Breaking News

Wuhan Lab Scientists Refute Coronavirus Origin Conspiracy Theories In NBC Interviews

Published

6 years ago

August 12, 2020

Scientists at the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) once again strongly refuted conspiracy theories that the novel coronavirus originated from the lab in interviews with NBC News that took place inside the institute.

On Friday, NBC News became the first foreign news organization to be granted access to the institute since the COVID-19 outbreak began, visiting the lab and meeting with scientists who had been working on the origin of the coronavirus.

Yuan Zhiming, vice director of the institute, reiterated that scientists at the facility obtained their first samples of the coronavirus after a pneumonia-like illness was firstly reported in Wuhan last December.

“I have repeatedly emphasized that it was on December 30 that we got contact with the samples of SARS-like pneumonia or pneumonia of unknown cause sent from the hospital,” Yuan said. “We have not encountered the novel coronavirus before that, and without this virus, there is no way that it is leaked from the lab.”

He said that regular health checks are conducted for the facility’s personnel. So far the institute has not encountered positive tests for the virus or its antibodies, which would suggest that a person had the virus at some point.

Wang Yanyi, director of the Wuhan Institute of Virology, said it is unfortunate that she and her colleagues had been targeted as a scapegoat for the origin of the virus.

“Any person would inevitably feel very angry or misunderstood being subject to unwarranted or malicious accusations while carrying out research and related work in the fight against the virus,” she said, urging those politics not cloud investigations into how the coronavirus spilled over into humans.

Wang said that none of the institute’s scientists contracted the virus, which she said made it extremely unlikely that the pathogen could have escaped from the facility.

Peter Daszak, president of EcoHealth Alliance, a New York City-based nonprofit dedicated to studying and preventing pandemics, worked with the Wuhan institute for 16 years until the U.S. government cut funding this year. He also rejected the idea that the virus could have leaked from the lab.

“The fact that they published the sequence so quickly suggests to me that they weren’t trying to cover up anything,” he said. There is “absolutely zero evidence that it escaped from a lab.”

In May, Anthony Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, also said there’s no scientific evidence the coronavirus was made or escaped from a Chinese lab.

Why is the lab targeted?

The WIV has become the focus of speculation, as the Trump administration has been fueling conspiracy theories that the virus was leaked from or even manufactured at the Wuhan lab, often through racist rhetoric, by regularly referring to the pathogen as the “China virus,” the “Wuhan virus” or “Kung flu.”

The White House has shown no credible proof to back up those claims, and neither has any other sources.

The WIV, founded in the 1950s, is a prominent research institute that enjoyed an even more elevated profile after it opened the BSL-4 lab in 2015, which is the first in China to receive the highest level of biosafety clearance.

NBC News wrote that the institute had become the target of conspiracy theories partly because it is equipped to study the world’s highest-risk infectious agents and toxins, like the latest coronavirus. During their five-hour tour, what the reporters saw were “technicians clad in bubble-like protective suits handled small vials and other equipment while sealed inside a thick-walled glass enclosure.”

Currently, scientists at the lab are focused on the coronavirus. But normally, work at the facility includes research on some of the most dangerous known viruses, such as Ebola.

Share on Facebook

Breaking News

HAPPENING NOW: Gale of defection hits Ebonyi NDC as EXCO members dump party over controversial primaries

Published

3 months ago

June 22, 2026

The Gleamer

There appears no end to the controversies trailing the conduct of the party primaries held by the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in different parts of the country on May 29.

The latest among the controversies is the gale of defection that hit the party in Ebonyi State, especially the resignation of the Executive Council (EXCO) members of the NDC.

As of the time of filing this report, over 11 members of the NDC State Executive Council in Ebonyi State have resigned from the party.

From letters obtained by our reporter on Monday, those who have resigned from the NDC in Ebonyi include the Deputy State Chairman; Comrade Okey Idenyi, State Secretary; Barrister Aduma Solomon Chinedu, State Youth Leader; Anthony Nwofe, Deputy State Youth Leader; Emenike Daniel Oroke.

Others are: State Welfare Officer; Hon. Ajah Cyril, five Local Government Area Party Chairmen, among others.

Reason for resignation
According to the resignation letters of the aforementioned members of the party, the decision to resign from the NDC is as a result of the conduct of the recent party primaries, which allegedly were highly compromised by a former governor of the state.

According to the aggrieved EXCO members, popular candidates of the party in the primary elections, including Architect Christian Asaga Nwali, PhD, were allegedly edged out in the primary election through a process that disregarded the will of party members and the masses.

The aggrieved EXCO members also alleged that the national leadership of the NDC prioritised not offending a former governor of the State, Senator Dr. Sam Egwu, over listening to the concerns of the grassroots.

“This decision follows the conduct of the recent party primaries, which were highly compromised by Dr. Sam Egwu, the recognized NDC leader in Ebonyi State. In our view, popular candidates including one “Double Chief” and others were allegedly edged out through a process that disregarded the will of party members and the masses.

