Argument Over What Killed Senator Bayo Osinowo, ‘Pepperito’; Lobby For Replacement Begins Soon

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June 15, 2020

By Akinwale Kasali

To many people, this news would sound unbelievable. But, first time Senator, Adebayo Osinowo, representing Lagos East Senatorial District, is dead

The death of the Senator, fondly called Pepperito came as shock to many especially the All Progressives Congress, APC, family which is yet to come to terms with the death of Augustine Adeoye Arogundade, Chairman, Oke Odo Local Council Development Area of Lagos State last week.

The late Senator Osinowo was said to have died of heart-related medical issues.

Family sources could not confirm the actual cause of death amidst speculations that it may have been COVID-19 related.

The magazine was informed that he died Monday afternoon at the First Cardiologist Hospital, Lagos.

One of his aides said that the Senator was having difficulty in breathing when he was taken to the hospital.

The Senator was an indigene of Odo Egbo, Ogun State.

His father was the Late Alhaji Rabiu Osinowo from Odo-Egbo in Ijebu Ode; and his mother is Mariamo Taiwo Osinowo.

He had his primary education at St. Augustin Primary School in Ijebu-Ode and his Secondary Education in Issoyin Grammar School, Isoyin.

Osinowo studied Building Technology at the lnstituto per Geometri, Rome, Italy. He obtained his master’s degree at Urbaniana University, Rome, Italy, where he specialised in Building Technology.

APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, is said to be devastated by Senator Osinowo’s death. A former member of the Lagos House of Assembly, Osinowo was the surprise replacement of Senator Ashafa, who was suddenly dumped by Tinubu.

Ashafa’s alleged sin was that he was seen at the campaign field for the 2019 Governorship election with former Governor Akinwumi Ambode, who was refused a second term as Governor by Tinubu.

Will Tinubu allow Senator Ashafa to go back to the Senate?

Time will tell.

Breaking: Resident Doctors Begin Indefinite Strike

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Uche Mbah

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June 15, 2020

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By Uche Mbah

Resident doctors Monday began a nationwide strike to press home their demands for better conditions for their members, though they said they are exempting their colleagues working at COVID 19 centers nationwide. COVID 19 figures Monday spiked to 16,000cases with over 400 deaths, according to the National Center for Disease Control, NCDC.

There has been inadequate coverage of the COVID 19 pandemic by doctors, particularly in the North, because of a lack of doctors. A state in the Northern part of the country recently lamented that there are only 300 doctors in the whole state.

President of the national association of resident doctors, NARSD, president, Aliyu Sokomba, announced that the strike will be indefinite while addressing a press conference in Abuja Monday. According to him, the exemption of those working at COVID 19 centers is only temporary, since after two weeks they are expected to all join the strike.

This is a developing story…

Hours After Wife’s Death, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo Says Life Goes On

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The Source

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June 15, 2020

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Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, the Senior Pastor at The Trinity Church, on Sunday, both, at once, shocked and comforted many people. In his first public reaction to the sudden death of his wife, Ibidunni, the Pastor said “Life Goes On”

Ibidunni, former Miss Lux, boss of Elizabeth R, an Event’s planning company, accomplished businesswoman, and founder of the Ibidun Ighodalo Foundation, died in PH, where he had gone to work, of, allegedly, of cardiac arrest, on June 14.

Considering how close she and her Pastor-Husband were, everybody feared for him.

But a few hours later, he surprised many when he appeared in his Church to officiate at a funeral service. It was a funeral service for one of the grandsons of billionaire Razak Okoya’s son, 24 year old Ayodeji Modupe Johnson, whose mother is Okoya’s favourite daughter, Biola.

The theme of the funeral sermon was Life.

Formally announcing his wife’s death, without mentioning her name, Pastor Ighodalo said the news of his wife’s death shattered his entire life, but that life must go on.

Wearing a black suit, which matched his sombre and sober looks, he said, in a subdued voice:

“Most of you know that I shouldn’t be here. At 2.00am, I received a call that shattered my entire life. But life must go on.

