PINK REPUBLIC/ MY BLOG IS A STORY MARATHON.

       Prince Charles, the heir to the British throne, has tested positive for the new coronavirus, royal officials confirmed Wednesday — touching off debate about whether his wealth and status gave him priority in receiving a test. The 71-year-old is showing mild symptoms of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, and is self-isolating at a royal estate in Scotland, the prince’s Clarence House office said. His wife, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, has tested negative. “The Prince of Wales has tested positive for Coronavirus,” Clarence House said. It said he “otherwise remains in good health and has been working from home throughout the last few days as usual.”. Britain’s Press Association, citing a source, said the prince and the 72-year-old duchess remained in good spirits, and that Charles was not bedridden. The British government has advised people over age 70 to take social distancing measures especially seriously and warned they may need to stay home for 12 weeks. F

      Nasarawa State Chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has suspended former FCT Minister, Senator Solomon Ewuga and the 2019 deputy Governorship candidate of the party, Hon Muhammed Onawo. Its Publicity Secretary Muhammed Umar Bwala who stated this in a statement in Lafia said former Minister of Justice Musa Elayo was also suspended indefinitely by the party. According to him: “The State Executive Committee of the Peoples Demo cratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa state has met today, 25th March, 2020 to take far reaching decisions after a joint session with Members of State Elders Forum. ” That owing to the role of some PDP elders in sponsoring crisis within the party and engaging in act of gross misconduct, Senator Solomon Ewuga , Hon. Musa Elayo and Hon. Muhammed Onawo are hereby suspended from the party” he said He explained that they are to also face disciplinary standing Committee of the party for their actions. Our correspondent gathered that the suspended key member

       March 25, 2020 Press Statement COVID-19: PDP Condemns Barring Of AIT, Others from Presidency The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemns in its entirety, the unjustified banning of some media houses from covering activities of the Presidency, describing the development as a most heinous form of official victimization executed in bad faith. The party described the media ban by the Buhari Presidency as highly detestable, undemocratic and totally against the provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act as well as the tenets and guiding principles of rule of law. The party notes that the Presidency had no justification for its action and could therefore not give any cogent reason to necessitate the ban. The PDP cautioned the Buhari Presidency to note that the nation, and indeed, the world is currently distressed as we battle the deadly COVID-19. This is therefore not the time for unnecessary pettiness, victimization and barr

       The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), yesterday, 24 March 2020, airlifted medical materials donated by the Jack Ma Foundation, China, for tackling the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) in Nigeria, from the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos to the Nnmadi Azikiwe International Airport(NAIA), Abuja in fulfilment of the NAF's roles of providing Military Aid to Civil Aut hority (MACA). The donated medical materials, which consist of 107 boxes of medical supplies and equipment, comprising surgical masks, medical disposable protective clothing, face shields and detection kits, weighing about 3,000 pounds, were airlifted in a single mission using the NAF C-130 Hercules aircraft (NAF 913) and handed over by the NAF Aircrew to a delegation from the Federal Ministry of Health led by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Abdulazeez Mashi Abdullahi, today, 25 March 2020, at the NAIA, Abuja. Speaking to the press after inspecting the delivered items, Alhaji Abdullahi thanked the Chi

      The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Sokoto Zonal Office on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 secured the conviction of one Mobuse John, before Hon. Justice M S. Sifawa, Chief Judge of the Sokoto State High court sitting in Sokoto, on a one - count charge bordering on Cheating. The one count charge reads; "That you Mobuse John, sometime in October, 2019 at Sokoto within the judicial division of the High Court of Justice of Sokoto State, committed an offence to wit: Cheating by fraudulently inducing one Usman Ibn Umar to deliver to you the sum of N2,000.00 for PTDF scholarship, past question papers and aptitude test for undergraduate and post-graduate awards in Nigeria Collages of Education, Polytechnics and Universities for 2019/2020 Academic season via a website: http:11  www.pdfscholarship.eu  and other members of the public and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 310 (a) of the Sokoto State Penal Code Law 2019 and punishable under Section 311 of th

