Edo APC crisis: It will be well soon, Shaibu tells Journalists

Deputy Gov. Philip Shaibu

Edo State deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, yesterday, urged members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Edo State Council, not to be disturbed by the happenings within the All Progressives Congress in the state, saying they will fizzle out within the shortest time.

He gave the assurance during his annual get-to-gether breakfast party for newsmen at his Aideyan residence  in Benin City.

Shaibu said the 2020 Edo State governorship election will be very peaceful and Governor Obaseki will be re-elected into office for the second time while those currently flexing their muscles would join them to celebrate his victory at the poll.

“By the grace of God 2020 will be the most peaceful election and the victory of Obaseki shall be seamless. Do not worry about all the disturbances you are hearing, it will calm soon.

“And those characters that are flexing muscles, we know them, they will join. We are family members, they underated the governor and did not know he is man of strong will”, he said.

Commending the Journalists for their unflinching support for this present administration, Shaibu said their inputs are still needed to move the state forward.

“I want to thank all of you for being part of this success story because when they are talking about the success of this government, all of you will be remembered for having supported the government.

“So, on this effort that we have put in place and all the achievements that we have had; it is not because we are superhuman but because we are supported.

“And I want to continue to count on that support and reassure you that Edo State will continue to be forward ever and backward never.

“And those things that make Edo State to be an autopilot in terms of development, we shall continue to put them in place‎ and if there are other things you feel we can do, you know we are always open, let us know because for us to continue doing those good things we must rely on your input”, Shaibu said.

The deputy governor recounted his past experiences he had in the prison and the roles Journalists played in his release and promised to always set a day out to appreciate them.

“It is another 20th day of December and you know we always celebrate ourselves and thank God for his mercies and protection for our lives all through the year.

“This is our unique way of saying thank God for giving us protection. And also to appreciate all of you.

“Everywhere I go to ,I always identify with the press because of what they did for me when I needed them most.

“If that journalist had not revealed that there were still some young men after Gani Fawehinmi and others were released from Gusau Prison, then maybe I will not be alive today.

“We would have been executed during the military but that pen that he put to paper saved our lives.

“So, you can see I do not have any choice that to celebrate all of you that are here today”, he said.

Source: The Sun

Court grants EFCC permission to detain Adoke for 14 days

Former Attorney-General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke (Photo Credit: Punch Newspapers)

A court has granted an application by the anti-graft agency to detain Mohammed Adoke, a former attorney-general, for 14 days.

The Federal Capital Territory HIgh Court, Abuja, granted the ‘exparte’ request of the EFCC Friday.

An exparte application is that sought in the absence of the other party, in this case in the absence of Mr Adoke’s counsel.

Justice O.A. Musa approved that the EFCC detain Mr Adoke for 14 days pending his investigation and trial.

Adoke’s Return

PREMIUM TIMES reported how Mr Adoke returned to Nigeria on Thursday after he was detained for over one month by authorities in Dubai.

Before his detention, Mr Adoke, who was justice minister in the immediate past Goodluck Jonathan administration, was on self imposed exile abroad for four years during which he could not be served court papers by the EFCC.

The anti-graft agency is prosecuting Mr Adoke for his alleged roles in the Malabu OPL 245 scandal.

Mr Adoke has denied any wrongdoing in the matter.

As attorney-general, Mr Adoke mediated controversial agreements that ceded OPL 245 to Shell and Eni who in turn paid about $1.1 billion dollars to accounts controlled by an ex-convict and former petroleum minister, Dan Etete.

Shell, Eni, and their officials are being prosecuted for the scandal in Italy.

The EFCC on Thursday confirmed it had Mr Adoke in its custody.

The anti-graft agency also explained its reasons for arresting the minister.

Read the full statement by the EFCC on Thursday below.

Adoke Now with EFCC

Former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohammed Bello Adoke, arrived Nigeria today, Thursday December 19, 2019 from Dubai, United Arab Emirates into the waiting arm of operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Adoke who fled the country in 2015, has pending criminal charge brought against him by the EFCC for alleged abuse of office and money laundering in respect of the granting of the Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245 to Shell and ENI.

It would be recalled that the government of former President Olusegun Obasanjo revoked the OPL 245, which the late General Sani Abacha granted Dan Etete, his then Petroleum Minister, and reassigned it to Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company.

Etete’s Malabu Oil and Gas, however, reclaimed the oil block in 2006 through the court. While Shell challenged the decision, a ‘fraudulent settlement and resolution’ was consummated under President Goodluck Jonathan’s government, with Shell and ENI buying the oil block from Malabu in the sum of $1.1billion.

Investigations by the EFCC into the deal revealed crimes that border on conspiracy, forgery of bank documents, bribery, corruption and money laundering to the tune of over $1.2 billion against Malabu Oil and Gas Limited, Shell Nigeria Ultra Deep (SNUD), Nigeria Agip Exploration (NAE) and their officials, culminating in criminal charges against Adoke, Etete and others, which are pending at both the FCT High Court and the Federal High Court, Abuja

The absence of the defendants slowed the prosecution of the criminal charges against Adoke, Etete, and four others, forcing the EFCC to obtain an arrest warrant against them on April 17, 2019.