“We do not have control over most things in life, where you were born, which womb you came from, and your race.

” Life is a big mystery. No one even as wise as Solomon can tell you they understand life.

“This time yesterday, if anyone had told me this is how it will be, I would have said it is impossible. Life is nothing.”

While many admired him, and marvelled at his courage to officiate at a funeral service hours after the sudden passing of his wife, others say he shouldn’t have. Asked one woman after watching the video of the funeral service: “Is he the only Pastor in the Church? He is called the Senior Pastor, which means there must be, at least, one other Pastor. Must he officiate? It does not show respect for the dead if you ask me. But he is a Pastor, he knows best.

In a statement, on Sunday, announcing the sad passing of Ibidun, her husband’s elder brother, Asue Ighodalo, asked for privacy on behalf of the Ighodalo and Ajayi families , to mourn their “beloved wife and daughter”. Ibidunni’s maiden surname was Ajayi.

Imo: Students Die in Nekede Poly After Sex, Drugs

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Bayo Bernard

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June 15, 2020

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By Fola James

The police in Owerri, Imo state have reported the death of two students of the Federal Polytechnic, Nekede, after enjoying themselves in overnight sex romp.

Orlando Okeokwu, the state police command’s spokesman identified the students as Samuel Osuji and Cynthia Obieshi.

Speaking on the issue, the state PPRO said the police moved in, after concerned residents reported that the lifeless bodies of the deceased students were lying in a hotel.

While “acting on a report received at the police station, operatives of the Divisional Police Headquarters, Nekede/Ihiagwa Division, moved to Room 19, Vic-Mic Lodge, situated around the JMJ bus stop, broke into the room and found the lifeless bodies of one Cynthia Obieshi and one Samuel Osuji,” he said.

Explaining further that the students must have died from hard drug abuse, Okeokwu stated that police “gathered that the said Cynthia visited her boyfriend, Samuel on June 13, 2020, and passed the night with him, but unfortunately, both of them could not wake up the next morning.

Preliminary investigation suggests that they may have died as a result of drug consumption.

Their bodies have now been deposited in a morgue, the magazine was told.

Ibidun’s World Of Pains; But Said : ‘I Completely Submit Myself To God’

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The Source

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June 15, 2020

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In the early hours of Sunday, June, the 14th, the gorgeous Mrs Ibidunni Ituah-Ighodalo, a former Beauty Queen, foremost Events Manager, Business Woman, and beloved wife of Pastor Ituah-Ighodalo, passed on. At about 2.00am, she died in a hotel room in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, of alleged Cardiac arrest. She had been there, as she was contracted to equip and make beautiful Isolation Centres for COVID-19 victims in Rivers and Bayelsa States.

In her lifetime, she founded and ran an NGO – Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation with the sole aim of helping childless women find joy and peace, by sponsoring their IVF procedure, a procedue that failed her nine times.

What pushed her was her personal experience with childlessness, and how she eventually found succour and peace of mind.

She told her story of pains and later inner peace and joy before her death. Following, her words, in an article she entitled: My World And Pains.

My name is Ibidunni Ighodalo, founder of the Ibidunni Ighodalo Foundation.

“Like any newly married couple, my husband, Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, and I looked forward to starting our family and holding our children in our arms.

“You can imagine our dismay when, after getting married in 2007, we watched the years roll by without a child of our own.

“After several doctors’ appointments, we were told that we wouldn’t have children unless we sought treatment through assisted reproduction.

“This was the doctor’s report we received, but we choose to believe God’s own report, unshaken in our faith as we firmly believe that we will have our children.

“This period of delay, also, came with pressure and a lot of insensitivity from people to our situation.

“I, also, had to deal with the emotions, pain and the roller-coaster hormonal imbalance that comes with all sorts of treatments .

“Thankfully, I am married to an amazing man who has been there for me through all the procedures; unflinching in his support.

