September
Oyo governor orders reopening of public, private schools
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has approved the resumption dates for public and private primary, secondary and tertiary institutions in the state. Commissioner for Education, Barrister Olasukanmi Olaleye, made the announcement in a statement on Tuesday. Olaleye in the statement said that schools will now operate morning and afternoon shifting for pupils and students of primary and secondary schools. He noted that it is mandatory for all Schools, public and private to constitute COVID-19 Task Force to be headed by Heads of Schools with two members of staff. He added that the Governor has also approved the re-opening of the state-owned tertiary institutions and private institutions. Olaleye added that regular academic activities of tertiary institutions are to commence from Monday 28th S...
PFN urges Edo people to maintain peace during Saturday election
Rev. Dr. Felix Omobude, National President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), has charged the people of Edo State to maintain peace and orderliness before, during and after the September 19 governorship election in the state. Dr. Omobude who is also the General Superintendent of Gospel Light International Ministry (GLIM) – New Covenant Gospel Church (NCGC), in a press statement in Benin City, signed by his Media Aide, Deacon Ralph Okhiria, said the election of an individual politician is not worthy of the blood or life of any resident of the state. “My dear good people of Edo state, I identify and join my voice to the many other good citizens of the state to call for peace during this governorship election scheduled for Saturday, this week.” “The contestants have transversed t...
Governor Tambuwal: Rigging Edo election is ‘coup’ against the people
The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, has said any electoral victory obtained through means other than the legitimate votes of the people was nothing short of a coup d’état. Tambuwal said the Edo State Governorship Election scheduled to hold on Saturday as well as the Ondo State governorship election scheduled for October 10, were test cases of our preparedness for a rule-based and consent-enabled governance. He said this in a statement titled “Tambuwal: Rigging is coup d’état,” which he signed and issued to commemorate the 2020 edition of United Nations International Day of Democracy, on Tuesday. The United Nations General Assembly in 2017 resolved to observe 15 September of every year as the International Day of Democracy — with the purpose of promoting and upholding the principl...
Nigeria’s virus death toll hits 1,083
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) at midnight on Monday said that the death toll for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in Nigeria had jumped to 1, 083. The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle. Newsmen report the NCDC confirmed that there were 132 new infections . It stated that one new fatality raised the death toll to 1,083. The agency said 132 new cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, were recorded across Nigeria on Monday, Sept. 14. The public health agency stated that the new cases now bring the number of confirmed infections in the country to 56,388. It noted that 185 people had been treated and had recovered from the virus, bringing the nation’s number of recovery to 44,337. According to the agency, Lagos State had the highest number ...
PTF: Nigeria winning fight against coronavirus
Mr Boss Mustapha, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF)/Chairman of the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, says Nigeria’s national response on COVID-19 is achieving impressive results. The PTF chairman, who stated this at the daily briefing of the task force on Monday in Abuja, said “Nigeria continues to progressively witness declining confirmed cases of COVID-19 with a record low number of 79 cases on Sunday, Sept. 13. “While this suggests that we are winning this war, the reality is that we need to improve on our commitment to eliminate the virus completely by abiding with the protocols so that we can return to a semblance of what was our normal life. “In a very modest way, therefore, we could say that our National Response, under the guidance of Mr. President,...
Edo election: PDP, Comrade Oshiomhole bicker over ‘intimidation’ of voters
File Photo The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo and a former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, are in a war of words over alleged planned intimidation of Edo’s voters with soldiers and stockpiling of arms. Edo PDP, through its Publicity Secretary, Chris Nehikhare, at a news conference in Benin, accused Oshiomhole, an ex-governor, of using soldiers to intimidate voters in Benin City and Auchi. It also accused Oshiomhole of stockpiling arms in his house at Iyamho hometown in Etsako West Local Government Area for the election next Saturday. It asked security agents to search the Iyamho house of the former governor while urging the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, and President Muhammadu Buhari, to call Oshiomhole to order. The...
