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Coronavirus: Reps To Suspend Plenary For 2 Weeks

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The House of Representatives has passed a resolution to suspend plenary for two weeks to enable the management of the National Assembly, put measures in place against the spread of coronavirus in the country.

This was part of the resolution of the house, following a motion of urgent public importance by representative Uyime Idem, and seconded by Ndudi Elumelu, on the need for immediate action to prevent any new cases of the virus.

Rep Uyime called on the Federal Government to release more funds to the Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), in order to quarantine, treat, and contain the COVID-19 situation.

The lawmaker added that the situation is so dire globally that 3,000 people have died and over 90,000 are infected with the virus.

He called on the leadership of NASS to set up an ad-hoc committee to liaise with relevant health agencies to ensure the virus is contained.

Also, Rep. Ndudi Elumelu called on NASS management to put mechanisms in place to ensure the virus doesn’t find a place in the National Assembly.

No date for the suspension has been set yet.

Ikpeazu To Meet Africa Development Bank President Over Project Funding

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Governor Okezie Ikpeazu will on Tuesday meet with the President of the Africa Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina in Abidjan, the capital of Cote D’Ivoire.

The meeting, which is at the instance of Dr. Adesina is a follow up to the earlier meeting between the Governor and the Bank President during the Africa Investment Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa late last year, will involve technical teams from both sides aimed at pushing further and sealing major deals on infrastructure and agro processing.

The Africa Development Bank in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Onyebuchi Ememanka and made available to ABN TV is the funder of the Abia State Integrated Infrastructure Project which is designed to fast track massive development of infrastructure in the State, especially in Aba and Umuahia.

In the last four years, a lot of work has been done by the Abia team in compliance with the strict international standards of the Bank in developing a blueprint for the projects which involves massive rehabilitation of 18 roads covering a total of 138 kilometers. This process has now reached advanced stages with the pre-qualification of companies whose bids passed the technical evaluation of the Bank already completed.

Today’s meeting is expected to cap the engagements and set the tone for the immediate commencement of the evaluation of the financial bids of the six companies that made it to this stage which will finally lead to the award of contracts for the rehabilitation of these roads.

Another key component of today’s meeting will be the new collaboration between the Bank and the Abia State Government in the area of agro processing.

Governor Ikpeazu intends to seek the cooperation of the Bank in the development of the value chain in the production of key agricultural products like Palm Oil, Rice, Cocoa, Cassava, Maize and Cashew. Preliminary talks on this had also taken place in South Africa last year.

The Governor will be accompanied to the meeting by the Commissioner for Works, Mr. Chidozie Bob Ogu, who has, in the last four years, led the team of the Abia State Integrated Infrastructure Program that has interfaced with the Africa Development Bank on this project.

Other members of the delegation are the Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Aham Uko, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Professor Ikechi Mgbeoji and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Inter Governmental Affairs, Mr. Chinenye Nwaogu.

Lyon’s Deputy About Committing Suicide, Timipre Sylva cries out

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Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and leader of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, has revealed that Lyon’s deputy, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo is on the verge of committing suicide.

This follows the Supreme court verdict that sustained the sacking of Bayelsa State governor-elect, David Lyon and Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, his deputy,

Recall that the Supreme Court had sacked David Lyon over Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo allegedly certificates forgery.

Speaking in an interview on Channels Tv on Monday, Sylva who maintained that the APC was negated in the Supreme Court Judgement, said he (Silva) is dealing with a matter of life and death.

According to the party leader, the apex court failed to call witnesses to establish the claims that the former APC deputy governor-elect allegedly forged his certificate.

”I’m dealing with a former Deputy-Governor that is on the verge of committing suicide. This is a matter of life and death. Every day I have to call to find out that he hasn’t done anything to himself.

”If someone said you forge your certificate and you have built your life and integrity and someone all of a sudden brings everything down that can lead to suicide.

”If you have a case in court challenging the authenticity of the certificate of a candidate that is a different one but if you say it is a case of forgery and you have not heard from the person concerned then you have not established anything.

”You haven’t gone to school or university where this person studied to confirm the veracity of the allegation but you already condemn the person. It’s is very sad and dangerous.

The former Governor of Bayelsa State further explained that APC approached the Supreme Court for a review because its candidate was wrongly accused.

Sylva added that the apex court should have disqualified the APC deputy candidate and allow David Lyon to be sworn-in because the lower court did not disqualify him.

