Demolition: Ralph Uwazuruike Curses Wike, Calls For Civil Disobedience, Emergency Rule In State; SERAP To Sue Wike

By

-

May 11, 2020

By Akinwale Kasali

An absolutely shocked Ralph Uwazuruike, founder of MASSOB, has heaped curses on Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State for demolishing two hotels in the Eleme and Onne areas of the state. Wike personally oversaw the demolition of the Eleme Hotel. The two hotels had, according to Wike, ran foul of his order closing down hotels, restaurants and all such places to curtail the spread of COVID-19, and so, Wike’s Executive Order 6.

He had earlier threatened to do so and, on Sunday, made good his threat.

But the Governor’s action has drawn shock and outrage across the country, with many Nigerians saying that Wike has crossed the red line.

Dr Otive Igbuzor, a Human Rights Activist, former Commissioner on the Police Service Commission, and the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Senate President, called Wike’s action ‘wicked’ . And so have other people including lawyers who accuse Wike of dictatorship and a constant breach of the Constitution of the Federal Republic.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, asked Rivers people to stand up to every recklessness, lawlessness and arbitrariness in the state. Another lawyer, Jite Ogunye said Wike’s action was alien to law. Said he: ” Recklessness is no courage, and brashness is no strength”

But in a recorded post, Uwazuruike asked Rivers people to rise in anger against Wike, adding that Wike has crossed every borderline. Calling Wike many unprintable names, Uwazuruike asked: “Is Wike the only Governor in Nigeria”? Uwazuruike also recalled the confisication and auctioning of trucks and cows by Wike.

Uwazuruike said only in Rivers State can “such nonsense” be condoned, calling out the people to a civil disobedience so as to trigger a declaration of a state of emergency in the state.

But the Socio-Economic Right and Accountability Project, SERAP, has announced that it will take legal actions against Governor Wike over the demolition of two hotels on Sunday.

The group made this known in its official Twitter account on Sunday.

SERAP accused the governor of using COVID-19 to perpetrate human right violation.

It tweeted: “We condemn the reported demolition of Prodest Hotel by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike. Using COVID-19 to perpetrate human rights violations is executive rascality and Mr Wike must stop this now.

“We’re taking legal action to hold him and his government to account for the illegal actions.

“The demolition of Prodest Hotel is forced evictions and in violation of article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and other human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a state party.”

Late Sunday, after the demolition of the hotels, Wike lifted the 24-hour total lockdown he placed on PH and Obio/Akpor LGAs. He said the people could go out on Tuesday and Wednesday in order to re-stock, emphasising that the total lockdown would resume on Thursday.

Covid 19: Madagascar Sends Cure Drugs To Nigeria Through Equatorial Guinea

By

Uche Mbah

-

May 11, 2020

0

By Uche Mbah
The controversial drug cure for COVId 19 allegedly manufactured by Madagascar has been sent to Nigeria and other African countries by the off-coast African country while controversy rages on its efficacy and official approval by the World Health Organization, WHO. Africa was divided into zones by Madagascar for easy delivery, and the consignment for the West African zone was sent to Equatorial Guinea. From there, the federal government will airlift it to Abuja.

There have been claims by some trado-medical practitioners that they have the cure in Nigeria but indications are that FG appears indifferent to their claims but were quick to request for the Madagascar cure.

Yesterday, Nigeria recorded 4,399 total cases with 248 new cases.

It is likely that the Nigerian enter for Disease Control will turn over the drugs to the National Agency for Foods, Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, for certification. They may also send it to the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) for analysis if feelers from the government are to be believed.
WHO has sat on the Fence over the drug’s acceptability. Initially, they were vehemently against it until the African Union endorsed it subject to clinical trials. The WHO softened its position but said that it will be acceptable if the efficacy is proven. Madagascar insists it works for them and has kept COVID 19 at bay.

There are no recorded cases of CoVID 19 deaths in Madagascar.

Earlier, the coordinator of the pandemic, Boss Mustapha, has hinted that Nigeria will give the Madagascar drug a trial.

“I want to assure you that whatever is happening in the world, we are mindful of it and we are keeping a tab.

“I was reading of the experiences in Madagascar– of why everybody is drinking some solutions that have been prepared. This morning I was sharing with my wife, and I told her that probably I would request that Mr. President allow us to import a planeload for a trial.

“We are all navigating an unchartered cause. Nobody has ever been on this road. So, every attempt to find a solution that would bring succor to our people, be rest assured that this task force is very responsible and we would do everything to ensure that we get what will benefit our people, what will help them in the processes that we find ourselves today.”

