Kaduna Gets New Speaker As Former One Resigns

Hon. Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani has been elected as the new Kaduna Speaker.

His election came barely an hour after Hon Amknu Abdullahi Shagali resigned as Speaker.

Hon. Zailani, who represents Igabi West Constituency in the Assembly, was the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly until his election to lead the House on Tuesday.

Zailani is a strong member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Also, Hon Mukhatar Isa Hazo, representing Bassawa Constituency has been elected as the new Deputy Speaker.

Both of them have been sworn-in by the Clark of the Assembly.

The former Speaker, who represents Sabon-Gari Constituency in the Assembly, officially submitted his resignation letter to clerk of the House Tuesday morning.

The Nation gathered that members of the House had started collecting signatures to impeach him before he eventually bowed to pressure and resigned.

Chairman, House Committee on information, Honourable Tanimu Musa confirmed he submitted his resignation letter.

However, Shagali’s offence warranting the alleged plan impeachment was yet to be unraveled as the time of filing this report.

The 40-year old Aminu Abdullahi Shagali became the Assembly Speaker on the coming of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to power in 2015.

He was re-elected to preside over the House in 2019 on strong recommendation of Governor Nasir Ahmed El-Rufa’i.

Coronavirus Is Knocking On Your Door - WHO Warns

The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Tuesday warned countries to boost their readiness against coronavirus.

WHO spokesman Christian Lindmeier, gave the warning while speaking at a news briefing in Geneva, adding that the virus is literally knocking at the door.

Lindmeier disclosed that WHO officials are meeting in Rome to discuss measures taken in Italy, NAN reports.

He further announced that a trip to Iran has been delayed and he had no date for its departure.

“Many countries have “pandemic plans” ready and some may act upon them depending on their situation.

“But at the moment the WHO itself does not plan another big announcement such as when it declared an international emergency on Jan. 30,’’ Lindmeier said

Meanwhile, the Nigerian government has expressed its readiness to contain the disease, if it ever gets into Nigeria.

Over 2,600 people have died worldwide from Coronavirus which started in China and has since spread to almost 30 countries.

Nigeria Centre for Disease and Control (NCDC) has advised the public to wash their hands regularly with soap under running water.

PDP Withdraws Suit Against APC, INEC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has withdrawn its petition before the Bayelsa Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja against the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The PDP had before the Supreme Court’s verdict challenged the emergence of Mr David Lyon of the APC as the duly elected governor in November 2019 governorship election

But in a twist on Feb. 13, the Supreme Court overturned the election of Lyon as the governor-elect and disqualified the APC’s deputy governorship candidate, Biobarakum Degi-Eremienyo, as a candidate in the election.

At the resumed sitting on Tuesday, counsel to the petitioner, John Okoriko informed the three-man panel headed by Justice Muhammad Sirajo that he had an application before the tribunal dated and filed Feb 18

In the application, the counsel prayed for an order granting the petitioner leave to withdraw the petition against the respondents in view of the Supreme Court’s judgment of Feb. 13 which declared the petitioner and its candidate Sen. Douye Diri as the winner of the Nov.16 governorship election.

The application also urged the tribunal to deem the application as properly filed and adopt same for the interest of peace and justice for Bayelsa.

The application in addition prayed the tribunal to make additional orders as deemed fit in the circumstances.

Sirajo in response however said the petitioner could not seek to withdraw its application in the interest of peace and justice, but on the ground that the petition was incompetent based on the present turn of event.

Ibrahim Bawa, counsel to INEC on his part said he had no objection to the application, he however pointed out some observations.

Bawa said one of the observations was the petitioner’s counsel failure to comply with Rule 20, paragraph 29 (4) of the election rules which stated that there must be a signed affidavit by the petitioner himself attached to the application.

Counsel to APC, P. Abah equally said in pursuant to Supreme Court’s judgment, he had no objection to the petitioner withdrawing its petition.

Sirajo therefore said ” We have noted your observations and in the absence of no objection, the application is granted. The petition is hereby struck out”.

Breaking News: Olisa Metuh Sentenced To 7 Years In Prison

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday sentenced a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Olisa Metuh, to seven years imprisonment on corruption charges regarding his activities preceding the 2015 presidential election which his party lost.

Justice Okon Abang delivering judgment at the proceedings which lasted over six hours convicted Metuh on all the seven counts, including the fraudulent receipt of N400m  from the Office of the National Security Adviser in November 2014 and use of the money for political activities of the PDP and for his personal purposes.

The court also convicted Metuh for transacting with a cash sum of $2m without going through a financial institution.

The judge agreed with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission successfully proved that the transaction violated the anti-money laundering law which pegs the maximum cash transaction an individual undertake outside a financial institution at N5m.

He imposed sentenced Metuh to seven years imprisonment for counts 1, 2, 4 and 7, five years imprisonment in respect of count 3, and three years in respect of counts 5 and 6.

He, however, ruled that the sentences shall run concurrently which implied that he would only spend the highest number of years of jail term, which is seven, in prison.

The judge also directed Metuh to pay a fine of N375m to the Federal Government.

He also ordered Destra Investments to pay N25m to the Federal Government.

He ordered the accounts of  Destra in Diamond Bank and Asset Resource Management to be closed and their proceeds forfeited to the Federal Government.

The judge also ordered the winding up of Destra.

