Imo: With 86 Cases, Contact Tracing of Covid-19 Active Cases in Imo in Full Gear, Says Iwu

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June 11, 2020

Prof. Maurice Iwu, Chairman, Imo State Task Force on Covid-19 briefing newsmen on the recent update

With a startling sudden rise of COVID-19 cases in Imo State, there are some words of consolation. Out of the 86 cases, only 12 are active.

The Prof. Maurice Iwu-led Task Force Committee on Covid–19 in the State said that contact tracing of active cases in the state is in full gear. Prof. Iwu spoke on Wednesday in Owerri on the 86 coronavirus cases recorded.

Briefing newsmen at the Task Force Office, the Chairman informed that only 12 cases are active out of the 86 and that they are being treated at two different centres in Owerri: six at FMC Isolation Centre and another six at Well-being Centre along Orlu Road, also in Owerri. The gender spread, he said, is three females and nine males.

Prof. Iwu further informed that the contact tracing of the active cases is in full gear as all suspects are yet to be reached.

He reiterated that Imo State has not yet recorded any official coronavirus death from those in the Isolation Centres of Government. He, however, regretted that a case of covid-19 death was reported on Saturday in Imo State of somebody who died in his house, but whose blood sample tested positive to the pandemic.

The Chairman said that when new cases are identified or reported they are evacuated from their homes to a Well-Being Isolation Centre from where they are distributed to other Isolation Centres to avoid congestion and multiple spread.

Prof. Iwu urged anyone that has the trace of infected persons or suspects to the coronavirus disease to report to the committee, emphasizing that the virus is real, even though many are still in doubt of its existence.

He reassured that his committee is not relaxing on its oars as the members are daily steping up testing and sensitization to ensure that Imo State is safe from the unknown enemy.

Prof. Iwu reiterated that three categories of people are mostly endangered in this fight and they are persons 65 years and above, people suffering from diseases or other ailments and the third group, health workers who come in contact with the Covid–19 everyday in the line of duty.

Infectious Disease Bill: CNPP Demands Investigation of Reps Principal Officers

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June 11, 2020

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The Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has called for thorough investigation of the Principal Officers of the House of Representatives following a secret public hearing conducted by Reps Committee on Heath Services and the barring of journalists from covering the process that would lead to the passage of the contentious infectious disease bill.

In its reaction to the refusal to allow journalists cover the public hearing in Abuja, the CNPP in a statement issued by its Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu said that it has become imperative for all security agencies to commence a transparent investigation of the Reps leaders to ascertain who they are working for.

The Bill sponsored by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Pascal Obi, Chairman, House Committee on Health Institutions and Tanko Sununu, Chairman of the Committee on Health Services.

It seeks to repeal the Quarantine Act and enact the Control of Infectious Diseases Bill, to make provisions relating to quarantine and regulations for preventing the introduction and spread of dangerous infectious diseases in Nigeria, and for other related matters.

“We were shocked that the House of Representatives, supposedly working for the good of Nigeria and Nigerians, would stop journalists carrying out their legitimate duty were barred from covering proceeding at the public hearing on a bill that was initiated to force Nigerians to be vaccinated.

“The action raises question on who the House of Reps members are working to satisfy and gives Nigerians reason to believe that the legislators were bribed to carry out a predetermined exercise by certain paymasters.

“We therefore call on all relevant security agencies, including the Police and the Department of State Services to leave no stone unturned in determining who these paymasters are or in whose interest the House of Representatives is serving.

“When the Coalition of United Political Parties raised the alarm that the lawmakers may have been compromised, not many Nigerians took the allegations as seriously as it deserved.

“Meanwhile, we call on all lawmakers of good conscience in the House of Reps to reject any report emanating from the Public Hearing when presented for consideration on the floor of the House.

“It is time to save not only our democracy but also our public health institution from the apron strings of western influence who have vowed to turn Nigerians into guinea pigs for experiment in the name of vaccination against infectious disease.

