Nigeria records 661 new coronavirus cases, total now 19,808

Nigeria has recorded 661 new cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in the country to 19,808.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control made this known on Saturday.

It said, “On the 20th of June 2020, 661 new confirmed cases and 19 deaths were recorded in Nigeria.

“No new state has reported a case in the last 24 hours.

“Till date, 19808 cases have been confirmed, 6718 cases have been discharged and 506 deaths have been recorded in 35 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

“The 661 new cases are reported from 14 states- Lagos(230), Rivers(127), Delta(83), FCT(60), Oyo(51), Edo(31),Bayelsa(27), Kaduna(25), Plateau(13), Ondo(6), Nasarawa(3), Ekiti(2), Kano(2), Borno(1).”

Fayose Lacks Morals To Criticise Our Government – APC

Ekiti State chapter of the All Progressives Congress, (APC) has said the immediate past governor of the state, Mr Ayodele Fayose, lacks the moral rectitude to criticise the ruling party led by President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a chameleon-like politician who is always ready to do or say anything just to attract attention.

The party alleged that Fayose was fond of engaging in dubious escapades, wining and dining with leaders of the APC across the country, while also turning back to make unfounded allegations against the party.

Such a politician, according to APC, will shout Hosanna today and crucify him tomorrow, as much as their daily bread is guaranteed.

APC, while reacting to some comments made by the immediate past governor about the party, noted that the same Fayose has been hobnobbing with leaders of the party across the country, seeking favours.

In a statement signed by its director of media and  publicity, Elder Sam Oluwalana, the party pointed out that during the four years administration of Fayose in the state, he was the executive, legislature and judiciary, as he crippled the other arms from performing their functions.

“It is on record that the mace of the assembly, which is the authority of the legislature, was kept at the government house, while the law makers would have to seek permission from Fayose before convening any sitting.”

Source: Leadership Newspaper

Oshiomhole Remains Suspended, Etsako Ward Chairman Insists

 

Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Etsako Ward 10, Edo State, Mr Oshawo Stephen, has dismissed claims that the suspension of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole as a member of the party had been lifted, insisting that the ward executives stand by their suspension of the erstwhile National Chairman of the APC.   

In a statement, Stephen said the ward executives, who were elected into office in 2018, remain intact and had not been displaced by anybody, describing the claims of the lifting of the suspension as a charade.

He said, “The suspension of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole by the ward executives remains valid. The statements to the contrary in the media are false and should be disregarded. We stand by our decision and have no reservation on the action as it is in the best interest of the party. 

"The ward executives as well as our counterparts at the Etsako West Local Government level stand by the suspension of Comrade Oshiomhole for his divisive role in the crisis rocking the APC in Edo State." 

Chairman of the APC in Etsako West LGA, Ezolomhe Rabiat, also affirmed that the local council executives were still members of the party in the state and stand by the suspension of Oshiomhole.

Source: Sahara Reporters

‘Edo PDP will witness implosion if Obaseki is forced on party’

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) youths coordinator in Edo State, under the aegis of PDP Youths for Justice, Musa Kadiri, has declared that the state’s chapter of the party will witness implosion, if Governor Godwin Obaseki is forced on Edo PDP as its governorship candidate.

Kadiri made the declaration Saturday in Benin, in an interactive session with reporters, while insisting that PDP’s leadership must reward loyalty, rather than looking for opportunities.

He said: “Any of the three earlier screened and cleared governorship aspirants of PDP in Edo State: Kenneth Imasuagbon, Gideon Ikhine and Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, is capable of defeating the standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the September 19 election.

“I am clearly stating that PDP in Edo State will witness an implosion, if Governor Obaseki is given the party’s ticket during the June 23 governorship primary election, using indirect mode, at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin.

“Edo PDP youths, who are on the ground, know that the party has positioned itself to win this year’s governorship poll. We do not need Governor Obaseki, who was chased out of the APC, based on questionable credentials.”

While also speaking, the women leader in Egor Local Government Area of Edo state, Mrs. Imuwahen Osasu, corroborated Kadiri, by stating that Edo PDP did not need Obaseki, at this crucial period.