Hotel Demolition Latest: PDP Applauds Wike As Governor Explains Himself

By

Uche Mbah

-

May 11, 2020

0

By Uche Mbah

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has stood solidly behind the Rivers state governor, Ezenwo Nyesom Wike, on the demolition of two hotels that allegedly flouted the lockdown order of the state government.

Recall that Governor Wike made good his threat to demolish hotels that harbor those that sneak into the state during the lockdown. He had intercepted some trailers that brought in some Northerners hidden inside it with cattle and ordered the auction of the cattle and the vehicles and the quarantine of the people that came with, threatening to demolish any hotel that harbors those that sneak into the state. The hotels are Prudent Hotel, Alode, in Eleme and Etemeteh hotel in Onne .

He made good his threat.

His action has been followed by widespread condemnation by Nigerians, particularly in the Social media, with people describing him in harsh tones, some calling him the new dictator.

The owner of the hotels is a prominent Peoples Democratic Party, PDP chieftain. Wike also belongs to the PDP.

But the PDP, in a tweet Monday, commended the governor for the demolition.

“The owner of the hotel is the PDP Youth Leader in Rivers State,” the party tweeted on their verified Twitter handle, @PDP_2023. “One of our own. He defaulted despite the warnings and he has paid for it. People sneak into the State and hide in hotels. If there’s no hotel, they’ll not have where to sleep. Wike Leads We Follow”.

Earlier, wike himself had explained why he did it.

“Government has no alternative but to apply the Executive order which I signed before the lockdown of Obio/Akpor and Port Harcourt,” he said. “I called all the Traditional Rulers and Council Chairmen and told them to ensure that no hotel operates in the State.

“We are not saying it will be forever. This is for now so that we know where we are. To reduce the cases and check the spread.

“Whether you are PDP or not, all we are saying is that nobody is above the law. If we can do this to a PDP person, then you know we are not discriminatory. Everyone must obey. Whether you are in the PDP, SDP, or no party, you must obey the law. If any other person does the same thing, the same rule will apply.

“We said no hotel should operate within this period. Unfortunately, the PDP Youth Leader in Eleme joined others to flout the Executive Order. Therefore, the executive order will be applied.

“We said if any hotel operates, the government will bring down that hotel. We are doing what we have told people that we are going to do.

“Nobody wants to obey any rules. We are saying just for now, keep off, let us see how we can keep our people safe.

“Look at the rate of infections, most of these people are found in hotels. Look at the man that died, he was at Mingi Hotel in Rumumasi. Due to that contact, we have had other seven cases.

“People should help us and support the Government for Rivers people to be safe. The Security Council will meet to review the strategies and achievements or setbacks, moving forward.

Ex-Minister Of Health, Dr Haliru Alhaesan Dies

By

The Source

-

May 10, 2020

0

By Akinwale Kasali

Former Nigerian Minister of Health, Dr. Haliru Alhassan, is dead. He died Sunday afternoon after a brief illness.

Alhassan was 66 years old before he bid the world farewell.

Until his demise, Alhassan was the Chairman, Governing Board of Health Services Management Board, Sokoto State, under the Governor Aminu Tambuwal-led administration.

He was, also, a stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and remained a strong Force in the Party.

His role in the growth of the Party led to his elevation and appointment as the Minister of Health under the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan administration.

Alhassan passing has added to the long list of prominent statesmen in northern Nigeria who have died in recent weeks. He is survived by one wife and four children.

Family Sources say he will be buried at the Hubbaran Shehu burial ground in Sokoto tomorrow according to Islamic rites.

Popular Actress, Nkiru Sylvanus’ Marriage Crashes

By

The Source

-

May 10, 2020

0

By Akinwale Kasali

The marriage between Nollywood Actress, Nkiru Sylvanus, to Stanley Duru, has ran into a storm. It has, reportedly, crashed.

The six-year old marriage reportedly crashed over allegations of insincerity and irreconcilable differences.

Stanley was married to another Actress in the Nollywood industry, Oge Okoye, but the marriage also hit the rock on allegations of drunkenness on the part of Stanley.

The magazine gathered that before Oge Okoye tied the nuts with Stanley, he was said to be already dating Nkiru, before dumping her for Okoye, and later returning to Nkiru whom he later married.

During Oge Okoye’s relationship with Stanley, she described him as God-fearing, understanding, loving and caring.