“The National leadership prioritized not offending Dr. Sam Egwu over listening to the concerns of the grassroots. When a party abandons internal democracy and the voice of its base, it loses its foundation. More resignations are expected to follow. A party that cannot respect its own members cannot claim to represent the people,” they stated.

Deputy Chairman’s resignation letter
Meanwhile, in his resignation letter, addressed to the NDC Chairman, Ezillo Ward 2 in Ishielu LGA of Ebonyi State, dated June 21, 2026, the Deputy State Chairman, Comrade Okey Idenyi, lamented that his efforts to entrench the party in Ebonyi were betrayed, saying the process of the primary election was hijacked and that the outcome does not reflect the wishes of the people.

The letter read: “Sir, Politics they say is a game of interest. Before Mr Peter Obi joined the NDC, I had already made significant contributions to the development and formation of the party’s structure both in the state, LGAs and Wards. Precisely, I constituted the Structure of NDC in Ikwo, Ezza South, Ezza North, Ishielu and suggested names in other LGAs of Ebonyi State.

“I also made the payment for the office secretariat that is being used by the NDC in Ebonyi State. I hired labourers to clean up the space and made it look good for use. That is where the party still use till date.

“All these months I served as the State Deputy Chairman, I have taken pride that the NDC is a party that will provide credible leadership, transparency, accountability, Free, fare and sound internal reforms for the people, where the son of nobody could become somebody, whether the party is in power or outside power,

“Regrettably, in recent times, the party has taken a path that is in variance with my democratic belief and the new Nigeria project we envisage by organising a blanket primaries election, asking the party chairman to stay away from the venue, but stayed in a hotel to write results, which was later upheld as the authentic result after abandoning the other aspirants and their supporters at the party secretariat and the LGAs primary election venues. The process that made them candidates for the NDC in Ebonyi State is questionable and corrupt.

“I sincerely regret how the teeming supporters of the NDC were attacked and injured in some LGAs as they were abandoned with no one to address them at the venues slated for the Primary election but today, the news is that NDC Ebonyi State now has candidates.

“Despite my attempt to offer counsel, the party is, sadly no longer able to carry out its own rules or offer credible opposition going by so many corrupt activities going on in the party, both in the National leadership and in the States at the moment.

“It is in the light of the foregoing, that I am compelled to offer my resignation from the Nigeria Democratic Congress, effective immediately.

“While this decision was difficult to take, I, however, believe that it is in the best interest of my teaming supporters and the New Nigeria project. My resignation from NDC does not translate to quitting politics rather to align with my democratic principles and for the enthronment of good governance in Nigeria.

“Kindly ensure that my name is removed from the party’s physical and digital registers, structures, and all official mailing lists or communication platforms. I wish the NDC leadership well.”

Ebonyi Secretary resignation letter
Similarly, in his resignation letter, addressed to the NDC Chairman, Ndebor Ward in Ebonyi LGA, dated June 21, 2026, the State Secretary, Chief Barr. Aduma Solomon Chinedu, said the reason for his resignation is as a result of the national leadership of the NDC paying deaf ears to the controversies in Ebonyi State.

The letter read: “Sequel to the ongoing issues in Nigeria Democratic Congress NDC in Ebonyi State/National at large, letter dated 31st May 2026, together with the press interview which I the Secretary of the Party and the Deputy Chairman signed and submitted to the National Chairman, leader of the party, Secretary and appeal committee chairman of the NDC. For the issues bordered in Ebonyi NDC State primary, which the national chairman including the leader of the party still keeping silent and even after passing vote of rio confidence to the State Chairman Prince Enyinaya Udensi for compromise and abuse of office

“I, Chief Barr. Aduma Solomon Chinedu of the above address as the state Secretary of the party hereby resigned, hence the party has no democratic principle direction and the rule of law to pursue my political interests thereof. This is because my interest and interest of my followers in NDC, which are the foundation members of the party, are in danger of being denied their constitutional right.”

Protest by C-Sagas supporters
Recall that on Friday, June 5, over 1,000 supporters of Architect Christian Asaga Nwali (popularly known as C-Sagas), staged a peaceful protest at the Abuja offices of the NDC in Abuja, over the conduct of the Ebonyi Central Senatorial district primary election held on May 29, 2026.

The supporters of C-Sagas alleged there are rumours that the leadership of the party in Ebonyi State are making plans to declare Prof. Bernard Odoh winner of the primary election, saying the party should put the rumours to rest by declaring the result of the primary election; with C-Sagas as the winner.

Addressing journalists at the NDC offices, after submitting a letter to the party, Leader of the group, Mrs Joy Ewa, appealed to the NDC National Leader, Senator Seriake Dickson, the Presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, and other leaders of the party, to urgently intervene to ensure that the people’s mandate are not stolen, saying C-Sagas clearly won the primary election.

Share on Facebook