The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked Senator Ishaku Abbo (Adamawa North) to vacate his seat in the Senate following his defection, yesterday, to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement said the lawmaker “should be aware of the provision of the Constitution which made it compulsory for any member of the National Assembly who defected to another party to immediately vacate his seat.”
According to him, the main opposition is not fazed by Abbo’s decision.
“Abbo is fully aware of the constitutional implication of his decision to defect to another party, which is that he cannot continue to occupy the seat of the PDP in the Senate,” he clarified.
The party said it would take immediate steps to ensure the senator does not remain in the upper legislative chamber.
“The place of any senator who changed parties except on the grounds provided by the constitution is very clear, and the PDP will not allow Senator Abbo to run away with our mandate. It is impossible,” Ologbondiyan added.
The spokesman explained that the party had “already commenced processes for Abbo’s replacement with a credible, stable and acceptable person to take over his seat in the Senate.”
However, the Adamawa legislator, while submitting his defection letter to Senate President Ahmad Lawan yesterday in Abuja, said his verdict was informed by the zeal to support what he called “unprecedented welfare programmes of the Muhammadu Buhari administration.”
He also claimed that his decampment was made inevitable by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri’s alleged polarisation of the PDP in the North East state.
Abbo was recently convicted by an FCT High Court in Abuja and ordered to pay N50 million in a civil suit between him and Ms. Osimibibra Warmate for an assault on her in a sex toy shop last year.
In his remarks, Lawan described the senator’s defection as “a show of patriotism, a show of purpose and a show of unity for the development of Nigeria.”
He invited other PDP parliamentarians to join hands with the ruling party to build Nigeria
The correspondence, tagged “Movement of God’s People from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress, read in part: “I write to formally inform you Sir, the Senate and indeed Nigerians of my defection from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
“This is as a result of the mismanagement of the PDP by Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri in Adamawa State which led to the polarisation of the party in the state (PDP and rPDP).
“Today (Yesterday) I join the APC and the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, to build the Nigeria of our dream.”
Diego Maradona has died at the age of 60 after suffering a cardiac arrest, according to multiple reports.
The football legend had a heart attack at his home just two weeks after leaving hospital where he underwent surgery on a blot clot in his brain.
Maradona, regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all time, helped Argentina win the World Cup in 1986, the pinnacle of an illustrious career.
He played club football for Boca Juniors, Napoli and Barcelona among others and was adored by millions for his brilliant skills.
Maradona was responsible for the infamous ‘Hand of God’ that eliminated England from the 1986 tournament.
The Argentine news outlet Clarin broke the news on Wednesday afternoon UK time, describing the news of Maradona’s passing as having a ‘worldwide impact’.
Soon, tributes were pouring in from all over the world of football.
Maradona left hospital on November 11 just eight days after being admitted for emergency brain surgery.
The iconic former Argentinian footballer was driven away from the private Olivos Clinic just before 6pm on Wednesday as hundreds of fans of photographers tried to get a glimpse of him.
Maradona was hospitalised the previous week and had to have an emergency operation to remove a blood clot from his brain.
Argentinian TV reporters travelling on motorbikes filmed the ambulance carrying him leaving before following the vehicle to transmit every inch of his journey.
His lawyer, Matias Morlahas said that the 60-year-old would continue to receive treatment for alcohol dependency.
Maradona was expected to stay in a house near his older daughters.
Maradona, who won the World Cup with Argentina in 1986 and was the coach of Gimnasia y Esgrima in his home country, had been admitted to hospital on several occasions since his retirement. He almost died of cocaine-induced heart failure in 2000 and underwent years of rehabilitation.
Maradona, who was well known for having a wild lifestyle during and after his playing days, had a gastric bypass operation to lose weight in 2005 and was once more hospitalised two years later for alcohol-induced hepatitis.
He also fell ill at the last World Cup in Russia, where he was filmed passing out in an executive box when Argentina took on and beat Nigeria in Group D.
Nigeria’s Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, has given a clear hint that the country’s land borders may be reopened soon.
The borders that have been closed since August 2019.
