The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomhole, has written to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), insisting that the party has chosen the direct primary mode for the selection of its candidate for the Edo State governorship poll.
In a letter dated May 19, 2020, addressed to INEC Chairman, Oshiomhole said the party had put in place measures to ensure strict compliance with the COVID-19 prevention guidelines.
An acknowledged copy of the letter sighted in Abuja, on Wednesday, said the party’s decision was in full compliance with the APC constitution and the Electoral Act.
The letter captioned “Notice of intention to conduct direct primary for the Edo State Governorship Election,” read in part, “I convey to you my compliments and wish to respectfully inform you that the All Progressives Congress has decided to conduct direct primary for the Edo State Governorship Election on Monday, 22nd of June, 2020.
“To this end, we have put in place modalities to ensure strict compliance with the COVID-19 prevention guidelines as announced by the COVID-19 Presidential Task Force and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control.
“Therefore, direct primaries will be conducted in one hundred and ninety-two (192) wards.”
“We, accordingly, invite you as observers of the primaries with full compliance with All Progressives Congress Constitution and the Electoral Act.”
Oshiomhole is said to be determined to see that Governor Obaseki is denied the APC ticket over their disagreements.
A South African real estate investment firm, Novare, said on Wednesday that tenants at its three shopping malls in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and one in Lagos would not pay rent for four months.
The firm also donated food items worth millions of Naira to the FCT to help residents cope with hardship caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.
It said in a statement that this was a phased palliative intervention as part of its support for Nigeria in its anti-Covid-19 fight.
Novare has three retail malls in the FCT and one in Lagos State.
Each Mall, it said, accommodates over 60 tenants – including Shoprite and Game – over 600 direct employees and over 2,000 indirect employees (including suppliers of the goods and products sold therein).
The family of Seun Olorunto, whose remains were recovered from a Cherubim and Seraphim Church located at No. 3B Bayo Ajao Street, Aboru, Lagos State, has demanded justice for her death.
Punch Metro had reported that a prophetess in the church, Evelyn Owoleke (real name Tawakalitu Okedunmola), was arrested in connection with the radio presenter’s death during childbirth on the church’s premises.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, Bala Elkana, had said in a statement that Olorunto was found in a pool of her own blood when detectives visited the church, adding that the corpse was deposited in a mortuary for autopsy and the baby was taken to hospital for treatment.
Olorunto’s mother, Oluwaseyi Agbolade, said the prophetess accommodated the presenter with the Faaji FM radio station against her will, adding that when the leader of the Cherubim and Seraphim Unification Church in Aboru questioned her about it, she denied the allegation.
Oluwaseyi stated, “Tawakalitu told me that she heard that I sent my pregnant daughter away from home and she wanted my daughter to move in with her, but I refused and told her that I never sent her out and that what happened was that my daughter and her three children were staying in a room that my father gave me, but when her husband returned from South Africa and wanted to be living in that same room, I encouraged him to secure an apartment to accommodate his family.
“I later discovered that my daughter had started living in Tawakalitu’s church against my will and I told the prophetess that I didn’t want her there. I even reported the prophetess to the leader of the Cherubim and Seraphim Unification Church in Aboru, Adeyemi Oyebade, to prevail on her to allow my child to leave the church, but she denied that Olorunto was staying with her, but a delegation that was sent to her church saw my daughter there.
“Later, Tawakalitu called my younger brother to inform him that Olorunto had been delivered of a baby, but she collapsed in the process of childbirth and I told her that she must wake her up, because I never approved her staying in the church.”
Olorunto’s niece, Jolayemi Olaleye, while blaming Tawakalitu for the presenter’s death, said when the prophetess was arrested, she gave the police a fake name to conceal her identity.
She said, “Tawakalitu never reported the incident to the police or showed us a death certificate. So, I went to report the case at the Oke-Odo Police Station and a policewoman followed us to the church, where I saw my niece’s corpse in a car. When I asked for the prophetess, no one answered me.
“They lied that Olorunto died in the car; we were told that she gave birth in the morning and there was no blood in the car; her clothe was also not soaked in water or blood; I also saw strange marks on her mouth; so I knew that something was wrong. I asked for the baby, the placenta and the clothes used in taking delivery of the baby, but when no one could provide what I asked for, I insisted that Tawakalitu must follow us to the station, but her sister volunteered to go with us.
