Bala Mohammed, the governor of Bauchi State, has embarked on self-isloation over his recent contact with one of the confirmed cases of Coronavirus disease.
Mr Mohammed, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) met with the son of Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president, who announced on Sunday that his son has been confirmed to have tested positive to the pandemic disease which originated from China.
The governor and the son or the top politician met on their way to Abuja from Lagos, TODAY POLITICS learnt.
Mr Mohammed corroborated the report of our sources when he sent out a tweet.
“Following the confirmation from @NCDCgov that one of my recent contacts has tested positive for the #coronavirus, I’ve taken immediate precaution by self-isolating myself,” the governor tweeted on Monday.
“My entourage is also strictly complying with the same isolation measures, pending the results of our tests,” he added.
On Sunday evening, a twenty three second video surfaced on the internet showing President Buhari speaking on the outbreak of the disease in the country. This came after critics and the Nigerian Senate called on the president to address Nigerians on what his administration is doing to curb the spread of COVID-19.
Bashir Ahmed, the president’s media aide, also reposted the version of the clip which appeared to have been edited.
“We are working with the Federal Ministry of Health on protecting our citizens from #COVID-19. As a government, this is now a key priority for us,” the president is heard saying in the video clip which showed he was addressing an audience.
“I therefore enjoin you to ensure that adequate medical provisions and other welfare requirements are afforded,” he said before the clip abruptly ended.
Nigeria’s Coronavirus cases continue to rise as the Nation’s capital, Abuja, has recorded another case.
This is coming a day after three cases were confirmed on Saturday in the Federal Capital Territory.
With the one additional case confirmed by the Federal Ministry of Health, the country now has a total of 27 cases of which two has been discharged after testing negative to the pandemic disease which originated from China late last year.
Currently, Lagos state has 19 cases, Abuja 4 cases, Ogun 2 cases while Ekiti and Oyo has 1 case each.
The Coronavirus disease cases in Nigeria has risen to twenty six as at Sunday morning.
While as at Saturday the total number of cases was 22 out of which 2 were discharged having tested negative, additional 4 cases have been confirmed on Sunday by the Federal Ministry of Health.
Out of the four new cases recorded on Sunday, Lagos State has three cases while Oyo State has one case.
The breakdown of cases according to affected states are listed below:
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced the closure of all the country’s airports to international flights till April 23, 2020. The Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Capt. Musa Nuhu disclosed this in a letter to all foreign airlines and operators on Saturday. He said domestic flights will continue normal operations at all airports.
The NCAA had shut down the international wing of three airports in Nigeria on Friday. This is in line with the directive of the Federal Government to restrict international flights in response to the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic. The three airports closed down were; Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano; Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu; and the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa. This leaves only the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos and Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja in operation. However, the Minister of Aviation, Hadi Sirika, late yesterday, said Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos would be closed too. Sirika, while fielding questions from State House Correspondents on Friday, said the five international airports should have been closed instead of singling out three. Since then, 10 more cases of the coronavirus disease have been confirmed in the country, bringing the country’s burden of coronavirus infections to a total of 22.
Three of the 10 new cases are in Abuja, the country’s capital. The other seven are in Lagos. Nine of the new 10 infections had “have travel history outside Nigeria in the last one week,” the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said in a tweet.
Garba Shehu, the spokesman to President Muhammadu Buhari, has defied one of the precautions of Coronavirus disease by annoucing an event.
As the country continues to witness a rise in cases of the pandemic disease, various measures have been put in place to curb the spread of COVID-19, the official name of the malady.
While Nigerians have been advised to practice social distancing by avoiding mass gathering as one of the precautions to the disease, some state governors have placed temporary restriction on activities of educational and religious institutions.
On its part, the federal government banned public officials from travelling to high-risk countries. It also placed a travel restriction on 15 countries while suspending the issuance of all visas on arrival and asked Nigerians to cancel or postpone all non-essential travels to these countries.