“And, because of the strong resistance mounted by majority of citizens against the bill that would make vaccination compulsory for all, we expected the House of Reps to hold the Public Hearing online to accommodate more views but they went ahead to even shut out journalists creating more doubt about their sincerity of purpose”, the CNPP stated.

Autonomy: Malami Dares Governors, Says No Going Back On Executive Order

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June 10, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, has reiterated the Federal Government’s stand on the financial autonomy granted the State Legislative, and Judiciary, stressing that there is no going back on the Executive Order 0010 by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Malami added that the current administration will work with Governors on modalities for effective implementation of the order.

He said the implementation Committee will incorporate valuable submissions from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum and other stakeholders.

He said the Federal Government has appreciated the fact that the governors have agreed to the constitutionality of the state Legislature and the Judiciary.

He said the governors came out with the Executive order No- 0010 in order to deepen democracy from grassroots and ensure effective implementation of the doctrine of separation of powers.

Malami made the clarifications in a statement in Abuja through his Special Assistant on Media and Public Relations, Dr. Umar Jibrilu Gwandu.

The clarifications became necessary against the backdrop of claims by the governors that President Buhari had halted action on the implementation of the autonomy.

But Malami said the Federal Government only wanted submissions from the governors and other stakeholders.

He said the granting of autonomy to State Legislature and the Judiciary is sacrosanct.

He said: “The re-enforcement of the constitutional provisions on the autonomy of the state legislature and judiciary as contained in Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria necessitated the Executive Order No 0010.”

He said the government noted “with appreciation that the Governors of the 36 States of the Federation have agreed to the constitutionality of the autonomy of the state legislature and the Judiciary.”

He said: “The essence of the Order was to see to the implementation of the autonomy.”

The statement added: “While congratulating Nigerians on this landmark historic achievement geared toward engendering democratic principles at the grassroots, the Minister called on more inter-agency support for the Order which he said will accelerate development Nigerian masses have been clamoring for.

“In furtherance of the implementation of the Order, the Federal Government and Nigerian Governors’ Forum are jointly working on modalities for effective implementation of the order.

“The Executive Order implementation Committee will incorporate valuable submissions from Governor’s Forum and other stakeholders with a view to seeing practicable implementation of the Executive Order.”

Shortly after an audience with the President earlier in the week, the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi, said: “After listening to the concerns of the governors about the constitutionality of the Executive Order, President Buhari agreed to delay the gazetting.

“We have a delegation of the governors’ forum here to discuss some matters of fundamental importance to the nation and the President has asked that we meet with the AGF, the Chief of Staff and the Minister of Finance Planning and Budget on the issue.

”It is an issue that has seized the interest of many of you in the media and a lot of people across the federation, it is about the autonomy of the state legislature and the judiciary and we’ve met with the President before now on it and the President was very pleased that for us as governors, we are all united in support of the autonomy of State judiciary and the legislature; that’s the position of the 36 governors of the federation.

“What is the issue? It is on the constitutionality of the modalities of what had been put in the Executive Order and the President was gracious enough to say okay, given your concerns about that, we will delay the gazetting of the order and allow you to meet with the AGF and Finance Minister to work out the modalities.”

He said the governors have also been consulting with Conference of Speakers of State Legislature in order to work out an amicable resolution of the matter.

He added: “In any case, we have been meeting at our level with the Conference of Speakers”.

The Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Governor Tambuwal of Sokoto State, was delegated to lead a number of governors who have gained legislative experience either because they were in the House of Representatives or they were Speakers of State Assemblies, or they were senators and that committee has been meeting with a delegation of the Conference of Speakers, working out the modalities and we believe that all of that would be settled amicably without any resort to court.

Ex-Emir Sanusi Lamido In Trouble, Indicted; To Be Investigated Over Land Scam

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June 10, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

Deposed Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi Lamido Sanusi II is enmeshed in another trouble.

This time around, he is being alleged to be directly involved in a N2.2 Billion Land Scam.

This allegation is coming three months after he was deposed as Emir of Kano, banished to Lapai, Nasarawa State, before relocating to Lagos State.

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has approved the move by Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission to investigate Muhammadu Sanusi II over alleged N2.2 billion land scam.