”I thought the supreme court will have the chance to review itself if it has made a decision that seems to be against the principles of justice.

”For example, if someone is wrongly convicted of a crime they didn’t commit and condemned to death then people find out that they were wrong, the supreme court needs to avert and correct things.

The Supreme Court should have the courage to revert itself. It has happened before.

”They claim he forged certificate, which certificate did he forge? Was it his primary certificate or university certificate? What has been established?

”If you want to prove forgery then you must have the original. Now you say you have a variant in the name so which one is the original. None of that was established. that is not how to prove forgery.

”If you say you are upholding the judgment of the lower court then the judgment of the lower Court did not disqualify our governorship candidate, so where did the Supreme Court have this other thing to add to the judgment of the lower court. If you are going to uphold the judgment of the lower court then disqualify the deputy governor and allow the governor to carry on. ”

BREAKING: Supreme Courts Stands Down Judgement In Imo Review

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The Supreme Court has temporarily shifted the Imo judgement review to a later time today.

The Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Mohammed, postponed the judgement during hearing on the matter.

Ihedioha’s counsel, Kanu Igabi is asking the court to set aside its earlier judgement.

He argued that Uzodinma’s bloc had called the Imo elections invalid, claiming that they even called for a fresh poll.

But Uzodinma’s lawyer, Damian Dodo asked the court to dismiss those applications for in lacking merit.

He argued that the Supreme Court judgement was a ‘tsunami’, adding that it overrules every order of the lower court.

More to follow…

UPDATES: Supreme Court Begins Hearing Of PDP, Ihedioha’s Application On Imo Guber Judgement

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The Supreme Court is hearing the application filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, over the January 14, 2020 judgment which sacked him as the Governor of Imo State.

Mr. Ihedioha and the PDP, in their applications, claim that the judgment of the apex court which installed Senator Hope Uzodinma as the Governor of Imo State was obtained by fraud.

They are therefore praying the seven-man panel of the apex court to review and set aside the judgment.

The panel, headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Tanko Muhammed, is currently hearing the application.

Lawyer to Mr. Ihedioha, Chief Kanu Agabi, in his argument, claims that fraud is evident in the judgment, as the appellant, Hope Uzodinma, claimed he was excluded from 388 polling units but tendered results from only 366 polling units

He adds that with the addition of votes from 388 polling units in favour of Senator Uzodinma exceeds the total number of accredited voters by 129,000 votes.

Countering the argument, Lawyer to Senator Hope Uzodinma says the application to revisit, review or set aside the judgment of the court is an incompetent one lacking in merit.

He argues further that the apex court lacks the jurisdiction to sit on appeal over any judgment delivered by the court except where cases of typographical errors or slips are noticed in the said judgment are established and in this case, no such errors have been established.

Mr Damian Dodo adds that the appellant approached the apex court in the face of compelling evidence that Senator Hope Uzodinma won the election, and therefore, has asked the court to dismiss the application.

Supreme Court has stood down Emeka Ihedioha’s application after listening to arguments from all the parties.

The apex court will deliver judgment by 3pm later today.

Abia APC Crisis: “Sheath Your Swords, Allow Peace To Reign – Nwankpa

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The Abia state chapter chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Hon. Donatus Nwankpa has finally broken his silence in the lingering war of words between the governorship candidate of the party in the state in the 2019 election, Uche Ogah and a member of the BoT, Prince Benjamin Apugo over accusation that Ogah in aided the PDP, the ruling party in the state to truncate the party’s chances in the election.

Hon. Donatus Nwankpa in a chat with ABN TV on Monday called on bigwigs of the party in the state to sheath their swords and allow peace to reign even as the party explores all avenues to enhance its chances in 2023.

Nwankpa said the party at this time cannot allow itself to be mired in internal wrangling, calling for all members and supporters of the party to remain calm.

“We cannot exhaust our energy in intra disagreement. We have a lot do to ahead. In APC, we are putting our house in order. Whatever were our shortcomings in the last election, not just in Abia but across the country, every effort is being made to ensure we get things right. We are appealing for all frayed nerves to calm down so that we can unite as one family” he said.

He called on the parties to be open to the principle of forgiveness and reconciliation, appealing to chieftains on the party to at all times be guided in their utterances.

