Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has denied joining the All Progressives Congress and buying nomination and expression of interest forms on the APC platform.
He did add, however, that the Presidential nomination form was purchased for him by a northern group of herders and Almajiris who pooled their money to purchase the form in his name out of love for his character and performance as president.
According to Ikechukwu Eze, the former president’s media adviser, he did not authorize the purchase of the forms for him and that if he decides to run, he will make it public.
The statement read in bits: ‘’It has come to our notice that a group has purportedly purchased Presidential Nomination and Expression of Interest forms, of the All Progressives Congress APC, in the name of former President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. We wish to categorically state that Dr. Jonathan was not aware of this bid and did not authorize it.
‘’We want to state that if the former President wanted to contest an election, he would make his intentions clear to the public and would not enter through the back door.
‘’While we appreciate the overwhelming request by a cross-section of Nigerians, for Dr. Jonathan to make himself available for the 2023 Presidential election, we wish to state that he has not in anyway, committed himself to this request. Buying a presidential aspiration form in the name Dr. Jonathan without his consent, knowing the position he had held in this country, is considered an insult to his person. The general public is therefore advised to disregard it’’, the statement added.
… Flags Off Nigerian Essential Diagnostic List (NEDL)
Dr. Osagie Ehanire, the Minister of Health, said diagnostic testing has become increasingly important in healthcare in recent years, particularly in realizing the aim of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
While noting that there have been few strategic efforts to develop the evidence base on which policymakers can rationally increase and improve diagnostic testing access until recently.
To this purpose, WHO has recognized the necessity to develop an Essential Diagnostics List (EDL) following nearly four decades of existence of the Essential Medicines List (EML) (EDL).
He made this known at the National Flag off and Dissemination of the Nigerian Essential Diagnostic List (NEDL), adding, Nigeria is committed to the attainment of globally agreed Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
The Minister who was represented at the occasion by the Head of Dentistry Division of the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr B.O Alonge said this commitment is reflected in the 2016 revised National Health Policy whose theme is “Promoting the Health of Nigerians to Accelerate Socio-economic Development”.
According to him: “I am pleased to inform you that Nigeria is the first country to develop her Essential Diagnostics List in Africa and second in the world following India. This shows greatly the interest of this government in the improvement of health indices for the country.
“This 1st Edition of the National Essential Diagnostics List (NEDL) is a guidance document needed to prioritize critical health in-vitro diagnostics (IVDs) based on wide availability and affordability through the national health system. It will support the selection, procurement, supply, donations or provision of IVDs.
“After about 4 decades following the development of Essential Medicines List (EML), the World Health Organization developed the Essential Diagnostics List (EDL) in order to provide evidence-based guidance to countries to create their national lists of essential diagnostic tests and tools, anticipating that the EDL will complement the List of Essential Medicines and enhance its impact.
“Similarly, the EDL is anticipated to improve patient care, in-country diagnostic capacity, affordability of tests, regulation and quality of diagnostic tests, and capabilities of national laboratories.
“The WHO EDL is purposed to provide evidence-based guidance to countries to create their national lists of essential diagnostic tests and tools, anticipating that the EDL will complement the List of Essential Medicines and enhance its impact.
“National essential medicines lists have been successful in facilitating access to treatment and promoting affordable prices, particularly in low resource countries, by prioritizing the most important medicines all countries need to make available to their populations.
“Diagnostics List as this occasion marks another giant stride towards achieving the core mandate of the Federal Ministry of Health that is “to develop and implement policies to strengthen the national health system for effective, efficient, accessible and affordable delivery of health services in partnership with relevant stakeholders”.
Ehanire noted that to ensure nationwide implementation of this important document, we have also ensured the approval of this guidance document at the Emergency meeting of the National Council on Health. By this, all states in the Federation are encouraged to implement the use the document.
As you are aware, policies and guidelines are developed to address needs and situations.