“Along the journey, I have met women who only needed one round of a treatment I had done nine times.

“The only thing holding them back was either the lack of finance or the psychological support needed to get through it.

“It was at that point I decided to stop thinking about myself and start trusting God to help these couples fulfill their dreams of having their children.

“On the morning of my last birthday, I thought about not having had children long and hard while praying. There and then, I made a covenant with God and told Him that I would leave it completely in His hands. In the interim, as we wait for our miracle, I would help couples going through the same challenges by providing spiritual, financial and psychological support. I was ready to do my part to get rid of the stigma attached to childlessness.

“I wanted people to, instead, see couples-in-waiting as blessed mothers and fathers of nations! Upon thinking about the weight of this dream, I started out feeling a little reluctant, especially, when I thought about the privacy we might lose.

“However, when I thought about the unending joy it would bring to people’s lives, it seemed to me that it would be worth the sacrifice.

“I made up my mind to stop worrying over child-bearing and to just keep trusting God while helping other couples through their own fertility journey.

“As I prayed and mulled over the idea, I felt peace and that was how the IBIDUNNI IGHODALO FOUNDATION was born!

“As part of our plans to raise awareness on issues pertaining to fertility and bring hope and joy to many homes, we have partnered with a number of fertility clinics with high success rates that are willing to help with discounted costs for treatment.

“We also have partner organizations that help subsidize other medical bills while raising awareness about fertility issues alongside.

“Parenthood is a reality that should not be denied to every couple that desires it.”

Mrs Ibidunni Ituah-Ighodalo passed, aged 40, without a biological child. But was a devoted lovely mother of two children.

Breaking: Doctors Begin Indefinite Strike

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The Source

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June 15, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

The National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, has commenced its indefinite strike amid Coronavirus in Nigeria.

The magazine gathered that the National Association of Resident Doctors of Nigeria on Monday commenced a nationwide strike after the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum.

Dr Aliyu Sokomba, the NARD President, announced this while addressing a press conference in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, on Monday, June 15.

The NARD President said the union has decided to exempt its members working in various coronavirus (COVID-19) isolation and treatment centres across the country.

Sokomba, however, stated that exemption of the members attending to COVID-19 patients was for two weeks before they join the industrial action.

Insecurity: Buhari Tells Northern Leaders To Shut Up

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Bayo Bernard

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June 15, 2020

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By Tosin Olatokunbo

President Muhammadu Buhari has fired back the Northern Elders Forum over the group’s recent outburst that his administration has failed the north.

Ango Abdullahi, the leader of NEF, made up of prominent political leaders, had in a statement few days ago, warned that the state of insecurity in the region could lead to people’s revolt against the government.

The elders also blamed the state governors, and said they no longer have faith in President Buhari to save the country from bandits and terrorists because he has failed woefully.

“It would appear that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari and governors have lost control over the imperatives of protecting people of the North, a constitutional duty that they swore to uphold,” the NEF said on Saturday.

Dismissing this assertion, Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity said in a statement, that the elders have lost touch with the same northerners they are representing.

Adesina described Abdullahi as a General without troops, adding that the former Vice Chancellor and others in the forum are mere irritants and featherweights.

The presidential spokesman said the group does not understand governance.

According to the statement : “The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) in a statement Sunday signed by its so-called Convener, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, alleged that the insecurity in some northern states of the country was an indication that President Muhammadu Buhari and the governors of those states have lost control over the protection of the people which is a constitutional duty.

We are not surprised by this latest statement by Prof. Abdullahi, and our past position on what his group represents remains unchanged: a mere irritant and featherweight.”

He said the Abullahi led group has lost relevance as the representatives of the northern pople.

We are surprised that “The former vice chancellor signed the statement under the banner of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF). Hearing that title, you would think the body was a conglomeration of true elders.

But the truth is that NEF is just Ango Abdullahi, and Ango Abdullahi is NEF. It is a quasi-organization that boasts of no credible membership, and its leader is akin to a General without troops.