“Please find time to join us at the Barewa Old Boys Association (BOBA), 2020 Annual Leadership Lecture, where I will be speaking on “Media and Democracy: Challenge of Journalism,” the presidential aide announced Saturday morning on Twitter.
ALSO READ: COVID-19: FG adds two more countries to travel restriction list
“His Excellency, Governor Nasir @elrufai is expected to Chair the occasion, with the Ministers of Defence and FCT as special guests,” he tweeted.
This seems like failing to lead by example. A similar action by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday earned the opposition party an attack from the All Progressive Congress (APC).
The All Progressive Congress (APC) says Nigerians should help it beg the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to atleast behave responsible even if it is for once.
The ruling party stated this in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu while reacting to the rally organised by the opposition party.
The PDP held its rally in Oyo State at a time the federal government and several states government are putting measures in place to checkmate the spread of Coronavirus disease officially known as COVID-19.
The pandemic disease which originated from China can be spread if citizens are exposed to large gatherings.
Criticising the action of the opposition party, the ruling party described the rally as senseless.
“At a time when countries all over the world are taking deliberate, coordinated and concerted measures to contain the global outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVlD-19), the PDP sees the need to hold a senseless rally,” the statement read.
“Nigeria just cancelled the scheduled National Sports Festival, NYSC camps have closed down nationwide, a travel ban on government officials is in place, restricted entry into the country for travellers from 13 countries is in effect, improved emergency medical response across the country is in place among other social distancing steps being taken to protect our country.
“On Wednesday, five new cases were announced in the country and efforts are already underway to track persons who have had contact with these confirmed cases.
“The PDP’s thoughtless action is shockingly at variance with the current world effort to contain this pandemic.
“Events in most countries of the world and instructions being given by the Nigerian government do not support this criminal activity. Obviously the PDP is incapable of applying itself to rules and commonsense.
“Even as the APC-led government is making efforts to put in place a new national order for good governance and patriotic citizenship, PDP, living up to its legendary infamy, has continued in its malicious ways.
“How could any group choose this period to pull a crowd together? What is at stake at this moment that requires this level of risk taking? Why do the leaders of PDP not realise this action is capable of putting the entire country in jeopardy?
“For how long would this country put up with a badly behaved and clueless opposition party with irredeemable tendency for taking actions that violate all known moral principles? This is a new low, even for the PDP’s abysmal standards.
“We call on well-meaning Nigerians to plead with the PDP leaders to be responsible for once. This is a time for them to apply some intelligence to their actions,” the statement added.
The unidentified man who charged towards President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday has apologised for the outage that greeted his action.
Mr Buhari had visited Kebbi State for a function yesterday and posed to take group photographs when the man interrupted the process.
In an eight video clip circulating across various platforms on the social media, the man’s action appeared like an attack given how he hurried towards the president.
Explaining, the development, the presidency said the man went to handshake Mr Buhari when security personnel aborted the mission.
Addressing the media on Friday, the man corroborated the position of the presidency while apologising for his action.
He confirmed that he was an excited fan of the President who broke protocol & wanted to have a handshake with him.
“I did not attack President Buhari, I was emotionally attached to his outstanding virtues of honesty and craved to shake him,” the man named Mohammed Jamilu Gunddare, who was flanked by Lai Mohammed, Information Minister, said.
Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra State, has said the manner with which Lamido Sanusi, was dethroned as Emir of Kano chases away investors willing to invest in the country.
Mr Obi who made this known on Wednesday through his Twitter handle, described the action of the Kano State governor, Umar Ganduje, who booted out the traditional ruler, as reckless.
The former governor also said the manner alongside insecurity does not encourage foreign investors willing to invest in the country and it has furthermore impacted negatively on the Nigeria’s economy.
“The removal of Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as Emir of Kano has impacted more negatively on #Nigeria than on the former Emir himself,” Mr Obi said.
“His removal portrays clearly, the recklessness of our country today.
“A few weeks ago, while speaking to investors in London, their primary concern about investing in #Nigeria was the unceasing lawlessness and insecurity. The recent reckless executive action in Kano further validates their fears.
