₦airaland Forum

The founder of DAAR Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi and his daughter-in law along with six members of his family have tested positive for Coronavirus.

This is coming 3 days after his son and Chairman of the board of the company, Raymond Dokpesi Jnr also tested positive for the virus.

A test conducted by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, on the Dokpesi family came out positive for eight members of the family.

High Chief Dokpesi and the affected family members have been evacuated by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, to the isolation centre at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital Gwagwalada where his son is already receiving treatment.

Speaking on Friday shortly after the arrival of the NCDC Ambulance, High Chief Dokpesi said he is feeling well. “I am of quite ok, i feel very well”, he said, an indication that his condition is still asymptotic.

On Monday, the Chairman of the DAAR Board was the first to test positive for Coronavirus after symptoms which he said were similar to malaria. But following persistent bouts of cough, he decided to reach out to the NCDC. His test later turned out positive.

Contact tracing immediately commenced with his family members including his father, High Chief Dokpesi and members of his household.

The test was later extended to senior management and members of staff who had been in close contact with the company’s index case.

The FCT Health Authorities had also carried out an immediate fumigation of the entire DAAR Headquarters building sitting aloft the Kpaduma hills in Asokoro District Of Abuja.

The Nigerian Presidency says the suspect who leaked the speech of President Muhammadu Buhari ahead of broadcast has been arrested.

Mr Buhari addressed Nigerians Monday evening on measures his administration is taking to tackle the Coronavirus disease.



His broadcast speech was aired at 8pm but hours before the scheduled time, a draft version – full of errors – was already in circulation on social media. The draft speech originated from WhatsApp, TODAY POLITICS learnt.

But on Thursday evening, Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, said the person who leaked the speech was arrested same day and is currently paying for his action.

The presidential spokesman added that the device with which the suspect used in decimating the speech was trailed when technology gadgets were deployed during investigation.

In an article titled: Enemy of the state, Adesina said the intention of the suspect was to ridicule the government, cause utmost confusion in the polity, and smirk his lips in malevolent pleasure, as the government, and possibly the media handlers of the President were flagellated, and taken to the cleaners.

The Nigerian Senate has denied approving a fresh N850billion loan for President Muhammadu Buhari during plenary on Tuesday.

The red chamber in a statement by its Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Ajibola Basiru, said what the upper legislative chamber did when it reconvened for the special plenary was to pass a resolution for the change of source for the loan which it previously approved.



The Senate said the decision is at the instance of the president who cited Coronavirus disease and the dwindling oil price.

Mr Basiru said the Senate had already approved the said loan to be initially sourced from external sources but the president wrote the chamber saying he now prefers it being sources for the domestic capital market.

“It is very important to make a very important clarification particularly as the widely circulated erroneous report that the Senate approved a fresh loan of N850 billion at the Plenary on Tuesday,” the statement read.

“That is far from the truth. The resolution passed was an amendment of the earlier resolution as to the source of the initial N850bn loan that had been approved to be part of what should be used to fund the 2020 Appropriation Act.



“You will recall that the Senate had actually approved the loan of N850 billion but to be sourced from external sources.

“However, because of the covid-19 pandemic and of the challenge in the international oil market with the attendant challenges of raising the approved loan externally, the President requested that the approved loan should rather be raised through the Domestic Capital Market.

“It was the above request as to sourcing the earlier approved external borrowing of N850bn from Domestic Capital Market that was approved by the Senate,” the red chamber said.

The Edo State Government has declared a nursing mother, who is said to have tested positive for Coronavirus disease, wanted.

The state governor, Godwin Obaseki, announced the declaration on Twitter Thursday.

Mr Obaseki named the runaway nursing mother as Amaka Okoro, whose baby, according to him, has also manifested symptoms of the deadly virus, has been unreachable since her result came out.

“One Mrs. Amaka Okoro, who tested positive for #COVIDー19 , is wanted for treatment,” the governor tweeted.

“She is a nursing mother, who has a baby that is already coughing. She lives at #2 Atoe Idubor Str, off 2nd Ugbor, Benin City.

“She has been unreachable since her results returned positive.

“Mrs. Okoro poses a threat to herself, the baby and the general public. Anyone with useful information on her whereabouts should please contact the relevant health and security agencies,” Obaseki added.

President Muhammadu Buhari has again appointed a deceased person into government board.

Mr Buhari made his recent appointment on Tuesday but TODAY POLITICS has observed that one of the appointees is late.