“We later went back to the church with another IPO and three people were arrested; when we returned to the station, we saw Tawakalitu and the baby there. The prophetess and I were told to write statements; she wasn’t remorseful about what happened to my niece; instead, she was boasting that she knew people. I want the police to help us get justice so that my niece won’t die in vain.”
In a follow-up reaction, Elkana said, “We are waiting for the autopsy report to determine the next line of action. The investigation is still ongoing and the prophetess is in our custody.”
Gombe State has recorded three additional deaths. This brings the Covid-19 death in the state to seven.
According to the chairman of the Task Force on Covid-19, Prof. Mohammed Idris, a director of special services and political office of the Secretary to the State Government who died recently was among the causalities.
Idris disclosed this on Wednesday during the briefing on activities on the task force in the state.
He stressed that the response team is going to embark on fumigation of the specific areas in the Government House as well as the clinic where he was admitted for days.
A full autopsy of George Floyd, was released on Wednesday and provides several clinical details, including that Floyd had previously tested positive for Covid-19.
The 20-page report released by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office came with the family’s permission and after the coroner’s office released summary findings Monday that Floyd had a heart attack while being restrained by officers, and classified his May 25 death as a homicide.
Bystander video showing Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin pressing his knee on Floyd’s neck, ignoring Floyd’s “I can’t breathe” cries until he eventually stopped moving, has sparked nationwide protests, some violent.
The report by Chief Medical Examiner Andrew Baker spelled out clinical details, including that Floyd had tested positive for COVID-19 on April 3 but appeared asymptomatic.
The report also noted Floyd’s lungs appeared healthy but he had some narrowing of arteries in the heart.
The county’s earlier summary report had listed fentanyl intoxication and recent methamphetamine use under “other significant conditions” but not under “cause of death.”
The full report’s footnotes noted that signs of fentanyl toxicity can include “severe respiratory depression” and seizures.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison on Wednesday upgraded charges against Chauvin to 2nd-degree murder, and also charged the three other officers on the scene with aiding and abetting.
Floyd family attorney, Ben Crump, earlier decried the official autopsy as described in the original complaint against Chauvin — for ruling out asphyxia. An autopsy commissioned by the Floyd family concluded that he died of asphyxiation due to neck and back compression.
Snapchat stopped promoting Donald Trump on its Discover page after he tweeted comments that some claim glorified violence amid nationwide racial justice riots.
A spokesperson for the picture messaging social media app told Axios in a Wednesday report that the outlet doesn't want to boost rhetoric that promotes 'racial violence and injustice' which it says includes President Trump.
'We are not currently promoting the President's content on Snapchat's Discover platform,' a spokesperson for Snap said, adding that Trump's account will not be taken down.
Instead of appearing in the 'For You' section, where it prompts viewers to click on and watch various news sites, public figures, initiatives and businesses' video and picture stories, users will now need to specifically search for Donald Trump's account.
'We will not amplify voices who incite racial violence and injustice by giving them free promotion on Discover,' the spokesperson continued.
'Racial violence and injustice have no place in our society and we stand together with all who seek peace, love, equality, and justice in America.'
Trump's campaign responded to the move by claiming Snapchat is trying to 'rig the 2020 election' by 'illegally' promoting Joe Biden while silencing the president who, in part, promotes his reelection efforts through his app.
The United States announced Wednesday that Chinese airlines will be suspended from operating passenger flights to and from the US.
The move is reportedly a tit-for-tat retaliation for China’s inaction to approve American airlines from conducting passenger service to China amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
The US Department of Transportation said Chinese authorities have “failed to permit” US air carriers to operate routes previously flown.
“The Department will continue to engage our Chinese counterparts so both U.S. and Chinese carriers can fully exercise their bilateral rights,” the agency said in a statement. “In the meantime, we will allow Chinese carriers to operate the same number of scheduled passenger flights as the Chinese government allows ours.”
The US claims China is violating a bilateral agreement for international travel by preventing United Airlines and Delta Air Lines from resuming trans-oceanic flights.
The airlines asked to resume service June 1.
The US also imposed travel bans to stem the spread of the coronavirus
The restrictions will take effect June 16 but could be earlier if US President Donald Trump decides to expedite the process.
