OBASEKI GOES TOGH ON COVID-19 VACCINATION

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has announced that people who did not take COVID-19 vaccine would not be allowed into churches and mosques and other public places.

Mr. Obaseki made the announcement while
inspecting the Edo State
Primary Healthcare Agency, to monitor the state’s readiness ahead of arrival of the vaccines.


He disclosed that as the
third wave of COVID and the Delta variant continued to ravage the world, the state
government was working
with its epidemiological team

The visit, he said, was to check the response arrangements and
emergency facilities, which was used for the first and
second waves of COVID-19 to ensure that they are in shape and are ready for the response that we are
currently planning for the
third wave.

According to the Governor, “Beginning from the second week of September 2021, large gatherings, as well as high traffic public and private places will only be accessed by persons who have proof of taking at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccination.

“People who have not yet been vaccinated at all will depend on remote access to these gatherings”.

“From the second week of September people may not be allowed to worship in churches and mosques without showing proof of their vaccination cards at the gates.” the Governor declared.

OBASEKI TASKS ARMY HIGH COMMAND ON SECURITY

Edo State Govory, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has appealed to the Nigerian Army to set up a base in crime-prone areas in the state especially on the Benin-Auchi road axis.

Obaseki made the appeal while hosting the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya, who led other senior officers on a courtesy visit to Edo Government House on Tuesday in Benin.


He said “First, I have to commend you and your men for the cooperation we’ve continued to enjoy from your end.


“Having said that I want to add that we are having security challenges in the
state such as kidnapping, especially between the Benin-Auchi axis.


“We have military formations in Edo South, also Auchi and Agenegbode
both in Edo North Senatorial District.


“And because the 120 kilometers spaces between them do not have any
military presence, it has been difficult for the military to respond either from the South or North when there is an incident.


“While l appeal to Niaeria Army to heed our request, the state Government will give all necessary support if the army can consider
setting up a forward operating base between the distance of the North and South senatorial districts.


“This will help us cover the axis where we are beginning to experience a lot of kidnappings and robbery incidents.


“The 4 Brigade has been very helpful in terms of supporting our communities in crisis.

“We also appeal if they can assist us with a special squad to support our efforts in calming the restiveness we are seeing around communities largely because of land disputes.


“We have laws in place that will help us deal with these issues.

“But by the time some of these communities find out that we now also have heavily armed military personnel within their communities, peace will
return to such areas.

“I want to say that we are very happy with you and we will continue to support you by providing some logistics to function optimally, he said.


Earlier, Lt. Gen. Yahaya had informed return to such areas.


“l want to say that we are very happpy with you and we will continue to support you by providing some logistics to function optimally, he said.


Earlier, Lt. Gen. Yahaya had informed the governor that he was in Benin on a working visit to formations and units to interact with officers and men as well as to motivate them for greater
responsibility. (NAN)

CONTROVERSIAL HIJACK OF UKRAINIAN PLANE

A Ukrainian plane that arrived in Afghanistan’s capital Kabul to evacuate Ukrainians was hijacked by unidentified people who flew it into Iran last Sunday, media reports quoted Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Yevgeny Yenin as saying.

“Last Sunday, our plane was hijacked by other people. On Tuesday, the plane was practically stolen from us, it flew into Iran with an unidentified group of passengers onboard instead of airlifting Ukrainians. Our next three evacuation attempts were also not successful because our people could not get into the airport,” Yenin said.

According to him, the hijackers were armed. However, the Minister did not report anything about what happened to the plane or whether Kyiv would seek to get it back or how the Ukrainian citizens got back from Kabul, onboard of this “practically stolen” plane or another one sent by Kyiv.

Yenin only underlined that the whole diplomatic service headed by Foreign Minister Dmitry Kuleba “had been working in the crash test mode” the whole week.

On Sunday, a military transport plane with 83 people on board, including 31 Ukrainians, arrived from Afghanistan to Kyiv. The presidential office reported that 12 Ukrainian military personnel returned home, while foreign reporters and public figures who requested help were also evacuated. The office also added that around 100 Ukrainians are still expecting evacuating in Afghanistan.

After the US announced the end of a 20-year-long military operation in Afghanistan and started to pull out soldiers, the Taliban went on an offensive against Afghanistan government forces.

Taliban on August 15 swept into Kabul, forcing the US and other countries to evacuate their embassy staff and people from the war-torn nation.

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian foreign ministry
spokesperson has denied the claim, telling the local internet television station, Hromadske, that Yenin was trying to describe the difficulties faced by Ukrainian pilots during the
evacuation of Kabul.

