SignatureTV News Update: Soludo, Oye lose as court declares Umeoji APGA candidate
Hello!
This is the Signature TV News Update
Governor Lalong relaxes curfew in Jos North, South, Bassa LGs
Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has lifted the 24-hour curfew placed on Jos North Local Government.
He said beginning on Thursday, August 19th, 2021, the curfew will be enforced from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. every day, until further notice. This will also apply to Bassa and Jos South Local Government Areas.
The decision was made following a State Security Council meeting on Wednesday, at Government House Rayfield, where the Governor was briefed by the chiefs of security agencies and evaluated the situation.
Governor Lalong, while relaxing the curfew cautioned troublemakers to stop endangering citizens’ lives and property or face a battle with security officials, who have been told to be severe on anyone who causes a breach of the peace.
He expressed concern over what he called the desperation of criminals bent on wreaking havoc in the state, citing isolated incidents that resulted in the deaths of people and the damage to property in several sections of Jos North and Bassa LGAs during the curfew.
The Governor further stated that while the curfew in Jos North is relaxed, security services will set up permanent checkpoints in high-risk neighbourhoods, deploy additional uniformed and plainclothes operatives, and monitor civilians’ behaviour around the clock.
President Buhari, Security Chiefs meet over terror war
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday met with security chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
It was gathered that the President scheduled the meeting to receive updates on security efforts and give direction on the next line of action on the various operations.
The security forces have in the past few weeks taken the battle more robustly to insurgents and bandits.
In attendance were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari; Secretary to the Government of Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha; National Security Adviser retired Major General Babagana Monguno; Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff; Lieutenant-General Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Isiaka Amoo; and Director-General, Department of State Services (DSS) Yusuf Bichi.
The meeting also had the Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema, and Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola in attendance.
Soludo, Oye lose as court declares Umeoji APGA candidate
The battle for the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and the chairmanship of the party has swung back in favour of the Independent National Electoral Commission-recognized candidates, Chukwuma Umeoji and Chief Jude Okeke.
This is following a landmark ruling of the High Court of Owerri on Thursday which struck out a fresh court action brought by Victor Oye to stop Chukwuma Umeoji and reaffirm its earlier judgment declaring the Owerri Convention that produced Jude Okeke as APGA Chairman valid and directing INEC to accept and continue to recognize and publish the name of Chukwuma Umeoji, who emerged as APGA Governorship Candidate in Awka, as the candidate of the party and to mandatorily include his name in all electoral processes for the Anambra governorship election.
This ruling was sequel to an application for stay of execution and leave to appeal filed by Chief Victor Oye wherein the court granted him leave to appeal but refused to grant the order for a stay of execution but rather went ahead to reaffirm its earlier judgment.
The court expressly stated that INEC cannot evade its duty to comply with the orders of the court declaring Umeoji candidate and, therefore, has a legal obligation to continue to carry out, obey and comply with the extant, valid and subsisting judgment of the Court delivered on July 28, 2021, which declared Umeoji candidate and ordered INEC to continue to recognize him and Jude Okeke pending the determination of the appeal filed by Victor Oye at Appeal Court Owerri.
By today’s ruling, INEC is directly restrained from attempting to remove the name of Umeoji as the candidate of APGA from its list as it was rumoured that it was under pressure to do so.
Ugwuanyi only governor in S/East, S/South to sponsor pilgrims to Jordan – NCPC Executive
The Executive Secretary of Nigeria Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Rev. Dr. Yakubu Pam, has commended Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State for his commitment to God and exemplary leadership in spite of the nation’s economic, security and public health challenges.
Speaking when he addressed pilgrims from Enugu and Benue states who were departing for Jordan from the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, Rev. Pam disclosed that Gov. Ugwuanyi is the only State Chief Executive in the South East and South-South geo-political zones of the country that has so far sponsored candidates in the ongoing Easter pilgrimage to Jordan for 2021.
The NCPC Executive Secretary expressed delight that Gov. Ugwuanyi notwithstanding the nation’s daunting challenges such as insecurity, the COVID-19 pandemic and economic meltdown, among others, sacrificed a lot to sponsor candidates for the pilgrimage.
Represented by his deputy, Hon. Mrs. Cecilia Ezeilo, the governor, who enlightened the people on the inherent benefits of the visit to Jordan, further advised them to be “good ambassadors of Enugu and Benue states and Nigeria.
IN BUSINESS
Naira weakens further to 517 against the dollar
The naira fell further against the dollar at the parallel market on Wednesday after staying steady at 515 Naira to one dollar in recent days.
The local currency fell to 517 against the US currency at the parallel market on Wednesday.
At the Investors and Exporters’ window, the naira weakened by 0.06 per cent to close at 411.75 to one dollar on Wednesday, according to Financial Markets Dealers Quotations.
The naira had strengthened to 506 Naira to the Dollar on August 4 after plunging to 525 to the Dollar at the parallel market on July 28, a day after the Central Bank of Nigeria stopped foreign exchange sales to Bureaux de Change. It had been hovering around 508 and 510 to the Dollar in recent days.
ON THE FOREIGN SCENE
IMF stops funds to Afghanistan, reserves blocked from Taliban
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced it will block previously agreed assistance to Afghanistan following the collapse of the Ghani government.
A spokesperson for the Washington-based crisis lender on Wednesday said it had decided to withhold its assistance to Afghanistan amid uncertainty over the status of the leadership in Kabul.
The IMF approved a historic 650 billion US Dollars loan to support global liquidity early August.
Due to the country’s large current deficit, the Afghanistan Central Bank (DAB) was scheduled to receive approximately $450 million dolars in shipments on August 23rd.
The United States had earlier frozen approximately $9.5bn in Afghan Reserves.
Central bank governor Ajmal Ahmady in a series of tweets, said that the Central Bank vaults were empty, which is sure to cause a rise in inflation, currency depreciation and an increase in food prices.
In sports
Tokyo Paralympic Village records first COVID-19 case
A first coronavirus case has been detected in the Paralympic Village, days before the Games open, organizers said on Thursday as Japan battles a record wave of infections.
The case involves a Games-related member of staff who is not resident in Japan, according to organizers, who did not give further details.
Organizers have so far reported 74 cases linked to the Paralympics, mostly among contractors and Games staff who live in Japan. Another six cases have been reported by local areas hosting teams for training camps.
There have not yet been infections reported among athletes in the Village, which opened to Paralympians on Tuesday.
The Paralympics open on August 24, with around 4,400 athletes from approximately 160 teams set to take part.
They begin around two weeks after the Olympics ended, with organisers saying they were able to prevent any major spread of infection through tough anti-virus measures.