“We must be better and act better if we seriously plan to play on the global stage,” he added.
President Muhammadu Buhari has no involvement whatsoever in the dethronement of HRH Muhammadu Sanusi II from the position of Emir of Kano. All such insinuations are untrue, malicious and politically motivated.
The President does not have a history of intervening in the affairs of any state in the country, unless the issue at hand is of national consequence. On such matters which impinge on national security, he has a duty of involvement as the law stipulates.
It is unfair and disingenuous of opposition politicians to try to link the situation in Kano State to the federal government and the Nigerian President.
Although a retired General and fmr. Military Head of State, Pres. Buhari clearly understands that under the current democratic dispensation, the government at the centre cannot read instructions or twist the arms of all or any of the 36 state governments making up the federation.
They all have their powers specified under the Constitution.
President Buhari commends the people of Kano for keeping calm in the past few days of the dethronement announcement.
He prays that the will of Allah will be done at all times, and that the emirate/state and its people continue to experience progress irrespective of who is on the throne.
Tolu Ogunlesi, an aide to President Muhammadu Buhari has said Lamido Sanusi, the ousted Emir of Kano is not above dethronement.
Mr Ogunlesi stated this on Tuesday while responding to a query asking if state governors are empowered to dethrone traditional rulers.
Mr Ogunlesi who did not back up his claim with any section of the constitution said state governors are constitutional power to dethrone traditional rulers in their domain.
Mr Sanusi was booted out from office by the state governor, Umar Ganduje, who accused the former Central Bank Governor of insubordination.
“A sitting Governor can dethrone anybody – as in they have the power to. That’s the way the system is set up,” the president’s special assistant on new media said in a tweet.
“Nobody is above being dethroned. Governors formally appoint them, present them staffs of office, fund their offices. Whether this should be so is another matter entirely,” he said.
ALSO READ: Ganduje dethrones Emir Sanusi
Ogunlesi cited a similar situation in Rivers State to buttress his claim.
“You people saw how Wike paraded Rivers Traditional Rulers recently and addressed them like a kindergarten class,” Ogunlesi said in another tweet.
“That’s the power a Governor has over royal institutions. Every Governor. It actually didn’t start today, has been so for a long long time,” he added.
However, the presidential aide said the banishment placed on the ousted traditional ruler is a violation of the constitution.
“Banishment is a different matter entirely. At least one Court has ruled that it does violate the Constitution – in the case between HRH Mustapha Jokolo, (deposed and banished from Gwandu Emirate by the Gov of Kebbi in June 2005) and the Govt of Kebbi,” he added.
Lamido Sanusi, the immediate past Emir of Kano, has described his dethronement as illegal.
Mr Sanusi was dethroned yesterday over alleged insubordination by the Kano State Executive Council headed by the state governor, Umar Ganduje, whom is at war with the former Central Bank Governor.
Mr Ganduje immediately appointed a replacement after dethroning the traditional ruler who has been exiled to Nassarawa State.
Reacting on his behalf, the lawyer of the dethroned ruler, Abubakar Mahmoud (SAN) described the action of the governor as illegal which will be reversed by the court of law.
Mr Mahmoud who stated this in a telephone interview he granted Channels Television Monday evening said his client was yet to take a decision on the next line of action.
“We are going to be in touch with him to discuss which line of action to take as his lawyers. And we as lawyers, of course, we believe that this action was illegal and unconstitutional,” he said.
ALSO READ: Why Sanusi was removed as Kano Emir - Govt
“And more so, the aspect of banishment, under the constitution, nobody can be deprived of his liberty under the manner he has been deprived of his. Nevertheless, we will be in touch with him and hopefully, come up with the next line of action in due course.
“The next line of action would obviously depend on the instruction from the Emir. There are two aspects to it – the dethronement and the banishment. We will be consulting with him, I had a meeting with him before he was taken to custody and obviously, at that point, he has not taken a decision on whether he is going to pursue this matter in court or not.