The NEDL enlists 145 diagnostic test categories comprising 65 general IVDs to aid the diagnosis of a range of disease conditions; 73 diseasespecific IVDs in clinical settings covering primary, secondary, tertiary and national reference laboratories and 7 [VDs for screening of blood donations. It also includes 12 general IVDs and 15 disease specific [VDs for use in community and health settings without laboratories.
He further stated that, the Nigerian Laboratory sub-sector has experienced some gains in recent times, such as the improvement of in-country capacity for molecular testing leveraging on COVID-19 response and interventions, optimization of Gene Xpert platforms for molecular testing and improved finance for health especially within the laboratory sub-sector.
“As a government, we will continue to provide enabling environment to ensure successful implementation of the policies and guidance documents.
“We also encourage counterparts from the sub-National levels (State and local governments) and even the private sector to key-in and leverage the National Essential Diagnostics List as it holds great benefits as earlier highlighted.
“I must to acknowledge the commitment and input from numerous Partners especially WHO and the Global Fund towards the development of this document and also thank the leadership of the National Laboratory Technical Working Group for providing guidance.
“It is my sincere hope that the implementation of the EDL will contribute to achieving the goal of the government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR, to make quality healthcare accessible to Nigerians”.
In his goodwill message, the WHO Country Representative, Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo said The Nigerian Essential Diagnostic List (NEDL) will benefit the whole of healthcare in the country. The use of quality diagnostics as you are all aware is the first step in the strategies for treatment, control and prevention of disease outbreaks, of which the Covid-19 pandemic has brought into focus this important role.
Represented by Public Health Emergency Advisory of WHO, Dr. Alexander Chinbaru sated that , following increased recognitions of the importance of diagnostic testing in healthcare particularly as it plays major role towards achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), World Health Organization (WHO) developed an Essential Diagnostics List (EDL) to address the lack of access to tests and testing services in many countries.
According to him,”The WHO Essential Diagnostic List which was first published in 2018, is a list of recommended invitro diagnostics that should be available at point of care and is intended as a guidance document for countries to create their own national list based on their local context and needs.
“The overall goal of the EDL is to improve access to testing, diagnostic capacities during outbreak, affordability of test, regulation and quality of diagnostic test. The National Essential Diagnostic List is anticipated to complement and enhance the impact of the Essential Medicines List (EML) which has recorded great improvement in availability and affordability of medicines and quality of patient management.
“I therefore, congratulate the Honorable Minister of Health on this important achievement as Nigeria joined list of the first countries including India, Bangladesh and Pakistan, that have adopted the WHO concept of Essential Diagnostic List and has produced one that is aligned to the disease prevalence in their country.
“I encourage all the States and health facilities to use the National Essential Diagnostic List as this will not only improve the health system capacity to reach accurate diagnosis but will save heath resources wasted on inappropriate treatment and long stay in the hospital”.
Godwin Emefiele, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, has taken the Independent National Electoral Commission, as well as the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, to court over his 2023 presidential bid.
Aside from serving the two defendants with an originating summons, Emefiele’s lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome SAN, filed an ex parte motion on May 9 and had it filled the same day.
Ozekhome stated that the application sought seeking a court order to maintain the status quo ante bellum as of May 8.
Moving the motion exparte, Ozekhome stated that the deadline for collecting presidential election expression of interest forms is May 11th.
“The timeline for the primaries, congresses or conventions of political parties for the presidential election which the applicant is interested in, comes up on the 30th of May and June 1 re.
“We are not asking for an injunction, but due to the urgency of the matter, the applicant needs the protection and canopy of justice to stop the matter from being rendered nuggatory and a fait accompli foisted on the applicant, if the court does not issue an order.
An affidavit of urgency in support of the motion exparte stated that the Plaintiff/Applicant is the current Governor of the CBN and “desires to contest election for the office of the President in 2023.
According to Ozekhome, “The applicant is in a dilemma as to whether to run for the 2023 presidential election or not, and therefore has come to court for interpretation of section 318 of the Constitution.
“Being a public servant, is the applicant a political appointee that is also cut in the web of section 84(12) of the Electoral Act?.
