Edo 2020: APC Governors Fight For Obaseki, Meet Tinubu

By

-

May 31, 2020

By Akinwale Kasali

Governors elected under the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC, political Party are set to meet the Party National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The meeting is connected to the Edo State 2020 Governorship ticket.

The meeting is also believed to be a last-minute effort to ensure that the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, clinches the party’s ticket for the forthcoming governorship election in the State.

The Governors’ emissaries had earlier planned to have the meeting via virtual, but it was necessary to meet the National Leader in person with the policking, brickbats and crisis between the APC National Chairman, Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole and Obaseki, forcing them to come down to his residence at Bourdillon, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The Magazine gathered through a source that the meeting was at the instance of the Governors, noting that a delegation of the governors would meet with Tinubu to seek his intervention, preparatory to further talks with President Muhammadu Buhari on the issue.

According to the source, “The meeting with Tinubu is essentially to seek his intervention in the crisis rocking the party in Edo State. Part of the conditions being worked on, which the governor is expected to meet, is to swear-in the remaining members of the state House Assembly who have yet to be sworn in.”

About a year after the Assembly was inaugurated, only 10 out of the 24 members of the Assembly had so far been sworn in. This is due to the crisis that surrounded the issuance of the proclamation order of the Assembly by the governor.

In defence of the action, the governor claimed that those who had yet to assume office refused to be sworn in.

Talking about the peace move, a top-ranking party source said, “The train has since left the station. It is too late in the day to find a common ground on the Obaseki issue.”

But another party source said, “In politics, nothing is cast in stone. Old foes can become friends with the right incentives. After all, there are no permanent friends or enemies.”

Some of the APC governors are bent on sticking their neck for Obaseki, as they have vowed to do whatever they could do to save Obaseki out of what they call the “gang up against one of them.”

He said the governors would not want Obaseki to be treated “as an outsider when those ganging up against him are not accusing him of non-performance.”

CAN Issues Guidelines For The Opening Of Churches

By

Uche Mbah

-

May 31, 2020

0

By Uche Mbah

The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has issued guidelines for the opening of Churches nationwide as government continues to explores modalities for the gradual relaxation of the nationwide lockdown.

In a statement signed by CAN President, Reverend Samson Ayokunle, the Association said it is discussing with government on the modalities of reopening Churches.

“The government from our discussions wants us to draw up suggested guidelines for worship in keeping with COVID-19 containment requirements and submit for approval,” Ayokunle said.

Members of the Ecumenical body, has been agitating for the reopening of churches. Recently, the Founder and General Overseer of Living Faith outreach, also known as Winners Chapel, David Oyedepo, was reported to have wondered aloud why Churches remain closed while markets are open. In some Northern states, Churches and Mosques are declared open amid the COVID 19 pandemic.

Based on their discussions with government, CAN has drawn up draft guidelines for the opening of churches.

The draft will be discussed when the CAN president meets with the Sultan of Sokoto within the week, while projecting return to full activities by the end of June.

The thirteen point guideline is listed below.

Churches should disinfect their premises first before they are reopened for services.

Churches should provide alcoholic sanitizers, temperature readers, soap and water in their Premises to be supervised by medical professionalsin the Church.

Every worshipper must either use soap to wash their hands or apply sanitizers.

The temperature of every worshipper must betaken before admission into the church and people with the high temperature should not be allowed into the church but be advised to go and see their doctors.

Every worshipper must wear facemask.
Social distancing should be observed in the sitting arrangement with one meter gap between two worshippers.

One and a half hour service is enough for a start.
There should be a gap of 25 or 30 minutes between one service and another where there are multiple services to avoid crowd.

Churches can make use of classrooms and multipurpose halls for services where available, especially in big churches in order to accommodate more worshippers at a go. TV circuit and speakers can be used for those who are not inside the main auditorium.

Handshaking and hugging should be avoided before, during and after the service.

Prayers should be offered to God for a speedy end of COVID-19 and quick recovery of all that are afflicted by the pandemic. Prayers should also be offered for those frontline workers for divine protection.

CAN in each state and local government should constitute a committee together with law enforcement agencies in their area to enforce full compliance. Such civilian compliance officials should be given backing by the governments to apprehend those who contravene the worship regulations and hand them over to law enforcement agents.