Hon. Nwankpa also said his party has the popularity, membership, and support of people of the state for what he called a change that is desired in the state come 2023, insisting that the party is strategizing and not ready to engage in meaningless altercations with the ruling party in the state. “The time for action is coming. The problem I have in Nigerian politics is that people at all times politick. We have a tenure of four years and within four years we should have at a time in our life say this is the time for governance, this is time for politics.

It’s not every minute you will be politicking with everything, politick with human life, politick with welfare, politick with health and security. These things are not the best we should do” he added.

He expressed the readiness of his party to welcome members of other parties who are willing to join the party in sacking the PDP leadership in the state.

BREAKING: Pope Francis ‘Undergoes Coronavirus Test After Suffering Illness’, Shocking Result Announced

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Pope Francis has tested negative for coronavirus after he was forced to cancel a series of engagements last week due to illness.

The 83-year-old pontiff was given a ‘routine’ test after falling ill on Ash Wednesday with classic symptoms of a cold including a cough, fever, chills and sore throat.

He was given a swab test as a precaution but the results have come back negative, according to Italian newspaper Il Messaggero.

Francis’s last full day of public engagements was on Ash Wednesday, when he appeared ill while taking part in an evening Mass.

He was seen coughing, sneezing and appeared tired during the ceremony, before cancelling an engagement the following morning.

He then disappeared from public view for the next four days while he recovered, before appearing at the window of the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on Sunday to address thousands of people in St. Peter’s Square for a noon blessing.

During the blessing, he announced he would not be participating in a yearly spiritual retreat for Lent that was due to start this week.

Instead, he said he would be following it from his residence in a Vatican guest house.

He has been taken ill at a time when Italy is battling a surging outbreak of the potentially deadly coronavirus.

The death toll in Italy jumped to 52 on Monday from 34 the day before and the total number of confirmed cases in Europe’s worst affected country climbed past the 2,000 mark

Women Should Be Allowed To Have 2 Husbands In Case Thunder Fire One — Actress Susan Peters

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Nigerian actress, Susan Peters took to her Instagram page and made a case for women to be allowed to marry two husbands.

She made the advocacy on the probability that something bad may happen to one of the husbands.

The screen diva added that she’s only asking for a friend if ‘life would be better on earth if such wishful thinking is allowed.

Sharing the post, she captioned it: “Will life be better? Asking for a friend O.”

See her IG post below:

N111m Fraud: EFCC Presents Four Witnesses against ‘Mama Boko Haram’

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The trial of Aisha Alkali Wakil (popularly known as Mama Boko Haram) alongside Tahiru Saidu Daura and Prince Lawal Shoyade commenced on Monday, March 2, 2020 before Justice Aisha Kumaliya of the Borno State High Court, Maiduguri.

Wakil, Chief Executive Officer of Complete Care and Aid Foundation, the Programme Manager, Daura, and the Country Director, Shoyade were arraigned on January 20, 2020 on a five-count amended charge, bordering on cheating and obtaining by false pretence to the tune of N111,650,000.

At the resumed hearing, counsel for the EFCC, Benjamin Manji, led four witnesses in evidence, as they narrated how bogus contracts were awarded to their companies and monies collected through shabby and fraudulent means.

According to a statement signed by the Acting Head, Media and Publicity of the Commission, Tony Orilade and made available to ABN TV, Muhammad Muhammad, while testifying as the first prosecution witness told the Court that he was introduced to the defendants and Complete Care and Aid Foundation by one Idi Maikatifa.

He said: “After the introduction, I was asked whether I had experience working with NGOs and I answered in the affirmative.

“Through my company Nyeuro International Company Limited, I was awarded with a letter of contract for the supply of a Machine in the sum of N65m.

“I transferred N35million from my Jaiz account to one Saidu Mukhtar’s UBA account in two tranches with the assurances of paying me back within seventy five days. Later, the second defendant called and offered another contract for the supply of scanning Machine worth N1,650,000.

“I transferred the sum of N1.65m into the account of Tahiru Saidu.

“I was not paid for both the two contracts but later the second defendant awarded another contract for the supply of three thousand 50kg white beans worth N66m with the assurances of getting all my monies for the contracts.

“After the supply, Daura took me to the Wakil and she asked me to be patient and assured me of getting my money as soon as possible”.

