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Party Politics: No Plan To Rejoin APC-Governor Ortom

Itohan Olomu-Agbodo
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Party Politics: No Plan To Rejoin APC-Governor Ortom

Governor Samuel Ortom says he has no plan to return to the All Progressives Congress which he left for the Peoples Democratic Party to win a second term as Benue governor.

This is contained in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Terver Akase, and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria in Makurdi on Thursday.

According to the statement, although, the governor was contacted by some notable persons to dump the PDP he, however, declined the invitation.

The statement partly read, “We have read some mischievous statements by members of the opposition in Benue State insinuating that Gov. Samuel Ortom plans to rejoin All Progressives Congress.

“Those involved in the impish allegation are clearly doing so to soothe their stuck-up apprehensions.

“Why will Gov. Ortom return to APC? To do what?

“It is true that the governor was contacted by some notable persons to defect from Peoples Democratic Party, but he declined the invitation.”

The statement further explained that Ortom, who is the leader of the PDP in the North Central, had robust relationship with other leaders of the party within the region and needed not to leave the party.

 “Gov Ortom is the leader of PDP in North Central Nigeria, and he is enjoying a robust relationship with other leaders of the party in Benue State and the entire region.

“It is, therefore, ridiculous for anyone to insinuate that the governor has the intention to leave PDP.”

FOREX: Naira Sinks To 620 Against Pound, Euro Rises

Itohan Olomu-Agbodo
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FOREX: Naira Sinks To 620 Against Pound, Euro Rises

The naira tumbled to 620 against the British pound sterling at the parallel market on Thursday, even as the euro rose to N565.

The naira fell by 2.1 per cent against the pound from 607 on Wednesday, and by 1.4 per cent against the euro from 560.

The local currency was, however, stable against the dollar at the parallel market as it traded at 478/$1. It dropped from 475/$1 on Tuesday to 478/$1 on Wednesday.

In the Investors’ and Exporters’ forex window, the naira firmed to 385.50 against the greenback on Thursday from 386 on Wednesday as daily turnover rose to $205.84m from $32.88m on Wednesday, according to data obtained from FMDQ Group.

The Central Bank of Nigeria has kept the official exchange rate at N379/$1 since August, when the naira was devalued for the second time this year from 360 per dollar. It was first devalued to 360 in March from 306.

The nation’s forex reserves stood at $35.54bn as of November 17, down from $35.69bn on October 28, according to the CBN.

The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Mr Johnson Chukwu, had told our correspondent on Monday that forex demand pressures were coming from end-users and those whose obligations had matured and in need of forex to meet the obligations.

“There is a lot of unmet demand,” Chukwu had said, adding that pressure was mounting even as the CBN continued to intervene in the market.

Developmental Delay: Signs that your toddler’s physical development might be delayed

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Developmental Delay: Signs that your toddler’s physical development might be delayed

Developmental milestones are the big moments parents look out for when their children grow up. Their first words, the first time they crawl, their first grip, and first steps. These are moments that alert mom and dad that their baby is growing and developing well.

However, some children might experience a developmental delay.

What does developmental delay mean?

Doctors use this term when a child doesn’t reach developmental milestones within the broad range of what’s considered normal. The delay might be in one or more areas:

  • Gross and fine motor skills (such as walking and scribbling with a crayon)
  • Communication and language skills (receptive, which relates to understanding, and expressive, which relates to speaking)
  • Self-help skills (like toilet training and dressing)
  • Social skills (such as making eye contact and playing with others).

“It’s important to remember that while development tends to unfold in a typical progression, most babies crawl before they walk, make sounds before they say their first word – children develop at different rates and in different ways,” says Claire Lerner, child development specialist at Zero to Three, a non-profit organisation promoting the healthy development of children.

Although children develop at different rates, there are some signs that shouldn’t be ignored. The sooner the problem is detected, the better it can be treated.