BREAKING NEWS: IGP Disbands SARS Over Killing Of Ogun Footballer

The Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, on Tuesday, announced the disbandment of the Zonal Intervention Squad, Obada-Oko, Ogun State.

The disbandment followed the death of a player of Remo Stars Football Club, Tiyamiyu Kazeem, allegedly caused by operatives of ZIS SARS, Obada-Oko, Abeokuta.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Criminal Investigations Department Force Headquarters, Peter Ogunyonwo, made the announcement on behalf of the IGP when he accompanied the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, on a condolence visit to the parents of the deceased in Sagamu.

Ogunyonwo added that the ZIS office would be handed over to the Ogun State Police Command.

Kazeem was killed by a hit-and-run vehicle after he was allegedly thrown out of a moving operational vehicle of SARS on the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway on Saturday.

Kazeem was until his death, the vice-captain of the Remo Stars Football Club.

Details later…

Two Customs Officers Die In Crash While Chasing Smugglers

Two men of the Nigeria Customs Service attached to the Oron Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, reportedly died in an auto crash on Sunday while pursuing a bus suspected to be carrying smuggled rice.

Two other customs officers and the driver of the bus being chased were said to have sustained varying degrees of injury in the accident.

The survivors were reportedly rushed to hospital for treatment.

PUNCH Metro gathered that the incident occurred around 4.30pm at Urue Ita along Eket Oron Road in Oron LGA.

An eyewitness, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent on Monday that the bus the officers were pursuing was later found to be without any bag of rice.

According to him, the Hilux vehicle conveying the customs officer, marked ‘Strike Force Team,’ hit the Sienna bus, with number plate, APP 784 FM, and somersaulted several times.

“When I inspected the Sienna bus, no single grain of rice was in it. The bus was returning from a church in Oron,” the source added.

The customs command in Akwa Ibom State, however, declined comments on the matter.

The spokesperson for the command, Charles Orbih, when given the details of the incident, refused to either deny or confirm the tragedy.

The Federal Roads Safety Corps, Akwa Ibom State, stated that the command had yet to get full information on the accident.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Nnudam Fredrick, said the police in Oron had yet to brief him.

“I have not been briefed by the police in Oron concerning the death of the two customs officers.  I am not in the picture and I am not aware of the incident,” Fredrick said.

Simi Tackles Men, Says They Are Afraid Of Feminism

Singer and songwriter, Simisola Ogunleye, popularly known as Simi has said that feminism is a good course as it is women fighting for their right.

She said feminism makes men vulnerable because women are demanding the privileges they should enjoy.

She said “Feminism makes many men feel so vulnerable, because you find that society that gave you your “superiority card” is starting to know (and want) better for women – and you donno wtf to do. Lol Gag is, if you support us, life is better for everyone. Don’t be afraid”.

In another tweet, she wrote “The only reason women have probably ever wanted to be men is – the privileges men have enjoyed. Besides that, why will any woman want to be a man? And now we want to share those privileges across genders equally. We’re different with diff strengths/weaknesses, but of equal value.”

Prophet Lands In Court For Raping Teenage Boys

A prophet of the Cherubim and Seraphim Church, Seyi Adelana, was on Tuesday arraigned at an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court for allegedly sodomising two teenage boys.

Adelana, who resides at No. 11, Itumaro St., Igbobo, Ikorodu, is facing a a two-count charge bordering on sexual assault.

He, however, pleaded not guilty.

According to the state prosecutor, Mrs Arinola Momoh-Ayokanbi, Adelana committed the offences from June 2018 to January 2019 at his residence.

Momoh-Ayokanbi said the defendant lured the boys with cash gifts before sexually assaulting them.

“The defendant sexually assaulted the complainants (names withheld) by having anal sex with them.

“He sexually assaulted the first complainant, an 18-year-old makeup artist, from June to November 2018.

“The second complainant, a 17-year-old trader was sexually assaulted from November 2018 to January 2019,” she said.

The prosecutor said the defendant was arrested after the second complainant told his mother what had happened.

The offences contravene Section 261 of the Criminal Law of Lagos 2015.

Justice Abiola Soladoye ordered that the defendant should be remanded at a correctional center.

Soladoye then adjourned the case until April 22, for trial.

(NAN)

Breaking News: Olisa Metuh Pronounced Guilty In N400m Fraud

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Tuesday, convicted a former National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Olisah Metuh of count one among seven others instituted against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Also convicted alongside Metuh is his firm, Destra Investments Limited.

Justice Okon Abang in his judgment ruled that a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, unlawfully transferred the sum of N400 million to the defendants in November 2014.



Details shortly…

Davido Reacts To Tweet Saying He Will Lose His Son To Another Man

Nigerian superstar, David Adeleke also known as Davido has responded to a Twitter user who said he could lose his son, Davido Jnr, to any man who marries his fiancée, Chioma if he doesn’t quickly do the needful with her, according to Igbo culture.

This is coming after Davido took to Twitter to advise single men to never sleep with their girlfriends but rather make the ladies want to sleep with them.

Reacting to Davido’s tweet, a Twitter user identified as Mosco wrote:

“Are you married? You are still on higher purchase. Till you do the necessary things as Igbo tradition demand. If another man marry your wife at this point you will lose your son to that man. That is our tradition bro.”

And Davido replied: “he will die”.

The singer who engaged his Igbo bride, Chioma Avril since last year, is yet to officially tie the knot with her.

See the Twitter exchange below: