Politics
Panic As Lagosian Fear The Worst After State Recorded 70 Cases In One Day
By Augustine Akhilomen
Aftermath of yesterday night’s announcement of 70 fresh cases of coronavirus in Lagos State by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Lagosians have expressed a concern on the possibility of a massive increase if drastic steps are not taken to curb the spread of the deadly virus.
Lagos, which is known as the centre point for business, tourism and economic transaction, confirmed its first case of covid-19 on February 27, when an Italian man was confirmed positive, the rest they say is history.]
So far, out of the 18 deaths in Nigeria, Lagos has recorded 14, a situation which has further raised eyebrows on the state of handling of the coronavirus in the state.
In total, Nigeria recorded 86 new cases on Sunday, bringing the total number of confirmed infections across the country to 627.
Below are reactions from Lagosians on twitter…
@SammyNas01 Lagos State don finally lock the whole country for house for the next two months Man gesturing okMan gesturing ok
@First_alphas At this point…lock down postponed till september
@Emi_bibe 70 new cases in Lagos? Wow
@Jewish_gryn I’m seeing another two weeks lockdown in Lagos, in fact one month this time. Weary face
@AniekanUkpabio What is really happening in Lagos. I thought the governor was proactive. This is becoming a stale story. God please help.
@AyoHolla_ 70 in Lagos alone?!!? God!!
@_Joker90 God please, we need you more now, more than ever before. Heal the land
@Mus6ey Please give Lagos the trophy Folded handsLoudly crying faceLoudly crying faceLoudly crying face
@Ody_johnson I think I like the 70 in Lagos State figures because it means that alot of testing has been done and the earlier they’re done the better. People thinking the lesser the cases reported in their different locations the better are funny, omo by the time its known it might be late.
@kcnaija These people need to explain the spike in cases. How did we jump from reporting less than 20 cases nationwide to 70 cases in Lagos in a day? Did we increase testing capacity? Was there an escalation from contact tracing? Transparency is more important than the lockdown.
@mamuzoADUMS On a serious note, the figures come out of Lagos is really high. We acknowledge that there’s improved testing hence the higher figures, we need to as individuals do our own part and reduce the spread. If the figures keep rising, we won’t be able to reopen in May. Please stay safe
@iTv001 Lagos is the new Liverpool. No competition
@tolutezzy_ This NCDC admin.. you get big ear u no Dey hear word .. stop increasing the number nah
@damilare_alves 70 in Lagos!!! it’s time we start asking ourselves questions, who knows somebody that knows somebody that knows somebody that has been tested positive for corona virus?
@SledgeAma Omo NCDC is angry with this result o , 70 in Lagos self , I see rigging
@EWAWUNMIIIHow come, ,, ????? We need explanation. 70 in lagos for what????
@tony_igb Lagos and Wuhan don’t sound alike naPerson gesturing ok
@izybaby01 70 in Lagos? 70 cases??!!!!
@Real_jaeflex God please come to our rescue
@emmanuel_ceejay Y’all in Lagos should remain in permanent lockdown till further notice.
@OmoKiikan Who else notice that since these Chinese doctors came to our country, the number of cases has tremendously increased..Person gesturing ok
@iTv001 See as Lagos dey top table
@sirdaancakes What part of Lagos did they pick the 70? We need more information!
@mamuzoADUMS Lagos has opened testing sites across all local Government. In alimosho there’s 5 testing sites. You may start seeing numbers in its 100s coming out of Lagos the new week.
@ikechukwuogugu1 My dear are u surprised? The figures keep shooting up since the arrival of the Chinese and the house to house test in Lagos State. Na just the beginning be this.
This was contained in a statement by the party’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdulahi, who said what transpired during the poll was more of “a bazaar than an election.”
According to him, the poll fell short of democratic standards.
“The African Democratic Congress has observed the conduct of the just concluded Anambra gubernatorial election with a deep sense of concern for the electoral process in Nigeria,” he wrote on his X handle on Sunday, hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Governor Chukwuma Soludo as the winner of the exercise.
“What unfolded in Anambra was, regrettably, a cash-drenched spectacle that was more of a bazaar than an election. This undermines the very essence of democracy.”
The ADC accused the incumbent and his party of engaging in “several forms and styles of cash-for-votes”. The party alleged that bundles of naira notes exchanged hands at polling units across the state in full public view, a clear violation of the Electoral Act.
Abdullahi also faulted security agencies and electoral officials for failing to enforce electoral integrity.
He said, “security operatives stood by as voters were harassed and compromised, while electoral officials, overwhelmed or indifferent, failed to uphold even the most basic standards.”
It warned that if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) continues in this direction, Nigerians should be concerned about the credibility of the 2027 general elections, especially as the world closely watches the country’s democratic process.
However, the ADC spokesman said that the party remains dedicated to building “a Nigeria where leadership is earned through integrity, inclusion, and service, not through the crude exchange of cash for votes.”
ADC’s candidate in the election, John Nwosu, came a distant fifth in the election with 8,208 votes.
Nwosu has since rejected the outcome of the poll, following a similar path as his party.
Ezenwafor, who spoke on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Monday, said he had always shared a cordial relationship with Governor Soludo.
