Pressure to Disqualify Obaseki from Governorship Race Intensifies

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June 9, 2020

The intrigues over who clinches the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the September governorship election in Edo State deepened yesterday with pressure on the ruling party to disqualify the Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, from the race.

The pressure came against the backdrop of the unexplained inconsistencies in his certificates, which were among those the party displayed yesterday at its national secretariat in Abuja.

THISDAY reports that those pushing for Obaseki’s debarment told the APC leadership that given the unexplained inconsistencies in his certificates, the party would be faced with a likely repeat of its experience in Bayelsa State where it won the last November governorship election but its candidate, David Lyon, was stopped on the eve of his inauguration following a judgment of the Supreme Court that voided his election.

A five-man panel of the court, led by Justice Mary Peter-Odili, had overruled the declaration of Lyon along with his running mate, Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, as the winner of the governorship election.

It had upheld the November 12, 2019 judgement by Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja which had disqualified Degi-Eremienyo in the election for submitting forged certificates with multiple names to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The Supreme Court had ordered INEC to issue fresh certificates to the candidates of the party with the next highest votes and with the required constitutional spread of votes in the results of the election, which are the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Among the inconsistencies cited in Obaseki’s certificates are that his O/Level results showed that he has three credits but despite that he spent only three years to allegedly bagged a Bachelor of Arts degree in Classical Studies from the University of Ibadan, Ibadan, in 1976, without an A/Level result.

A/Levels are required for a three-year direct entry course in Nigerian universities. If you have O/Level credits in at least five subjects, the University of Ibadan and an indeed other universities required a mandatory four-year course.

The question APC is dealing with include: could three O/Level credits/passes have given Obaseki admission into the University of Ibadan as required by law?

And if indeed, he got the admission, could he have graduated in three years instead of mandatory four years? Would APC not be facing another Bayelsa scenario when the NWC was blamed for fielding a candidate with a dubious certificate?

Ohanaeze Ndigbo Mobilses 100 Religious Bodies To Pray For Abia Gov

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ABN TV EDITOR

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June 9, 2020

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Apex Igbo Youths group Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide (OYC) on Tuesday described as a sad and unfortunate development the news of the rising cases Of Coronavirus in the South East.

The group was reacting to the news of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State’s infection.

The governor, who announced his positive result on Monday, became the first Governor in the Southeast to be infected.

In a statement issued by the President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, and Secretary Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, the group said it has mobilized over 100 religious groups to intercede with Prayers and other traditional medium of Prayers for the governor and other infected persons in the region.

The Igbo Youths group disclosed that there is ongoing 40days fasting and prayers for Governor Okezie Ikpeazu led by Igbo Christian Prayer Warriors starting from today 9th June 2020

“Igbo Youths appeals to all Churches in Igboland to join the Seventh Day Adventists Churches across Nigeria on Wednesday 10th June 2020 on a Special mid-week prayer for all Igbo COVID-19 cases.

“Other religious groups like Jewish, Muslim, Traditional and Customary religious practitioners have been mobilized to start offering their prayers, sacrifices, and ordinances from 10th June 2020 for all Igbo Coronavirus cases especially Governor Okezie Ikpeazu”.

OYC said it is hopeful and confident that God will heal the land and Save Igbos from this Coronavirus pandemic.

They wished Governor Okezie Ikpeazu and other affected Igbos quick recovery.

“We know that since other Governors tested Negative after confirmed positive from the virus in the past, definitely God Almighty will surely give healing to Governor Okezie Victor Ikpeazu”, the group said.

BREAKING: Ahmad Lawan Welcomes Orji Kalu Back To The Senate

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ABN TV EDITOR

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June 9, 2020

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The President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, on Tuesday, officially welcomed the Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, back to the Senate, ABN TV reports.

The Nigerian Senate was on standstill as Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Kalu resumed for his Senatorial duties at the Red Chambers.