Besides, Ozekhome argued that the said section 84(12) of the Electoral Act has been struck down by Justice Evelyn Anyadike of the Federal High Court Umuahia.
“Though, the matter is on appeal” Emefiele’s counsel stated. Ozekhome posited further that the Constitution, which is the grand norm of the land, permits a political appointee with an ambition to contest an election to do so at least 30 days to the election.
He therefore urged the court to order for the maintenance of status quo ante bellum, pending the determination of the motion on notice.
In a ruling, the trial judge, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, held that having read the affidavit in support of the motion exparte, he directed the defendants to come on May 12, to show cause why the applicant’s motion exparte should not be granted.
The court also ordered that processes should be served on the Defendants before the next adjourned date of May 12.
The Nigerian office of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) has hinted that Sokoto and Zamfara States will not present candidates from public schools for the May/June examination scheduled to commence on May 16th, 2022.
Mr. Patrick Areghan, the Head of the Nigeria National Office of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), gave this hint on Monday during a press briefing on the conduct of the 2022 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) for school candidates in Nigeria.
He said that public schools in Sokoto and Zamfara States will not take part in the 2022 May/June examination.
Areghan disclosed that the 2022 school candidates examination will take place between the 16th of May and 23rd of June, 2022 in Nigeria, spanning a period of six (06) weeks.
Excited at the return of the examination to its traditional May/June, he said a total of One Million, Six Hundred and Seven Thousand, Nine Hundred and Seventy Five (1,607,975) candidates from Twenty Thousand, Two Hundred and Twenty One, (20,221) schools have registered for the examination.
According to him: “Out of this number, Eight Hundred Thousand and Fifty-Five (800,055) are males, comprising (49.76%) while Eight Hundred Thousand, Seven Hundred and Twenty Four (800,724) are females, comprising (50.24%) of the total candidature. Candidates would be examined in 76 subjects, made up of 197 papers. “About 30,000 practicing senior teachers, nominated by various Ministries of Education, would be participating in the examination as supervisors.
Speaking on the NIN as a component of the registration process, Areghan said it was not a compulsory requirement in order not to disqualify many candidates.
He added, ” I, therefore, want to make it categorically clear that no candidate was denied registration as a result of non-submission of NIN.”
However, he warned that all COVID-19 protocols rolled out by the Federal and State governments of Nigeria will still be strictly adhered to.
He urged all examination functionaries, including Council’s staff on distribution; Supervisors; Inspectors, Candidates and School officials to adhere to all COVID-19 protocols.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has assured motorists in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Abuja that there is enough Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), often known as gasoline, to go around.
This is despite the fact that lines are growing at practically every available petrol filling station in the nation’s capital, with several outlets closing due to a scarcity of products.
Garba Deen Muhammad, Group General Manager, NNPC Ltd’s Group Public Affiars Division, issued a statement urging motorists not to “engage in panic buying” because supplies are enough.
“The NNPC Ltd notes the sudden appearance of fuel queues in parts of Abuja. This is very likely due to low loadouts at depots which usually happen during long public holidays, in this case, the Sallah celebrations.
“Another contributing factor to the sudden appearances of queues is the increased fuel purchases which is also usual with returning residents of the FCT from the public holidays.
“NNPC and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority ( NMDPRA) in conjunction with our marketing partners have taken necessary measures to ramp up loadouts from all depots.
“We assure all residents of the FCT, and indeed all Nigerians, that we have ample local supplies and national stock in excess of 2.5 billion liters, with sufficiency of more than 43 days.
“The NNPC Ltd hereby advises motorist not to engage in panic buying as supplies are adequate as will become increasingly evident in the coming days” the statement reads in parts.
Our correspondent reports that from Nyanya axis to Apo resettlement, down the Kubwa, Dei Dei expressway there are long queues with motorists lamenting the return of fuel scarcity in the capital city.
Mike Ozoemena, a taxi driver, told our Correspondent that the situation has disrupted his day’s schedule as he did not anticipate scarcity at this time.
