By Ifeanyi Olannye

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has called for stronger collaboration between security agencies and the civilian populace to engender greater peace and security in the country.

The governor made the call in Asaba at the round-off of a four-day defence retreat tagged Asaba 2022.

Okowa said that there must be a strategic engagement by security agencies, particularly the military, with the civilian populace

He added that such synergy would build trust and make Nigerians to truly work together in securing the nation.

Security, he said, was not limited to the military, the police or other security agencies, but included civilians since they also had roles to play.

I believe that it is well with this nation and that a strong collaboration between our security agencies and the local population would continue to help us achieve greater peace in this nation.

The governor lauded the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Lucky Irabor, for holding the defence retreat in Asaba.

Okowa also commended military officers and men for the great job that they had been doing for the nation.

First, we thank God for a very successful defence retreat in Asaba, Delta State and l want to use this opportunity to again, register our pleasure that the CDS brought this retreat down home to Asaba.

There is no doubt that God has made it possible for us to have relatively peaceful state and the fact that we are able to attract this retreat to Asaba is in itself, a testament to the fact that the state is peaceful.

In Delta State, we have been working very closely with security agencies and because of very high level of cooperation and the commitment of the officers working very closely with the civilian populace, we have been able to achieve relative peace.

And, l am grateful to all the security officers that helped us to maintain relative peace in this state and we pray that God will continue to help us to achieve lasting peace, not only in Delta but in our nation, Nigeria.

I believe that this kind of retreat is the best retreat; it is something that should be hosted often in this nation.

Because it gives room for people to truly share ideas and l think that that is what you have been doing in Delta State in the last four days, Okowa said.

He said that the nation was in very difficult times, adding: if we spend more time to interact with ourselves, we can truly better equip ourselves on how best to ensure peace in our nation and how to secure both our borders and to ensure that we are able to maintain peace within the country.

In spite of all that we do, there is a lot that still needs to be done in terms of equipping our security agencies and providing the needed logistics at the appropriate time for them to be able to tackle the security challenges in the country.

The governor said that Nigeria must do everything possible to encourage security officers and men, especially as it concerned their welfare because, according to him, men out there working for all in the society, deserved some level of comfort.

l believe that they (security officers and men) would also work harder if they are able to take care of their families back home.

Because when there are pressures from home, it becomes very difficult for any officer to be able to put in his or her best in the duty he or she is called upon to do.

So, l hope that both at the national and sub-national levels, those of us in government would continue to do the best we can to truly encourage our officers and men in the course of their duties, he said.

Earlier in his remarks, Irabor thanked the governor for the very elaborate arrangements put in place by the state government to host the military officers, adding that they had a brainstorming session at the retreat.

He said that the objectives of the defence retreat were achieved, adding that it afforded them the opportunity to look at a broad range of military activities in a bid to ensuring that security was strengthened within the country.

It was a time that we looked at a broad range of military activities all in a bid to ensuring that we strengthen the disposition of security within the nation.

And, seeing how best we could ensure that every man or woman, boy or girl and of course, visitors to the Nigerian space, lives out their dreams and aspirations.

I like to assure, that going forward, there would be indeed, a heightened state of activities within the armed forces; greater sense of interaction with other security agencies and other stakeholders.

So, that together, the aggregate of our interaction will be for enhanced security of the nation.

I know that Asaba 2022 will indeed, remain a pillar as we go forward to achieving these set goals, Irabor said.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng).

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Edited by Angela Okisor/Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

By Ikenna Uwadileke

The Chief Whip of the Senate , Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu says nine presidential aspirants from the All Progressives Congress (APC) are set to step down to support the presidential ambition of the Senate President, Dr Ahmad Lawan.

Kalu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Abuja that an influential presidential aspirant from the opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is also planning to join the APC.

Kalu, though did not list their names, was the first to drop his presidential ambition in support of Lawan on the grounds of failure of APC to zone the presidential ticket to the South East.

He declared his support for Lawan who hails from the North East.

According to Kalu, Lawans candidature will rock like hurricane.

The issue of the APC presidential candidate will be settled even before the primaries.

As I am talking to you, about nine presidential aspirants from our party have intimated me of their plans to drop their presidential ambition to support Ahmad Lawan.

Does that not signify victory before the election? Lawans candidature will rock like hurricane.

Lawan is from the North East and has similar sympathy with the South East that is yet to produce president.

I have repeated my reasons for dropping my ambition for Lawan severally and I am sure Nigerians are aware already.