According to the Centres for Disease and Control and Prevention, “children develop at their own pace, so it’s impossible to tell exactly when a child will learn a given skill. However, the developmental milestones give a general idea of the changes to expect as a child gets older.”

10 potential red flags that your child may have a motor development delay:

  1. Your child’s motor skills are regressing.
  2. Your child’s limbs seem stiff.
  3. Your child’s muscles seem floppy and loose.
  4. Your child doesn’t walk by 18 months.
  5. Your child walks on her toes.
  6. Your child favours one hand or side of her body.
  7. Your child seems very clumsy.
  8. Your child is constantly moving.
  9. Your child has trouble grasping and manipulating objects.
  10. Your child drools and has difficulty eating.

What to do if you are concerned?

The CDC recommends that you should see your doctor if you are concerned or “if you think there could be a problem with the way your child plays, learns, speaks, acts, and moves.”

Use a checklist to see if your child is reaching age-appropriate milestones, and if not, ask your doctor for a referral and screening. The earlier delay is identified, the sooner it can be addressed.

UK scientist invents face mask that ‘kills more than 90% of COVID-19’

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UK scientist invents face mask that ‘kills more than 90% of COVID-19’

A scientist in Nottingham, Gareth Cave, has invented a face mask that “kills more than 90% of flu and coronavirus”.

Cave, a scientist and nanotechnology expert at Nottingham Trent University, said the new masks are due to go into production in Nottingham late November and he hopes they will be commercially available from December.

According to Daily Mail, the face masks will be available for healthcare, transport and food service settings.

The new mask is said to use a copper lining which kills the virus rather than blocking or trapping it.

The anti-viral face covering features a fluid-repellent outer layer that reduces the inhalation of droplets that carry the disease.

The face mask features five layers, including an antiviral layer made of nano-copper.

There is also a copper lining embedded in the mask which releases ions that kill the virus if they come into contact with it.

During tests, the face mask reportedly showed the ability to kill more than 90% of coronavirus and influenza viruses over seven hours, and had a filtration efficiency of 99.98%.

“The mask we’ve developed has been proven to inactivate viruses upon contact; the antiviral layer kills virus which has been blocked by the filter layers,” Gareth said.

“The challenge with conventional surgical-type masks is that they only block virus from entering or exiting the mask. They don’t have an active mechanism for killing it once it’s trapped in the mask.

“Our new antiviral mask has been designed to utilise the existing barrier technology and combine it with our nanotechnology to kill the virus once it is trapped there.

“We’ve added the barrier layer to both sides of the mask so not only does it protect the wearer but also those around. By killing the virus on contact, it also means that the used face mask can be safely disposed of and not be a potential source of passive transfer.

“It’s exciting to see our technology move forward and make a real impact towards the fight against the spread of COVID-19.”

Will Introduction Of SAFE Votes Act Douse Widespread Concerns About US 2020 Election Integrity – Article

Elizabeth Williams
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Will Introduction Of SAFE Votes Act Douse Widespread Concerns About US 2020 Election Integrity – Article

For some who may be wondering, why talk about US Election integrity now. It started with a Federal Election Reform,Dubbed the Carter-Baker commission, it was co-chaired by former President Jimmy Carter, a Democrat, and former Secretary of State James Baker, a Republican. It addressed issues such as ballot harvesting and removing the names of dead voters from the registration rolls.

The Carter-Baker commission completed its report in 2005 with 87 recommendations for how to ensure election integrity. The report determined that mail-in votes “remain the largest source of potential voter fraud.”

The survival of the nation’s democratic republic depends upon “Americans’ belief that their vote counts and their continued faith in the fairness and security of our electoral process,” said Hans von Spakovsky, a senior legal fellow at The Heritage Foundation who oversees the think tank’s Election Law Reform Initiative.

Introducing SAFE Votes Act

Aim: Securing America’s Federal Elections Act or the SAFE Act

This bill addresses election security through grant programs and requirements for voting systems and paper ballots.

