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Bishop TD Jakes sues Pastor Youngblood over sexual abuse allegations days after medical attack

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US televangelist, Bishop T.D. Jakes has filed a defamation lawsuit Monday against a fellow minister, Duane Youngblood, who has accused him of attempted sexual assault.

The suit was filed after Jakes on Sunday suffered a medical attack at his Dallas megachurch.

Duane Youngblood, 57, a Pennsylvania man who Jakes’ suit notes is on parole after felony convictions for sexual assault and corruption of minors, made the allegations in two recent appearances on the “Larry Reid Live” YouTube talk show. “The Abused Become the Abuser” episodes. Youngblood’s claims went viral.

The suit says a lawyer claiming to represent Youngblood sent Jakes a Nov. 15 letter demanding $6 million from Jakes after the episodes aired.

The suit, which includes denials by Jakes’ legal team of Youngblood’s accusations that Jakes tried to groom and sexually abuse him, was filed the day after Jakes was viewed at his Sunday service having an unspecified medical problem.

In the midst of a prayer after preaching at The Potter’s House, Jakes is seen lowering his mic and shaking in the chair where he was seated. About a dozen people ran to his side and congregants stretched out their hands toward him as they began praying for him.

On Wednesday, a video of Jakes appearing to be departing a Dallas medical facility, was posted on social media accounts of The Potter’s House with a statement from him about his plans to rest after an episode that “could’ve been fatal if it weren’t for God’s intervention.”

“Didn’t have to turn out this way. Just grateful. Not afraid to die. Don’t want to hurt my kids and the people who love me, the church who needs me, the world who called me, the God who sent me,” Jakes said in the video.

The legal team for Jakes, 67, an author, evangelist and business executive, told the New York Post earlier that he is recuperating from the weekend medical incident and continuing to undergo testing after experts determined he did not have a stroke.

“At the conclusion of yesterday’s service, after ministering for nearly an hour and a half, Bishop Jakes experienced a moment that brought him face-to-face with his own humanity,” the team said.

“He is doing well and remains under medical supervision. Medical professionals have ruled out a stroke, but continue testing.”

In the Oct. 28 YouTube interview, Youngblood described himself as someone who was recently released from prison after violating his parole and as a person who was abused by other ministers. He alleged that as a teenager he ended a long discussion with Jakes in a private home after Jakes had preached at the church of the homeowner.

“When I started to walk past him, he pulled me to himself, wrapped his arms around me, and tried to kiss me,” Youngblood alleged on the show and was quoted in the lawsuit.

Youngblood claimed Jakes called him the next day, from a bathtub, with a three-point plan.

“He says to me, without any hesitation, ‘There’s three things I need you to do,’” Youngblood alleged on the October show that Jakes told him. “‘The first one is, when I come to Pittsburgh you’re going to be the only person I sleep with. The second one is, you can’t sleep with anybody else because I don’t want to give my wife anything. And thirdly, I will take care of you the rest of your life.’”

Jakes’ lawsuit denies all Youngblood’s accusations and makes a direct link between Jakes’ medical state and Youngblood’s allegations, which Jakes’ suit calls “false and defamatory” and “as damaging and damning as anyone can make about a prominent pastor and spiritual leader.”

“Youngblood’s intentional and malicious lies have taken a substantial emotional and physical toll on Bishop Jakes,”reads the suit. “On November 24—the day before he filed this action—Bishop Jakes suffered a medical crisis on stage in the middle of his Sunday service in front of his entire church.”

The complaint also argues that Youngblood’s accusations create a setback for those with true abuse claims.

“Bishop Jakes believes with all his heart that actual victims of sexual abuse should be treated with the utmost respect, kindness, empathy, and sympathy—and that true perpetrators of such abuse should be held accountable for their actions,” the suit continues. “But that is not the case here.”

The suit also claims Youngblood changed his story about his age when the alleged events occurred, saying in the demand letter that he might have been 17 when on the show he suggested his age would have been 18 or 19.

And the suit describes Youngblood reiterating on a Nov. 3 interview with Reid some allegations he stated days before in the first interview, including that, when he allegedly confronted Jakes years later and asked Jakes the reason for the alleged abuse, “Bishop Jakes told me the reason he did this and said this to me was because his stock was rising and he would have slept with anybody.”

Jakes also has been the subject of allegations of sexual misconduct, including at parties hosted by hip-hop mogul Sean “Diddy” Combs, which have put Jakes in headlines.

 

 

 

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Breaking: Court of Appeal rules in favour of Turaki -led PDP candidate for Osun governorship election

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The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, on Thursday, ruled that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Gubernatorial Candidate in Osun State was validly nominated by the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee.

The court also ordered INEC to list the PDP logo on the ballot ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial election.

The Court held that access code is neither a creation of the Constitution nor the Electoral Act; rather, a creation of INEC’s guidelines and cannot, in any way, override the provisions of the Constitution.

Section 288 of the Constitution does not specify the method for nominating candidates; it only states that the names of candidates should be forwarded to the Commission.

The court further held that the defendant (INEC) should take steps to include the name of the appellant on the ballot paper.

Additionally, the court ruled that the primary election conducted by the Tanimu Turaki-led National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP was a valid primary election in law.

The three-man panel of justices—Justice Mahmud, Justice Jaro, and Justice Ankawere, was unanimous in its judgment.

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Breaking: NHRC sets up situation room to monitor and document hate speech, intimidation, threat to life ahead 2027

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The national Human Rights Commission, NHRC, has set up a situation room to monitor and document all incidences of hate speech, intimidation and threat to life by politicians and other actors ahead of the 2027 general election.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed concerns over rising incidences of hate speech, intimidation and outright threat to life by highly placed individuals, especially politicians and religious leaders.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chef Tony Ojukwu, SAN, revealed this on Thursday in Abuja at a press conference.

He said the situation room would enable the Commission harvest data, analysis and document persons, agencies and others involved in the negative statements in order to ensure they are properly tracked and brought to book by relevant agencies.

Ojukwu also took journalists on a tour of the newly set up situation room.

 

Details later…..

 

 

 

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Breaking: NHRC expresses concern over rising incidences of hate speech, threat to life ahead 2027 elections

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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed concerns over rising incidences of hate speech, intimidation and outright threat to life by highly placed individuals, especially politicians and religious leaders.

At a press conference in Abuja Thursday, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Chef Tony Ojukwu, SAN, recalled statements credited to Senator Francis Fadahunsi and Sheikh Yahya Jingir and described the das dangerous with capacity to set the nation ablaze.

He called on politicians, religious and traditional rulers, among other stakeholders to call their supporters and faithful to orders.

He urged government to act before rhetorics turn to violence, saying the forthcoming election in Osun State should serve as example of Nigeria’s capacity to conduct political contest in compliance with international best practices.

Details later…..

 

 

 

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