     The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kaduna Zonal Office arraigned Dr. Moukhtar Ibrahim Maccido, a former Provost, Federal College of Education, Zaria, Kaduna State and one Annas Shehu, a business man and Managing Director, Bilnas Printing Press. He was arraigned before Justice Kabiru Dabo of the Kaduna State High Court sitting in Zaria, Kaduna State on five count charge bord ering on Conspiracy, Diversion of Funds meant for the college through award of phony contracts and receiving gratification. Their trouble started when the Zonal Office received a petition by Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) in August, 2018 on the fraudulent activities of the College officials. The petitioner alleged that the management College, between 2010 to date conspired and diverted funds meant for the college through award of phony contracts, disbursement of funds for fake studies and conferences. The petitioner further alleged that the management staff acquired

     As part of efforts to ensure total compliance with the Lagos State Government's directive on the partial closure of business to control the spread of Coronavirus, the Lagos State Consumer Protection Agency (LASCOPA) has engaged market leaders and traders. According to the General Manager of the Agency, Mrs. Kemi Olugbode, the engagement became necessary in order to educate traders and consumers on t he COVID-19 pandemic while also promoting and protecting consumer-rights to safety. Speaking further, she said that during the engagement at the Balogun Market, one of the Market leaders who is also the APC Ward B3 Chairman for Lagos Island, Alhaji Babajide Ibrahim, promised that the market executives will ensure proper sensitisation of all traders within the market He stated that the market leaders will take the enlightenment round the market today so as to ensure that all traders comply with directives on the partial closure of some markets. The Chairman, Market Parkin

      Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) enforcement unit has dislodged scavengers from its landfills, as a precautionary measure against further spread of coronavirus and other dangerous diseases. Commenting on the enforcement, the Chief Operating Officer of LAWMA, Mr. Ibrahim Odumboni, said the action was necessitated by the need to comply with the Governor’s directive that all necessary steps be taken to curb the spread of Coronav irus and other dangerous diseases in the State. He noted that the prevailing situation requires that no opportunity should be created for the disease to spread further through any outlet. “This action is a precautionary measure to prevent any possible hazard. We know that there are a couple of scavengers on the landfills and the nature of their work pre-disposes them to danger. We do not want a situation where a problem breaks out and begins to go round the city. It is a pro-active step to prevent any untoward development”, Odumboni said. H

           President Muhammadu Buhari sends condolences to government and people of Cross River State, and National Assembly over passing of the Senator representing Cross River North, Rose Okoji Oko. The President believes the senator’s historic service to the nation at the National Assembly, starting out at House of Representatives and, later, at the Senate, will always be remembered, affirming that her long stay at the legislature clearly testify  to her popularity and acceptance. As one of the women who championed development issues at the National Assembly, especially on girl-child education and health, President Buhari notes, with sadness, that her voice, intelligence and experience will be sorely missed, and the promise of a brighter political career would not be realized. President Buhari commiserates with family of the deceased, her friends and political associates, praying that the almighty God will continue to comfort them, while urging them to find strength and sola

      Following his close contact with the Bauchi State Governor, Senator Bala Muhammed and Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, who have both tested positive for coronavirus, the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has gone into self-isolation. In a statement, Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, said the governor has sent his samples for testi ng. Osagie said, “The governor has gone into self-isolation after the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed and Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, tested positive for coronavirus. “The governor had met Senator Mohammed at the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and National Economic Council (NEC) meetings. He also visited Mr. Kyari.” He said although the governor is not showing any symptoms of the virus, he has taken the necessary precaution to self-isolate to protect people that may otherwise come in contact with him.

       A report by Daily Trust indicates that Frank Okiye, the speaker of the Edo state House of Assembly, has tested positive for the global pandemic called coronavirus. The information was disclosed by the Edo state deputy governor, Philip Shaibu while briefing journalists on Wednesday, March 25. According to Shaibu, Edo state is already taking measures to tackle further spread of the virus in the state.

      Coronavirus update: A $20 trillion lawsuit has been filed against Chinese authorities in the US over coronavirus outbreak. American lawyer Larry Klayman and his advocacy group Freedom Watch along with Texas company Buzz Photos have filed the lawsuit against the Chinese government, Chinese army, the Wuhan Institute of Virology, Director of Wuhan Institute of Virology Shi Zhengli and Chinese army's Major  General Chen Wei. The plaintiffs have sought $20 trillion, which is a bigger amount than China's GDP, claiming coronavirus is the result of a biological weapon prepared by the Chinese authorities. They have accused China of aiding and abetting death, provision of material support to terrorists, conspiracy to cause injury and death of US citizens, negligence, wrongful death, and assault and battery. They allege the virus had released from the Wuhan Virology Institute. The plaintiffs stated that the COVID-19 virus was "designed" by China to kill mass popula