The bill establishes requirements for voting systems, including that systems (1) use individual, durable, voter-verified paper ballots; (2) make a voter’s marked ballot available for inspection and verification by the voter before the vote is cast; (3) ensure that individuals with disabilities are given an equivalent opportunity to vote, including with privacy and independence, in a manner that produces a voter-verified paper ballot; (4) be manufactured in the United States; and (5) meet specified cybersecurity requirements, including the prohibition of the connection of a voting system to the internet.

Introduced in May 14, 2019 by Rep. Lofgren, Zoe [D-CA-19]; Passed by the House on June 27, 2019. Received in the Senate on June 28, 2019 and Read twice then referred to the Committee on Rules and Administration.

The SAFE Votes Act would require Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to appoint nine of the commission’s members, one of whom would serve as chairperson. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., would appoint the other nine, including a co-chair.

Appointed members must be “geographically balanced and shall include representatives of federal, state, and local governments and of the legal, cybersecurity, and election administration and technology communities,” according to the legislation.

If the bill is passed and signed into law, McConnell and Pelosi would have 90 days to make their appointments.

The 18 commission members would have a little less than a year to produce recommendations and a list of best election practices “to improve the security, integrity, and administration of federal elections,” the bill states.

The panel also would be tasked with making best-practices recommendations for state and local elections, specifically how to ensure free and fair elections amid the coronavirus pandemic or other national emergencies.

The introduction of the SAFE Votes Act comes amid widespread concerns over the integrity of the 2020 election and increased mail-in voting imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Proposing Bipartisan Commission To Review 2020 Election

On November 12, 2020 U.S. Senators Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.) introduced the Securing America’s Future Elections and Votes (SAFE Votes) Act to create a bipartisan commission to review the 2020 election and report to Congress with recommendations to strengthen election integrity going forward.

It is called Securing America’s Future Election and Votes Act

It would create a bipartisan commission to review the 2020 election and report to Congress recommendations to strengthen election integrity for the future.Nine Republicans and nine Democrats would be appointed to the commission if the bill passes.

The commission would investigate:

  • The effects of national emergencies like the coronavirus on our election system,
  • The security risks facing mail-in ballots, and
  • The extent of voter fraud in our election system.

The commission would also develop best practices for mitigating fraud and increasing election security at the local, state, and federal levels.

“Americans should have total confidence that every legal vote is counted,” Loeffler said. “What is clear from the 2020 presidential election is that serious oversight of the administering of our nation’s elections is long overdue. I am proud to join Senator Perdue in proposing an in-depth review in order to protect the integrity of future elections.”

“Our democracy depends on the integrity of our elections. Every legal vote must be counted, and any illegal vote must not be counted,” Perdue said. “Many Americans have serious questions about how the 2020 election was administered, and they deserve answers. We need a clear picture of where things went wrong and how we can fix it going forward. The SAFE Votes Act will create a bipartisan commission to review the recent election and identify ways to mitigate fraud, improve transparency, and strengthen election integrity.”

U.S. Senators Kelly Loeffler (R-Ga.) and David Perdue (R-Ga.) introduce (SAFE Votes) Act to create a bipartisan commission to review 2020 election

A Look At Electoral Count Act of 1887

The Electoral Count Act, or the Electoral Count Act of 1887, Pub.L. 49–90, 24 Stat. 373 is a United States federal law establishing procedures for the counting of electoral votes by Congress following a presidential election. The law has subsequently been codified, with some modifications, into positive law[1] in Title 3, Chapter 1 of the United States Code, which also contains other provisions related to presidential elections and vacancies. The law was enacted in the aftermath of the disputed 1876 presidential election, in which several states submitted competing slates of electors and a divided Congress was unable to resolve the deadlock.

The central provisions of the law have not been seriously tested in a disputed election, the closest approach being in the 2000 election, which was ultimately resolved before the electors cast their votes.