Before the 2019 presidential election, the one-man army called NEF had shown its antipathy against President Buhari, and its preference for another candidate. They all got beaten together,” Adesina stated.

He said further that President Buhari is more focused in leading the country than listening to the distraction of NEF, a “merely waving a flag that is at half-mast. President Buhari steadily and steadfastly focuses on the task of retooling Nigeria, and discerning Nigerians know the true state of the nation. They don’t need a paper tiger to tell them anything.”

Meanwhile, President Buhari on Sunday vowed to punish all those involved in the gun shots at the Presidential Villa on Friday during a disagreement between some security aides of the First Lady, Aisha Buhari and top presidency officials.

Abacha Loot: Ex-First Lady Lashes At Late Despot’s Detractors

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Bayo Bernard

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June 15, 2020

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By Fola James

Maryam Abacha, wife of late despot and Nigeria’s head of state, General Sanni Abacha has denied allegation that her husband stole from the country.

She said Abacha’s detractors were only bent on damaging his image after he died.

Her assertion came barely a week after Major Hamza Al-mustapha said the late head of state was innocent of the allegation of stealing.

At least, $5 billion dollars was believed to have been lodged in various accounts abroad, belonging to Abacha and other cronies while he was the nation’s leader for five years.

But his was has now described the claim as shameful, insisting that her husband was a good man that had the interest of Nigerians in his heart.

The former first lady made this revelation in an interview she granted to mark 22 years that her husband had died.

She accused Abacha’s friend of abandoning her after he died, adding that her family have been betrayed by close relations and former allies.

They have been claiming that Abacha stole money but “How come this man was not a thief until he died.What is this amount of money after 22 years you say oh we have found this amount of money and we’re bringing it back?

It is a shame to tell lies on a dead man! It is a shame to tell lies on your leader,” she said.

She stated that nemesis will visit those that fraternize with her husband while alive but later abandoned his family because “If he had done wrong, God knows. If other people are putting the wrong on him, it is a matter of time.

They will kneel down like America is kneeling down now. Anybody that is evil will kneel down just like this corona has come to shut this world.”

Mayam said her husband was a man with good heart and doesn’t deserve the outburst against him, that Allah will reward anyone destroying the image of the late dictator.

This is because Abacha “worked in Kano and he planted Kano people, but there are people he helped a lot but they are not even greeting me now for no reason.They just hate us. But why? It is Haram and Allah is watching us.”

Buba Gladima, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC has recently claimed that Abacha deliberately kept the funds abroad to help the nation’s survive against sanctions imposed by Western allies led by the United States of America, USA.

Eleganza Chairman, Razaq Okoya Loses Grandson, 24

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The Source

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June 14, 2020

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Chief Razaq Okoya, the Chairman of Eleganza Group of Companies, has lost his 24 year old grandson, Ayodeji Modupe Johnson, was the son of Biola Okoya, Razaq Okoya’s favourite daughter.

She was married to Akinwade Johnson before they divorced after about 10 years of marriage.

The cause of death was not disclosed, but his funeral service was held, via zoom, by Pastor Ituah Ighodalo, of the Trinity Church.

Biola was of the Islamic faith before he converted to the Islamic faith. She is a member of the Trinity Church.

Shooting In Villa: Buhari Dashes Wife’s Hope Says Law Should Take Its Cause; Dims Hope Of Early Release Of Her Aides

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The Source

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June 14, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

After a lot of pressure, and silence deemed as no longer golden, the Presidency, finally, reacted on Sunday, to the unfortunate shooting incident in the Villa.

The shooting involved security aides of First Lady, Aisha Buhari, who, allegedly were in hot pursuit of a Personal aide of the President, Sabiu Tunde Yusuf.

Yusuf had, reportedly, come back from Lagos, and did not self-isolate, a situation which upset the First Lady. She was said to have asked that he be blocked from entering the Villa. Yusuf, however, entered the Villa, and the First Lady’s anger hit the roof.