She also said that he was a big lover of parties, and the two of them used to go clubbing together.

However, after things fell apart, Okoye claimed that Stanley was, above all, a chronic alcoholic.

Investigations revealed that Oge Okoye was the reason things did not work out between Stanley and Nkiru.

She, reportedly, got very intimate with the man in question, and got pregnant, which angered Nkiru. Okoye later married him and had her baby in Amsterdam. When the marriage to Okoye crashed, Sylvanus appeared on the scene again. Both got married. But now, it has, also, come to nought.

Edo: NSCDC Not Involved In Fight Between Security Agencies

By

The Source

-

May 10, 2020

0

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps says its personnel were not involved in a fight in Benin between Security Agencies.

Media reports had linked its officers to the fight between security personnel where a soldier was allegedly beaten up on Saturday during the ongoing enforcement of lockdown order by the state government as part of the measures put in place by the government to contain the spread of the corona virus in the state.

It was reported that the rift ensued between a Police Officer and a Soldier (though on mufti) after the soldier ,allegedly, refused to wear a face mask.

But in a press statement signed by the Media Assistant to its Commandant General, Ekunola Gbenga, the Agency said: “To set the record straight, there is no Civil Defence officer that is involved in the unfortunate incident among the security men in Benin-City between 1 pm and 1:30 pm at the popular Lagos Street/Oba Market Street junction in downtown Benin. The allegation is false and a calculated attempt to smear the image of the Corps and existing synergy between Corps and Nigeria Army.

“There has been a lot of talk that the security agencies don’t get along, that is not the case between Civil Defence and Nigerian Army. Both agencies have the same spirit, the spirit of defending the country.”

As a citizen’s friendly organization, we are very civil in our operations, and based on the order of the Commandant General of the Corps, Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu, he has since ordered that, no personnel should carry arms during Covid 19 lockdown/curfew enforcement and this is being adhered to nationwide.

The Commandant General, appreciates media outfits in the country for collaborating with the Corps in discharging our duty, and it is a clear fact that the role of the media in information dissemination, public enlightenment and education to people at the grassroots and urban areas cannot be underestimated. But the journalists should work in line with the ethics of the profession, part of which require the publishing of only verified and accurate stories in order not to mislead the general public.

Consequently,the Commandant General has immediately directed a full-scale investigation into the matter.”

Update: Outrage Greets Demolition Of Hotels By Gov. Wike Over Flouting Of Restriction Order, As Rivers Govt Declares PDP Youth Leader Wanted

By

The Source

-

May 10, 2020

0

By Akinwale Kasali

Mixed reactions have greeted the demolition of Prodest Hotel, at Alode, Eleme and Etemeteh Hotel at Onne Port Harcourt, Rivers State, by Governor Nyesom Wike.

Governor Wike had threatened to demolish any hotels which flout his lockdown order over COVID-19. He made good his threat by demolishing the two hotels for flouting his lockdown directives.

Trending photos of the Rivers State Governor supervising the demolition of the hotels is causing controversy online with many social media users labeling him unprintable names.

Some social media users are of the opinion that instead of him demolishing the hotels, the Rivers State government should have taken possession of them and used them for a purpose that would benefit the State or fined the management and owners of the hotels.

Only few social media users supported him.

Governor Wike had warned all Hotels, Clubs, Lounges and Bars in the State to close shops, as a way of curtailing the spread of Coronavirus.

The governor supervised the demolition of the Hotels, as bulldozers brought the structures of the hotels down.

In another development, the Rivers State government has declared Princewill Osaroejiji, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Youth Leader in Eleme Local Government area, wanted.

This was contained in a statement issued in Port Harcourt by Mr Paulinus Nsirim, the state Commissioner for Information and Communications.

The statement said that Osaroejiji was declared wanted over his alleged involvement in criminal activities.

It stressed that a N5million bounty would be given to anyone who provided reliable information that would lead to Osaroejiji’s arrest.

For the records, Wike is of the PDP.

COVID-19: Ayade Appeals To Buhari To Lift Ban On Domestic Flights

By

Bayo Bernard

-

May 10, 2020

0

By Chidi Levi

As Nigeria grapples with the impact of the coronavirus on the economy, Cross River state governor, Sir Ben Ayade has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to lift the ban on domestic flights.

The governor spoke at the weekend while inspecting the ongoing asphalting of the dualized Odukpani -Calabar highway.

