Ajimobi’s aide dumps APC for PDP
While addressing journalists on Sunday, Aboderin attributed his defection to what he termed as the uncomplimentary attitude of some of the elders in the party. He alleged, that some of the party leadership worked against his victory in the last election. Aboderin, who said his decision to defect from the APC was following months of consultation with members of his constituency, described as the Lamist group in the APC as the main problem confronting the party in the state. He said, “When I ran for an election under the APC as the Federal House of Representatives candidate, I had issues because of this same problem going on within the APC. “I would have gone before the APC reconciliation committee, but my team noticed that the new administration is doing well.
Source:Punch
May 31, 2020 23:16 UTC
I still don’t understand why my grandson was killed over a phone he didn’t steal —Grandmother of murdered Bauchi guard – Punch Newspapers
On reaching the hotel, I didn’t want to rush in because I didn’t know what would happen to me there. When I entered the hotel, I saw two men and I asked them who they were and where the owner of the hotel was. When I asked the supervisor of the hotel, he started telling me that he was accused of stealing a handset. He called Sunday and started interrogating him, but Sunday said he didn’t see any phone let alone picking it. Why didn’t he reach out to his employers and report the issue to them so that they would handle the case?
Source:Punch
May 31, 2020 23:15 UTC
I have never seen Sunday steal anything –Grandfather of murdered Bauchi hotel guard – Punch Newspapers
Fidelis Limga, the 83-year-old grandfather of Sunday Joshua, in this interview with ARMSTRONG BAKAM, pleads that killers of the hotel guard should be brought to bookCan you tell us what happened to your grandson? I was in the church when someone came to call me that Sunday was killed, I asked what happened. They told me that he was suspected to have stolen a handset, and he said he wasn’t the one that took it. Later on, they went and picked him from the hotel and took him to the hospital and then they called me that he had died. He wasn’t a troublesome person and even when you were angry with him, he would just be laughing at you.
Source:Punch
May 31, 2020 23:15 UTC
Ogun doctors’ strike politically motivated, irresponsible –Abiodun
Daud Olatunji, AbeokutaOgun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, has described the strike embarked upon by resident doctors at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu as “irresponsible and politically motivated.”Abiodun said he found the decision of the Association of Resident Doctors to embark on strike on weekends “disturbing, shocking and a breach of trust.”The doctors had penultimate Friday announced the commencement of weekend industrial action, following the state government’s alleged refusal to yield to their demand for improved welfare package. Prior to this, the association had embarked on a three-day warning strike, a development which led to a meeting between the association and the government. But, the meeting was deadlocked and the doctors announced the commencement of weekend strike. While reacting to the strike, the governor expressed worry that medical doctors were demanding pay hike despite the effect of COVID -19 on the economy. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express written permission from PUNCH.
Source:Punch
May 31, 2020 23:13 UTC
A’Ibom’ll demand probe of NDDC finance director’s death –Emmanuel
Patrick Odey, UyoAkwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, has announced the intention of the state government to press for an autopsy into the sudden demise of the acting Executive Director of Finance of the Niger Delta Development Commission, Bassey Etang. The commission’s official Facebook on Thursday said Etang, a former Special Assistant to Governor Udom Emmanuel on Project Monitoring and an indigene of Akwa Ibom State, died in the early hours of Thursday of suspected coronavirus disease. Speaking while inaugurating the 300-bed Isolation Centre located at Ituk Mbang, in the Uruan Local Government of the state, Emmanuel said the autopsy would determine the actual cause of his death if the COVID-19 test returned negative. From the internal memo, NDDC has shut down its activities and the information there says he died of COVID-19. As I’m talking to you, immediately we had the news, we asked the Commissioner for Health in Rivers State for the result of COVID-19 test on Etang.
Source:Punch
May 31, 2020 23:12 UTC
Reps obtain CBN records for N40bn NDDC probe
The House had written to the CBN, the accountant-general and the NDDC, among others, as part of the probe into the finances of the commission, especially the alleged illegal spending of N40bn. Both the Senate and the House had on May 5, 2020, separately resolved to investigate the alleged extra-budgetary spending by the NDDC. We have requested documents and some agencies have submitted their documents but we are still waiting for the NDDC to submit their own documents. “The CBN and the accountant-general have submitted documents. “I am the one heading the probe panel, I don’t want to comment on any of these,” he said.
Source:Punch
May 31, 2020 23:09 UTC
Economy contracted in May, says CBN report
Nike PopoolaEconomic activities in manufacturing, production, new others and other indices contracted in May after recording at least 36 months of consecutive growth. At 44.5 points, the CBN stated that production level index for the manufacturing sector declined in May 2020 after 37 consecutive months of recorded growth. One subsector recorded increased production level; four remained unchanged, while nine subsectors recorded declines in production in May 2020. Three subsectors reported growth; two remained unchanged while nine recorded declines in the review month. The index recorded growth from the contraction level of March 2020.
Source:Punch
May 31, 2020 23:03 UTC
George Floyd: Bundesliga footballers join LeBron, Jordan in US protest
French footballer Marcus Thuram and England international Jadon Sancho called for justice for Floyd after scoring in Germany’s Bundesliga. Their demonstrations came a day after Schalke’s US midfielder Weston McKennie wore an armband against Werder Bremen bearing the words “Justice for George”. ?” NBA superstar LeBron James tweeted above the contrasting images. At half-time, his club tweeted a photo with the caption: “No explanation needed.”Gladbach coach Marco Rose said Thuram had his backing. “The response we are seeing across the nation, to the murder of George Floyd, is decades in the making,” Rivers said in a statement.