Ukraine has evacuated 256
citizens on three flights, the spokesperson said, adding that all aircraft being used to evacuate Ukrainian citizens from Afghanistan were currently in Ukraine.

An Iranian official also denied the hijacking claims, saying that the plane had landed in Mashhad, a city in the country’s north-east, for refuelling before continuing on to Kyiv.

FlightRadar data shows that a Ukrainian plane previously leased to the private Atghan airline Kanm Air flew from Kabul to Mashhad on Monday, not Tuesday as Yenin said.

Later on Mondayonday, the plane flew from Mashhad to Kyiv, Flightradar data showed.

PDP: A TALE OF TWO CONTESTING EQUAL WILLS

It was another confusing episode, Tuesday, at the National Secretariat of the People’s Democratic Party with the emergence of two Acting National Chairmen of the Party after Prince Uche Secondus was removed as Chairman following a Rivers State High Court Court order on Monday.

The two Deputy National Chairmen of the party- Deputy National Chairman
(South), Elder Yemi Akinwonmi and Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Suleiman Nazif – in separate announcements on Tuesday, claimed to be the party’s acting National
Chairman.

In a statement released Tuesday, August 24, Akinwonmi, Tuesday, announced his assumption of office as Secondus’ replacement pending the outcome of the Court proceedings.

“Section 45(2) (6) of the constitution of the People’s
Democratic Party empowers me to summon and preside over party meetings in the absence of the national chairman.

“Our attention was drawn yesterday evening to a court order which purports to restrain our National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus from summoning and presiding over the meetings of the organs of the party.

“In the foregoing circumstances, as Deputy National Chairman (South) ofthe Peoples Democratic Party, after the consultations and in exercise of the aforesaid powers, hereby deem it fit and proper to postpone the National Working Committee meeting
earlier scheduled for today until further notice to allow for broader consultations in the overall interest of our party.

While Akinwonmi, assumed office on the one hand, Nazif, on the other hand, pronounced himself as the Chairman and summoned a meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) at the NWC hall at the party secretariat.Nazif pronounced himself the National Chairman.

Nazif disclosed that Akinwonmi has not been attending NWC meetings and other party functions in the last nine to 10 months, owing to stroke-relayed ailments.

Nazif said: “On this note, distinguished NWC
members, I hereby take full charge of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as
Chairman in an acting capacity’.

Nazif said: “We have waited this morning for the Deputy National Chairman (South) who has been incapacitated, who has not been attending NWC meeting in the last nine months and I believe there was a communication between the Deputy National Chairmen (south).”

“Like you know in the absence of the Deputy Chairman South, I take full charge, so I am hereby caling for an emergency NEC meeting on the 27th August, 2021, 10 am prompt to deliberate on matters
affecting the party.

“And I believe all the leaders of this party, the owners of this party, that will be in attendance are our governors, former presiding officers will be part of the NEC meeting to deliberate all pending issues”


The leadership crisis rocking the Party which many thought was over, took a dramatic twist on Monday, August 23, when a a Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt court issued an order restraining the substantive National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, from parading himself as PDP National Chairman and taking part in any activity of the party while the order lasts.

CHELSEA, LIVERPOOL TOPPLES PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE

Chelsea and Liverpool have climbed to the summit of the Premier League table by maintaining their winning
start to the season.


Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool were involved in Saturday’s early kick-off in the Premier League and secured a 2-0 win against Burnley.

Diogo Jota opened the scoring for the hosts at Anfield in the 18th minute before Sadio Mane sealed the three points in the 69th minute.

The Reds registered a convincing 3-0 win over Norwich City on the opening weekend of the Premier League season.

As such, they briefly went on top of the Premier League standings until Chelsea beat Arsenal 2-0 on Sunday.

Thomas Tuchel’s men were buoyed by the inspiring debut of Romelu Lukaku, who marked his return with a goal as early as the 15th minute.

Chelsea, who dominated Arsenal throughout, doubled their advantage in the 35th minute through Reece James.

Unlike Chelsea and Liverpool, Manchester United were unable to extend their winning start to the season.

The win propelled Chelsea to the top of the Premier League standings, adding to their opening day triumph over Crystal Palace.

The Red Devils were in action against Southampton on Sunday and were forced to come from behind and salvage a point.

Fred ended up scoring an own goal to give the hosts the advantage, but Mason Greenwood ensured Manchester United avoided defeat with a goal in the 55th minute.