We are also expecting an influential presidential aspirant from the opposition to join the APC.

So, you can see the party is very progressive and properly ready for Lawans emergence, the former governor of Abia said.

On the call for postponement of primary elections by some political parties, Kalu said he does not expect the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to listen to them.

He said the parties were duly informed and should have prepared well as mandated by the electoral body.

Extension of the dates will only support irresponsibility. Nigerians find it difficult to keep to time and appointments and that is why they would always seek for extra time.

I support INEC to stick to their timetable otherwise we will be living with postponement after postponement. Such a trend is not healthy for a society and its people.

We complains of indiscipline but not ready to be practical about the requirements of discipline.

INEC should discipline any party that fails to meet up, because that is the only way they can take their jobs seriously, Kalu said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Obike Ukoh

Source: NAN News

By Olajide Idowu

A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), in Osun, Mr Muslihudeen Adekilekun on Saturday said he has defected to New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).

Adekilekun said this when he addressed a news conference in Ede town, adding that he left over alleged imposition of candidates by the leadership of the party.

Yesterday (Friday), I went to the party leadership to announce my resignation.

I came from Olubokun Ward 4 Unit 9, Ede North Local Government and that is where I submitted my resignation letter an hour before the partys ward weekly general meeting.

Since I became a member of APC, the party has never for once conducted any primary election, he said.

He alleged that the party leadership has always imposed its preferred candidates on the people.

Adekilekun said the imposition of candidates had always denied him the opportunity to represent the people in his constituency, even after obtaining nomination forms.

Since I began my aspiration to represent the good people of Ede Federal Constituency at the National Assembly in 2011, the APC has never conducted primaries to choose candidates, as demanded by the Constitution.

Instead of conducting a primary election, the party leaders prefer to impose their anointed candidate on others in the name of consensus.

In spite of this injustice, I have never questioned the decision of the leaders each time they imposed their preferred candidates on us and it is on record that I have always supported the candidates with all I had.

The irony of my loyalty to the party is that, in spite of all my immense contributions to the growth and victories of the progressive fold, I have never enjoyed the dividend of my toils, he said.

Adekilekun said he and his supporters, have moved their structures from APC to NNPP, after realising that the APC leadership in Ede has been an obstacle on their way to their political destination.

Adekilekun said he would be vying for Ede Federal Constituency seat of the House of Representatives on the platform of NNPP. (NAN)(www.nannews.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Victor Adeoti/Ali Baba-Inuwa

Source: NAN News

Ifeanyi Olannye

Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta has advised Nigerians to actively participate in the electioneering process to ensure good governance and democratic sustainability in the country.

Okowa gave the advice while declaring open a two-day Seminar/Workshop in Asaba organised by the Asaba Correspondents Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Delta State Council.

The workshop has as its theme, Good Governance and Democratic Sustainability vis-a-vis Electoral Process.

The governor, represented by the Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, said that it was imperative for Nigerians to participate in the political process to enthrone credible leadership in the country at all times.

According to him, you as citizens need to participate in politics because when you dont vote, you have inadvertently voted for those who are coming to do the wrong thing.

Once you are 18 years and above, you need to register and have your voters card and come out to cast your vote on election days.

Once you have done that, you have ended up helping in the sustainability of democracy in the country, Okowa said.

He appealed to seminar participants to take the message home to members of their families.

The people get the leadership they deserve. Meaning that if you dont vote you would have ended up voting for the wrong people, the governor said.

He commended the Guest Speaker, Sen. Shehu Sani, for his outspokenness and contributions to the growth and sustainability of democracy in Nigeria.

He described him as a firebrand leader and a man who speaks truth to power.

Okowa applauded newsmen in the state for their support and commitment to the dissemination of information on his administrations programmes and policies to the people.

As a government, we are pleased with members of the Asaba Correspondents Chapel and other journalists in the state because they have supported us in the last seven years, propagating our programmes and policies to the people.

I speak authoritatively because I have had cause to relate with you all and you believed in honesty and had continued to tell the story just the way they are, he said,

The guest speaker said Nigerias democracy was not a gift given by the military but a product of struggle and sacrifice.

He said Nigeria was effectively under full time military rule from 1983 to 1999 and commended the role played by Prof. Wole Soyinka, Late Gani Fawehinmi, Col. Abubakar Umar, Late Beko Ransome-Kuti, amongst others.

Nigerias democracy is a product of the sacrifice of many who fought for it and so we have a duty to protect and preserve it.

We cannot continue to do what we used to do when our population was small and now that we are over 200 million people, Sani said.