The Cross Rivers helmsman insists that the continued closure of Nigeria’s domestic airspace was impacting negatively on the aviation, hospitality and tourism sectors of the economy, warning that the adverse effects of another four weeks closure of the airspace could be catastrophic.

According to him, “The suspension of domestic flights has affected most hotels leading to their closure. It is so bad that most hotels including the 5-star hotels are shutting down because they cannot is even sustain the cost of diesel for their generating sets and as that happens, they start laying off workers.

So you have a lot of workers, young people who used to work in the hotels and tourism industry out of jobs. And the big question is, how long can this continue?”

He said the closure of the country’s domestic airspace was also having negative spiral effect on small businesses and service providers, thus further worsening the economic situation of that category of Nigerians.

“The caterers who supply food to the hotels are all out of business.

All the suppliers are out of business. So as we continue to lock the domestic airports for another four weeks, what we are going to have in terms of economic loss, what we are going to have in terms of social delinquency, the associated moral and social tension that will come with it will be just too huge for the country to bear”, he quipped.

Ayade said rather than ban domestic flights, the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC ) should devise strict guidelines to enable the aviation sector to continue to operate without escalating the number of COVID-19 cases in the country.

“We can still be safe while allowing the internals of Nigeria to run.

We can do so by allowing the domestic airlines to start flying .

As they fly, NCDC should spell out certain conditions like making sure aircrafts are properly disinfected, ensuring temperature tests are carried out before passengers get on board and of course, ensuring that all passengers wear proper masks. The airlines can have their own masks that they can give to passengers.”

Ayade added that: “So, for that short flight of one hour, everyone is protected and the hotels can pick up again, the suppliers can have their businesses back so that workers can go to work. For states like ours that depend so much on tourism, we are almost paralyzed.

Once visitors, travelers and tourists are not coming into Calabar, the hotels will have no patronage because people do not just leave their homes to go to a hotel to sleep for the fun of it, only once in a while may be. But again hotels need consistent patronage and that can only come when domestic flights are coming in and going out.”

He appealed to the President “not to lock down the healthy but rather lock down the sick and allow the healthy to work.”

COVID 19: Obama Slams Trump, Over 200,000 To Die In US

By

Bayo Bernard

-

May 10, 2020

0

By Tosin Olatokunbo

Former President Barack Obama has attacked his successor, President Donald Trump of the United States of America, USA in the manner he has handled the corona virus pandemic in the country.

The former US leader has joined other state governors in the country to oppose Trump’s handling of the novel disease since January when the disease first broke.

Governor Andrew Mark Cuomo of the state of New York, particularly has been very virulent in his criticism of the US president.

Recall that President Trump has also said recently that the virus could kill over 200,000 persons at its peak.

Obama said Trump has failed to provide the leadership the world required at this time to combat the pandemic, adding that his administration efforts have been very disastrous.

Obama said in an interview with AFP that “What we’re fighting against is these long-term trends in which being selfish, being tribal, being divided, and seeing others as an enemy — that has become a stronger impulse in American life.
It’s part of the reason why the response to this global crisis has been so anemic and spotty.

It would have been bad even with the best of governments.

It has been an absolute chaotic disaster when that mindset — of ‘what’s in it for me’ and ‘to heck with everybody else’ — when that mindset is operationalized in our government.”
President Trump has demolished major policies of his predecessor, most importantly the Obamacare which the administration has outlawed after coming to power.

Rumbles In Imo House: Speaker Fights Back, As Pressure Mounts On Him To Quit

By

The Source

-

May 10, 2020

0

By Charles Igbo

The Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly, Hon. Collins Chimezie Chiji is fighting a battle for his political life. There is pressure on him to quit office, or face impeachment.

A pressure group within and outside the Assembly is bent on his quitting the office. The grouse of the members of the group is a yet to be confirmed allegation of educational certificates’ forgery levelled against the Speaker. The pressure group is propagating the serious allegation.

The group which goes by the name, Leadership Africa & Integrity Initiatives, say Speaker Chiji is parading fake certificates. That he is parading certificates he does not possess, degrees he does not possess, including a doctorate degree, as well as schools he did not attend. He is, also, accused of parading a fake certificate of exemption from service by the leadership of the National Youth Service Commission, NYSC.

The Speaker is an architect-turned-politician. He says he went to school in Italy, and has provided the names of the schools. The schools range from the Boys’ Secondary School, Eziama, Aba, for his West African School Certificate, and the Instituto D’Arte Reggio Calabria, Italy, in 1981 for his Higher National Diploma (HND) in Ceremics.

