Hushpuppi faces extradition from UAE to Nigeria

Plans are underway by the International Police (INTERPOL) Nigeria to extradite Instagram celebrity Raymond Igbalodely a.k.a. Hushpuppi from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Nigeria to face alleged multiple fraud charges, The Nation learnt on Friday.

The INTERPOL is also on the trail of other accomplices in the alleged fraud who are resident in Nigeria to bring them to justice.

Commissioner of Police (CP) INTERPOL, Garba Umar disclosed these to The Nation yesterday while confirming the arrest of Igbalodely whose real name is said to be Ramoni Igbalode.

He said: “It is true that Hushpuppi was arrested by the INTERPOL. We are currently working on bringing him to Nigeria to face charges of fraud.

“Some of the offences were committed here in Nigeria and he has to answer for them. He is not alone in it; there are accomplices in the country who we are currently on their trail,” said the CP.

Hushpuppi, known for his reckless display of wealth on social media, was arrested three days ago for allegedly hacking into the United States (US) unemployed database and impersonating citizens qualified for unemployment funds.

He and his accomplices in Nigeria, Dubai and other countries allegedly defrauded the US of over $100 million meant for Native Americans in the battle against the coronavirus pandemic.

The Nation reports that his arrest came three days after he posted a picture of his newly acquired 2020 Rolls Royce Cullinan worth about N280 million, the latest addition to his fleet of exotic vehicles.

It was alleged that Hushpuppi was arrested alongside two of his friends after weeks of investigation by the US Secret Service, following the alarm raised in May about a crime ring of suspected Nigerians who broke into the personal information of citizens and used factitious unemployment claims to steal hundreds of millions of dollars reserved to help jobless American people.

The syndicate was alleged to have filed in so many names of Americans who were still working to various state unemployment offices and collected money from the system.

They were alleged to have used information stolen from first responders, government personnel and school employees. (The Nation)

COVID-19: EKITI STATE CASE UPDATE

EKITI COVID-19 UPDATE: As at 6:30 pm on June 12, there are ten (10) active cases of #COVID19 in Ekiti State. 

Discharged: 18

Active: 10

Deaths: 2

Click here for live updates: https://t.co/khfIbqb8J0

#CoronaUpdate

We’ll admit Obaseki, says PDP

THE Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said that the party will readily admit the embattled Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, into its fold if the governor decides to join the main opposition party.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, disclosed this in a telephone chat with our correspondent on the telephone on Friday.

Asked if the PDP was ready to admit the governor into its fold, Ologbondiyan said: “Yes, we will accept him, of course.”

The party spokesman however, said Governor Obaseki had yet to approach the PDP for membership as of the time he spoke with our correspondent at 6.57 pm.

Asked if the PDP would offer its Edo State governorship ticket to Obaseki if he joined the party, Ologbondiyan said the governor won’t get automatic ticket if he joined.

“Joining a party is different from contesting election. These are two separate things. People join political parties from their wards. We are in touch with our Edo State chapter and they have not told us that the governor had joined our party,” Ologbondiyan said.

Three aspirants seeking the PDP ticket for the Edo election had already been screened, signaling the close of nominations.

Reports making the rounds on Friday indicated that the PDP had envisaged Obaseki’s eventual defection from the All Progressives Congress (APC) and that the opposition party had prepared ahead for him.

A party source hinted that the eventual winner of the PDP ticket might be persuaded to withdraw from the race for Obaseki on agreed terms.

The leadership of the PDP has always maintained that it would not hesitate to grant waivers to new entrants to contest elections, even on the day they joined the party.

Governor Obaseki was yesterday disqualified from seeking re-election on the platform of the APC as he was screened out by the party’s screening committee.

The governor has said that he would not contest the decision. (The Nation)

Nigeria Records 627 New Coronavirus Cases, Total Infections Now 15,181

Nigeria’s tally of confirmed COVID-19 cases rose to 15,181 as 627 new infections were announced by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

Twelve deaths were recorded from the virus on Friday bringing the total number of confirmed deaths from the virus to 399.