Churches observing Holy Communion serviceshould use separate cup for each participant.

RCCG In The Eye Of The Storm Over Rape And Death Of UNIBEN Student Inside Church

By

The Source

-

May 31, 2020

0

By Akinwale Kasali

The Redeemed Christian Church of God, RCCG, is enmeshed in crisis over the murder of a 100-level Microbiology Student of University of Benin, who was allegedly raped and killed on the Church premises.

The magazine gathered that the UNIBEN student identified as Uwaila Vera Omozuwa was attacked molested, raped and killed by the hoodlums on Wednesday, May 27, a day dedicated to celebrate the Children’s day world-wide.

The murdered Omozuwa was said to have gone to read at the RCCG premises located at the Edo Province 10, Ikpoba Hill, Benin. While there, she was struck severally with a fire extinguisher by the unknown men, who then repeatedly raped her.

The magazine also gathered that Omozuwa gave up the ghost on Saturday midnight at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) where she was rushed to after the attack.

According to a family source privy to what happened, “the Church’s security officer had gone to collect the keys to the Church from the keeper when he was told that there was someone in the Church already”.

“He got to the church only to find Uwaila in a pool of blood, and next to her was the fire extinguisher which was used to bash her head and face.

“He ran back to inform the key keeper and his wife, who ran to the Church to meet her lifeless. But after a careful observation, they noticed she moved her hand and quickly rushed her to the hospital.

“It was at the hospital that Uwaila revealed she was reading all alone when some unknown men came into the Church, beat her up, raped and hit her head with a fire extinguisher.

“However, she later passed on after spending four days at the hospital”, the source concluded.

COVID 19: Sanwo-Olu Under Pressure To Open Churches, Mosques As Cases Spike

By

Bayo Bernard

-

May 31, 2020

0

By Tosin Olatokunbo

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos state is currently caught in the middle of decision whether to bow to pressure from religious and business leaders to fully open the state for business, in the face of the rising number of COVID 19 infected persons in the state.

For instance, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN has called on the state government to open churches while the religious institutions work on how to make their members observe the safety protocols against the global pandemic.

As this was going on, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, announced on Saturday, a spike of COVID 19 cases in the centre of Excellence, to 378 cases.

An exponential rise in the previous week number, Lagos has remained on top of the table and has now brought the tally to close to 10,000 cases across the country.

According to NDDC, Nigeria now has 553 new coronavirus infections with Lagos on the top of the tally and FCT following in tow with 52 cases.

The Centre also stated that 2,856 patients have already been discharged with 273 recorded.

The NDDC said “On the 30th of May 2020, 553 new confirmed cases and 12 deaths were recorded in Nigeria

No new state has reported a case in the last 24 hours.

“Till date, 9,855 cases have been confirmed, 2,856 cases have been discharged and 273 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory”

The 15 states where new cases have been recorded, the centre said are “Lagos (378), FCT (52), Delta (23), Edo (22), Rivers (14), Ogun (13), Kaduna (12), Kano (9), Borno (7), Katsina (6), Jigawa (5), Oyo (5), Yobe (3), Plateau (3), Osun (1).”

Meanwhile, Ogun state governor, Dapo Abiodun has disclosed that all businesses will be opened from June 1.

The governor had earlier stated that his government is very concerned that the virus has spread to 16 out of the 20 local governments in the state.

Fear Over Doctors’ Strike As Health Workers Abandon Hospitals

By

Bayo Bernard

-

May 31, 2020

0

By Fola James

On June 12, all the resident doctors in Nigeria will embark on strike except their demands are met by the federal government.

And 13 days to the deadline, Nigerians are already apprehensive that any strike at this time will lead to collapse of the nation’s health sector, particularly as the corona virus pandemic is already having a toll on public hospitals across the country.

The doctors under the aegis of the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, on Saturday intimated the government that its members will abandon their duties at the expiration of the deadline.

Their main demands: the federal government should provide Personal Protective Equipment, PPE for doctors at the frontline of the COVID 19 battle.

The Source learnt that over 230 workers have already been infected with the virus.