He said the only way to achieve peace in the country is by ensuring equity, justice, fairness and treating every Nigerian as a stakeholder in the country.

Only justice, equity and fairness can keep the country one, Sani said.

Earlier, the Chairman, Asaba Correspondents Chapel, Mr Dominic Adewole, said the theme of the workshop was carefully chosen as part of deliberate effort to broaden the discourse on the fast approaching 2023 general elections in the country.

He added that the success of next years election would largely depend on the observance of the provisions of the new Electoral Act by the umpire, INEC and political stakeholders.

With the political atmosphere at a fever pitch as the nation matches toward yet another dispensation in the democratic process, this topic couldnt have come at a more appropriate time.

It is with this in mind that this seminar has been put together to sensitise stakeholders on their roles in the new law as we approach 2023, Adewole said.

Other guests include the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Olisa Ifeajika; State NUJ Council Chairman, Mr Michael Ikeogwu; the State Commissioner of Police, Delta Command, CP Mohammed Ari represented. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Adeleye Ajayi

Source: NAN News

By Lydia Ngwakwe

Access Bank Plc is set to delight its customers with N270 million in the DiamondXtra Season 14 promo, an initiative, aimed at promoting savings culture.

Mr Robert Giles, Senior Banking Advisor, Retail, Access Bank, said this on Friday in Lagos.

Giles said that 62 millionaires with other consolation prizes and digital marketing classes for 10,000 DiamondXtra customers would be rewarded in this Season 14.

He said the promo would provide new and existing customers with the unique opportunity to win fantastic cash prizes within a specific period.

Giles said the Season 14 promo was designed from a survey conducted on customers to know the changes they needed to see.

He said the promo would feature its recurring salary for life, business grant, education grant and different cash prize categories from its monthly and quarterly draws.

The DiamondXtra reward scheme is one of the ways the bank creates value and meets the needs of its loyal customers.

With the launch of this new season, the reward scheme has been revitalised and reloaded to create more winners, Giles said.

He said DiamondXtra was one of the most successful deposit products in the country that encourages customers to save their money, gain interest on their savings and rewards them as they keep saving.

Giles said that DiamondXtra introduced in July 2008 had impacted the lives of its loyal customers.

He noted that over 24,000 customers have been rewarded with more than N6 billion since the inception of the promo.

We have given out education grants, business grants and Salary for life.

The launch of DiamondXtra Season 14 is our best yet; and thats because it is yours. From the very beginning, DiamondXtra was designed by our customers themselves, he said.

According to him, the bank will reward 359 customers in the four zones for the outdoor draws.

Mrs Adaeze Umeh, Group Head, Consumer Banking, Access Bank, said customers would be rewarded with N270 million in prizes in DiamondXtra Season 14.

Umeh said the bank had impacted many families since the inception of the promo.

She said the world has moved to digital economy due to the impact of the COVID-19.

Umeh added that the bank had introduced digital DiamondXtra accounts openings and would as well train its customers digitally.

According to her, new or existing customers can either open a DiamondXtra account in any of its Access Bank branches across the country or fund their account with a minimum of N5,000 to qualify them for the draw. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Chinyere Joel-Nwokeoma

Source: NAN News

By Monday Ajogun

Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo, on Friday in Benin blamed increasing rate of drug abuse in the state on the lingering Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) strike.

Reviewing the states security situation for the months of February, March and April, Gov. Obaseki said Edo recorded 19 drug abuse cases in February, 34 cases in March and 23 cases in April.

Drug abuse is now number two issue of concern in our state.

Our analysis shows that there is high rate of consumption of drugs in the last few months.

This is not unconnected with the ASUU strike which has kept many students at home and idle, the governor said.

The review came after a joint security meeting between the state government and representatives of various security agencies in the state.

I use the opportunity of this meeting to appeal to ASUU and the Federal Government to do all they can to end this strike as soon as possible.

This is in the interest of the children so that we do not keep them at home and destroying their lives.

If they are not going to school, as you know the idle mind is a devils workshop. One way we hope that we can reduce the use of drugs is if we take these children back to school.

Another issue is the accident rate. We have observed slight reduction because of the rains.

We use this medium to further appeal to the Federal Government that the major roads leading into Edo be repaired, particularly the Benin-Auchi, Okpekpe-Okene roads, he said.

Obaseki noted that road accidents accounted for a large number of deaths recorded in the state.

He stressed that the state had enjoyed a relative decline in other incidents, which shows that Edo is becoming safer.