The president approved the appointment of 38 members into the Federal Character Commission (FCC) but the number 12 man on the list, Tobias Chukwuemeka, died on February 28, 2020.

Mr Chukwuemeka, a former federal lawmaker, represented the Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency at the 7th House of Representatives.

This is not the first time the president has appointed dead persons into government agencies. He did so in 2017 and critics described it as a sign of incompetence on his part.

Read more at: https://todaypoliticsng.com/again-buhari-appoints-deceased-person-into-govt-agency/

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has consoled Lamido Sanusi, the dethroned emir of Kano State.

Mr Sanusi was booted out from office today by the Kano State Executive Council headed by Umar Ganduje, the state governor.

The traditional ruler is accused of insubordination.

In a letter signed by the former president on Monday, he advised the former Central Bank Governor to accept what happened to him in good faith.

He described the development as sad and good.

“It is said because it was underserved. It is good because you have paid the price,” Obasanjo said in the epistle.

“My prayer is that God should give you the fortitude and the courage to continue on the part you have chosen for yourself in the best interest of our country and humanity.

“Please accept, Your Royal Highness, the assurance of my highest consideration,” Obasanjo wrote.

Security Operatives on Monday arrested dethroned Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi II and whisked him out of the ancient city amidst tight security.

It was gathered that the security operatives are heading to Nassarawa state where Sanusi will spend the rest of his life in asylum.

Before he was taken away, Sanusi was said to have been put under house arrest by the heavy security personnel of DSS, Police and Military.

The arrest was after the security operatives sealed off the Palace.

An impeccable source at the Government House hinted that Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, who is presiding over an emergency Executive Council Meeting, is set to announce the new emir any moment.

The Nation reliably gathered that the names of some powerful aristocrats with direct lineage to the Palace were tabled before Ganduje, who has the constitutional powers to appoint an Emir.

The Kano State Government has reportedly began moves to banish Lamido Sanusi, the immediate past Emir of the state.

Sikay19:
Nonsense talk, so you mean that Sanusi is being punished for raising alarm on the looting going under Gej Even Gej can not reason this low.

The Kano State Government has given reasons for the dethronement of the Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi II.

Among the reasons stated were alleged insubordination, refusal to attend official meetings and breach of Kano Emirate Law, The PUNCH reports.

The Kano government made this known in a press statement signed by Secretary to the State Government, Usman Alhaji, announcing the removal of Sanusi.

Before the announcement on Monday, members of the Kano House of Assembly had engaged in a free-for-all over an attempt to remove the Emir.

The statement noted that Sanusi’s removal was a unanimous decision of members of the State Executive Council.

The statement read, “The Kano State Executive Council under the Chairmanship of his Excellency, the Governor of Kano State, Dr Abdullahi GAnduje, has unanimously approved the immediate removal/dethronement of the Emir of Kano Emirate Muhammad Sanusi II.

“The Emir of Kano is in total disrespect to lawful instructions from the office of the state Governor and other lawful authorities, including his persistent refusal to attend official meetings and programmes organised by the Government without any lawful justification which amounts to total insubordination.

“It is on record and in so many instances Malam Muhammad Sanusi II has been found breaching part 3 Section 13 (a-e) of the Kano State Emirate Law 2019 and which if left unchecked will destroy the good and established image of Kano Emirate.

“This removal is made after due consultation with the relevant stakeholders and in compliance with Part 3 Section 13 of the Kano State Emirate Law 2019 and other reasons stated above.

“The removal was reached in order to safeguard the sanctity, culture, tradition, religion, and prestige of the Kano Emirate built over a thousand years.”

The governor subsequently called on the public to remain calm, law-abiding and to go about their normal businesses.

“A new Emir of Kano will soon be appointed,” the statement added.

By David Hero- March 9, 2020

A Nigerian has tested positive to Coronavirus, a zoonotic disease which originated from China.

The minister of health, Osagie Ehanire, made this known on Monday in Edo State. He said the patient is one of those who met with the Italian who brought the disease into the country.

Mr Osagie assured Nigerians that the situation is under control.

The patient said to have been in isolation in the last two weeks, is now under quarantine. The minister added that the coronavirus case tested positive on March 8.

Adams Oshiomhole, the embattled national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) says he does not know if President Muhammadu Buhari is still okay with him piloting the affairs of the party.