For fear of contracting the virus, some health workers are said to have abandoned their duties.

The doctors, therefore, called “on the Federal and State governments to provide adequate personnel protective equipment such as N95 respirators, gloves, etc. to all health workers.

Health workers in the country have complained about shortages of N95 or surgical mask, respirators, gloves and other necessary medical gears for their members working in public hospitals.

They are worried about more of their members contracting the virus after those already infected.

The doctors said they could no longer watch while the lives of their members are put at risk.

NARD issued the warning in a communiqué at the end of its 40^th ordinary General Meeting and Scientific Conference, held yesterday in Kaduna.

The doctors are not also happy with the disengagement of some of their members by their employers in the state and federal government hospitals.

Signed by NARD President, Dr. Sokomba Aliyu, and Publicity Secretary, Dr. Egbogu Stanley, the doctors demanded all issues be resolved, failure which they will have no option than to call their members out of duties.

First of all NARD “demands immediate recall of the sacked resident doctors at Jos University Teaching Hospital and payments of their salaries

The association also demands the universal implementation of the Residency Training Act in both Federal and State Teaching hospitals.

NARD demands immediate implementation of the revised hazard allowance, and payment of COVID-19 inducement allowance.”

They demand governments at all level to take the welfare of their members serious.

Accordingly “OGM resolves that urgent steps be taken to ensure that the fate of our members at the State Tertiary Health Institutions is improved through engagement with the various state governments and relevant stakeholders.

The association enjoined the Federal Government through the National Assembly to ensure full capture of the residency training funding in the 2021 Appropriation Act. It also demanded payment of arrears of the consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage to its members at both Federal and state tertiary health institutions.

NARD observes the slashing of salaries of our members at state tertiary health institutions with particular reference to Kaduna state government that cut the salaries of health workers by twenty-five percent,” the communiqué said.

Harassment of their members by security agencies must also stop, while efforts should be made by the authority to settle doctor’s emoluments.

“OGM observes non-implementation of the revised hazard allowance, the non-procurement of life insurance, non-payment of the death benefits claims and COVID- 19 inducement allowance of doctors in various health institutions.

NARD observes non-payment of arrears of the consequential adjustment of the new minimum wage to some of her members.

It also observed with concern, the non-implementation of revised CONMESS and skipping arrears by some state governments in various state tertiary teaching hospitals.

The NARD noted the shortage of medical staff especially resident doctors in most health institutions across the country and called on the government to address the problem,” the doctors added in the communiqué.

Meanwhile, concerned Nigerians have appealed to state and federal government to address the doctors’ demands to stop them from going on strike, adding that allowing the doctors to down tool will further cause chaos in the health sector and the sufferings of poor Nigerians who could not afford private hospitals.

Breaking: Davido Acquires N1 Billion House At Banana Island

By

The Source

-

May 31, 2020

0

By Akinwale Kasali

Nigerian Hip Hop sensation, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has just acquired a new house at Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos, for a whopping N1 Billion.

The Son of Billionaire businessman, Adedeji Adeleke, who recently came out to assist bankrupt music artiste, Cynthia Morgan, took to his Social Media handle to showcase his newest acquisition.

The award-winning musician has, up till recently, lived in Lekki for years.

He has now shared pictures of his new house on social media, to the delight of fans and well wishers, who have heaped praises on him and showed their joy in his fortune.

5th Anniversary: Afenifere, Timi Frank Lambast Buhari Says Nigeria Has Become Secretariat Of Poverty, Indebtedness

By

The Source

-

May 31, 2020

0

By Akinwale Kasali

President Muhammadu Buhari marked his fifth year in the saddle as the President of the Nation amidst criticism from different quarters, as he continues to receive knocks from stakeholders and political analysts.

The All Progressives Congress, APC, Candidate at the 2015 and 2019 Polls has been seriously criticised by the Pan Yoruba Socio-Political Organization, Afenifere. It described the Buhari administration as a failure that has further impoverished Nigerians.

The Afenifere added that the President Buhari administration has made Nigeria the global secretariat of poverty since coming to power five years ago.

Scoring the administration low on all indices, Yinka Odumakin, the organisation’s National Publicity Secretary, said even though Nigeria’s problems started five years ago, the APC led federal government has aggravated the situation.