The spat between the two rival nations is the first of what may be more to come as airlines seek to resume flights but countries remain cautious about the coronavirus.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) yesterday unveiled a technology application to facilitate tracing contacts of people infected with COVID-19.
This followed NNPC’s Transparency, Accountability and Performance Excellence (TAPE) agenda and commitment to continuously deploy Information and Communications Technology (ICT) for operational efficiency and accountability in its system
While unveiling the software in Abuja, Group General Manager, Information Technology Division (ITD), Danladi Inuwa, noted that the development was part of NNPC’s contribution to curb the spread of the pandemic in its formations and government’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
He disclosed this in a statement issued by NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Dr. Kennie Obateru.
“The contacts tracing solution is ready for deployment and all the technical testing had been done and the solution ready to go live. NNPC’s locations would be covered by the novel application, which would reveal all information about persons visiting any official.
“And should there be any medical challenges, the NNPC Medical Team would be able to track all contacts from the information at the database and advise properly,” the statement added.
He explained that members of staff would use the new application to document their private visitors in their homes, stressing that it would enable the workforce to adjust adequately to the ‘new normal’ way of living to minimise the spread of coronavirus.
Inuwa also disclosed the corporation had deployed online methods in the procurement of petroleum products to minimise human contacts in business transactions at the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC) in the face of COVID-19.
He said the application, known as the Customer Express, would also enable marketers to register, validate and revalidate their Bulk Purchase Agreements online within a week, adding that the portal provides a dashboard that enables the corporation to track all products being imported, transported and sold at all times.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) has moved to resolve the dispute between the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) and Macobarb International in N970m claim and payment disagreement.
The lingering dispute had caused untold hardship to many workers and sub-contractors due non-payment of salaries and jobs executed and even bank loans, a situation that had worsened their economic woes since the coronavirus pandemic.
Macobarb demanded that NLNG pays N970m for wrongful termination of a contract and value for downtime and equipment on site for about two years, as
NNPC, Shell, Office of Attorney-General of the Federation, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) made several attempts to wade into the dispute to no avail.
However, Macobarb expressed confidence that NCDMB’s move to resolve the matter and ensure out-of-court settlement would enable other companies to heave a sigh of relief, noting that sometimes, when such matters go to court, they are usually quashed.
Brazil reported a record 1,349 coronavirus deaths in a 24-hour period on Wednesday, the health ministry said, as the pandemic continued to take a grim toll on Latin America’s hardest-hit country.
The figure brought the total death toll from the new coronavirus in Brazil to 32,548, with 584,016 confirmed infections — the second-highest caseload worldwide, after the United States.
Brazil’s death toll, which has doubled in 17 days, is currently the fourth-highest worldwide, after the US, Britain and Italy.
Experts say under-testing in the country of 210 million people means the real numbers are probably much higher.
President Jair Bolsonaro has fiercely criticized coronavirus isolation measures, even as the number of infections and deaths continues to soar in Brazil.
The far-right leader has urged business leaders to wage “war” on state governors who order stay-at-home measures, arguing they are needlessly hurting Latin America’s biggest economy.
Bolsonaro, who famously compared the virus to a “little flu,” appears to have pinned his hopes on the drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine to stop it.
He has gone through two health ministers since the pandemic began, firing one and reportedly falling out with the other over his insistence on recommending hydroxychloroquine despite a lack of scientific consensus on its safety and effectiveness against COVID-19.
The former number two under ousted health minister Luiz Henrique Mandetta, Joao Gabbardo, told AFP that Brazil was now facing a complex scenario with different trajectories of infection in different regions.
“We have several curves,” Gabbardo said, adding Brazil could face a similar situation to Italy, “which had a large number of deaths in the north and not in the south.”
Brazil has been hardest hit so far in the southeast — the business and industrial corridor that includes Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro — the impoverished northeast, and the north, including the Amazon region with its vulnerable indigenous population.
The impact has been felt less in the south of the country so far.
However, Gabbardo warned that if the coronavirus starts to spread rapidly in the south, which is about to hit cold winter temperatures and peak season for respiratory infections, “there could be very high pressure on the health system.”
Queen Maxima of the Netherlands sported a summery ensemble as she cycled to visit an art museum after it re-opened following the coronavirus crisis.
Mother-of-three Maxima, 49, arrived on bicycle to visit The Hague Art Museum in the Hague which on Monday re-opened under strict social-distancing conditions, having been shut for 11-weeks amid the pandemic.