But speaking to State House correspondents on Wednesday, Ahmed said the presidential committee set up on the matter has completed its job and has recommended its reopening.
She said the committee would soon submit its report to President Muhammadu Buhari, following which a formal pronouncement would be made on the matter.
Ahmed however did not reveal when the report will be submitted and how soon the land borders will be reopened.
Nigeria closed its land borders last year, in a bid to curtail illegal importation of drugs, small arms and agricultural products into the country from neighbouring West African nations.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has accused CNN of desperation over its second report on the Lekki toll plaza shootings that happened on October 20.
The Minister said this on NTA on Wednesday.
The PUNCH reports that CNN had on Tuesday released a second ‘investigative report’ on the shootings at Lekki toll plaza during the #EndSARS protests amid threats of sanction from the Federal Government.
But the minister faulted CNN’s reports, saying it lacked credible sources.
When asked about the second CNN’s report, Mohammed said, “It shows that they (CNN) are desperate. The so-called recent development has been seen before. There is nothing new. If there is anything new, it is a contradiction of CNN’s position.
“What we are asking CNN is that where is your evidence? The military has been consistent. CNN contravenes the basic principles of journalism – fairness, and balance.
‘They did the story without contacting the Federal Government for its own side. They relied on second and third parties narratives.
“They (CNN) were caught spreading fake news and they are trying to escape.
“We are accusing them (CNN) of basing their stories on videos sourced on social media. CNN has been inconsistent. It also doctored the video it got.
“We are confident in our position.”
On the letter addressed to Jonathan Hawkins, VP (Communications), CNN Centre, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, the minister said, “We have received an acknowledgment and we were told that the letter has been passed to the editorial team.”
CNN, in its second report titled, ‘Analysis of CCTV footage from Lekki toll gate raises new questions about shooting’, stated that it had obtained the video and subsequently analysed its content.
CNN also compared the CCTV footage with some of the videos on social media which the National Broadcasting Commission had sanctioned three local television stations for using and concluded that the authorities had more questions to answer.
The fresh report also shows the Commander, 81 Division, Brig.Gen Ahmed Taiwo, admitting before the judicial panel that his men indeed took live ammunition to the tollgate.
The CNN report also highlights the fact that Brig.Gen Taiwo’s claim is at variance with that of the minister who had claimed last week that the army fired blank bullets.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, says the Federal Government is not panicking over demand for sanction by the United Kingdom lawmakers.
The PUNCH reports that the UK lawmakers had on Monday debated over alleged human rights abuses during the #EndSARS protest in Nigeria and demanded sanctions on government officials and security agents such as visa ban, freezing of assets, and stopping the funding and training for the Nigeria Police Force.
The debate was sequel to a petition started by Silas Ojo which had garnered over 200,000 signatures.
Responding on behalf of the UK government, the MP for Aldridge-Brownhills, Wendy Morton, who is also the Minister at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, said the UK government was communicating with the President’s Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, and Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
“It is a long-standing practice not to speculate on future sanctions as it could reduce the impact of the designations,” Morton said.
Reacting to the development during a chat on NTA on Wednesday, Mohammed cautioned foreign countries not to take decisions based on “fake news”.
When asked about threats by the UK parliament to ensure sanctions, the minister said, “We earlier stated that government all over the world who have taken hasty decisions about Nigeria on this issue should please seek the truth.
“If the decision of any government all over the world is based on fake news, it is very risky. It brings me to the issue of the UK parliament resolution. We are not panicking at all as a government for two reasons – the resolution of the UK parliament is not the decision of the country and no serious govt will take a decision such as imposing sanctions based on fake news.
“This is why we are warning foreign countries to seek the truth and beware of fake news. The entire #EndSARS protest was fuelled by fake news.”
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on Tuesday gave a comprehensive account of the human casualties and property damage that occurred during the #EndSARS protests in October.
He said 102 people died, including 37 policemen who were ‘gruesomely murdered’.
According to him, 196 people were seriously injured.
More frightening, he said 136 police rifles stolen during the period have not been returned.
Adamu gave the new figures of casualties and the missing guns at a meeting in Port Harcourt today between a presidential team and governors of the South South region and other leaders.