Odumakin who said that we are in civil rule and not a democratic government argued that the current government has dragged Nigeria backward in terms of all identifiable human development indices while democratic gains to Nigerians has been very few.

“I would rather say five years of civil rule and not misuse the word democratic. What we have experienced has been far below democratic expectations and the gains to the people have been paltry”.

“It is not that our problems started five years ago, only that they have aggravated”.

“We were not global secretariat of poverty five years ago but we are today. We are worse off on all indices today”.

“We must now admit that we can not use propaganda to make our country better if it had not worked in five years” .

Corroborating Afenifere’s stand on the Buhari administration, Timi Frank, political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary APC, has decried the huge debt burden the Buhari administration has foisted on the nation stating that the last five years of President Muhammadu Buhari government will go down in history as the worst in the annals of the country.

In a statement in Abuja, Frank said that the nation’s progress is presently on a freeze and can only return to normal mode of development after Buhari’s tenure.

Frank further described the Buhari administration as “inept and rudderless” in the last five years, stressing that Nigerians must brace up for worse economic and social torments in the three years left in the life of the administration.

He lamented that Buhari has continued to lead the country and its yet unborn citizens into the abyss of debt and slavery with his penchant for amassing loans.

He insisted that it would take Nigeria another 10 decades to repay and recover from the loans already amassed and squandered by the present administration.

Frank said: “Today marks the fifth year of the Buhari’s regime in power, yet, Nigerians have not recovered from his ruinous ways of the dummy sold to them prior to the 2015 presidential elections. Buhari is not only the most incompetent Nigerian leader but the most unprepared for the nation’s exalted office of President.

“Notwithstanding his half-baked polices like the single treasury account, closure of borders and playing patron to deadly and bloodthirsty herdsmen, his incapacity to comprehend the workings of modern economy is legendary”, he concluded.

Breaking: President Buhari Bereaved Again, Loses Nephew

By

The Source

-

May 30, 2020

0

By Akinwale Kasali

President Muhammadu Buhari is in a melancholy mood.

He has once again lost another family member to the cold hands of death.

This time around, President Buhari lost his nephew, Alhaji Ibrahim Dauda today, Saturday 30th, 2020.

Dauda died in Daura, Katsina State, the President’s hometown, after a prolonged illness.

President Buhari in a condolence message issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu said the death has robbed the family and the Daura community of one of its finest gentlemen.

The statement read, “I am deeply touched and devastated by the passing of yet another family member, a man who had demonstrated amazing kindness and honesty in all his dealings,” the President said.

He prayed God to forgive the soul of the deceased and reward his great and noble deeds with paradise.

Adesina: Africa Fights Back; Assembles Squad

By

The Source

-

May 30, 2020

0

By Adesina Soyooye

The embattled President of the African Development Bank, AfDB, Nigeria’s Akinwumi Adesina, got a solid support from former African Heads of Government.

Angry, and feeling utterly insulted, at the inexplicable plan to humiliate Adesina out of the bank, the former Heads of Goverment, in a letter warned of the dangers, calling on Africans not to succumb to the blackmail.

In the past couple of months, Adesina has been battling allegations of favouritism and untidy businesses, threatening to derail his second term bid. He vehemently denies the allegations, and was found clean when the Ethics Committee of the bank, set up by the Board of Governors, investigated him.

But out of the blues, the Government of the United States of America, raised an objection, rejecting the clean bill given to Adesina, and insisting on the setting-up of an independent body to conduct a fresh investigation. This request is alien to the bank, which has always relied on its Ethics Committee, for such alleged offences.

Adesina says he is innocent of the allegations, dismisses them as trumped-up and funny, and insists they have everything to do with his bid for a second term. The US does not want him because he is allegedly, not kowtowing to their whims and caprices.

A couple of days ago, former Nigeria’s President, Olusegun Obasanjo, had in a letter, rallied his African colleagues to stand up against the plan to humiliate Adesina and avoid the hijacking of the bank. They agree with Obasanjo.

On Friday, the Leaders, including another former Nigeria’s President, Goodluck Jonathan, under whom Adesina served as Minister for Agriculture, issued a strongly-worded statement decrying the deliberate efforts to rubbish one of Africa’s best.