The royal was all smiles in a loose button-up linen shirt paired with matching smart yellow trousers, which cut off at her ankle to reveal stylish straw coloured pumps.
Appearing to be comfortable riding along the road's cycle path, Maxima smiled at photographers as she made her way through the city to the museum.
The royal beamed at onlookers as she parked her bike before being pictured inside the museum looking fascinated as she browsed the exhibits.
West Brom have earned widespread praise on social media for their response to a fan who vowed to cancel their season ticket because the club participated in the Black Lives Matter movement on Twitter.
Like most teams, West Brom played their part in BlackOut Tuesday by posting a blacked out picture with the caption 'Together we are stronger'.
One supporter was unhappy to see the club making such a gesture and tweeted back saying 'Pathetic. Cancel my season ticket. Cheers.'
The club's official account promptly responded saying 'You wont be missed'.
As another supporter alluded to, many of the best players to ever represent West Brom have been black.
'Supporting a club like Albion who were trendsetters with (Cyrille) Regis, (Laurie) Cunningham and (Brendan) Baston and being racist, what a t*****,' the fan wrote. 'We are an Albion family and I for one am glad you are cancelling your season ticket.'
Another supporter responded by saying: 'Well done to our admin and our club, as a club that prides ourself on inclusion I wouldn't have expected any less.'
The supporter himself later claimed on Twitter that he wasn't racist and that he believed sport and politics should remain separate.
In a reply to one fan, he wrote: 'Stupid. All lives matter mate. That is my point. No matter where you come from. Should be all lives matter.
'No football club should get involved in politics. That's the facts. My views. Right or wrong.'
United States President, Donald Trump, has spoken on his brief stay at the underground White House bunker.
The facility is called Presidential Emergency Operations Center (PEOC).
It serves as a shelter and communications center for U.S. Presidents and others in case of an emergency.
Trump was taken there by the Secret Service Friday night as protesters of George Floyd’s death gathered outside the White House.
The American leader, wife and son were reportedly in the bunker for a little under an hour.
But Trump has explained that he went there for an “inspection”.
He dismissed reports that the reason was for protection from protesters.
“It was much more for the inspection. I was there for a tiny, little period of time. They said it would be a good time to go down and take a look because maybe sometime you’re going to need it”, he told Fox News Radio.
Trump reiterated his threat of military action in New York if the protests persist.
“If they don’t get their act straightened out I will solve it. I’ll solve it fast,” he said.
In the last 24 hours, 348 new cases of COVID19 were reported in Nigeria; Lagos-163, FCT-76, Ebonyi-23, Rivers-21, Delta-8, Nasarawa-8, Niger-8, Enugu-6, Bauchi-5, Edo-5, Ekiti-5, Ondo-5, Gombe-5, Benue-4, Ogun-2, Osun-1, Plateau-1, Kogi-1, Anambra-1.
A total of 11166 cases of COVID19 in Nigeria. The breakdown;
A Mexican senator was caught getting topless on a government Zoom conference unaware that her camera was on.
66-year-old senator Martha Lucia Micher started getting changed during a May 29 meeting with members of the National Regeneration Movement political party, the Bank of Mexico, and journalists.
Screenshots from the meeting originally meant to discuss the impact of the coronavirus pandemic were leaked by an unknown attendee.
Sen. Micher apologised for the incident after it did the rounds on social media and she was mercilessly trolled by creeps and perverts.
The senator took a strong stance against the bullying and came out swinging, saying she is proud of her body and refuses to be objectified.
She said: “I am Malu Micher, and I am not ashamed to have shown part of my intimacy by accident, because it is exactly the notion that a woman is ‘just her body’ that has allowed and fomented the objectification of women against which I have always fought."
“I am a woman of 66 years of age who has breastfed four children, three of whom are today professional and responsible men, and I feel proud of my body for having nourished them.
“I am a woman who has fought for the left for almost 40 years and who has occupied various public roles in my fervent commitment for the defence of human rights, I am a woman who is not ashamed of her body, I love it and I take care of it.”
Many of her colleagues and fellow politicians have come out to show solidarity with the senator.
Fellow senator Ricardo Monreal Avila wrote: “In view of the attacks against her, a product of a mishap during a virtual meeting, we endorse our fellowship. Morals and integrity will always be stronger than infamy and assaults.”