However, Manchester United were unable to keep up and extend their winning streak after dropping points against Southampton.

Notably, both Brighton and Tottenham Hotspur have also extended their winning starts to the Premier League campaign by defeating Watford and Wolves respectively.

Manchester City also bounced back from their opening day defeat by securing an emphatic 5-0 win over Norwich City.

Aston Villa also got off the mark in the 2021-22 Premier League season with a 2-0 win over Newcastle United.

Meanwhile, Leeds United came from behind to secure a 2-2 draw against Everton and Brentford played out a goalless draw with Crystal Palace.

Premier League 2021-22: Points table ahead of Chelsea vs Liverpool next Saturday

The weekend’s action in the Premier League will only conclude with Leicester City facing West Ham United on Monday.

If the Foxes secure a win away from home, they could go level on points with Chelsea and Liverpool.

But as things stand, the Premier League table is topped by Chelsea and Liverpool, who face each other next Saturday at Anfield.

As many as five teams, including Arsenal, have lost each of their two games in the Premier League season so far.

OSHIOMHOLE, KEYAMO AT ‘WAR’ OVER THE SOUL OF APC

Former President of the Nigerian Labour Congress and a-two-time Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, had slammed the Minister of State for Labour and Productivity, Mr Festus Keyamo (SAN) who called on Chairman APC
Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Mai Mala Buni to resign in order to avoid providing ‘ammunition” for opponents of the party in future, in view of the Supreme Court judgment.

A statement issued by the former Governor’s Senior Media Aide, Victor Oshioke, disclosed that Keyamo was incompetent to call for Buni’s resignation, as he had helped to destroy the well constituted National Working Committee (NWC).

While accusing Keyamo of being disloyal to the structures of government, the statement said, Keyamo, as a serving minister, ought to have given his advice to his counterpart, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) rather than going
public.

“Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to Chief Eze
Chukwuemeka Eze, a former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct New Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) who is now a member of the APC and self-styled aide of Minister of Transportation, Chief Rotimi Amaechi.

“In the said statement widely reported in the media, Chief Eze was quoted as saying that Mr. Festus Keyamo (SAN), Hon. Minister of State for Labour and Employment and others were ploting to bring back Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as National Chairman of the APC.

“Ordinarily we would have
ignored this nonsensical suggestion.

“However, it is pertinent to set the records straight and put to rest this ridiculous falsehood being marketed by Eze Chukwuemeka Eze “lt is strange that a serving Minister would share on public Social Media platforms, what he captioned as a Private and Confidential’ legal opinion
for Mr President who appointed him, especially considering that he was in the political kitchen when the pot of crisis he is now offering advice on was being cooked.

“If Keyamo has no ulterior motives behind his sudden change of legal interpretations of relevant aspects of the APC
Constitution and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the right channel would have been to sit down with his co-Minister, the Attorney General of the Federation
behind closed doors and put forth his arguments.

“Alternatively, he could have sought a private audience with Mr. President or write a confidential memo to Mr.
President and explain why his earlier opinion supporting the dissolution of the NWC and setting up of a Caretaker Committee has changed or no longer tenable.

Instead he went to the market with his bogus arguments.

All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has thrown his weight behind the Yobe State governor and .

He also dismissed insinuations that Keyamo and some individuals were
spearheading the campaign to bring him back as APC chairman.

Oshimhole accused the minister of playing a key role in his removal as the
APC helmsmen last year.

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, has taken a swipe on the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, over the statement credited to him on the current impasse in the party.

The former Edo State governor had in a statement issued by his media aide, Victor Oshioke, said he has no desire to return as the APC chairman.

Keyamo, who reacted to the former Governor’s claims in a statement issued by his media aide, Tunde Moshood, said he (Oshiomhole) was
still suffering from the disappointment of his candidate’s defeat in last year’s Governorship election in Edo State, emphasizing that Comrade Oshiomhole should look elsewhere for the cause of his political misfortune.

“We have been alerted about a press stateme making the rounds credited to one Victor Oshioke issued on behalf of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and titled ‘LEAVE OSHIOMHOLE OUT OF APC LEADERSHIP DEBATE.

“We initialy had our doubts as to the authenticity of the said statement in which the respected Colmrade made several unfair and unfounded allegations against Mr. Keyamo.

“But when we were bombarded by credible sources for our response and after taking our time to send someone to call the author to authenticate it, we had no choice but to set the records straight.

“The story of the political tussle between Governor Godwin Obaseki and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in Edo State is so well documented that we do not need to remind Nigerians about it.