“Of course, we will give him time to come up with a decision on his dethronement. But as far as his liberty is concerned, we are very firmly clear that this is an illegal act and we will be considering what line of action to take hopefully by tomorrow (Tuesday) when I speak with him.
“An action that is illegal can be reversed by the court of law and that is why we have the written constitution and courts in place. Under the constitution of the country, whenever the executive branch of government takes an action that is unconstitutional or illegal, the courts are there for all citizens to seek redress.
“We are confident given the fact of this case that if the Emir was to challenge the action, it would be reversed because the action, in our view, is repressing and illegal,” the Senior Advocate of Nigeria added.
ALSO READ: Sanusi reacts to his dethronement as Kano Emir
Meanwhile the development has been described as sad and good by former president Olusegun Obasanjo.
Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) has apologised for threatening to kill children of Abia State Police commissioner.
Mr Kanu while tendering his apology withdrew the threat and expressed sadness over the development.
The fugitive had earlier threatened to kill children of heads of security agencies in retaliation should any member of the proscribed group be killed during his parents burial on Friday.
He made the threat while responding to the warning of the police barring members of IPOB from gracing the burial ceremony of his parents who were traditional rulers of his community.
But in a statement reproduced on his social media accounts on Wednesday, the secessionist leader backed down, apologised and withdrew the threat.
“This Friday, mourners in Biafra will come together to attend the funeral for my beloved parents, Eze Israel Okwu Kanu and Ugoeze Sally Nmenme Kanu,” Mr Kanu said.
“During this time of mourning, the Indigenous People of Biafra are living in a constant state of fear.
“The Abia State Commissioner of Police is threatening to disrupt the funeral and there continues to be a large military presence in the area, which has a history of inflicting violence against the IPOB.
“This has caused a range of emotions for me. I have now gone from an extreme sense of sadness after losing both of my parents, to an extreme sense of anger knowing that the mourners are in grave danger.
“In this time of immense grieving and anger, I made threats against the children of the Police Commissioner and other Nigerian officials on my radio program, Radio Biafra.
“This was wrong and I sincerely apologize. Children should always be off limits. It was my intention to bring global awareness to the threats and imminent danger the Government has placed on my family and community in hopes that shining a global spotlight on the actions of the Government will prevent them from inciting violence against my people. In doing so, I went too far.
“It is my great hope that the Indigenous People of Biafra can mourn in peace on Friday and can live in peace every single day forward,” he added.
How Mamman Daura’s family blocked me from Aso Rock apartment — Aisha Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari’s wife, Aisha, has given a rare insight into the power struggles at the State House, with details of how husband’s relatives physically confronted her.
In an interview with BBC Hausa, Mrs Buhari confirmed the authenticity of a video that circulated online last week, saying she was the woman seen speaking angrily in the footage.
The incident, however, did not happen now, she said.
Mrs Buhari has spoken of a “cabal” that has controlled her husband, a description understood to mean a shadowy but powerful kitchen cabinet led by Mr Buhari’s nephew, Mamman Daura.
A new video surfaced last week showing a woman speaking angrily at a location believed to be the presidential villa.
Speaking in Hausa in the new interview, Mrs Buhari said she was the person in the video and that she reacted after being denied access to parts of the villa by Mr Daura and his family.
The video was recorded by Mr Daura’s daughter, Fatima.
“I was the one in that video and this person you see standing at my back are my security personnel,” the first lady said.
“It was Fatima, the daughter of Mamman Daura that shot the video in front of my security and everybody there. She was actually recording the whole thing right in front of me and was laughing and mocking me.
“They did that because my husband sacked them from the house. He told them to get all their belongings and leave the house for my son (Yusuf) to occupy.
“I left them and wanted to get to one of the rooms but they prevented me from getting through, I left them and took another way yet I met the store locked,” she said.
Politics › COVID-19: Bala Mohammed Embarks On Self-Isolation After Contact With Atiku's Son by deantimes(op): 2:16pm On Mar 23, 2020