The Presidential team was led by Professor Ibrahim Agboola Gambari, the chief of staff to President Buhari.
According to Adamu, 243 public facilities were burnt and 71 warehouses looted.
He also said 610 vehicles were destroyed, while 134 police stations were burnt.
He said 164 police vehicles were also destroyed.
Adamu blamed purveyors of fake news for the death of civilians and police personnel and the destruction of police and other public assets.
Adamu alleged that intelligence has confirmed that the EndSARS protest was funded from within and outside the country.
He further added that one of the primary objectives of the protest was to effect a regime change.
The family of Ifeanyi Okereke, the vendor killed by a security aide of Femi Gbajabiamila, speaker of the house of representatives, is demanding N500 million from the number four citizen.
Last week, Okereke was shot by Abdullahi Hassan, a Department of State Services (DSS) operative attached to the speaker.
According to PUNCH, the demand was contained in a letter addressed to the speaker by Mike Ozekhome, counsel to the family.
In the letter dated November 23, the Okereke family said the demand is not enough to replace their son.
“Our clients have instructed us to make from your good self, the following modest demands: That you use your good offices to ensure the immediate prosecution of your security aide (Abdullahi Hassan), who went on a frolic of his own, clearly acted outside the purview of his duty and responsibility by shooting to death an innocent, harmless and armless citizen,” Ozekhome said.
“That you adequately compensate the Okereke family with a modest sum of N500m only.
“This monetary demand can never adequately replace or take the place of their son, husband, brother, and breadwinner’s life. But it will at least mitigate the obvious trauma and hardship the premature demise of their irreplaceable breadwinner has placed on them.”
The lawyer said if the speaker fails to accede to their demand in seven days, they would take legal steps.
“Take note therefore that it is our clients’ firm instruction that in the event that you fail, refuse and/or neglect to accede to or proffer reasonable compensatory terms to our above modest demands within seven days from the date of this letter, we shall without any further correspondences from us, take appropriate legal steps to enforce our clients’ constitutional rights,” he said.
Gbajabiamila said he has handed over the aide to the DSS for discipline.
He has also visited the family of the deceased to condole with them.
Self-acclaimed African giant, Burna Boy, has been nominated for the 2021 Grammy Awards, which is billed to hold on January 31, 2021.
Burna Boy’s latest body of work, Twice as Tall, makes the cut for the Best Global Music Album category.
His previous album, African Giant, was also nominated at the 2020 Grammy Awards ceremony, but Angélique Kidjo won the award.
Beyoncé, Taylor Swift and Dua Lipa dominate the overall nominations.
Beyoncé received nine nominations in eight categories, including both record and song of the year for “Black Parade.”
The 63rd annual Grammy Awards will be broadcast by CBS from Los Angeles on Sunday, Jan. 31, 2021.
See the full list of nominees:
Record of the Year:
“Black Parade,” Beyoncé
“Colors,” Black Pumas
“Rockstar,” DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch
“Say So,” Doja Cat
“Everything I Wanted,” Billie Eilish
“Don’t Start Now,” Dua Lipa
“Circles,” Post Malone
“Savage,” Megan Thee Stallion
Album of the Year:
“Chilombo,” Jhené Aiko
“Black Pumas (Deluxe Edition),” Black Pumas
“Everyday Life,” Coldplay
“Djesse Vol. 3,” Jacob Collier
“Women in Music Pt. III,” Haim
“Future Nostalgia,” Dua Lipa
“Hollywood’s Bleeding,” Post Malone
“Folklore,” Taylor Swift
Song of the Year:
“Black Parade,” Denisia Andrews, Beyoncé, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk and Rickie “Caso” Tice, songwriters (Beyoncé)
“The Box,” Samuel Gloade and Rodrick Moore, songwriters (Roddy Ricch)
“Cardigan,” Aaron Dessner and Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift)
“Circles,” Louis Bell, Adam Feeney, Kaan Gunesberk, Austin Post and Billy Walsh, songwriters (Post Malone)
“Don’t Start Now,” Caroline Ailin, Ian Kirkpatrick, Dua Lipa and Emily Warren, songwriters (Dua Lipa)
“Everything I Wanted,” Billie Eilish O’Connell and Finneas O’Connell, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
“I Can’t Breathe,” Dernst Emile II, H.E.R. and Tiara Thomas, songwriters (H.E.R.)