Mr. Keyamo had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with it.

“Mr. Keyamo is not PRIVY to how members of the CECPC were nominated and/or selected, so he did not have the benefit of the opportunity to point out any legal disabilities.

“Regrettably, the respected Comrade must have given in to gossips and rumours.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Mr. Keyamo has no personal interest to serve. He is very content with the assignment given to him by Mr. President and is very much ready and willing to return to his striving legal practice whenever his assignment is over.

“Mr. Keyamo is a big fan of Governor Buni and they both continue to have
healthy conversations till today over the issues at stake.

“This is not a personal issue. It is just for the survival of the party and Mr. Keyamo will always defend and support the CECPC to the end unless the Supreme Court says otherwise if and when the court has the opportunity again to decide with the proper parties before it.

“He will continue to pray for victory on our part. His only offence now is that he sounded a private note of caution because of recent developments at the Supreme Court.

“How someone can interpret that to be hostility still beats our imagination.

“Mr. Keyamo holds Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in very high esteem, he regards him as his leader and mentor.

“That outburst was very unnecessary and we think he succumbed to the emotions of the political
disappointments he has suffered lately, especially in Edo State.

“He should rest assured that we all share in the pain of that costly political miscalculation that caused
our dear party to lose the state to the opposition so cheaply.

“If he is looking for a fall guy, he should please look elsewhere.

“But we shall continue to support all efforts to put
things back on track there” the statement added.

The Caretaker Committee Chairman is embattled following the Supreme
Court judgement on the Ondo State Governorship election, where a minority of the justices pointed out that it was illegal for Buni to hold on to the party’s chairmanship position since the constitution explicitly states that governors cannot hold on to two executives jobs at the same time.

The development ignited the call for his resignation as Caretaker Chairman on the grounds that he is occupying two executive positions.

FG TO LIFT BAN ON TWITTER SOON

The Federal Government has announce that the ban on operations on micro blogging platform, Twitter, will be lifted in a matter of days.

Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the position known following the week’s virtual Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The meeting was presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN).

The Minister disclosed that the micro-blogging site has accepted most of the terms of negotiation with the Federal Government.

No date was, however, fixed for the lifting of the ban on Twitter’s operations in Nigeria.

It would be recalled that the Nigerian Government on 5th June 2021, officialy placed an indefinite ban on Twitter and restricting it from operating in Nigeria.

The development was sequel to the action of the micro-blogging site, deleting tweets made by President Muhammadu Buhari, warning the South Eastern people of Nigeria on the consequences of their negative actions.

Apart from social media influencers, economic activities came to a lower ebb as Digital marketers and other businesses were worst hit by the ban.

SECONDUS REMAINS PDP NATIONAL CHAIRMAN, NATIONAL CONVENTION HOLDS OCTOBER

The coast is now clear for the embattled National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to remain as the National Chairman of the Party, pending a national convention slated to hold in two months.

Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal, who is also the Chairman PDP Governor’s Forum made the announcement on Tuesday after a closed-door meeting with stakeholders of the party in Abuja.

He disclosed that members of the party have also resolve to continue working together as a united family.

The Sokoto State Governor also announced that the party’s national convention that was initially fixed for December will now be held in October, as against the initial two monthswo months fixed by the party’s National Working Committee.

The PDP National Chairman has, in the past few weeks, received serious bashing from some members of the party calling for his resignation over allegations of mismanagement and what they termed “terrible leadership.”

In the wake of the leadership crisis facing the party, seven members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) resigned, while other members of the Board of Trustees pitched their tents with the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Some youths in the party, armed with placards with various inscriptions, had besiege the party’s Headquarters demanding the immediate resignation of Uche Secondus as National Chairman.

Unmoved by the development, the embattled Chairman had through his Special Adviser on Media, Ike Abonyi, disclosed that there no reasons why he should resign his position.

Giving huge support to why Secondus should remain in office, former Governor of Bayelsa state and senator representing Bayelsa West in the Senate, Seriake Dickson opined that only a National Convention can remove Secondus as the National Chairman of the party.

Responding to the PDP House of Representatives Caucus call for Secondus’ resignation, Dickson stated
that the “illegal” National Working Committee meeting and that of the party’s caucus in the House of Representatives, including a protest at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja
on Monday August 9, are all part of the plot to contrive a needless crisis in the PDP in order to set up a caretaker
committee, which is illegal.

The statement read; “Let me also bring to the attention of all that by the PDP constitution, a vote of no confidence even by a duly constituted NWC or other organs of the party does not remove a Chairman.