He, also, parades a Masters and a doctorate degree (The Laurea di Dottore) in Architecture from the university Degli Studi Di Reggio Calabario, in 1988.

But the group, in a petition signed by its National Coodinator, Martin Duruji, and the Secretary, Barr. John Paul Ikeme, dismisses the degrees as fake. The members are not denying that the Speaker has a first degree, and so, is qualified to be a legislator. Afterall, the constitution says School Certificate. Their grouse is that he does not have a doctorate degree, and, therefore, should not prefix his name with “Dr”.

According to them, “In Italian higher education institutions, Laurea di Dottore is the equivalent of a Bachelor’s degree in the British University System operated in Nigeria. This is comparable to the US, where the Doctor of Jurisprudence (JD) in Law is ordinarily a Bachelor’s degree by British and Nigeria standards.”

They also insist that “Doctor of Philosophy Degrees (Ph.D), from Italian Universities, are designated as Dottoroto Di Ricerca, and not Laurea di Dottore as Chimezie Collins Chiji has claimed”

So, according to them, the Speaker has a first degree, not a Masters or Doctorate degrees.

The magazine is not able, yet, to confirm the certificates the Speaker filed with INEC. Because, with a first degree, he is over-qualified. However, the group seems to have found favour in the eyes of a few members of the House who now say: :”True or not, the Speaker must quit because his name has been associated with forgery.”

But Mr Speaker is no pushover. He seems sure-footed, and knows where the fight is coming from. So, he is asking them for proof. And has, reportedly, according to local newspapers in Owerri, taken Duruji and six of the local newspapers to court.

Speaker Chiji, uptil now, has been a lucky man. A survivor. He holds the prize of jumping from one party to the other, and still remains the Speaker, under two governors that are members of different political parties.

From Okigwe Senatorial zone, the Speakership of the Imo House was to his area. When the Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was declared winner after the 2019 General elections, Ihedioha’s party, the PDP, had no seat in the zone. It was swept by APGA, which fielded an Okigwe son, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume, as its governorship candidate. But Ihedioha won, and the PDP had more House members than APGA which had about five members or so.

So, something had to give. The Speaker must come from Okigwe zone where it has been zoned to.

So, enters, Collins Chiji. Lucky fellow, 24 hours to the inauguration of the House, he decamped to the PDP, and was crowned the Speaker. But the Ihedioha administration lasted for only seven months, and enter, Senator Hope Uzodinma and the APC.

At the time, the APC did not have a single member in the House. But, trust politicians. Once Uzodinma was sworn-in as governor, the game changed. ThePDP and AA members, in droves, including Ihedioha’s representative, decamped to the APC. And, even though Chiji was amongst the last set to decamp, there was no doubt that he coordinated the movements. A master of the game, he has remained the Speaker.

But, now, the chickens seem to be coming home to roost.

This magazine gathered that aggrieved party members from, at least, three political parties – APC, PDP, APGA – want him out, and are behind the forgery allegations against him.

But he is sure-footed. He says his educational certificates are genuine. He says he made no false claims. He also insists that his NYSC exemption certficate is genuine, and had since been reconfirmed by the leadership of the Commission. He says the onus lies on his accusers to prove their case in court.

To show his seriousness, he has dragged a former House of Assembly member, Lawan Duruji, to Court for, allegedly, accusing him, in published interviews with local dailies, of masterminding his defeat in the Courts, by bribing the Judiciary to the tune of 150USD. He also dragged the newspapers which published the interview to court. He thinks, The Source gathers, that Duruji may be one of those behind his present ordeal.

However, for now, everything seems to be waiting, pending when the House, which has been on forced break, due to COVID-19, will resume.

Last week, a national newspaper reported that Hon. Chiagozie Nwaneri, representing Oru East state constituency, who is the Chair of the Committee investigating the allegations against the Speaker as saying: “We have written to tbe institutions he said he got his certificates from, and they are yet to respond. You can see that we cannot force them to reply when we know the whole world is shut down at the moment”

The paper, also, quoted an unnamed member as saying that the Speaker should quit before the reconvening of the House. “Let the Speaker step aside. He has failed. He became the Speaker under Emeka Ihedioha and under that

seven-month administration of Ihedioha, some lawmakers did not want to speak out.

“You see, this time around, nothing will stop us. Collins must step aside for peace to reign in the House of Assembly. Our image is battered, and we can’t keep quiet.”

Will Mr Speaker fall, or survive? Time will tell.