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Imo Assembly Shut As Lawmaker Tests Positive for Coronavirus
The Imo State House of Assembly has been shut down for two weeks following a lawmaker in the state who tested positive for Coronavirus.
The Chairman of the State Task Force on COVID-19, Maurice Iwu, disclosed this while briefing journalists in Owerri on Tuesday.
Mr Iwu said the assembly had been shut down because of the development to enable the team to fumigate the whole assembly.
He said samples of the other 26 legislators and their aides have been taken for testing.
The task-force chairman also announced the death of a woman, who died of the virus shortly after being delivered of a set of twins at a hospital in Owerri.
“Currently, we registered one death of a lady who successfully delivered a set of twins.
“Also, we have a positive case from the state assembly as such have to collect samples from all house members and their aides.
“Also, the House of Assembly is to be shut down for two weeks to fumigate the place following a laid down strategic plan,” he said.
Mr Iwu further explained that the team had embarked on enhanced screening of people to know if they had Severe Acute Respiratory Symptom (SARS).
“A total of 760 samples have so far been tested in the state with 135 coming out positive. We have 92 active cases while 43 persons have been discharged,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the death of the woman brought to two the number of deaths arising from COVID-19 in the state.
“COVID-19 is not only a public health crisis but more of a social disharmony hence the need for social harmony through social distancing,” Mr Iwu said.
He added that there were four persons currently at the Federal Medical Centre isolation centre, four at WODDI centre and some others at other isolation centres.
Mr Iwu disclosed that the house of assembly member was isolated with the wife.
The chairman urged Imo people to continue to observe the existing protocols of wearing masks, washing of hands with water, applying alcohol based sanitizer as well as physical distancing.
NAN
The Supreme Court has vacated the order of the Court of Appeal which barred the recognition of David Mark as the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
The apex court on Thursday held that the preservative order by the Court of Appeal was in bad faith, unnecessary, unwarranted and improper.
In a unanimous judgment of the Supreme Court, Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba held that the Court of Appeal ought not to have made such order because it was not sought by any of the parties in the matter.
The Court of Appeal had issued an order of status quo antem bellum upon which the ADC exco under David Mark was de-recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
With the vacation of the order, David Mark and the other national officers are to be recognized as ADC leaders by the electoral body.
The convention produced the Tanimu Turaki-led factional national executives of the party.
Attention has shifted to the Supreme Court, which has fixed April 30 (today) for judgment in the leadership tussle within the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
A five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba will resolve the appeal filed by the David Mark-led faction concerning the authentic leadership of the party.
Also on Thursday, the court is expected to determine the leadership dispute rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Two PDP factions—one led by Kabir Turaki and the other by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike—are laying claim to the leadership of the party.
The Supreme Court had on April 22 reserved judgment in the ADC crisis to a date to be communicated to the parties involved in the tussle.
However, on Tuesday, the ADC formally wrote to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, pleading for the quick delivery of judgment in the leadership tussle at the national level.
The party claimed it would suffer irreparable harm if judgment in the protracted battle was not delivered within the period allowed by the Electoral Act for fielding candidates for the 2027 general elections.
It stated in part: “Without the delivery of judgment within the next three days from the date of this letter, the ADC stands the grave and irreversible risk of being excluded from participating in the 2027 general elections.
“This would disenfranchise millions of Nigerians who have subscribed to the ideals of the ADC and deny them their constitutional right to freely associate and contest elections through a political party of their choice.”
At the April 22 hearing, Jibrin Okutepa, SAN, who represented David Mark, urged the Supreme Court to allow the appeal, arguing that the apex court had earlier, on March 21, 2025, held that “no court has jurisdiction to entertain matters bordering on the internal affairs of political parties.”
During the hearing, Okutepa urged the apex court to hold that the Federal High Court in Abuja lacked jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
However, Robert Emukperu, SAN, who represented the first respondent, Nafiu Gombe, urged the court to dismiss the appeal and affirm the judgment of the lower court, which held that the suit was premature.
It will be recalled that a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal dismissed Mark’s appeal, ruling that it was premature and filed without leave of the trial court.
In the PDP matter, the first appeal, marked SC/CV/164/2026, stems from a decision of Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, who restrained the party from proceeding with its planned convention pending the determination of a suit filed by former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido.
On November 14, the court issued a final order restraining the PDP from conducting its national convention.
Justice Lifu held that Lamido was “unjustly denied” the opportunity to obtain a nomination form to contest for national chairman, in violation of the PDP constitution and internal regulations.
The Court of Appeal later upheld the decision on March 9, prompting the PDP to appeal.
The second appeal, SC/CV/166/2026, was filed by the PDP, its National Working Committee (NWC), and National Executive Committee (NEC).
It arose from a judgment delivered by Justice James Omotosho, which stopped the party from holding its Ibadan national convention.
The Court of Appeal upheld that decision, agreeing that INEC should not validate the outcome of the convention.
After hearing all arguments, the Supreme Court reserved judgment, stating that the date would be communicated to the parties.