“I can assist him. I have been assisting him before; he is my friend. I brought him to work in Anambra,” he said on the breakfast show, one day after Soludo was declared the winner of Saturday’s exercise.
“I convinced Soludo to contest the election in the first instance when I was Senior Special Assistant to Governor Willie Obiano. He came, he did well, and there is no perfect person,” he said.
In the lead-up to the election, security was a key talking point among the candidates and other stakeholders.
Despite criticisms of Soludo’s handling of the matter, the PDP flagbearer commended the governor and his team for being proactive. He urged the governor to prioritise inclusivity in governance.
“Soludo and his security team are working. We have competent security chiefs in Anambra. I will advise His Excellency, Governor Soludo: What they need is better equipment, and insecurity will end. I believe he will do more. I have called to congratulate him, but if he doesn’t do well, I will speak.
“I will advise Governor Chukwuma Soludo to run an inclusive government so that Anambra will be very safe and prosperous,” Ezenwafor said.
Allegations of vote-buying had marred the peaceful poll, but Ezenwafor said the claims were exaggerated.
“That’s their opinion. I intend to challenge in court whether vote-buying is not election rigging. Almost five political parties engaged in vote-buying. If you remove the five, you will find me. I did not buy votes.
“Even my party agents were taken by the state executives to work for another party. But Anambra people have spoken; we will allow Governor Soludo to finish his four years,” he stated.
Responding to claims that he was a placeholder candidate, Ezenwafor dismissed the suggestion.
“If you say something like that, it doesn’t matter. Nobody will throw away over ₦80 million to clinch a party ticket just to be a figurehead. Am I stupid? I had the intention to run. I have my Organic Millionaires Club, 100 people who promised me 10 votes each.
“I was already cruising at 326,000 votes, but these people messed me up. I’m not desperate or feeling bad. I thank God I’m alive. I even suspect they were the ones that shot me,” he said.
Ezenwafor alleged that there was an assassination attempt on his life during the campaign.
“The PDP was in a comatose state when I came in. I decided to run, but I was shocked when there was an attempt on my life. I was hospitalised for almost three months.”
The lawmaker representing Kiru/Bebeji Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has announced his return to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and declared his full support for President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid.
Jibrin, who left the APC in May 2022 to join the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), announced this during a large political gathering held in his hometown, Kofa, Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano State, on Sunday.
Announcing his defection on his official Facebook page on Monday, Jibrin revealed that his supporters had unanimously resolved to abandon the NNPP and the Kwankwasiyya Movement to align with the ruling APC.
“Today, in a show of solidarity, I was warmly received by thousands of my constituents in my hometown of Kofa, Bebeji, Kano,” Jibrin wrote.
“The gathering resolved to leave the NNPP/Kwankwasiyya, join the APC, and endorse President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, for a second term in office. From the beginning, almost 2,000 scholars from my constituency have prayed special prayers for the President and sought peace, development, and progress for Kiru/Bebeji, Kano, and Nigeria altogether.”
Jibrin’s return to the APC comes barely two months after his expulsion from the NNPP, following allegations of anti-party activities and non-payment of membership dues.
Reacting to his suspension at the time, the federal lawmaker described the decision as “shocking and unjustified,” insisting that the reasons given by the NNPP were flimsy.
“The interview I granted in both English and Hausa, which the party cited as the basis for my suspension, did not warrant such a heavy penalty,” he said. “The NNPP violated the principles of fair hearing and due process. I was expelled without being given an opportunity to defend myself.”
Despite describing his expulsion as unfair, Jibrin stated that he had accepted the party’s decision in good faith and would not seek legal redress.
“I have accepted the decision in good faith. I will not challenge it in court,” he said, adding that he had never defaulted in the payment of his dues as alleged.
The former Director-General of the Tinubu Support Groups also criticized the NNPP’s leadership style, accusing it of failing to recognize the worth of its members.
“The NNPP has failed to value its members,” he lamented, while thanking the party for the support he enjoyed during his stay.
Jibrin called on his supporters to join him in his “new journey” back to the APC, urging them to maintain peaceful relations with those who decide to remain in the NNPP.
His return is seen as a major boost for the APC in Kano State, a key battleground ahead of the 2027 general elections, as political alignments and realignments continue to shape Nigeria’s political landscape.
<im
-
Entertainment4 years agoBBNaija: “Shameful For A Married Woman” – Boma, Tega Doing ‘Stuff’ Under Duvet Sparks Outrage (See Video)
-
Entertainment4 years agoSinger, Oxlade In Big Mess After His Sex Tape With A Strange Lady Surfaces Online (Watch Video)
-
Entertainment5 years agoBBNaija: Kiddwaya Sucks Erica’s Boobs, Licks Dorathy’s Neck In Truth Or Dare Game (Video)
-
Entertainment2 years agoI’m Not Ashamed Of My Leaked Nude Photos, Ifunanya Confesses (See Photos)
-
Crime4 months agoNDLEA intercepts Saudi, UK-bound cocaine in lipsticks
-
Entertainment5 years agoI’m Not Sick But Only Lost Some Weight – Kiss Daniel
-
Crime6 months agoNDLEA seizes N3.4bn worth of opioids in Lagos, PH, uncovers drugs in chocolate tins
-
Entertainment5 years agoHow Women Should Act During Sex – Actress, Blessing Okoro Reveals (Vdeo)