Standing by Adesina, just as the AfDB Board of Governors, the former Heads of Government, flaunted his unprecedented landmark achievements at the bank, declaring that the AfDB has never had it so good.

Following, the statement, signed by the former Heads of Government, and endorsed by others.

The Press Statement by African Leaders on Dr_ Adesina Leadership of AfDB

Rivers: Buhari Breaks Amaechi’s Hold On Party, Appoints Senator Abe To NNPC Board; The Implications

By

The Source

-

May 30, 2020

0

By Gideon Njoku

For Magnus Abe, the articulate Senator from Rivers State, this is big. President Muhammadu Buhari has given him a strong voice in the Rivers State APC. He has become a counter power. Equipped for that.

Abe, a lawyer, former Senator, has been appointed to the Board of the NNPC by Buhari who has just reconstituted the Board, which he first constituted in 2016.

Anybody who has been following the politics of the Rivers State APC would appreciate what a breather this appointment is to Senator Abe. More important, it is like, at once, an endorsement of his activities in the party, and a rehabilitation of him. It, also, gives him and his supporters in the state a sense of belonging.

Abe has been in a kind of political cooler since he became an ex-Senator. It is not that he has not been taking part in political activities in the state, but it is that none has been fruitful.

Senator Abe’s problems started when he fell out with former Governor of Rivers State, now Minister for Transportation, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, under whose Governorship, Abe was Secretary to Government. They disagreed on the running of the State APC, and, especially, over the Governorship ticket after Amaechi.

An Ogoni man, Abe thought Amaechi was going to support him, or, at best, not interfere in the process to pick the APC Governorship candidate. But Amaechi did, and, allegedly, told Abe, not to dare to contest. Abe felt insulted, especially, as he alleged Amaechi came to his house, and warned him before his (Abe’s) wife.

Abe insisted the party belonged to all of them, and not to one man. While still acknowledging Amaechi as his boss, an acknowledgement Amaechi once warned him to desist from, Abe said Amaechi was running a one man show in the state, destroying the party, and had become an emperor.

Amaechi backed Dakuku Peterside in that election. When Nyesom Wike gave them a bloody nose, Amaechi helped appoint Dakuku the DG of NIMASA. And his brickbrat with Abe continued. It factionalized the APC in the state, and cost the party zero participation during the 2019 General elections.

Since then, both men, who were friends, and belonged to the Dr Peter Odili large political family, have disagreed on every political issue in the state.

But Amaechi has always had an upper hand, stemming from the fact that he is not only the Minister for Transportation, but be was Buhari’s Campaign Director-General in his successful Presidential Campaign in 2015 and 2019.

Now, Abe’s sun has risen. His appointment, by the President, to the Board of the NNPC to represent the South-south geo-political zone, confirms that. It is an empowerment. A political empowerment. A political patronage.

The President must have seen something in Senator Abe, recognised something in him, and understood something about the politics of Rivers state. The recommendation to Buhari, for Abe’s appointment, could not have emanated from Amaechi. Perhaps, more likely from the Minister of State,Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, a former Governor of Bayelsa State. This appointment, many think, has implications for Amaechi. It waters down Amaechi’s, amost, all encompassing powers the state’s APC. It is a balancing of power, or a counter to the Minister’s powers in the state, many think. With the appointment, they chorus, Abe’s self esteem has risen to high heavens. His importance, reaffirmed and endorsed.

Is Amaechi losing grip on his leadership of the APC in Rivers State, and his influence on the Party in the South-south? More important, is he losing his influence on Mr President.

Some people agree.

They point out to his inability to either get Dakuku a second term in NIMASA, or influence his replacement.

A man given to bluntness, Amaechi told Nigerians that he was not consulted, and only read and heard about Dakuku’s removal and replacement like everybody else.

To serve on the Board of the NNPC with Abe for an initial three years are: Mohammed Lawal (North west), Tajudeen Umar (North-east), Adamu Manhood Atta (North central), Dr Stephen Dike (South east) and Chief Pius Akinyelure (South west), allegedly, a Bola Tinubu Candidate, who was reappointed for a second term.