“If the World Was Ending,” Julia Michaels and JP Saxe, songwriters (JP Saxe featuring Julia Michaels)
Best New Artist:
Ingrid Andress
Phoebe Bridgers
Chika
Noah Cyrus
D Smoke
Doja Cat
Kaytranada
Megan Thee Stallion
Best Pop Solo Performance:
“Yummy,” Justin Bieber
“Say So,” Doja Cat
“Everything I Wanted,” Billie Eilish
“Don’t Start Now,” Dua Lipa
“Watermelon Sugar,” Harry Styles
“Cardigan,” Taylor Swift
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance:
“Un Dia (One Day),” J Balvin, Dua Lipa, Bad Bunny and Tainy
“Intentions,” Justin Bieber featuring Quavo
“Dynamite,” BTS
“Rain on Me,” Lady Gaga with Ariana Grande
“Exile,” Taylor Swift featuring Bon Iver
Best Pop Vocal Album:
“Changes,” Justin Bieber
“Chromatica,” Lady Gaga
“Future Nostalgia,” Dua Lipa
“Fine Line,” Harry Styles
“Folklore,” Taylor Swift
Best Rock Performance:
“Shameika,” Fiona Apple
“Not,” Big Thief
“Kyoto,” Phoebe Bridgers
“The Steps,” Haim
“Stay High,” Brittany Howard
“Daylight,” Grace Potter
Best Rock Album:
“A Hero’s Death,” Fontaines D.C.
“Kiwanuka,” Michael Kiwanuka
“Daylight,” Grace Potter
“Sound & Fury,” Sturgill Simpson
“The New Abnormal,” The Strokes
Best Alternative Music Album:
“Fetch the Bolt Cutters,” Fiona Apple
“Hyperspace,” Beck
“Punisher,” Phoebe Bridgers
“Jamie,” Brittany Howard
“The Slow Rush,” Tame Impala
Best R&B Performance:
“Lightning & Thunder,” Jhené Aiko featuring John Legend
“Black Parade,” Beyoncé
“All I Need,” Jacob Collier featuring Mahalia and Ty Dolla Sign
“Goat Head,” Brittany Howard
“See Me,” Emily King
Best R&B Song:
“Better Than I Imagine,” Robert Glasper, Meshell Ndegeocello and Gabriella Wilson, songwriters (Robert Glasper featuring H.E.R. and Meshell Ndegeocello)
“Black Parade,” Denisia Andrews, Beyoncé, Stephen Bray, Shawn Carter, Brittany Coney, Derek James Dixie, Akil King, Kim “Kaydence” Krysiuk and Rickie “Caso” Tice, songwriters (Beyoncé)
“Collide,” Sam Barsh, Stacey Barthe, Sonyae Elise, Olu Fann, Akil King, Josh Lopez, Kaveh Rastegar and Benedetto Rotondi, songwriters (Tiana Major9 and Earthgang)
“Do It,” Chloe Bailey, Halle Bailey, Anton Kuhl, Victoria Monét, Scott Storch and Vincent Van Den Ende, songwriters (Chloe X Halle)
“Slow Down,” Nasri Atweh, Badriia Bourelly, Skip Marley, Ryan Williamson and Gabriella Wilson, songwriters (Skip Marley and H.E.R.)