Testifying as the second prosecution witness, Hamza Olariwaju Musa, a staff of United Bank for Africa, told the court that, based on the request by EFCC Maiduguri Zonal Office, UBA obliged with account opening packages, mandate cards, statement of accounts and signature certificates of Complete Care and Aid Foundation, Saidu Mukhtar and Dahiru Saidu.

Musa said: “On June 22, 2018 there was a transfer of N10m from Nyeuro International Limited to Saidu Mukhtar’s account.

“On the same date, there was a transfer of N10m from Saidu Mukhtar’s account to To-Day’s Super Stores”

“On 28th June, 2018 there was a transfer of N10m from Nyeuro to Saidu Mukhtar’s account and there was another transfer from Mukhtar’s account to Complete Care and Aid Foundation’s account.”

He further added that there was another transfer on 2nd July, 2018 of N25m from Nyeuro to Saidu Mukhtar’s account.

He said: “On 3rd July, 2018 there was a transfer of N20m from Mukhtar’s account into Complete Care and Aid Foundation’s. On that same date, there was another transfer of N20m to To-Day’s Super Stores.

“On 28th July, 2018 there was a credit of N10m from Saidu Mukhtar to Complete Care and Aid Foundation and of N5m from Dahiru Saidu to Complete Care and Aid Foundation. There was another transfer on same date of N15m to To-Day’s Super Store.”

Kaigama Jibril, a staff of Jaiz Bank, testifying as the third witness, informed the court that, he knows Nyeuro International Limited and Mohammed (PW1).

“In 2018, EFCC wrote a letter to Jaiz Bank requesting for account document package, BVN, statement of account and certificate of identification in respect of Mohammed Umar Mohammed (PW1) and Complete Care and Aid Foundation,” Jibril stated.

Jibril added that on 22nd and 28th of June, 2018 N10m was transferred in two tranches from Nyeuro to Saidu Mukhtar’s account, totaling to N20m.

“On 2nd July, 2018 there was a transfer of N25m from Nyeuro to Mukhtar,” he said.

The fourth prosecution witness, Bashir Abubakar, a businessman and owner of To-Day’s Super Stores told the Court that he was awarded with a contract by the defendants through complete Care and Aid Foundation.

He said: “Sometime in 2018, I received an award letter from Complete Care and Aid Foundation in the sum of N70m. Through a letter, I was directed to pay the sum of N50m into Saidu Mukhtar’s account, which I obliged.

“The defendants promise to pay back within forty five days, which they did not. I met with the first defendant and she told me that she has directed the second defendant to pay me my money. Therefore, I received the sum of N35m in tranches from Complate Care and Aid Foundation.”

Justice Kumaliya, thereafter, adjourned until March 3, 2020, for the continuation of trial.

“I Apologise For Failure To Protect You Fully”, Gov. El-Rufai Begs Victims Of Fresh Attacks

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Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, has apologised to residents of the villages attacked in Igabi and Giwa local government areas of the state over the attacks that reportedly led to the deaths of more than 50 persons.

TheCable had earlier reported that El-Rufai was on his way to the villages over the latest attacks.

A local guard had told VOA Hausa that suspected bandits raided different villages on Sunday, killing the residents and setting their corpses on fire.

Accompanied by Ali Janga, the state commissioner of police, El-Rufai said his administration would never negotiate with bandits.

“If not for the security agencies prompt intervention they would have wiped out the entire villages,” NAN quoted el-Rufai as saying.

“I also came to apologise for failure to protect you fully, we are doing our best to minimise such incidents, you should continue to forgive us.

“But we are doing the best we can and we are hoping that this banditry issue will be addressed because security personnel are on ground to manage the situation.

“In Kaduna, we have vast land, if the security close one area they attack another area.”

The governor said it is the duty of his administration to “wipe out” the attackers.

“It is our duty to wipe them out, and until we send them to their maker, the security agencies are taking the war to the forest and we are eliminating them, ” he said.

“The security agencies are doing the best they can, but they find it difficult to get to remote areas in good time due to poor access roads while the natives also find it difficult to get to security personnel due to poor GSM network.

“But I am grateful to the air force, army, police and the DSS for being always prompt otherwise it would have been worse.”

El-Rufai urged the people to continue to be patient and vigilant and support the government and security agencies to win the war against the bandits.

On his part, Ibrahim Damu, district head of Karewa, appealed to the state government to intensify efforts in tackling security challenges in the area.

TheCable

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