“Imagine, I am supposed to go Keffi to convey goods down to Mararaba market for my customer. But here I am. I have been here since the last one hour. The problem is that it was so sudden, I didn’t anticipate it at all” he said.
Also, Mrs. Doowuese Gbande, a trader at Wuse market, said the development is becoming too often urging government to ensure a lasting solution is found without delay.
“It is not up to three months since we suffered severe scarcity, and this is how it starts, can you see that black marketers are already selling at almost every junction. Government should not allow this to be happening all too often in Abuja, the nation’s capital. It is becoming a reccuring decimal” she lamented.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) appears to have prolonged its warning strike for another three months.
The decision was reached a few hours ago during a meeting of the union’s National Executive Council in Abuja, at its headquarters at the University of Abuja.
ASUU and the Federal Government have been at odds over university revitalization money and disparities in emolument payments.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has announced plans to destroy unlawful constructions along the ever busy Karu-Jikwoyi road in order to ensure a smooth flow of traffic.
Comrade Ikharo Attah, Senior Special Assistant to the FCT Minister on Monitoring, Inspection, and Enforcement, announced this over the weekend after inspecting the road with some stakeholders.
The planned destruction of the structures, he claimed, would reduce traffic congestion on the already congested road while creating no inconvenience to motorists and pedestrians.
Authorities from the FCTA and the Department of Development Control marked the majority of the structures along the route for demolition in September 2021.
Recalled that in September 2021, authorities from the FCTA and the Department of Development Control marked the majority of the structures on the route for demolition.
Attah revealed that the minister of FCT Malam Muhammad Musa Bello after an interface with the minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola on the speedy work on Abuja – Keffi express way, said the road was reaching advance stage of completion and the traffic that builds start from Nyanya through Karu, Jikwoyi, Kpegyi and Gidan-Mangoro down to Orozo.
He, therefore directed the City Sanitation team to ascertain the issues that bring about the endless grilock on the axis.
Attah disclosed that the congestion of vehicles on the route is being ignited by illegal trading, expansion and unconventional markets all over the road shoulders.
According to him: “The minister of FCT sent us down here to look at the situation and ascertain what are the issues, we have seen that there is heavy road side trading, illegal attachments, expansion towards the road and indiscriminate roadside markets, as well as problems accruing from the Jikwoyi phase II junction.
“We have assessed the situation and notify the minister that Jikwoyi phase II junction should be closed, anybody that want to turn will turn from Phase I, by transformer, turning in phase II is building traffic that reach to CBN junction”
On whether the prospective victims will be given time to vacate, Attah explained that some of the structures had been marked for long, therefore the demolition team would move in at anytime.
One of the stakeholders who spoke during the inspection, Deputy Director Department of Engineering Services, Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engr Richard Dauda said the area is one of the major satellite towns in the city that needs serious attention.
He said with the population in the area, there must be a way of controlling the traffic, “when the roads are blocked, people can’t pass through then the aim of developing the roads is defeated, there is need for measures to control it” he stated.
…As FCT Minister task them on human rights protection
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) met with the Commanders of different Security agencies and heads of other organizational component of both the Joint Taskforce and the Command and Control Secretariat to review enforcement strategies.
The meeting was reportedly called because of the need to ramp up enforcement of laws and rules of engagement while dealing with city clean-up and other lawless acts in the city.
Senior Special Assistant on Monitoring, Inspection, and Enforcement to FCT Minister, Comrade Ikharo Attah, while addressing the participants, said that the operational methods needed to be reviewed and the team made more efficient in addressing the ills that endanger Abuja’s overall development.
He noted that all the different components that make up the joint taskforce and the other squad must synergize to bring the required results in the city
Attah, while conveying the commendation of the Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello to the team over their efforts and commitment to duty, he also reminded them that ministerial directives that human rights be protected during enforcement remains non negotiable.
According to him, the Minister wants security and order maintained in all parts of the territory, but does not want the rights of law-abiding residents trampled upon.