Best Progressive R&B Album:
“Chilombo,” Jhené Aiko
“Ungodly Hour,” Chloe X Halle
“Free Nationals,” Free Nationals
“____ Yo Feelings,” Robert Glasper
“It Is What It Is,” Thundercat
Best Rap Performance:
“Deep Reverence,” Big Sean Featuring Nipsey Hussle
“Bop,” DaBaby
“What’s Poppin,” Jack Harlow
“The Bigger Picture,” Lil Baby
“Savage,” Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé
“Dior,” Pop Smoke
Best Melodic Rap Performance:
“Rockstar,” DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch
“Laugh Now, Cry Later,” Drake featuring Lil Durk
“Lockdown,” Anderson .Paak
“The Box,” Roddy Ricch
“Highest in the Room,” Travis Scott
Best Rap Song:
“The Bigger Picture,” Dominique Jones, Noah Pettigrew and Rai’shaun Williams, songwriters (Lil Baby)
“The Box,” Samuel Gloade and Rodrick Moore, songwriters (Roddy Ricch)
“Laugh Now, Cry Later,” Durk Banks, Rogét Chahayed, Aubrey Graham, Daveon Jackson, Ron LaTour and Ryan Martinez, songwriters (Drake featuring Lil Durk)
“Rockstar,” Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, Ross Joseph Portaro IV and Rodrick Moore, songwriters (DaBaby featuring Roddy Ricch)
“Savage,” Beyoncé, Shawn Carter, Brittany Hazzard, Derrick Milano, Terius Nash, Megan Pete, Bobby Session Jr., Jordan Kyle Lanier Thorpe and Anthony White, songwriters (Megan Thee Stallion featuring Beyoncé)
Best Rap Album:
“Black Habits,” D Smoke
“Alfredo,” Freddie Gibbs and the Alchemist
“A Written Testimony,” Jay Electronica
“King’s Disease,” Nas
“The Allegory,” Royce Da 5’9”
Best Country Solo Performance:
“Stick That in Your Country Song,” Eric Church
“Who You Thought I Was,” Brandy Clark
“When My Amy Prays,” Vince Gill
“Black Like Me,” Mickey Guyton
“Bluebird,” Miranda Lambert
Best Country Song:
“Bluebird,” Luke Dick, Natalie Hemby and Miranda Lambert, songwriters (Miranda Lambert)
“The Bones,” Maren Morris, Jimmy Robbins and Laura Veltz, songwriters (Maren Morris)
“Crowded Table,” Brandi Carlile, Natalie Hemby and Lori McKenna, songwriters (The Highwomen)
“More Hearts Than Mine,” Ingrid Andress, Sam Ellis and Derrick Southerland, songwriters (Ingrid Andress)
“Some People Do,” Jesse Frasure, Shane McAnally, Matthew Ramsey and Thomas Rhett, songwriters (Old Dominion)
Best Country Album:
Lady Like,” Ingrid Andress
“Your Life Is a Record,” Brandy Clark
“Wildcard,” Miranda Lambert
“Nightfall,” Little Big Town
“Never Will,” Ashley McBryde
Best Latin Pop or Urban Album:
“YHLQMDLG,” Bad Bunny
“Por Primera Vez,” Camilo
“Mesa Para Dos,” Kany García
“Pausa,” Ricky Martin
“3:33,” Debi Nova
Best American Roots Performance:
“Colors,” Black Pumas
“Deep in Love,” Bonny Light Horseman
“Short and Sweet,” Brittany Howard
“I’ll Be Gone,” Norah Jones and Mavis Staples
“I Remember Everything,” John Prine
Best Global Music Album:
“Fu Chronicles,” Antibalas
“Twice as Tall,” Burna Boy
“Agora,” Bebel Gilberto
“Love Letters,” Anoushka Shankar
“Amadjar,” Tinariwen
Producer of the Year, Non-Classical:
Jack Antonoff
Dan Auerbach
Dave Cobb
Flying Lotus
Andrew Watt
Best Music Film:
“Beastie Boys Story,” Beastie Boys
“Black Is King,” Beyoncé
“We Are Freestyle Love Supreme,” Freestyle Love Supreme
“Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice,” Linda Ronstadt
The White House has approved an intelligence briefing for the United States, US, President-elect Joe Biden.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) in the White House said the US President-elect would receive the president’s daily intelligence brief “as part of the support to the transition.”
Spokesman of ONDI disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday, NAN reports.
“Following the statutory direction of the Presidential Transition Act, ODNI will provide requested support to the transition team.
“This afternoon the White House approved ODNI to move forward with providing the PDB (president’s daily brief) as part of the support to the transition,” the official said.
This is coming after the US President, Donald Trump had approved the commencement of the process.