The magazine gathered that in March 2020, the former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor was facing fresh investigation by the anti-graft agency over alleged sale of landed properties belonging to the Kano Emirate Council.

The anti-graft Commission had accused Sanusi of authorizing the ‘illegal sale’ of landed properties at Darmanawa, Hotoro and Bubbugaje without due process.

Sanusi had approached the Court where he sought a restraining order against the Commission from inviting and investigating him on the matter pending the hearing and determination of the originating summons.

However, Justice Lewis Allagoa, on Tuesday, dismissed Sanusi’s fundamental human right suit, saying that the anti-graft commission and its chairman have the jurisdiction and powers to probe him on the matter.

According to the anti-graft agency Commission, the dethroned Emir ‘illegally’ sold a land with a Right of Occupancy Number: CON-RES-2016-503 to Family Home Fund Limited, adding that the transactions were done by the trio of Shehu Dankadai (Sarkin Shanu), Sarki Ibrahim (Makanan Kano) and Mustapha Yahaya (Dan Isan Lapai).

During his reign, Sanusi was at loggerhead with the governor of the state, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, and in 2017, the emirate council, under Sanusi, was investigated for corruption but the investigation was later called off by the state legislature following intervention by prominent Nigerians.

In 2019, Ganduje signed into law the creation of four new emirates. This unprecedented move saw Sanusi’s traditional domain as Emir reduced.

According to the law, the Kano Emir will only preside over 10 local government areas out of the 44 in the state.

In March, the state legislators launched a new investigation on Sanusi for violation of traditional practices.

Sanusi was on March 9, dethroned as Emir of Kano and banished to Nasarawa State by the Kano State Government over alleged disrespect to lawful instructions from the authorities and refusal to attend official programmes and meetings organised by government.

Breaking: Trouble In The House; But Tinubu Says ‘No Wahala’

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June 10, 2020

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By Akinwale Kasali

Former Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has denied any rift or grudges with Former Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola.

There have been strong rumours that Tinubu and unarguably, his closest ally, and now, Minister for Interior, Aregbesola have fallen apart. The Minister was Tinubu’s Commissioner for Works when he was Lagos State Governor. At the end of his tenure, Tinubu pushed him back to Osun state, and made him Governor. After his two-term tenure, he was Tinubu’s pick for a Ministerial appointment, and has remained his ”Man Friday”, heading, the most influential APC political group in Lagos – The Mandate Group.

Aregbesola is so influential that when things were falling apart for former Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, he ran to Aregbesola for reprieve. It did not, however, save Ambode.

A rift between Tinubu and Aregbesola would certainly shake the Lagos APC.

But, Tinubu, on Tuesday, denied any gift. He made this clarification through his aide, Tunde Rahman, stressing that the Minister of Interior and himself have a healthy relationship.

The APC chieftain described as fake news, reports alleging that the Governor’s Advisory Council, GAC, appropriate and candid resolution doing away with blocs in the party, including, The Mandate, has led to a phantom cold war between him (Tinubu).

In his statement, he said, “Today, the Governor’s Advisory Council, the highest decision-making body within the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, passed a resolution calling for the disbandment of all factional groups within the party.

“This was to promote discipline, harmony and cohesion and engender party supremacy. The APC is one united political family in Lagos.

“This is a figment of the imagination of the news organization that authored the report. Asiwaju Tinubu remains Ogbeni Aregbesola’s leader. The former governor of Osun State has been unswervingly and wholly committed to the progressive ideology of the Tinubu political family.

“There is no war, cold or hot, between them. There has never been and there will never be. Asiwaju believes in him and he believes in the APC leader.

“Our political family remains strong. And we are staying focused in our commitment to building and maintaining a cohesive political party.

“The GAC is a very strong body within the APC leadership structure in Lagos. Its resolution is not targeted at any particular individual or collection of individuals.

“The resolution was to restate the often-stated position that the only group known to us is APC and not any of the factional groups. It was to renew the commitment to APC and its unity.