Orji Kalu’s resumption could be described as a “triumphal” entry as he was greeted with thunderous cheers from hundreds of staff, security personnel, lawmakers, and other well-wishers who gathered to catch a glimpse and welcome the Chief Whip after his 6 months absence.

https://youtu.be/i1xxtoUodh8

The Chief Whip arrived the Senator building at exactly 9:00 AM, spent minutes acknowledging greetings and cheers from people.

When asked by Journalists to comment on his experience at the Kuje correctional centre, he responded: “Keep Hope Alive”.

Recall that, Senator Kalu was released after over 6 months of incarceration at the Kuje Custodial Centre. Kalu was convicted in December 2019 for allegedly misappropriating N7.65b belonging to Abia state.

His conviction was, however, nullified by the Supreme Court on May 8th. A seven-member panel of the apex court, in a unanimous verdict delivered by Justice Ejembi Eko, invalidated the conviction.

Justice Eko declared that Justice Mohammed Idris, who convicted the duo was already a justice of the Court of Appeal when he ruled and sentenced Mr Kalu and his co-defendant.

He held that a Justice of the Court of Appeal cannot operate as a judge of the Federal High Court, and ordered the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to reassign the case for trial, the report said.

Following the nullification of his conviction by the Supreme Court, the former governor filed an application at the federal court seeking an order for his release from the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS), Kuje, Abuja.

Justice Mohammed Liman of the Lagos Division of the Federal High Court on Tuesday ordered the immediate release of Orji Kalu, a former governor of Abia State, from the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service.

The judge delivered his ruling following an application by Lateef Fagbemi, Mr Kalu’s lawyer, seeking his release from custody.

Rivers Issues New Guidelines For Burials, Defaulters To Pay N10m

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Alex Enemanna

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June 9, 2020

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The Rivers state government has released new guidelines on how burial ceremonies will henceforth be conducted in the state adding that defaulters of these new guidelines will have to pay a fine of N10 million.

The new Executive Order signed by Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, and released today June 8, is to help check the spread of COVID19 in the state.

According to the new order, residents of the state who wish to carry out any burial ceremony will have to apply for approval from the state governor through the Commissioner for Health.

The application must come with a death certificate which must indicate whether the deceased died from COVID19 or not.

The application for approval must also come with a written undertaken from the applicant that he or she will pay a fine of N10 million if he or she flouts any of the guidelines for burial ceremonies.

According to the new order, burials in the state must hold between 9 am and 12 noon and will not have more than 50 persons including family members in attendance.

All attendees must maintain social distancing. No wake keeping or service of songs must be held for a deceased person.

See gazetted copies of the new order below

Defaulters to pay N10m fine as Rivers state govt issues new guidelines for burial ceremonies

Drama In Senate As RMRDC Boss Lists “Kilishi” As Research Breakthrough

By

Alex Enemanna

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June 9, 2020

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There was a mild drama at the Senate on Monday when the Director-General of the Raw Materials Research and Development Council, RMRDC, Professor Hussain Ibrahim, identified the development of Kilishi technology as its major breakthrough since the agency’s creation, 33 years ago.

Ibrahim, who appeared before the Senate Committee on Science and Technology to brief the senators on the activities of his agency, caused a stir when he said the Kilishi technology was the only major breakthrough it had successfully developed for commercial use.

Kilishi is a locally spiced roasted meat made of beef, and it is very popular in the northern part of Nigeria.

The Chairman of the Senate panel, Senator Uche Ekwunife, had asked the DG to tell Nigerians what specific raw material the agency had successfully produced in the country in partnership with other research institutes.

Ekwunife said, “Your core mandate is to develop local materials.

“Can you tell us the local raw materials you have developed in the areas of health, brewery, construction, science, and technology, or agriculture?

“Just give us the synopsis of what you have developed or generated for local industries. Tell us about your breakthrough.”

