GEJ Visits Emir Of Bauchi

The former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has paid a courtesy visit to his Royal Highness, the Emir of Bauchi, Dr Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu at his palace.
Former Nigerian leader appreciated the Emir for the warm reception accorded to him and members of his entourage.

In a Press Statement signed by  Lawal Muazu Bauchi Special Assistant (New Media) to Bauchi Governor GEJ described Governor Bala as his good son and reliable person who maintained his relationship with him despite leaving office.

He told the Emir that Governor Bala has performed well as FCT Minister which resulted to many successes recorded by his administration.

Governor Bala who accompanied GEJ to the Emir’s Palace, said he was happy with the visit of his boss and for finding him worthy to be his FCT minister.

His Royal Highness, the Emir of Bauchi, Dr Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu acknowledged the love of the former Nigerian leader to the people of Bauchi State.

The Emir expressed gratitude to former President Jonathan for the appointment of Governor Bala as his FCT Minister during his administration.

Dr Rilwanu Adamu said Governor Bala is fulfilling his campaign promises through execution of developmental projects as well as maintaining good working relationship with traditional rulers in the State.

Dr Rilwanu Suleiman Adamu used the medium to confer the Former President with the traditional title of Jigon Bauchi in appreciation to his support and care to Bauchi State.

​ASUP strike: FG approves governing councils for polytechnics

……Appeals to lecturers to shelve strike

Just as the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has commenced industrial action, the Federal Government in a knee-jerk response approved the reconstitution of Governing Councils for the Federal Polytechnics.

Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, announced this at a parley, on Tuesday, in Abuja, with the leadership of ASUP led by its President, Comrade Anderson Ezeibe.

He informed the ASUP leadership that President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the new Councils for the Polytechnics and that goverment was only waiting for the Easter break to be over to officially release the list of members of the Governing Councils and subsequent inauguration.

President of ASUP, Comrade Ezeibe presented 13-point demands to the Minister for immediate action, while insisting that the strike which commenced 12 midnight of April 6 could not be suspended in spite of the meeting with the Federal Government and appeal by the Miniter to shelve the strike.

According to him, the meeting with the minister was just the beginning of a process of resolving the issues in dispute, saying the Union had given the goverment ample to respond to the demands of ASUP.

Ezeibe maintained until the issues including N4 billion arrears of the minimum wage, promotion arrears from 2017 to 2020 in some schools, neglect of the sector, among others are satisfactorily resolved, the strike would not be called off.

He said: “The expiration of the union’s ultimatum issued since March 2020, as well as the development of new issues of concern in the sector due to the negligence of the government.

“Today, therefore, marks day 1 of the execution of the resolutions of our union. The strike has not been suspended as it is just a few hours old,” he said.

But the Miniter while appealing to the lecturers to shelve the strike, it was possible to reach an agreement with the Union while disclosing that the Governing Councils, which is one of the key demands of the Union has been approved by the President and would be inaugurated soon.

Tribune Online gathered reliably that the list would be released before the end of this week by the Ministry of Education, while other demands would be expeditiously looked at for quick and amicable resolution.

Adamu who noted he would not go into specifics of the document handed over to him by the President of ASUP, which was a detailed brief of the negotiations.

On the Rapid Response Committee, which ASUP said was instrumental to peaceful resolution of some internal crises in Polytechnics in past, but has unfortunately abandoned its meetings, the Minister reassured the Union that all points raised would be carefully looked into and will be attended to.

He said: “Today, I will not go into specifics or give you any answers. If I’m not mistaken, I have 13 points that you have readout. The permanent secretary is not here, or else I would have asked him why the Rapid Response Committee is no longer holding its meetings. The committee can solve eight of the issues raised.

“For the governing council, I can assure you that it is set already. We were just waiting for the break to be over and they will be announced and inaugurated. All the points will be looked into carefully and I give you the assurance that all will be attended to,” he said.

​Breaking: Buhari appoints new IGP, Usman Baba

President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, appointed the Deputy Inspector-General, DIG, Usman Alkali Baba as Acting Inspector-General of Police, IGP.

The Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, announced the appointment to State House correspondents in Abuja.

Baba takes over from Muhammad Adamu, whose three months tenure extension by Buhari generated nationwide controversy, leading some disgruntled Nigerians to challenge the president’s action in courts.

World Health Day: NGO calls for equal access to healthcare

By Habila Victor, Kaduna.

To commemorate the World Health Day, the Development Communications Network (DevCom) has called on the Nigerian government at all levels to provide equitable health care coverage to all citizens to reduce the impact of health emergencies on Nigerians. 

DevComs condemn the unequal access to health care delivery between the general populace and government officials, political leaders, traditional rulers, and the majority of the affluent in the society. 