Though Justice D. Z. Senchi of Federal Capital Territory High Court, Jabi, Abuja on Friday, October 25, 2019, vacated the arrest warrant and ordered the EFCC to serve defendants through substituted means, the Interpol on November 18, arrested the former minister in Dubai.

His return to Nigeria clears the way for him to answer to the charges against him.

Source: Premium Times

I want immediate impeachment trial in Senate, says Trump

U.S President Donald Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump said that he wanted the Senate to launch the impeachment trial immediately.

Trump made this known on his Twitter page late on Thursday.

“So after the Democrats gave me no Due Process in the House, no lawyers, no witnesses, no nothing, they now want to tell the Senate how to run their trial. Actually, they have zero proof of anything, they will never even show up.

“They want out. I want an immediate trial!” Trump wrote.

On Wednesday, Trump became the third president in U.S. history to be impeached when the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives voted to find him guilty of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

Source: The Nation

Yaba hospital admits 727 psychiatric patients in 2019

The Medical Director of the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital, Yaba (FNPHY), Lagos, Dr Oluwayemi Ogun, on Wednesday said the hospital admitted a total of 727 psychiatric patients this year.

Ogun, made the disclosure at the hospital’s 2019 Presentation of the Medical Director Score Card in Lagos.

She said the 727 admitted psychiatric patients was in contrast to the 720 patients admitted in 2018, representing one per cent increase.

The Medical Director said that a total of 61,154 patients visited the hospital in 2019 (comprising both outgoing and admitted patients), compared to 40,502 patients in 2018, representing 51% increase.

According to her, the number of psychiatric patients under observation rose from 89 patients in 2018 to 262 patients in 2019, which represents 194 per cent increase.

Ogun said investigations showed that 294 psychiatric cases were caused by drug abuse in 2019, in contrast to 235 cases in 2018, representing 25 per cent increase.

She said that the hospital recorded 450 per cent increase of deaths, as a total of 11 patients died within the year under review, when compared to two dead psychiatric patients recorded in 2018.

She explained that the hospital had requested for more psychiatric doctors the Civil Service Commission as resident doctors of the hospital embarked on one month strike in August this year due to shortage of doctors.

“Presently, the hospital has a total of 67 doctors which comprises of 21 consultant psychiatrists, one family physician, 28 resident doctors, eight locum residents doctors and nine corp members.

“In its desire to propagate mental awareness to the grassroots, the hospital in conjunction with BellaVista Development Institute, opened an outreach centre in August 2019 at Badore Ajah, Lagos,” she said.

On the way forward for 2020, Ogun said the hospital management hoped to intensify public/private partnership efforts towards the maintenance of all hospital structures, roads, kerbs and drainages.

She, however, said there was need for the hospital to start operating with electronic medical record system, which she said would not only boost mental health delivery in Nigeria but would also enhance productivity of the hospital.

According to her, efforts will be made in the coming year to drive the internally generated revenue of the hospital towards sustainability and profitability.

“In 2020, it is the wish of the hospital to commence Electronic Health Record System. It is believed that this will reduce waiting time spent to acquire health care services in the hospital.

“The hospital, however, hopes for an increase in allocation of fund by the Federal Government,” she added.

Source: The Guardian 

Police confirms kidnap of NLC Chairman in Cross River

The Cross River Police Command has confirmed the kidnap of the state Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, Ben Ukpepi at his residence in Akpabuyo local government area of the state.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Irene Ugbo, disclosed this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Calabar.

Ugbo said that the NLC Chairman was kidnapped at about 7.30 pm on Tuesday night by suspected kidnappers.

“The story of the kidnap of the NLC Chairman is true. He was kidnapped in Akpabuyo in his house.

“We got the report this morning. The Anti Cultism and Kidnapping Unit are on top of the situation to rescue him,” she said.

A source who pleaded anonymity told NAN on the phone that the NLC Chairman was making a phone call within his residence when his abductors took him away.

“His family have been calling his line, but it has been switched off since last night and his abductors have not called up till now,” the source said.

Source: The Guardian 

I Did Nothing Wrong, Donald Trump Cries Out Ahead Of Impeachment Vote

Donald Trump

United States President, Donald Trump, has said that he nothing wrong to deserve the impeachment proceedings against him.

In a tweet on Wednesday, he said, “Can you believe that I will be impeached today by the radical left, do nothing Democrats, and I did nothing wrong! A terrible thing.

“This should never happen to another President again. Say a prayer!”

Trump faces impeachment with a vote in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

If the vote goes through, he faces becoming the third US leader ever to be impeached.

Speaker of the Democratic-led House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, had announced on Tuesday that the body will vote on impeaching Trump over allegations he attempted to force Ukraine into investigating a main 2020 re-election rival, Joe Biden.

He is also accused of obstructing Congress by refusing to cooperate with the impeachment investigation, barring staff from testifying and holding back documentary evidence.

The two articles of impeachment are certain to pass in the House where Democrats hold a firm majority.

That will send the case to the Senate, where a trial of Trump is expected to open in January, and his acquittal is equally expected, given the Republicans’ control there.

On Tuesday, Trump sent Pelosi an angry six-page letter in which he told the House Speaker that “history will judge you harshly,” while accusing her of “declaring open war on American democracy.”

Source: Sahara Reporters