Another senator, Maria Elena Morena posted: “The rubbish stinks in the senate and on social media. Our political and party differences should have limits.”
Fellow party member Martha Tagle wrote: “I will investigate and sanction those responsible for taking and leaking these photos. The violence to which you were subjected cannot go unpunished.”
The Weeknd has donated $500,000 of his own money to various causes associated with the international human rights movement Black Lives Matter.
The Canadian singer, real name Abel Tesfaye, shared a series of receipts and subsequent thank you messages from recipients after making his donations on June 1st.
Captioning the posts, Tesfaye, 30, wrote: 'keep supporting our brothers and sisters out there risking everything to push for actual change for our black lives.
'Urging everyone with big pockets to give and give big and if you have less please give what you can even if it's a small amount.'
The singer's accompanying posts show he donated $200,000 to the Black Lives Matter Global Network, a further $200,000 to American football quarterback Colin Kaepernick's Know Your Rights campaign, and $100,000 to National Bail Out, a black-led collective of abolitionist organisers.
A thank you message from Know Your Rights reads: 'Dear Abel, thank you very much for your generous contribution in support of the Know Your Rights camp. Your gift will help the liberation and well-being of Black and Brown communities.'
Despite President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval for the relaxation of restriction placed on churches and mosques starting from Tuesday Kaduna State Government said worshipping places and markets will remain closed in the state till further notice
In a statement by Muyiwa Adekeye Special Adviser to the Governor, he said the public spaces, of which comprises of religious places and markets were closed in March 2020 as the state stepped-up Covid-19 prevention efforts and relevant government agencies will engage the business, community, and religious leaders to discuss and agree on the protocols for the safe opening of businesses and market, and resumption of congregational worship.
He noted that the state government has started engagements with business leaders, and began receiving recommendations from some religious leaders on the subject of safe re-opening of places of worship.
When we think of giving birth, we don't tend to think of it as a public spectacle. It's typically something private that happens in a delivery room, or in our own home, or potentially in the back seat of a car if the baby comes a little earlier than expected.
But one mum decided to share her birthing experience with all 56,000 of her Instagram followers.
Emma Isaacs, the founder and global CEO of Business Chicks, is now the proud mum to six children and on Monday evening, the parent decided to go live on social media while giving birth at home.
The Aussie mum, who's currently in LA, revealed her plan on Instagram on May 24, writing: "When my last baby Piper was born I really wanted to live stream the birth but got talked out of it and really regretted it afterwards.
"I don’t want to make that same mistake again so I’m going to live stream this one (which let’s be honest, could happen anytime from about now).
"I’ve had five amazing home births and really hope the sixth will be much the same. I’m also open to the possibility it might not be."
She continued: "I just want to do my little part to show that women are strong and birth (no matter what your choices are) can be amazing."
Fast forward to June 1 and she shared an update, letting everyone know she'd be going live.
"Ok friends, looks like we might have some baby action tonight. Contractions about seven minutes apart," she said.
"I’m going to hand my phone over to friends and family who are here with me (let’s hope they know what they’re doing!) and will see you all on the other side ... We’ll start by sharing some stories then go live when it feels right.
"My two midwives and doula aren’t here yet, but shouldn’t be too long. I’m feeling strong and ready."
The parent went into labour at around 8pm and began sharing her experience on her stories.
Then when she got into the birthing pool, surrounded by her entire family, including the dog, they began live streaming.
Thousands of people joined in to watch the birth of her baby boy, whose name is yet to be announced.
An 18-year-old girl, identified as Bello Barakat, was reportedly gang raped and murdered by unknown men in Ibadan, Oyo state capital.
The incident was said to have occurred on Tuesday in Akinyele area of Ibadan, Oyo state.
It was gathered that her dad found her dead body around their home, after her body was examined, they discovered that she was raped, then she got murdered.
Bello Barakat, aged 18, was a year one student of Federal College of Animal Health and Production in Ibadan.
It was gathered that she has been buried according to Islamic rites.
Meanwhile, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) Southwest, zone D has demanded justice for the deceased who was assaulted and murdered.
Already Nigerians on social media have started demanding justice for Barakat's death with the hashtag #JusticeforBarakat.
Recall that Ms Omozuwa, a 100 level Microbiology student of the University of Benin, was also murdered and assaulted recently.