In a statement signed by Akin Jimoh, Program Director, DevComs said many Nigerians struggle daily to make ends meet and put food on the table, that most of them still live below poverty lines, saying the advent of COVID-19 has shown the unequal distribution of wealth in the country.

“The ongoing Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic has shown the fragile nature of health care services and coverage in the country a situation has been worsened by the ongoing strike by resident doctors across the country.  The actions of the doctors are a direct result of age-long disagreements with the government, an action that impacts more on vulnerable groups across the country.”

“Though Nigeria is a resource-rich country, the majority of citizens continue to wallop in poverty.  This has led to a lot of problems in the country from insecurity to lack of many social amenities including steady electricity supply,  portable water, and so on.  All these impact on the health of the populace and lack of good health indices is an indicator that we are not thriving as a country.”

Jimoh reiterated the need for Nigerian government to do more for the populace no matter who is in power in the country.

He added that, “COVID-19 has hit all nations with a greater impact on communities and vulnerable groups, with limited access to high-quality health care and a high burden of disease and infirmities.  According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the COVID-19 pandemic has shown that “some people are able to live healthier lives and have better access to health services than others – entirely due to the conditions in which they are born, grow, live, work and age.”

DevComs charged Nigerian government to address health inequalities in the country and provide a conducive environment for citizens to thrive in good health, adding that failure to provide equitable access to quality healthcare is unfair to Nigerians.

​WAEC releases 2021 WASSCE results, 26 days after conduct of examination

The West African Examinations Council, WAEC , Nigeria has released the results of the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE, for private candidates 2021- first series 26 days after conduct of examination.

This was disclosed at a press briefing on Tuesday by the Head of the Nigeria National office, WAEC, Mr. Patrick Areghan,  at the body national office, Yaba, Lagos.

Meanwhile, female take the lead over the male for candidates who obtained minimum of five credits subjects including English Language and Mathematics.

Giving a breakdown of the results, Head of WAEC Nigeria stated that: ” A total of Seven Thousand Six Hundred and Ninety (7,690) (representing a 38% decline, when compared with the 2020 entry figure)entered for the examination, while Seven Thousand Two Hundred and Eighty-Nine (7,289) candidates actually sat the examination at Two Hundred and Fifty-Two (252) centres spread across the nooks and crannies of the country. The drop in the entry figure could be attributed to the negative impact of the COVID– 19 pandemic.

​Reopened: Why Atiku cannot contest election in Nigeria – AGF Malami

The Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami has posited that former vice president, Atiku Abubakar cannot contest election for president in Nigeria because under the nation’s constitution, he is not eligible.

Part of the AGF’s arguments in support of a suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of Egalitarian Mission for Africa, Ema, led by Oladipo Okpeseyi, SAN, before the Federal High Court Abuja, is that Atiku was not born a Nigerian or by Nigerian parents; does not meet the provisions of Sections 25(1) &(2) and 131(a) of the constitution and would be violating Section 118(1)(k) of the Electoral Act should he aspire to become president of Nigeria.

In the suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/177/2019 filed before the 2019 presidential election, but not heard, the EMA is challenging Atiku’s eligibility to contest for president and prays the court to consider the provisions of sections 25(1) &(2) and 131(a) of the constitution and the circumstances surrounding his birth.
Justice Inyang Ekwo before who the suit was mentioned on March 15, noted that it was ripe for hearing and fixed May 4.

The AGF averred in the affidavit supporting the suit as follows:
“The first defendant (Atiku) is not qualified to contest to be President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The first defendant is not a fit and proper person to be a candidate for election to the office of president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The first defendant was born on the 25th of November, 1946 at Jada, at the time in Northern Cameroon. By the plebiscite of 1961, the town of Jada was incorporated into Nigeria.

“The first defendant is a Nigerian by virtue of the 1961 plebiscite, but not a Nigerian by birth. The first defendant’s parents died before the 1961 plebiscite.”
Also his written address, the AGF argued that the effect of the June 1, 1961 plebiscite was to have the people of Northern Cameroon integrated into Nigeria as new citizens of the country, even after Nigeria’s independence.

“This qualified all those born before the 1961 plebiscite as citizens of Nigeria, but not Nigerian citizen by birth. Consequently, only citizens born after the 1961 plebiscite are citizens of Nigeria by birth.”

He cited provisions of the 1960, 1963, 1979 and 1999 constitutions and noted that the “reasoning of the lawmakers in ensuring that the persons to be the President of Nigeria is a citizen of Nigeria by birth is because such a person is the number one citizen and the image of the Nigerian state.”

The AGF further argued that, where it is revealed that a person was born outside Nigeria before Nigeria’s independence in 1960, in a location which was never part of Nigeria until June 1, 1961, as it is in this case, such a person cannot claim citizenship of Nigeria by birth.