According to the NCDC, the country has now confirmed at least 15,181 cases of the novel coronavirus with 399 deaths and 4,891 recovered patients.

Again, in Friday’s reporting, Lagos led the state ranking with 229 new cases. The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) trailed behind, reporting 65 new infections.

Other states with new infections include Abia (54), Borno (42), Oyo (35), Rivers (28), Rivers (28), Edo (28), Gombe (27), Ogun (21), Plateau (18), Delta (18), Bauchi (10), Kaduna (10), Benue (9), Ondo (8), Kwara (6), Nasarawa (4), Enugu (4), Sokoto (3), Niger (3), Kebbi (3), Yobe (1), and Kano (1).

[Breaking] Obaseki’s disqualification: We’ll not appeal outcome of unjust screening exercise — Aide

Special Adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, has stated that the camp of Godwin Obaseki will not appeal the outcome of the screening exercise, which he described as “unjust”.

The All Progressive Congress, APC, national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, in an unexpected turn of event, announced Friday afternoon the disqualification of Obaseki from the governorship race.

Reacting to the pronouncement, Crusoe described the event as “an open show of shame, illegality and travesty of justice, which Oshiomhole has reduced the APC into.”

Crusoe stated in a release that “We have watched the mockery of the democratic process, which Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, is administering and superintending over in our great party the All Progressives Congress (APC). It has been an unfortunate, disheartening and dreadful spectacle.

“We had initially asserted that going by the open display and enthronement of illegality by one man in the party that comprises several organs and eminent personalities, there is no way that Governor Godwin Obaseki would get a fair assessment in the run-up to the nomination of candidates to fly the flag of the party in the forthcoming Edo gubernatorial election.

“It is unfortunate that this open show of shame, illegality and travesty of justice is the brand of democracy which Comrade Oshiomhole has reduced the APC into. The situation is quite saddening because this is a party supposedly reputed for change, equity and social justice.

“We have, therefore, decided that it would be an effort in futility to appeal whatever the unjust outcome of the evaluation and screening process of the APC will be, especially when Comrade Oshiomhole has declared that he is the Supreme Court and ultimate determiner of the fate and future of our great party.

“We wish Oshiomhole luck in his maladministration of the party and trust that the Almighty will help our country to find the path to true liberty, freedom and justice.

“We call on all party members and the teeming supporters of Governor Obaseki to remain calm and await further directives.”

Just before the 2 pm press briefing where the disqualification of Obaseki was announced, the camp of the sitting governor had earlier leaked that all was set for Oshiomhole to pronounce the disqualification of the Edo State governor.

The statement read: “The extreme display of lawlessness and dictatorship by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole would reach its peak by 2 pm today when he would announce in a press conference the disqualification of Governor Godwin Obaseki, from contesting the primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“In record time, Oshiomhole has subverted all due process and broken all the laws in the books in his ultimate quest to crown himself as the godfather of politics in Edo State.

“As he stated recently that he is the Supreme Court and the ultimate determiner of the fate of aspirants for governorship seat under the APC, he has executed his pre-conceived agenda of stopping Governor Obaseki from flying the flag of the party, at all cost.

“After pushing the failed narrative about Governor Obaseki’s educational qualification and meeting a brick wall with the University of Ibadan’s response, he resorted to using his characteristic brute force to disqualify the governor.”

Vanguard

BREAKING: APC disqualifies Obaseki, two others

All Progressives Congress (APC) Screening Committee for Edo State Governorship election on Friday declared Governor Godwin Obaseki unqualified to contest in the election due to some discrepancies in his educational certificates and NYSC.

Others also disqualified are Hon. Matthew Iduoroyekemwen and Egnr. Chris Ogiemwonyi.

The committee however cleared Pastor Osagie Ize- Iyamu, Dr. Pius Odubu and Hon. Osaro Obazee.

Details shortly…