1. Corruption Allegation: Federal High Court extends order stopping Gov Obaseki from arresting Oshiomhole.
Abuja — The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, extended the interim order barring governor Godwin Obaseki, from arresting the suspended National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole over his alleged indictment by a panel of inquiry.
Justice Ahmed Mohammed ordered all the parties involved in the matter to stay action till June 29 when the court will hear a motion challenging its jurisdiction to entertain the application Oshiomhole filed for the protection of his fundamental human rights.
Aside Governor Obaseki, other Respondents in the matter are; Edo State government, the Attorney- General and Commissioner of Justice of Edo state, Chairman of the panel of inquiry, Justice J. Oyomire, the Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Service.
It will be recalled that the court had in a ruling on June 1, restrained both governor Obaseki and the other Respondents from taking steps to arrest Oshiomhole who is a former of the state, over the report of the Justice Oyomire-panel that indicted him for corruption and diversion of public funds.
Trial Justice Mohammed directed the parties to maintain status quo, pending the determination of the issue of jurisdiction.
The interim order followed an ex-parte application the embattled APC National Chairman filed through his team of lawyers led by Mr. Ehiogie West-Idahosa.
He had prayed the court to stop his arrest and prosecution on account of a White Paper, that was issued against him by the panel of inquiry the Edo state government constituted to probe him.
Meanwhile, at the resumed proceeding on Wednesday, Oshiomhole’s lawyer, West-Idahosa, notified the court that he filed a counter-affidavit to dismiss the preliminary objection the Respondents raised against the suit.
He said the counter-affidavit was served on all the Respondents, except the 6th.
On his part, counsel that represented the 1st to 4th Respondents, Mr. Kingsley Idahosa, confirmed to the court that with processes were served on him before the proceedings commenced.
He, therefore, requested for time to study the counter-affidavit with a view to identifying areas that would require his clients to respond.
Consequently, Justice Mohammed adjourned the case to June 29, even as he restated the earlier order barring any of the parties from taking steps that could jeopardize the subject matter of litigation.
2. Coronavirus: Imo State House of Assembly to remain closed for 2 weeks ― Speaker.
The Imo State House of Assembly has been closed for the next two weeks, following the discovery that one of the lawmakers has tested positive for COVID-19 virus.
The speaker of the House of Assembly, Chiji Collins, disclosed this through his Special Adviser on media, Emeka Ahaneku, yesterday in Owerri, adding that samples of the 25 out of the 27 lawmakers and their aides have been collected for testing to know their COVID-19 status.
It was the view of the speaker that the order for the closure of the Assembly complex was a proactive step to mitigate the spread of the virus.
According to the Speaker, “In a proactive step targeted at curtailing the spread of the coronavirus disease within the Imo state House of Assembly complex, the Speaker of Imo state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chiji Collins has ordered the immediate closure of the Imo Assembly Complex for two weeks.
He said the decision became necessary after a lawmaker in the State Assembly, was confirmed positive for coronavirus and samples of himself and 25 other Honorable members and their aides have been taken for testing.
As part of the directive, the Speaker expects that the management and staff of Imo State House Assembly, would as a matter of urgency, activate this decision to enable the State Task Force on COVID-19 to fumigate the whole Assembly complex for a period of two weeks.
They also prayed for, “For the speedy recovery of the affected lawmaker and applauded the dedicated and hardworking Imo State Covid-19 team and another frontline medical and health workers, who are battling the pandemic.
The state is fortunate to have such a dedicated COVID-19 team that the 9th Assembly will continue to support all necessary measures within means to boost their morale.
3. President Buhari and the Chinese President, Jinping to participate in a virtual summit today.
President Muhammadu Buhari will today, participate at the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19.
The virtual summit which holds today will be presided over by the Chinese President, Xi Jinping in Beijing.
The summit was jointly proposed by China; the rotating chair of the African Union, South Africa, and the co-chair of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Senegal.
Leaders of African countries, including members of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government and rotating chairs of major African sub-regional organisations, and the chairperson of the AU Commission, are expected to participate in the video conference.
Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Director-General of the World Health Organization will attend the meeting as special guests.
4. Popular Radio Host, Dan Foster Dies of COVID - 19.
Lagos popular Nigerian-American broadcaster, Dan Foster has been reported dead.
The versatile radio veteran who was said to have died of the novel Covid-19 pandemic.
As at the time of this report, cause of his death is yet to be confirmed but reports gone viral claim he died of the deadly coronavirus.
5. NCDC seals off bank as manager dies of COVID-19.
Officials of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, have sealed off the premises of a new generation bank in Onne area of Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State.
This was following the report that many staff members of the bank including gatemen and cleaners have allegedly tested positive to coronavirus.
It was gathered that the Manager of the branch of the bank had died after exhibiting symptoms and testing positive to the virus.
It was also learned that NCDC and its security team were responsible for the sealing of the premises.
A source privy to the information, who gave her name simply as Success, disclosed that NCDC had collected samples from the staff of the bank after the death of the manager and that many of the samples tested positive.
The source further disclosed that NCDC had visited the bank on Tuesday sealed it off, adding that all the staff has all been moved to an isolation centre in the state.
However, it was gathered that the development has caused pandemonium in the area, as the residents call for government attention.
It would be recalled that Governor Nyesom Wike had threatened that any public institution that failed that maintaining the COVID-19 protocol, regretting that banks and supermarkets have always flouted that instructions.
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