while receiving Ondo State Deputy Governor, Mr. Agboola Ajayi and some of his supporters into the opposition party at its Secretariat in Akure.
Secondus condemned the increasing cases of attacks, banditry and kidnapping in the country noting that the economy was in comatose.
He also berated President Buhari over his inability to curb the issue of insecurity in the last five years of his administration, arguing that he has performed woefully.
“The APC has fooled this nation for the past five years and they have even performed woefully.
“The APC under Buhari had damaged this country and destroyed the economy and there is no longer security anywhere.
“As we can see, our country is slipping and sliding under his watch, if they cannot see it, we can see it clearly,” Secondus said.
He warned that it is time for President Buhari to concentrate on the country’s economy than playing the politics of APC with the people.
While welcoming the Ondo Deputy Governor to the PDP, Secondus described his exit from the APC as an act of God which will boast the chances of the main opposition party in the state.
The PDP Chairman also noted that Ajayi’s defection is like a “tsunami” that has hit the APC-led government in the state ahead of the October 10 election.
“The deputy governor has said that he is not coming to ulter the rules or seek for any favour from our party.
“So, we know that with him and others joining the party we can reclaim Ondo State in this coming governorship election”.
He, however, added that the each of the aspirants would be giving a free level playing field to contest the party’s ticket.
“So, our coming here is not to endorse a particular aspirant but for the generality of the people,” Secondus added.
Speaking on why he left the ruling party, Mr. Ajayi said his political sojourn in APC ended because “the party has become a poisoned space.”
His words: “It is a house divided against itself and in Ondo State in particular, the party is having breathing difficulties because one man is kneeling on its neck.”
Ajayi said he chose PDP because it is a larger house, which he had helped to build and a place which is not under the chokehold of one man or a clique.
“At the moment in Ondo State, democracy and wide participation by the people have given way to unsolicited and illegitimate outsourcing of power, familitocracy, nepotism, clannishness and primitive accumulation of illegal wealth under state cover.”
He said his new party would return power to the people of Ondo State. Ajayi was, however, silent on whether he would pick the governorship election form under the party.
June 23, 2020