“The chairman is voted for and can only be removed by the National Convention unless on his own volition, he chooses to resign.

So l call on all leaders of the party that this is perhaps their last effort to save the PDP.

“Like me, most of us have paid dearly and have paid our dues since 2015 when we lost the Presidential
elections, and like me, we should all not rest on our oars or leave any stone
unturned in the bid to strengthen and reposition the party including calling
people to order and standing up against illegality when we have to.

“There is no crisis in the party. What is happening is only a contrived media crisis orchestrated and funded by some people with a motive to hijack the party without subjecting themselves and their cronies to a democratic vote at the convention which is due in less than 4 months.

“This has nothing to do with Secondus’ performance but a coup against a major democratic institution in Nigeria and must be resisted and stopped by all lovers of democracy and all men of good conscience in Nigeria.

“The decamping of Governors and other leaders is not the fault of Secondus.

It happens from time to time in all political parties from 1999 till date. The PDP has received Governors, presiding officers of the National Assembly and other political leaders under secondus and will continue to do so after this crisis.

It is these people orchestrating these crisis that have made Governors
and other leaders to leave the party because of the needless crisis and the toxic political atmosphere created by them within the party.

“Since we lost the 2015 elections, Secondus has laboured to keep the party in spite of harassment,
campaigned round to support candidates without the so called taxation’ which has been put to an end in the party.

“He is one of the most experienced political party administrators in the party and in the country right from his days as NPN youth leader till date, he has seen it all and done it all.

The whole issue is that Secondus insists that party decisions should be taken by all stakeholders and not by a few especially decisions about the direction of the party in 2023.

“I call on the National Chairman to utilize all options and powers available to him under the constitution and to take steps to ensure that no officer or member no matter how highly placed usurps, or impedes the exercise of his rights, powers and duties as National Chairman or is allowed to plunge the party into another needless crisis” the statement concluded.

SECONDUS’ FATE SPLITS PDP GOVERNORS

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party caucus in the House of Representatives on Monday demanded the immediate resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus.

In a statement issued by the lawmakers, they insisted that the chairmanship’s resignation would be in the best interest of the party.

The caucus charged the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT) and Governors to ensure the immediate and firm resolution of the current challenges rocking the party.

Meanwhile, PDP Governors seem to be at crossroads, at an emergency meeting Monday, owing to their inability to reach a consensus on finding a lasting solution to the
crisis, which is tearing the party apart by the day.

The meeting which held at the Akwa lbom State Governor’s Lodge in
Asokoro, Abuja, was convened by the governors to resolve the crisis caused
by the increasing calls for the resignation of the PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus.

Attendees at the meeting were Governors; Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto),
Oluseyi Makinde (Oyo), Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Ifeanyi Okowa (Delta), and
Godwin Obaseki (Edo).

Others were Samuel Ortom (Benue), Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Ahmadu Fintiri (Adamawa), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Douye Diri (Bayelsa) and Darius Ishaku (Taraba).

Addressing Journalists at the end of the meeting, Chairman, PDP Governors’ Forum, Amimu Tambuwal, disclosed that the Governors discussed the issue extensively and emphasized that they have collectively resolved to continue to work together in unity.

“This meeting will continue tomorrow (Tuesday) with other stakeholders.

Very soon, Nigerians and indeed, all of you will hear our resolution.

But we are working towards resolving all issues as a family.

By the grace of God, we are going to achieve that” the PDP Governors’ Forum said.

HUSHPUPIGATE: PANEL INTERROGATES ABBA KIYARI FOR FOUR HOURS

As the Special Investigative Panel set up by the Inspector General of Police continues sitting, the suspended Super Cop, Abba Kyari, has been subjected to rigorous interrogation by the Panel headed by a Deputy Inspector General of Police, in-charge of Force Criminal Investigation Department, DIG Joseph Egbunike.

Abba Kyari, who was the Commander, Police Intelligence Response Team, IRT, was interrogated by the SIP for about four hours, in view of his relationship with Ramon Abass, popularly known as Hushpupi.

Suspended Abba Kyari had previously appear before the Special Investigative Panel on several occasions and had continually maintain his innocence on the indictment.

Sources disclosed that the
interrogation, which is being held behind closed doors, commenced at about 2pm and continued till about 6pm before it was adjourned.

Suspended DCP Abba Kyari was indicted by a United States District Court which also issued a warrant for his arrest to answer question bothering on fraud before the Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, in the United States.