Some chieftains of PDP in Edo Central Senatorial District are, however, backing the governorship aspiration of Imasuagbon, popularly referred to as the “Rice Man,” in view of his annual distribution of free rice to Edo residents in the 18 LGAs of the state.

Speaking Saturday on behalf of the PDP chieftains from the five LGAs in Edo Central senatorial district, Elder Solomon Eboigbe, urged Imasuagbon not to accept any offer to step down from the race.

Edo Central PDP chieftains noted that their support for Imasuagbon, who refused pressure to step down from the race for Obaseki, was the need to reward loyalty and commitment.

The PDP elders from Edo Central senatorial district stated that they consulted widely across Edo state, while the verdict from the people was Imasuagbon as their choice.

Meanwhile, Edo South senatorial district’s leader of PDP, Chief Dickson Imasogie, maintained that Edo governor never induced leaders of the party to join PDP, while insisting that his coming into the party was purely strategic.

Imasogie said that Obaseki’s defection to PDP was almost late, considering the fact that the party had to shift its governorship primary election from June 19 to June 23, in order to accommodate Edo governor.

He said: “Members of any active political party will certainly be excited having a sitting governor of a state, with his party ruling at the centre, defecting to an opposition party. It shows, among other consideratiions, the valuable rating and respect the defecting governor has for the party.

“So, we in the PDP have accepted Governor Obaseki into our fold and the leadership of the party has granted him and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, the necessary waivers to contest on the platform of the party.”

Imasogie also expressed optimism that Obaseki would emerge victorious on June 23 and September 19, thereby continuing in office beyond November 12 this year.

(The Nation)

Ekiti govt confirms 2 new cases of coronavirus

Ekiti State Government can confirm two (2) new #COVID19 positive cases whose result came back last night. 

 Four (4) previous cases have also been discharged.

This brings the total confirmed cases in Ekiti State to thirty-two (32), of which four (4) active, twenty-six (26) discharged, and two (2) deaths.

Maupay stuns Arsenal with late Brighton winner

Neal Maupay scored the winner five minutes into added time as relegation-threatened Brighton clinched a huge win over Arsenal, who once again lost a key player to injury.

The French striker showed coolness and class to slot in his ninth and most important goal of the season, give Albion their first league win of 2020 and cap a remarkable comeback.

Nicolas Pepe had fired the Gunners into a deserved lead with a superb curling shot with just over 20 minutes to go, but Lewis Dunk scrambled an equaliser over the line from close range to set up a barnstorming finish.

Maupay's winner was a sucker punch to the Gunners, who have now lost back-to-back games since the Premier League returned - results that surely make a late run to Champions League qualification very unlikely.

They may also have to navigate the rest of the season without goalkeeper Bernd Leno, who was stretchered off after landing awkwardly on his ankle in the first half following an aerial challenge with Maupay.

Maupay's role in the incident seemed to anger Leno's team-mates, some of whom became embroiled in a shoving match with the striker at full-time.

Leno joins defender Pablo Mari and midfielder Granit Xhaka on the sidelines, both of whom were injured in Wednesday's 3-0 loss at Manchester City.

There is no such negativity for Brighton, though. They appeared to come through the game largely unscathed and are now five points above the bottom three.

Brighton dig deep

Brighton were the first team to publicly voice opposition to games being played at neutral grounds as the debate raged last month about how the Premier League might conclude during the coronavirus pandemic.

With five of their remaining nine matches being at home, four of them against teams in the top half of the table (including Saturday's), the Seagulls need every advantage that playing on home turf brings.

But while the Amex was obviously lacking in fervent home support, this did not hamper Albion's appetite for the fight or ability to rouse themselves after a setback.

Pepe's opener was a hammer blow, especially coming at a time in the game when the league's three-month absence due to the coronavirus pandemic would have started to take its physical toll on the players.

But they dug deep and found parity through Dunk, who took advantage of some Arsenal hesitancy in their own box to poke the ball in after it had ricocheted his way.

Prior to that they had threatened rarely, with Aaron Mooy's low first-half drive their best effort.

They would have the final say, though, as Maupay gathered the ball from substitute Aaron Connelly before producing a deft, decisive finish. (BBC Football)