Mr Oshiomhole stated this while briefing newsmen on Thursday after he met with the president at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The helmsman of the ruling party was on Wednesday suspended from office by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja. The next day, another court of equal jurisdiction in Kano halted the suspension, a development FACTS gathered is not known to law.



Despite halting the suspension, Police officers dispatched to enforce the previous order at the national secretariat of the APC were still on duty.

“Now, you want me to read him, I will decline. If you are in doubt, you are so privileged here that you can ask the president: comfortable or uncomfortable,” Oshiomhole responded when queried if he has the support of the president to continue in office.

“I am not a comfort reader, what I have done I have explained to you, that much I know is the truth. As for questions that have to do with inner feelings, those you can confirm if you are in doubt,” he added.

He also alleged that those after him were strategizing for the next general election in 2023.

“But there are other forces that see me for whatever reason as a threat to them. And those leading this anti-Oshiomhole campaign, some of them I emphasise, cannot even boost of a councillor in their state even as they lay claim to leadership position in our party.”

Oshiomhole also said what worries him most is what he will be remembered for when he leaves office as the national chairman of the APC.

“You see in whatever you do, those who want to fight you will fight you. But I know that my tenure will be defined my God not by man. And I worry more about what I will be remembered for when I was chairman rather than how long I was chairman,” he said.

“I am convinced that I have done my very best, mistakes would have been made and I want to see the one person who will say he has never made mistakes. But if there are mistakes of the head, we have the capacity to correct mistakes of the head. But I know I have not set out to make the mistakes of the heart. It is just that by the reason of the position that I occupy, it is not quite appropriate for me to join at this hour in explaining who is responsible for the losses that people point out and they want to heap on my head.”

Backstory

The travail of the former Edo State governor started when he engaged his successor, Godwin Obaseki, in a political battle over the soul of the current state House of Assembly.

Those said to be loyal to the APC helmsman reportedly lost out when the current state assembly was formed. Most principal officers of the house are said to be loyal to the incumbent governor, which did not augur well with the former governor.

The dispute led some national officers of the party to urge him to step aside because he was no longer worthy to lead the ruling party having been suspended at the ward level, probably at the instance of Mr Obaseki who controls a faction of the party in Edo State.

Those rooting for his removal approached the court in furtherance of their plot to oust him, this led to Wednesday’s ruling and its counter-ruling.

Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) has been suspended by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

Details later…

Nasir El-rufai, the governor of Kaduna State, must continue to negotiate with criminal elements in the state, Shehu Sani, a former lawmaker has said.

Mr Sani was reacting to a statement credited to the governor that he will not negotiate with bandits whose recent criminal activities left over 50 persons dead at the weekend.

The State Security Services (SSS) has reacted to reports of its operatives laying siege at the premises of Premium Times.

The security agency was reported by national dailies as laying siege at the premises of the online news medium.

One of the publication claimed operatives from the SSS visited the private residence of Musikilu Mojeed, who is the editor of the news agency.

Last week, reports alleged that the service codenamed Department of State Services (DSS), was after an investigative journalist, Samuel Ogundipe, attached to Premium Times.

The journalist was allegedly declared wanted over a secret memo he published exposing the rift between Abba Kyari, the Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari and Babagana Monguno, the National Security Adviser (NSA).

The investigative report revealed that the memo was written by the NSA to service chiefs, warning them against taking orders from the president’s chief of staff.

In denying the recent development, the security agency in a statement on Sunday, described the report as fake news.

“The report that the DSS is laying siege on Premium Times and has hacked the phones of one of its staff is false in its entirety. It is unfounded and just a needless sensationalism,” the spokesman of the SSS, Peter Afunanya, said.

“There is no such operation at the moment by the Service targeted at the Premium Times, its Editor or staff. If there is any need for the DSS to discharge its duty, it sure has to do that with every sense of decency and in accordance with laid down procedures.

“Now, the Service is not anywhere near the news agency. Therefore, the report should be disregarded. It is fake news,” he added.

President Muhammadu Buhari has replied critics blaming his administration of not implementing initiative to prevent the spread of Coronavirus disease into the country.

While Ahmad Lawan, President of the 9th Senate said the federal government was not doing enough to prevent the spread of the epidemic, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is of the opinion that the negligence and laid back attitude to governance and the welfare of Nigerians by the president led to the avoidable entrance of the deadly corona virus into the country.

The opposition party also expressed shock that the president has not addressed Nigerians since the disease was discovered last Thursday.