In his remarks, the Commander of security agencies under the Command and Control Unit, CSP Yusuf Bala pledged the support of all the officers under his control to the reviewed operational strategies.
He also urged FCT Minister to make more commitment towards the provisions of operational equipment needed by the Taskforce.
Also, the Commander of the Taskforce, Solomon Adebayo who noted that the enforcement operations in the city have been challenging, also appealed to all relevant authorities to improve on the welfare of officers.
Adebayo added that officers confidence can be boosted when their welfare is upper most in government’s planning agenda.
The Cross River State Governor, Sen. Ben Ayade has described the Transportation Minister, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi as a man with outstanding qualities fit to rule Nigeria.
Ayade spoke when Amaechi paid him a courtesy visit as part of his consultations with delegates of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Cross River State, Friday.
According to him, “I agree with my brother Amaechi, totally. He comes with a lot of experience. He is one man who has shown commitment to Cross River State and Nigeria.
“We started trying to build a Deep Seaport, from the day I spoke to him about the Deep Seaport till today, he has given eight ministerial approvals. There was no day that our files stayed on his table for twenty four hours. So, he has shown commitment to the State and to Nigeria, and I say this with all sincerity. He has also shown very outstanding sense of brotherhood. From the time I moved into APC, he said, “you are our leader, we will work with you and at any point in time we would always work together,” Ayade explained.
Governor Ayade who also recently declared his intention to run for the Presidency on the platform of the ruling party, further revealed that between him and Amaechi, there is no competition.
“I have had extensive discussions with Amaechi, and I can tell you that we are not competitors, we are co-opetitors. I am comfortable with him. He is somebody that speaks his mind, he is not somebody that you cannot understand, he is somebody that you can read, and such people are far more innocent, because if they are hurt, you know that they are hurt, and few minutes after, it’s gone. He is not a tricky politician, and I think that’s a good attribute of leadership. Let me mention clearly here, that for us as a State, outside of Ayade, we are very comfortable if you secure the ticket.
“And so, I wish you well, I commend you to go before the delegates of my State, and I ask you (delegates) to judge him based on balanced fairness, because what God has destined for him, I cannot take it,” he said.
Addressing the Governor earlier, Amaechi said, “I will repeat what I tell people, I am 56 years old, so I am among the young candidates of the party. I’m not the oldest, but I am the most experienced. Of all the aspirants, both in APC and PDP, I am the most experienced. I have been Governor for eight years, Speaker for eight years, Minister for seven years now, I have not seen anybody that comes with that kind of experience for the office of the President that I come with. I was the Chairman of Governors’ Forum and I was Chairman twice when it was very contentious to vote for the office of the Chairman of that forum. The reason why it was contentious was because we stood for the people, we spoke the minds of Nigerians at that contentious time. I come with performance in every office that I have held. I had a meeting with the President two days ago, in which we had very good conversation about the Lagos-Calabar rail, and we agreed that he would launch the Lagos-Calabar rail here in Calabar. The moment we are about to sign the loan, I will tell the President to come and launch the project and will commence from Calabar.”
Amaechi, who earlier visited the Obong of Calabar, HRM Edidem Ekpo Otu V and his Council of Chiefs, assured of his commitment to provide good governance to the masses, pledging also, that he would run a transparent government if elected President.
The Presidential hopeful also met with party delegates in Calabar where he urged the people to vote for him based on his antecedents and track record and not just because he is from the South South, adding that he would deploy his wealth of experience to bear in his service to humanity.
According to him, “I am your son, but let us not vote just because I am your son. Vote for me because I have the capacity to deliver. You have heard Northern candidate, Southern candidate, Western candidate, I am not a candidate of any tribe, I am a candidate for all Nigerians. Those who are Governors and running, let them tell us what they have done in their States, how many days do they sleep in their States, let them tell us whether they are owing salaries or not. For me, judge me by my capacity. Go back to Rivers State and find out, when I was Governor, the primary schools, the secondary schools, power, water, new city, roads, and the fact that we provided security. I am the only aspirant that fought insecurity when I was Governor. So, vote for me because I have the capacity to turn the country around for good”.