An elated RMRDC Boss, Ibrahim proudly told the panel that despite its lack of laboratory, the 33-year-old agency had succeeded in producing the local meat delicacy for commercial production as part of the agency’s breakthrough.

He said, “We have developed two varieties of Sorghum. We collaborated with agricultural research institutes, pharmaceutical industries because we produce ethanol from it and that is the basic raw material for the production of sanitizers.

“Also from the same Sorghum, we developed other products like Glucose syrup, livestock feeds, material for breweries, and starch.

Ibrahim threw the bombshell when the Chairman asked if the agency had developed the glucose syrup to the stage where Nigeria would no longer import it.

The RMRDC DG said, “We have not reached that stage. It goes through processes. We have tested it now but the stage we are now in the pilot stage.

“That pilot stage will now lead to the optimisation of the products. At that pilot stage, we would now see if what we have finally done are technically feasible or commercially viable. We have to determine that.

“After we had determined that. We will now ask relevant industries to take them for mass production.

“In our 30 years of research activities, we are still the largest research Institute. But to be candid with you, we are making progress.

“For now, we have developed technology to optimize Kilishi production. Research activities take time.”

His submission led to prolonged laughter from the audience but drew the anger of the lawmakers.

Lagos Speaker, Obasa Cleared Of All Corruption Allegations

By

Alex Enemanna

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June 9, 2020

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Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa has been cleared of the corruption allegations levelled against him.

ABN TV Reports that Victor Akande, the representative of Ojo constituency 1 and chairman of the nine-man fact-finding panel which probed Obasa, said all the allegations made against the speaker were “frivolous” during the presentation of his panel’s report on Monday, June 8.

The panel which recommended that the clerk of the house Azeez Sanni should investigate how documents which led to the corruption allegations against the speaker were leaked, maintained that Obasa followed due process in disbursements of funds.

Akande said;

“We also recommend that the activities of the house should be digitalised for proper record keeping and monitoring.

“It was then suggested by the committee that a vote of confidence should be passed in the speaker of the house.

“The speaker did not have multiple accounts with Ecobank, the BVN ascribed to Wema Bank does not belong to him and the companies attributed to him in Wema Bank is not correct.”

The panel’s clearance of Obasa was put to a voice vote by the house’s majority leader Sanai Agunbiade and was unanimously adopted by the lawmakers.

Woman, 24, Caught Raping 4-Year-Old Boy in Rivers

By

Alex Enemanna

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June 9, 2020

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A 24 years old maid Identified as Esther Emmanuel has been arrested by River State Police Command over the immoral act she has been engaged with 4 Years Old boy who is her employee’s son.

According to the report it was revealed that this lady in question returned from Canada 3 month ago as a maid to live with the family but along the line, she was caught molesting her employee’s son who is just 4years old.

It was reported that the boy reveals that the lady in question will tell him to put his thing inside her own thing and put his mouth.

The boy added that she’s always playing with organ anytime she baths him or whenever she’s alone with him and warned if he discloses it to anyone that “juju” (witches) will appear to him and they will kill him.

Over 80 Father-Daughter Rape Cases, Recorded In Anambra During Lockdown

By

Alex Enemanna

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June 9, 2020

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Over 80 Father-Daughter Rape Cases, Recorded In Anambra During Lockdown

About 80 cases of rape were reported in Anambra State during the lockdown, the ABN TV reports

This was disclosed by Mrs Nkechi Anazodo, the Director of Child welfare services in the State Ministry of Women Affairs on Monday.

She said, “Sexual violence has become the order of the day, especially during this period of lockdown.

“The most worrisome is that some fathers raped their daughters more during the lockdown. In most cases, fathers who rape their daughters threaten to kill them if they report.

“The problem, therefore, is that many people don’t report these cases because they feel that the victim might be stigmatised.

She has also stated the need for a statewide campaign in the 21 local government areas of the state.

”that is why we are going around the 21 local government areas of the state to create awareness of this problem”