But while urging Nigerians not to panic, the president in a statement on Sunday by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, said there were efforts put in place to prevent the disease which later found its way through an Italian walking in the country.

“President Muhammadu Buhari notes with sadness, the recent confirmation of a case of Covid-19 infection in Lagos, Nigeria,” the statement read.

ALSO READ: 2023 Presidency: Buhari has agreed power should return to South - Sagay

“This was despite the ardent efforts of the government regarding preparedness and response measures put in place in our country’s borders and beyond.

“President Buhari, however, commends the Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant agencies whose diligence and efficiency enabled the case to be detected, diagnosed and isolated quickly, even while swift measures were taken to identify and follow up on those with whom the index patient came into contact.

“The President commends the responses of the Federal Ministry of Health and Governments of Lagos and Ogun States as well as other relevant agencies to the reported incident and calls for vigilance on the part of all citizens and responsible government agencies.

“President Buhari urges Nigerians not to panic about the news of this first case of Covid-19 in our country, as undue alarm would do us more harm than good.

“Instead, Nigerians should strictly observe the advisories disseminated by the Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the World Health Organisation (WHO), on the best way to prevent infection,” the statement added.

ALSO READ: SSS speaks on laying seige at Premium Times

Meanwhile, the presidential candidate of the PDP in the last general election, Atiku Abubakar, has advised the federal government on how best to tackle the disease from spreading further.

Biafrabroadcast:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U8RkVVmfXMM

OgunLaakaye:
Same restructuring OBJ could not do for 8years.

If anybody chooses to start a civil war now, it is welcomed cos present world politics favours Nigeria greatly.

Whoever is starting a wat should just wait a little so we can get delivery of our Tucano fighter jets from USA. After then they are free to make Nigeria test run the jets.

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to address the agitation for restructuring to avoid another looming civil war in the country.

Mr Obasanjo stated this on Saturday at the first memorial lecture organised in honour of the founder of the Oodua People’s Congress, Dr Fredrick Fasehun.

Those calling for restructuring of the country are of the opinion that the current state of the nation is partially beneficial to a section of the country. A similar move by former president, Goodluck Jonathan, to draft a new constitution for the country failed to see the light of the day when he lost his re-election bid.

Obasanjo in advising the president said the country may not survive another civil war with the present state of division in the country. The former president who played a vital role during the first civil war said it took five times more than the federal military government estimated before the war ended.

“President Goodluck Jonathan’s effort of a National Conference did not even get to the National Assembly. Today, the agitation has moved up to restructuring. Thanks to Buhari’s administration and its impunity and all. With the fractional political division, poor management of the economy, the non-protecting security and the politics of uncertainty in the land, we should not allow restructuring agitation to degenerate to self-determination,” the former president said.

“There is still a window of opportunity for us to nip in the bud a possible and indeed likely agitation for self determination that will be violent, destructive and all-empowering. We have descended to lack of civility bordering on uncivilisation, indignity, mutual disrespect and crudity in the language of our debate, dialogue, discourse, address, comments and remarks across tribe, section, religion, region, ethnicity and community.

“If not halted, it will degenerate and poison the atmosphere to the tipping point or point of no return.

“And before we descend any further, let me warn, from experience, those who are beating the drums of war and domination from all quarters. I joined late Bisalla, under General Hassan Katsina, to write the appreciation and the operational instruction for the (Nigerian) Civil War.

“We estimated that Federal Government would suppress the Biafran rebellion within three months. To make allowances for the unforeseen, we allowed six months. But it took us 30 months, five times what we allowed for, and what is more, we nearly lost the war. And as a field commander at the end of the war, I can attest that we fought with all Nigerian tribes, including Igbos against Biafra.

“And if after over 10 years of fighting Boko Haram, the terrorist group is still waxing strong, let nobody out of self-delusion think that a war of self-determination by one or more geopolitical zones of Nigeria with the present disenchantment would be easily suppressed by the rest of what may remain of the country.

“Some will fight to the last drop of the blood of their group rather than suffer the indignity of slavery, oppression, domination and atrocious injustice in the land of their birth and the only one that they can call their country.

“If Boko Haram can get an outside support, any geo-political zone opting for self-determination may equally get an external support. War may not necessarily go as planned, estimated and predicted.

“Everything must, therefore, be put in place to avoid a war, the end of which no one can precisely predict.

“There is no assurance that Nigeria can survive a second civil war. But rather, we should seek political solution and avoid a destructive civil war.