“Ogbeni Aregbesola is a strong member of the political family. The GAC position does not imply any division within the group. The resolution is well-meaning and should not be misinterpreted.

“To do so impulsively as the authors of the report has done is to take the frontier of reporting away from facts to the realm of groundless speculations.

Edo: PDP Governor Backs Obaseki For Governorship

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Bayo Bernard

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June 10, 2020

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By Tosin Olatokunbo

Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, the governor of Adamawa state has thrown his weight behind his counterpart in Edo state, Godwin Obaaseki, vowing that he will emerge the governorship candidate of his party, APC despite plot to stop him.

Fintiri, a Peoples’ Democratic Party, PDP governor said the Edo helmsman will overcome his enemies, led by the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole.

“Obaseki is a democrat; he has given us a venue for the event and we didn’t expect less from him. He will also lodge me in the Government House Quarters, which is normal.

I believe Obaseki will overcome, and we will also overcome our challenges and meet at the election,’ Fintiri said on his arrival to the state where he’s expected to monitor ward congresses for his party this week.

The Adamawa state governor’s assertion came on the crest of the alleged certificate forgery which has recently dogged Obaseki’s ambition for re-election in September.

The embattled governor has also been diminished following the decision by the National Electoral Commission, INEC which supported Oshiomhole’s preference for direct primary as the mode of election to be used to select the party’s candidate.

But the governor said he’s not moved by the set back and will trudge on.

According to Crusoe Osagie, Governor Obaseki’s Special Adviser on Communication and Media Strategy, the governor’s certificate are not forged.

He said “The hullabaloo over the governor’s certificates is a lame and weak effort to cause crisis and stir unnecessary controversy.

The governor’s displayed results are duly earned from the institutions he attended.”

He urged anyone in doubt to visit the institutions attended by Governor Obaseki for confirmation.

“If any individual or group of persons have issues with the results, they are free to approach the institutions to make enquiries as regards the authenticity of the particulars.

They are free to go to St. Mathews Anglican Primary School; Eghosa Grammar School, the University of Ibadan (UI) and others, to verify the results,” Osagie said.

Recall that some APC governors recently visited the Bola Tinubu, APC National Leader where they solicited his support for their embattled colleague.

Zaria: Mother Of 13 Children Gives Birth To Quadruplets

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June 9, 2020

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By Adesina Soyooye

Shock and excitement, both, at once, greeted the news from Zaria that a 34-year old mother, who already has 13 children, has just been delivered of a set of quadruplets. That takes the number of her children to 17.

The Housewife, Mrs Hauwa’u Sulaiman, who gave birth to the babies on June 5, seem condemned to given birth to multiple babies.

Before now, she had given birth to two sets of triplets and two sets of twins. She has also given birth to three single babies.

She gave birth to the quadruplets at the Gambo Sawaba General Hospital, Kofor Gayan, Zaria, but was transferred to the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, for a better medical attention.

What has not been explained is why nobody has advised her to stop. But, Dr Isa Abdulkadir, ABUTH leading Consultant (Paediatrics), said the four babies were in good condition, and receiving special attention.

Mrs Sulaiman should count herself lucky.

Unlike some women who were abandoned by their husbands for just giving birth to twin babies, her husband, Malam Suleiman, a taxi driver, is excited and grateful to Allah. He embraces the children as gifts from Allah. He admits that he has a shoulder in his elder brother who is ever willing to come to their aid in their times of need.

Mrs Sulaiman’s mother, Mallama Saidatu. Haruna, explains that multiple births run in their family. She, herself, gave birth to two sets of twin babies.

Mother and babies are in good health.

Imo Denies Social Media Regulation Bill

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June 9, 2020

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The Imo State Government has denied that Governor Hope Uzodimma held any meeting with the Speaker of Imo State House of Assembly, Hon. Chiji Collins on any proposed Social Media Regulation Bill.

A statement from the office of the Chief Press Secretary/ Media Adviser to the Governor, Oguwuike Nwachuku said tbe fake press release to the effect cane frim “The same criminals and lousy social media loafers who are in the habit of raising press releases in the name of the Chief Press Secretary/Media Adviser to the Governor”

He said they “simply concocted the said proposed meeting between the Governor and the Speaker using Oguwike Nwachuku’s name to legitimise their criminal intent.