Looking at the unprecedented 2020 election irregularities and allegations that have led to litigation, questions remain will the time frame for stipulated results declaration exceed the constitutional timing, all things been equal? or with the impact of the pandemic give room for an extension.

Reps. Jim Jordan and James Comer Call For An Immediate Congressional Investigation Of The 2020 Election

Henry Williams
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Reps. Jim Jordan and James Comer Call For An Immediate Congressional Investigation Of The 2020 Election

Not all Representatives are trying to protect their political career some are actually fighting for the President and America.

Representatives Jim Jordan of Ohio and James Comer of Kentucky have decided to wage war against the 2020 election fraud.

Jordan and Comer wrote a letter to the Committee Chairs Jerrold Nadler and Carolyn Maloney demanding the 2020 election to have a full investigation.

Jim Jordan has been most people’s favorite Republican in the House of Representatives due to the fact he’s not afraid to speak the truth.

Hats off to both Jordan and Comer for not backing down in a fight against the political machine of correctness.

Defence Operations:Troops tracking down bandits’ collaborators

Itohan Olomu-Agbodo
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Defence Operations:Troops tracking down bandits’ collaborators

The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations. Maj. Gen. John Enenche, has said that the Armed Forces were intensifying operations to track down and arrest those collaborating with bandits in parts of the country.

Enenche said that the military was devising and deploying new strategies daily to address insecurity, noting that once it was able to crack down on the collaborators, banditry would be curbed.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Thursday during his weekly briefing, Enenche also disclosed that a number of collaborators had been arrested at different locations by troops, adding that three bandits’ accomplices were arrested in the North- West between November 12 and 18, 2020.

He noted that the bandits also suffered heavy casualties as several of them were killed while many others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds.

The Defence operations spokesman said, “Based on credible information that a suspected bandit was sighted at Kukar Samu village in Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State, troops mobilised to the scene and arrested two suspected bandits’ collaborators named Nura Ibrahim and Abdullahi Yusuf while trying to escape with motorcycle belonging to bandits who fled on sighting troops.”

“One Sabe Iliya from Muniya village in Safana LGA was also apprehended while pretending to be a farmer but was identified by locals as an informant,” Enenche added.

The CDMO further explained that a large cache of arms and ammunition and other items were captured by troops during the operations in the North-West while identified bandits’ camps were also destroyed.

Speaking on the activities of the troops of Operation Hadarin Daji and other subsidiary operations, the General said that they have sustained their operations aggressively with noticeable successes.

He disclosed that the troops within the period carried out series of clearance operations, ambushes and aerial patrols, adding that on November 15, troops of Operation Accord while on night patrol at Yar Tasha village engaged some bandits in a firefight.

“During the encounter, three bandits were neutralized while others escaped with varying degrees of gunshot wounds. Three AK 47 rifles were recovered during the operation.

“Same day, troops deployed at Ungwan Doka rescued one kidnapped victim named, Adamu Yahaya. Preliminary investigation revealed that the victim was kidnapped at Unguwar Sa’ida village in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State. The victim has been reunited with his family,” the DHQ disclosed.

#EndSARS: Nigeria’s Minister Of Information Says Lekki Incident ‘Massacre Without Bodies’

Itohan Olomu-Agbodo
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#EndSARS: Nigeria’s Minister Of Information Says Lekki Incident ‘Massacre Without Bodies’

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed on Thursday said the October 20 Lekki shootings were a “massacre without bodies”, reiterating the federal government’s position that military men did not shoot at protesters, despite damning evidence to the contrary.

The Minister made the remark at a press conference in Abuja.

His comments come a day after US-based media, CNN, published a report which, using cellphone videos obtained from witnesses, showed Nigerian soldiers shooting at unarmed protesters at the Lekki toll-gate.

Mr. Mohammed tagged the CNN report as promoting a baseless and preconceived narrative.

He said that the mainstream media should confirm the veracity of footage used before airing.

He also added that the government will work with stakeholders to curb fake news on social media.