In his response, Chairman of the party, Alphonsus Eba said, “Your Excellency, there is nothing I will say about you today that will not be laced with praises, with encomiums and cornucopias. You have done so much for this party, to Cross Riverians, even during the era of our former Governor, you were around, we saw the support you gave to Cross River State. When our Governor (Ayade) came on board, you have given every support. You granted eight ministerial approvals for the take-off of Bakassi Deep Seaport and a super highway. The Governor spoke about that in the meeting we just attended.
“Today, I stand to say that in Cross River State, you are one man that we could boldly stand up and say, you are politically merchantable. You will not be a difficult product for us to sell. We have only one river to cross and that river is the fact that our leader is in this race, but he has just allayed my fears, when he said to you, that if it is not him, let it be you,” Eba said.
…As Foundation Seek Inclusion Of PWA To FG Skin Cancer Intervention Programme
The Founder of Albino Foundation and President , Albinism Association of Nigeria, Mr Jake Epelle has lamented that three People With Albinism (PWP) die every month in Nigeria of skin cancer.
While appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to review the previous administration’s Skin Cancer Intervention programme for People With Albinism (PWP) with the aim of setting up the requisite policy instruments that will make it functional and sustainable once more.
This, according to him will help assuage the plight of People With Albinism (PWP) in Nigeria.
He added that, the scourge of skin cancer is ravaging the community of PWA is not only life threatening but functionally decimating the lives of Nigerians who have albinism as statistics shows that about three PWA die from it every month.
He made this known at a press conference to commemorate the National Albinism Awareness Day with the theme: SOS from skin cancer patients with Albinism on Thursday in Abuja.
He added that :” the president should use his good office to approve the inclusion of skins cancer care to the scope of the current Cancer Health Fund which only takes care of Breast, Cervical and Prostate cancer under your leadership.
“Galvanized local and international support for possible collaboration and funding support for skin cancer for PWA. Special attention may be placed on the United Nations Aid (UNAID) who 2e have spoken to, and are ready to extend arm of fellowship in this regard.
” In addition to the above, may I have the mandate to kindly and other person’s 2ho are suffering from Skin Cancer by flagging off the Sun- Protection Campaign. A policy framework targeted at increasing advocacy in this regard may be led by the Ministry of Health and other relevant MDAs in such a manner that will stimulate inter-ministerial efforts reinvented for creating enduring campaign on Sun- Protection Campaign for PWA.
” It is important to recount some of the 3fforts we have made to attract one or more interventions from the Federal Government and other important development partners targeted at improving the lot of PWA in this and more regards. In fact, in 2007 we had initiated a Public Private Partnership with the president Obasanjo administration during which the government launched a Skin Cancer Intervention for PWA at the National Hospital and other designated states and private hospitals. Although, this intervention continued through the regime of former late president Musa Yar’Adua, it was bankrolled in 2013 by the Federal Ministry of Finance service wide vote. The arrangement had earmarked and expended 17.8 million naira alongside other useful resources for this effort. Over 5000 Nigerians with Albinism got treated as a result of this milestone was seemingly discontinued under the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari maybe because of other overriding interests.
“Despite this discontinuance , the current government has meaningfully contributed to fighting various strands of cancer that are ravaging Nigerians such as the breast, cervical and prostate cancers. Programme such as Cancer Health Fund initiated by the president and led by the Ministry of Health has voted 1 billion Naira for cancer care in the country. While this 8s laudable, it is important to reiterate that special attention needs to be placed on PWAs who are suffering one or more forms of cancer as a result of their condition since the fund does not capture the peculiar needs of PWA. While president had assured the PWA community after he had graciously listened to a BBC Hausa advocacy campaign on cancer cases amongst PWA that he would return the previous Skin Cancer Intervention for PWA, nothing has been done to expedite actions in this regard”, he explained.