“In the fake press release, the Governor was also alleged to have met with the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Amara Iwuanyanwu and his team on Project Monitoring.

“If the criminals understand the workings of government, they would have known that the legislature which is independent of the executive does not need any commendation from the latter ahead of a bill that is in the works.

“While we pardon them for their ignorance of the workings of government, we cannot do so as regards their penchant for dishing out skill which is to deceive the unsuspecting public.”

Breaking: Burundi Loses President; Wife, COVID-19 Positive

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June 9, 2020

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By Adesina Soyooye

The President of Burundi, Pierre Nkurunziza has passed on.

Announcing his death in a statement, the Burundian Government said the 55 year old President died on Tuesday, when he suddenly had a heart attack. It was massive, and gave him no survival chance.

Unfortunately, his wife, the First Lady, was not by his side when he died. She is in South Africa where she was taken to for treatment, after she tested positive for COVID-19.

There have been speculations over President Nkurunziza’s health since his wife was flown to South Africa on health grounds.

Details, later….

Buhari Bows To Govs, Backtracks On Financial Autonomy To State Assemblies

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Bayo Bernard

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June 9, 2020

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By Bayo Bernard

Mudasiru Obasa, the Speaker of the Lagos state house of Assembly and others may have been too hasty in their praise for President Muhammadu Buhari’s recent Executive Order granting financial autonomy to state houses of assembly.

Obasa, currently in the middle of corruption storm in the Lagos state house of Assembly had applauded the president for taking the decision which many believe will enhance the independence of the two other arms of governmnet, insisting that the Order was a gift to state legislatures.

He said “It would also boost healthy competitions among state legislatures in pursuit of advancements and developments.

This is the best gift the President Muhammadu Buhari, has given the legislative arms of state governments at this Sallah.

And coming at the end of the Ramadan, it means God truly answered the prayers of the member state legislatures through the President.”

It does not seem the controversial politician from Agege and other Nigerian will still be happy that the order has now been reversed, less than a month after the president signed the gazette.

On May 22, Buhari signed the Executive Order No. 10 of 2020, mandating all states of the federation to include the allocations of both the legislature and the judiciary in the first-line charge of their budgets.

The decision had received widespread support from well meaning Nigerians but definitely not from state governors who appeared not happy with the order, and has been putting pressure on the president on the matter, sources in the presidency told the magazine.

The governors’ efforts have now paid off as the presiden has back-tracked on his earlier decision, following his meeting with the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, the umbrella body of state chief executives in the country.

The chairman of the Forum and Ekiti state governor, Kayode Fayemi, said on Monday in Abuja, the nation’s capital that the President has decided to suspend the gazette allowing state legislators financial independence.

The Ekiti helmsman said the president suspended the order to give room for more consultations among various stakeholders in the issue before a final decision is reached.

He stated that the issue is a constitution one that cannot be decided in a hurry.

According to Fayemi “It is an issue that has seized the interest of many of you in the media and a lot of people in the federation, it is about the autonomy of the state legislature and the judiciary and we’ve met with the president before now on it and the president was very pleased that for us as governors, we are all united in support of the autonomy of state judiciary and the legislature; that’s the position of the 36 Governors of the federation.

What is at issue is on the constitutionality of the modalities of what had been put in the executive order and the president was gracious enough to say ‘okay, given your concerns about that, we will delay the gazetting of the order and allow you meet with the attorney general and the minister of finance to work out the modalities.”

The Forum’s chairman stated that efforts are going on to settle “without any resort to court.”

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubalar Malami had earlier dismissed the concerns of the state governor insisting that Executive Order 10 is not in conflict with the constitution.

Malami said the Order is “intended to achieve supervisory role by assigning responsibilities and ensuring proper supervision desired for the purpose of enforcement and application of autonomy constitutionally granted states legislature and judiciary as contained in Section 121(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

The governors obviously disagreed.