BIDEN PRESIDENCY A THREAT TO RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

Henry Williams
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BIDEN PRESIDENCY A THREAT TO RELIGIOUS LIBERTY

As the challenges in Arizona, Georgia, and Pennsylvania close, it is virtually certain Joe Biden will not be the next President of the United States regardless of leftist propaganda.

Many people have different views on Donald Trump, but in terms of defending the unborn, promoting religious liberty, and opposing the radical socialist agenda of the left, President Trump has been the best American President since Ronald Reagan.

Can you imagine Joe Biden’s America and how his presidency will impact our grassroots advocacy worldwide?

I can.

How far will it extend?

As you may know, Joe Biden is a career politician who has served lobbyists and the radical Left in Washington D.C. for more than 43 years. During his time in the U.S. Senate and more recently during his time as Vice President during the Barack Obama years, he has:

  • Supported restoring U.S. federal funding to the abortion lobby worldwide, rescinding the pro-life Mexico City Policy and Hyde Amendment.
  • Funneled U.S. taxpayer dollars overseas to kill unborn babies, sterilize women from developing countries, and provide unfettered access to unsafe birth control.
  • Approved the use of federal funds to pay for abortions across America.
  • Exported the radical LGBTQ agenda as a staple to U.S. foreign policy by using American foreign aid funds to pressure countries to support same-sex marriage, same-sex adoption, and gender ideology.
  • Negotiated and supported the U.S. position in favor of population control tactics (i.e. sterilizations and abortion) agreed to in the Paris Climate Accord.
  • Made abortion and  LGBTQ a pivotal foreign policy agenda in Africa.

Over the last four years, we can genuinely say that we made so much progress to support Christian values with Donald J. Trump as President of the United States (both in the US and all over the world).

Make no mistake, President Trump is not an example of moral purity. He is a deeply flawed human being, but despite this, he stood strong for the protection of religious liberty, enabling environment  for the gospel to be preached and rights of parents at many levels.

One thing is certain, as we resist the bullying and the “culture of death” from the Radical Left, we must continue to pray for the natural family, and Christian liberty knowing that this is our agenda.

The faithful there in the United States and around the world will count on you and me to defend religious freedom from their radical ideologies in prayer and in action and resist being swayed by personal interest.

There is only one interest and one side for the Christian and it is Christ. The mandate to seek first the kingdom hasn’t changed.

A Joe Biden presidency will be a hard hit for our values. It would me more difficulty for the body of Christ as he has the support of the establishment: large tech industry, globalists, radicals, media, pop culture influencers, and the Hollywood elites.

Across the world, there is growing resistance to the power-grabs and ever more radical demands of Extreme Left, the abortion industry and the LGBTQ totalitarian lobby.

That is why despite the Left’s attempt to hijack the future, we must remain steadfast in prayer and commitment to our primary call, the knowledge of the gospel.

Prices of beans, onions, vegetable oil, others spike across major markets, as traders lament heightened insecurity

Emenike Agu
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Prices of beans, onions, vegetable oil, others spike across major markets, as traders lament heightened insecurity

Nigerians have been hard hit with further increase in the prices of food items as beans, onions, vegetable oil, palm oil, and several others recorded a significant price increase in November. This is according to the latest Household Market Survey conducted by researchers.

In the latest household market survey, prices of major food items recorded significant increase across markets in Lagos State, as traders lament heightened level of insecurity such as banditry and kidnapping in the country, leading to scarcity and the subsequent hike in the prices of various food items.

According to the report, a big bag of white beans now sells for an average of N42,000, indicating a 31.3% in price compared to N32,000 recorded in October. A big bag of Onion also spiked by 48.7% to sell for an average of N82,500. Vegetable oil (25 litres) that was sold for an average of N14,625 in October, witnessed a 13.33% increase in price to sell for an average of N16,575.

However, some food items such as sweet potatoes, tomatoes, and pepper recorded slight reduction after recent months in snowballed prices.. in September a big basket of pepper jumped by 23.1%, while a big basket of round shaped tomatoes increased by 9.1%.