Source:Punch
May 31, 2020 22:28 UTC
La Liga announces Barcelona, Real Madrid fixtures as season restarts
The Spanish top-flight football season will restart on June 11 with the derby between Sevilla and Real Betis, La Liga confirmed on Sunday. The first round of games following the coronavirus shutdown will be played over four days, with leaders Barcelona at Mallorca on June 13 and Real Madrid at home to Eibar the next day. The Spanish Sports Council released a statement Friday saying that the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) and La Liga had agreed the format for the 11 remaining rounds in the top two Spanish divisions. La Liga said the season should be completed by July 19. “We want next season to start September 12,” La Liga president Javier Tebas told Movistar.
Source:Punch
May 31, 2020 22:02 UTC
COVID-19: VSF donates PPE, palliatives worth N120m to Ekiti govt, 2,060 households
The Victims Support Fund (VSF), on Sunday, in Ado-Ekiti donated to the Ekiti State Government Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) items and various materials as COVID-19 palliatives, all worth about N120 million. While presenting the palliatives to the state government, Ochoche noted that the PPE would prevent medical personnel from contracting the coronavirus. Also, the Head of VSF COVID-19 Task Force, Mrs Toyosi Akerele-Ogunsiji, said the donated materials would help in cushioning the effect of lockdown on the poor and vulnerable. Akerele-Ogunsiji added that VSF has been reaching out to the poor and vulnerable under this emergency situation to reduce their sufferings. Similarly, the Commissioner for Health in Ekiti, Dr Mojisola Yaya-Kolade, said the state had provided handwash stations in strategic places across the state.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
May 31, 2020 21:45 UTC
You must belong to all of us, Dangiwa counsels Buhari
You must belong to all of us, Dangiwa counsels BuhariFormer military governor of Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd) has counselled President Muhammadu Buhari against lopsided appointments, and called on him to “belong to all of us.”In an open letter to Buhari on Sunday, Dangiwa apparently responding to the claim of Buhari that he belongs to nobody drew the President’s attention to the issue of “skewed appointments” in his government. The retired military officer faulted the way appointments in his government were done without recourse to federal character. “Nowhere is this more glaring than in the leadership cadre of our security services. Politics determines the economic direction while the economy determines the strength of the polity. If the economy is ailing, so will be the polity and vice versa.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
May 31, 2020 21:04 UTC
Coronavirus: PTF updates Buhari on developments
—president will decide when economy will open, SGFPresident Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday received update on the developments surrounding the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic by the Presidential Task Force (PTF). Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the PTF, Boss Mustapha, had last last week informed Nigerians that the Task Force would brief the President on how the national response had so far progressed in it’s assignment. Essential parts of the economy was opening up by way of allowing agricultural production, people that produce fertilizers. The oil and gas industry was never closed for one day and some aspects of the financial sector was opened. “After we receive Mr President’s approval tonight or tomorrow (today) morning, we will now know which segment of the economy he has allowed to open.”
Source:The Guardian
May 31, 2020 20:47 UTC
Leadway Assurance grows total assets by 26 per cent to N394bn
At the virtual AGM, the company presented its 2019 Financial Year results to its shareholders, where it announced the growth of its balance sheet size by 26 per cent from the N312billion recorded in 2018 to N394billion in the year under review. The company attributed the growth in its GWP to a boost in its composite business, specifically via the Specialty Life portfolio. “We continue to demonstrate our commitment to our loyal customers through our customer services delivery channels, underpinned by a motivated team, outstanding brokers and agents, innovations and technology. With our balance sheet strength and technological innovations, we are confident of maintaining market leadership, whilst deepening insurance penetration to our youthful African population,” Hassan-Odukale said. I am also happy to inform you that the regulator has approved the company’s recapitalization plan and extended full compliance timeline till 31st December,” the Chairman added.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
May 31, 2020 20:39 UTC
Indonesia records 700 new COVID-19 cases, 40 new deaths
The COVID-19 cases in Indonesia rose by 700 within one day to 26,473, with the death toll adding by 40 to 1,613, Achmad Yurianto, a Health Ministry official, said at a press conference on Sunday. According to him, 293 more people had been discharged from hospitals, making the total number of recovered patients stand at 7,308. Authorities have been conducting coronavirus tests in the affected areas and ordered the public to always wear masks to curb the spread. The government is preparing for the so-called “new normal”, under which the public would be allowed to resume their routines. The minister said this at the Presidential Task Force (PTF) on Coronavirus (COVID-19) daily news conference… Read full story
Source:Nigerian Tribune
May 31, 2020 20:37 UTC
Port Harcourt DisCo denies plans to sack 120 workers
The Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED) had denied the rumour that it plans to sack over 120 workers from its workforce. PHED Manager, Corporate Communications, Mr John Onyi, said this in a statement on Sunday in Port Harcourt. Onyi, however, said rather than retrench workers, PHED management was seeking ways to promote workers’ welfare in spite of the current macroeconomic environment in the country. “We find this claim by SSAEAC surprising as PHED management is not aware of any such move to sack over 120 staff. “PHED management has repeatedly offered a hand of friendship as well as operates open-door-policy of dialogue with the union on the promotion of staff welfare.
Source:Nigerian Tribune
May 31, 2020 19:30 UTC