“This is the situation today. Let us put our experiences to work and fashion out a political order and arrangement that will strengthen our togetherness while making room for healthy and useful competition within the one entity, Nigeria.

“We need not go the way of Yugoslavia or Sudan and certainly not the way of Rwanda and Somalia. But none of these countries knew the avoidable and divisive end from the beginning. Let us learn from the experience of others and of our founding fathers who resolved their political differences through dialogue and debate without resorting to violence and separation but accommodation, telling themselves hard truth, tolerance and give-and-take spirit. That was the foundation of Nigeria at independence and let it continue to be.

“If all we are interested in is power and not holding the country together harmoniously and wholesomely, we may hold the mirage of power and lose the nation or the country bequeathed to us by our founding fathers.

“Today, we can still collectively debate, dialogue and lead our country to where, by consensus, we will want it to be as a united, strong, harmonious, dynamic, fast developing, productive, fast growing and progressing nation with sufficient leeway for autonomous development and management by component units on the basis of healthy competition, mutual respect, caring and sharing for one another, within one nation and one destiny, with shared values, common goals and venerated diversity.

“There are still people of goodwill who can speak up and speak out and take effective and positive actions individually and collectively that will corporately save the country from rudderlessness and disintegration. We must allow a stitch in time to save nine, so that we are not pushed to the realm of the unknown and which may be for all of us, undesirable,” he added.

By Happiness Chukwuebuka- March 1, 2020

Chekwas Okorie, the national chairman of the defunct United Progressive Party (UPP), has predicted that the All Progressive Congress (APC) will take over Anambra State from the ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in 2022.

Mr Okorie whose party was recently deregistered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) stated this in an interview with Sun Newspapers.

He collapsed his party into the APC after being deregistered over failure of the UPP to meet the requirements for continued existence as a political party.

The APGA has been in firm control of the South-East state for over a decade now. Although INEC has not announced the date for the next governorship election in the state, it is expected to hold next year before the expiration of the tenure of Willie Obiano, the incumbent governor winds down in 2022.

Okorie who founded APGA said Anambra State will be his starting point and his movement into the APC will reshape the party’s existence in the geo-political zone where the party is reportedly not doing well.

ALSO READ: Uzodimma speaks on installation of Emir in Imo

He said his main aim of delivering the state to the APC is to bargain for an Igbo presidency at the completion of the president’s tenure in 2023.

“…Now with me fully involved and others we are marching into Anambra to deliver the governorship to APC in Anambra in 2021. I will be fully involved in that effort with all my associates and others,” he said.

“And that will be the beginning of sweeping across the entire Igbo land and by 2023 President Buhari must have done his beat well by the grace of God and we shall insist even before then that it will make for the finale healing of the wounds of the war if an Igbo man is given the opportunity to become president in 2023.

“And we have to make that point not by force, not by flexing muscles, but by diplomacy, by showing commitment, by political sagacity, by engagement, by building bridges, etc, all this we will do, not by wishful thinking and we will also impress it on the president that he will be writing his name in gold if he gives efficacy to that aspiration of the Igbo people and it will now bring the type of unity that Nigeria has been clamouring to have.

“The prospects are very bright. If I didn’t see how bright the prospects are I wouldn’t waste my time,” the Abia indigen added.

President Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly agreed that power should return to the Southern protectorate at the completion of his second term in 2023.

The intention of Boko Haram terrorists targeting and killing Christians recently has been made known.

At a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information, said the insurgents decided to go after Christians with the intention to trigger a religious war in the country.

Mr Mohammed said his position does not mean that Muslims in the country are not also been attacked by the terrorists.

“They have started targeting Christians and Christian villages for a specific reason, which is to trigger a religious war and throw the nation into chaos,” the minister said.

“Apparently, they have realized how emotive and divisive religion can be, when exploited by unscrupulous persons.

“Lest I am misunderstood, let me repeat: the insurgents, who delude themselves as Muslims whereas they are nothing more than blood-thirsty, rapacious killers who subscribe to no religion, have recently started targeting Christians with a view to sowing the seed of confusion between the two great religions.

“This did not in any way signify that they have stopped attacking Muslims. But they seem to now have a deliberate policy of attacking Christians. Some have misinterpreted this to insinuate a systematic campaign to persecute Christians in Nigeria.

“This is absurd, and very unfair to the men and women who are daily battling the insurgents,” he said pleading with religious leaders not to fall for the antics of the terrorists.