Edo election: Comrade Oshiomhole borrowed recklessly – Governor Obaseki
Governor Godwin Obaseki has accused his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole, of putting Edo State in debt through reckless borrowing. The governor made the allegation on Sunday, September 13, 2020, during the Edo Governorship debate organized by Channels Television. While answering a question about the debt profile of Edo state, Obaseki said the Oshiomhole-led administration was responsible for the state’s debt burden. He said, “Let me make some points very clear. What happened is that my predecessor in office borrowed recklessly and the Federal Government had to restructure all the debts that we have taken before I came into office. “These included a whole series of bank borrowings, borrowing to pay salaries. So, the Federal Government restructured outstanding obligations to Edo State, to the t...
JOHESU declares nationwide strike
The Joint Health Workers Union, JOHESU, has asked its members to withdraw their services and embark on a nationwide strike starting from midnight on Sunday, September 13, 2020. This decision was reached at the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union’s meeting on Saturday. The Union in a statement on Sunday said, it gave the Federal Government one week to address all lingering issues and nothing concrete had been achieved. The health workers are asking the Federal Government to address the failures and decaying infrastructure in the health sector and pay the shortfall in COVID-19 hazard allowances for their members. The Union is also seeking the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure, implementation of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria consent judgment and other...
Governor Obaseki: Speculation about Edo PDP chairman’s resignation is fake news
Special Adviser to Edo State Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, has said that the rumoured resignation of the Chairman of the Edo State chapter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Tony Aziegbemi, is fake news and a hoax. Osagie, who spoke to journalists in Benin City, the Edo State capital, on Friday, described the rumour as “the fabrication of members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in their last minute and desperate efforts to save an unpopular candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu, from quitting the gubernatorial race which the party is set to lose.” According to the governor’s spokesman, “With just a week to the September 19 election, and worried by the lack of acceptance of its candidate, the APC has resorted to desperate and unconventional campaign tacti...
Niger PDP congress marred by violence
File Photo The Niger State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, congress to elect the state Working Committee of the opposition party was marred with violence as thugs allegedly belonging to the two contestants for the chairmanship post engaged themselves in a fight. Those eyeing the seat include Bar. Tanko Beji, who is contending for the second time and Engr. Mohammed Muktur, a former House of Representatives member representing Suleja, Gurara and Tafa. Indication to this effect was observed when supporters of the candidates took over the premises of the party secretariat as early as 7am This was despite the presence of heavily armed security agencies drafted to the venue of the congress. At the venue, a former House of Representatives and Deputy House Leader, Hon. Baba Shehu Agaie, was serious...
INEC: Fire incident won’t affect Ondo election
Ahead of the October 10 gubernatorial election in Ondo State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Friday in Abuja said despite the fire incident that destroyed Card Readers meant for the election, the governorship poll will still go ahead as planned. The commission has also said it is not contemplating postponing the September 19 Edo election. INEC National Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated this in Abuja during an interactive session with stakeholders and Civil Society Organizations, convened by the National Peace Committee. He said the 5100 Card Readers programmed for use for the election were razed in the inferno that on Thursday night, adding that investigation is on to unravel the cause of the fire. Yakubu said: “we received the sad news last night of fire inc...
Stakeholders call for measures against post-coronavirus suicide
Some stakeholders in mental health have called for proactive measures to be put in place to prevent incidences of suicide in Nigeria post COVID-19. They made the call at an Annual National E-conference organised by the Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative (SURPIN) held via Zoom on Saturday in Lagos. Theme of the conference was: “Together Toward Collaborative Resilience: Building Resilience Post COVID-19.” It was held in commemoration of the World Suicide Day, marked annually on Sept. 10. Commenting, Prof. Andrew Zamani of Clinical Psychology, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, said that collective resilience in preventing mental disorders, which could lead to suicide, largely depends on leadership. Zamani said the leadership must be the one that has integrity, inclined toward social i...