This report contains information on items that witnessed price increase, price decrease, as well as information on special markets and insights.

Items that witnessed price increase

  • A 50kg bag of white beans currently sells for an average of N42,000, 31.25% increase compared to an initial average of N32,000.
  • A 50kg bag of brown beans increased by 27.27% to sell for an average of N42,000, as against N33,000 recorded in October.
  • A carton of turkey that was sold for an average of N18,333 in October, now sells for N19,000 — indicating an increase of 3.64%.
  • A big bag of dry onion spiked by 48.65% to sell for an average of N82,500, compared to an initial average of N55,000 recorded in October 2020.
  • Also, a big bag of new onion increased by 62.2%, from an average of N41,000 to sell for N66,500.
  • A big bag of melon that was initially sold for an average of N46,500 now sells for an average of N47,500. This represents a price increase of 12.15% in one month.
  • A 25 litres gallon of vegetable oil that was sold for an average of N14,625 in October, witnessed a 13.33% increase in price to sell for an average of N16,575. While a 5 litres gallon now sells for an average of N3,375 compared to an initial value of N3,100.
  • A 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas that was refilled for an average of N3,275 in October, now costs an average of N3,450 –indicating a 5.34% increase in price.
  • While a 5kg cylinder is now filled for an average of N1,625 as against an initial average of N1,375. This represents a price increase of 18.18%.
  • A 25 litres gallon of locally made palm oil increased by 6.19% to sell for an average of N12,875 compared to N12,125 recorded in October.
  • Also, the price of a 5-litre gallon increased by 11.58% to sell for an average of N2,650.

Items that witnessed price decrease

  • A big basket of round shaped tomatoes now sells for an average of N12,000, as against an initial average of N14,000 — representing a 14.29% decline
  • A big basket of oval-shaped tomatoes also recorded a price decrease of 35.29% to sell for an average of N11,000, as against an initial average of N17,000.
  • The price of a carton of full chicken declined by 2.3% to sell for an average of N14,167 compared to an initial average of N14,500.
  • Also, a carton of chicken lap now sells for an average of N14,000 as against N14,333 recorded last month (October 2020).
  • A big bag of pepper now sells for an average of N7,500. This represents a 55.88% decline in price compared to N17,000 recorded last month.
  • While the price of a medium-sized bag of pepper dipped by 55.56% to sell for an average of N4,000 relative to an initial average of N9,000.
  • A big tuber of yam that was initially sold for an average of N938 now sells for an average of N700, while a medium-sized tuber sells for an average of N513.
  • A big basket of Sweet Potatoes now sells for an average of N5,500. A reduction of 59.26% compared to N13,500 recorded in October.
  • Also, the price of a big basket of Irish potatoes, reduced by 6.98% to sell for an average of N20,000 from an initial average of N21,500.
  • A 50kg bag of flour also recorded a slight decrease in price as Dangote flour currently sells for an average of N13,800, Honeywell (N13,950), and Mama Gold for an average of N13,850.
  • The decline in the price of flour translated to a slight decrease in the price of bread as Val-U bread now sells for an average of N450, while Butterfield sells for an average of N438.

Items that maintained initial prices

  • A crate of egg continues to sell for an average of N1,200, same as recorded in October.
  • A big bag of yellow maize is still sold for an average of N20,167, while a bag of white maize cost an average of N20,000.
  • A 50kg bag of foreign rice (Royal Stallion) continues to sell for an average of N30,000, same as recorded in October.
  • Mama’s Pride rice (50 kg) still sells for an average of N25,500.
  • A bag of yellow maize sells for an average of N20,167, the same as recorded in October, while white maize of the same size still sells for an average of N20,000.
  • Amongst the list of food items that maintained their initial prices include; noodles, smaller variants of Sweet and Irish potatoes, Beverages, Cocoa drinks, sugar, water, and juice.
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