She, then, allegedly, personally, went to ask Yusuf out. He refused, and there was an altercation. Later, the First Lady, allegedly, accompanied by three of her children and her security aides, went to Yusuf’s apartment to confront her for talking back to the First Lady.

Overwhelmed, he took to his heels, and the Security aides followed in hot pursuit, and, in a bid to arrest him, fired some shots.

A superior officer apparently arrested them, since such shots within the Villa are prohibited. They were detained.

A couple of days ago, the First Lady on her Twitter handle, asked the Inspector General of Police, IGP, to immediately release her Security aides.

Without mentioning there were fired shots, she alluded to COVID-19, saying, “it is real, and everybody should adhere to the protocols and guidelines.”

Three days after her public outcry, the IGP ignored her request to release her aides from detention. But everybody suspected the IGP must have been acting on orders from above.

On Sunday, it became obvious where it came from. In a statement, Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said the President has ordered a probe into the incident. He, also, said that the President insists that the law should take its course.

Said the statement: “Armed guards and other security personnel assigned to the State House, receive the necessary training, of especially, weapons handling, and where they come short, their relevant agencies have their rules and regulations to immediately address them.

“Having authorised the proper investigation to be carried out into this unfortunate incident by the Police, the President has acted in compliance with the rule of law.”

The statement assured that the President was neither in danger of the gunshots, not in danger of contracting COVID-19.

Analysts say the meaning is that the First Lady’s security aides would remain in detention until after investigation, and, she may not get any replacement. And that the relevant agencies, this time, Force Headquarters, is investigating its personnel.

Sources within the seat of power disclose that the President was very embarrassed by the incident, which the statement said was unfortunate.

Reacting to the incident, coincidentally, just before the reaction from the Presidency.

Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, the former Chairman of the Governing Council of the National Human Rights Commission, called for a thorough investigation into the alleged shooting at the Aso Rock presidential villa, Abuja.

He also said that Nigerians needed to be reassured that President Muhammadu Buhari is safe, and also expressed his disappointment that since the incident occurred, the Presidency has failed to come out to tell Nigerians what really happened.

He said this shows that the Presidency cared less about the Citizens, believing that the citizens don’t matter.

Odinkalu argued that once firearms were discharged within the Villa, it was no longer a family affair.

”There are rumours – neither affirmed nor denied by the Presidency – that there has been discharge of firearms in the Villa by or from uniformed personnel. If that is true, it is no longer a family affair.

“Any discharge of firearms in the Presidency is presumed to be either on the orders of the President or against him. If it is the latter, it could be treasonable. If it is the former, it could be defence of state. We need to be told which and reassured that the President is safe.”

He urged Nigerians to note the difference between any excitement in the family life of the occupants of the Villa on the one hand, and matters that impunge on affairs of the state on the other.

Also, a civil society group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) said it was time President Muhammadu Buhari took charge of his domestic issues in the Villa to check the constant disgraceful infighting and squabbles between his personal aides and his wife, Aisha Buhari.

The group, alongside other Human Rights Groups are calling for a thorough investigation of the incident in the presidential Villa.

The group viewed the incident as an “attempted coup plot”.

It said: “Whomsoever fired the shots should be investigated and sanctioned just like a coup plotter “.

HURIWA said the consistent quarrels by members of Buhari’s household had the capacity to damage the nation’s brand internationally, ‘making us a laughing stock. seemingly uncontrollable disagreements and supremacy battle or power tussle in the presidential mansion has the near- infinite capacity to paint Nigeria graphically in the global community as a Banana republic.

The incident, it said, reinforced the perception that Nigeria is being governed by a president that is not in charge of his domestic affairs.

It said: “Serious investors overseas will not take their hard earned cash in this Covid-19 era of economic recession to a country whose political leader has no control of what goes on within his own home.

“The domestic health of the political leadership of sovereign nation’s is a basic requirement and indeed the global determinant for knowing the stability of a given nation.”