In his remarks, Commissioner of Police in Edo, Mr Abutu Yaro, corroborated the views of the governor on crime reduction, saying that Edo is safer now than earlier. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Alli Hakeem

Source: NAN News

By Chijioke Okoronkwo

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has described the killing of a second-year student of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Deborah Samuel, over an allegation of blasphemy as deeply distressing.

Osinbajo spoke with newsmen on Friday at the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, shortly on arrival from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

The vice president said it is worthy of note that President Muhammadu Buhari and the Sultan of Sokoto had condemned the incident.

Let me say that, first, the president has reacted to this, in a statement which was issued earlier condemning the action.

I must say that its a deeply distressing thing, very disturbing such an atrocious killing of the young lady by a mob who took the law into their own hands; I think its very unfortunate.

The swift reaction of the Sokoto State Government and also the Sultan of Sokoto is highly commendable.

I think that their swift reaction to the situation clearly demonstrate the outrage of millions of Nigerians and also the desire of everyone to ensure that the perpetrators are quickly apprehended and prosecuted.

Osinbajo said that there is no justification for extra-judicial killing as there are legal channels of addressing any misdeed.

He condoled with the family of the deceased and prayed God to comfort those she left behind.

As the president said, theres really no excuse for anyone to take the law into their own hands no matter the provocation, there are set processes for ensuring that we are able to redress whatever wrongs that are done against us.

We must express our condolence to the family of the young lady, Deborah Samuel.

I cant imagine how her parents and siblings and members of her family feel, not just about her death, but the very horrendous nature of its occurrence.

I think its very sad indeed, and we extend our sincere condolences to them; we ask that the Almighty will comfort them at this time, he said. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

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Edited by Vincent Obi

Source: NAN News

By Ifeanyi Olannye

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, says he will restructure and restore the economy of the country if elected as the president of the country come 2023.

Abubakar, a presidential aspirant on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, made the pledge, while addressing the party delegates andGov. Ifeanyi Okowa on Friday at Government House, Asaba.

He outlined other areas he would focus attention on if given the opportunity to preside over the affairs of the nation to include unity of the country, insecurity, economy and education.

He stressed that the country was at a cross road and needed an experienced hand to navigate through.

Abubakar thanked delegates from Delta for the support given to him at the Port Harcourt convention in 2019 and appealed to them to vote for him in the PDP presidential convention billed for May 28 and May 29, in Abuja.

He said the issue of power rotation was enshrined in the partys constitution, pointing out that what the PDP needed at this time was to grab the power before entrenching rotation.

We want to thank you very much indeed particularly for the support that we received from Delta in the last primaries that took place in Port Harcourt.

We cherished that support and we value that support and we shall not forget that support.

Having said that, we have come to another season of elections in the country but this season is unique because Nigeria has never found itself in this type of situation facing numerous challenges.

That was why when l declared to run for the presidential election this time around, l identified five key areas that this country requires immediate attention.

First of all, l identified the lack of unity in our country today, he said.

According to Abubakar, government at all levels must identify with our diversity, and respect our diversity but this have been neglected over time.

And as a result of that, we have a very divided country and l said l will tackle this disunity on the first day of my presidency if elected.

He called on delegates to put competence and credibility above money in casting their votes for aspirants to fly the flag of the party.

On his part, Okowa, affirmed thatAbubakar had the experience to take the country out of the challenges bedevilling the nation.

He said that the issue of restructuring was germane to the people of the Niger Delta region in the choice of who should rule the country in 2023.

Hesaid the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) was one way to enhance a credible election and charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that transparency was not compromised.

Okowa said delegates from the state would scrutinize the presidential aspirants and throw their weight behind the most credible at the forthcoming partys primaries.

We have a lot of insecurity at the moment. Issues concerning education has been identified but very importantly to us in the South South geopolitical zone, is the issue of restructuring.

Having talked about these key issues, we have noted your speech and we believe that you are a man we can trust because the issues that you have raised are issues that concern us and concern this nation.

And, we believe that we require a lot of experience to be able to deal with these issues without learning on the ropes, he said.

According to him, at the time decisions would be made by the people of Delta, a lot of these issues would be examined.

We would examine all aspirants who will present themselves at the convention on the 28 of this month and Delta will always vote for the person that has a great capacity.

But we are convinced that you are and you were in a team that was able to find solutions at the time such things happened in the past.

I believe that that will score you very high in our minds at the time that we are taking decisions, the governor added.

Also speaking, a member of the Atiku Support Organisation (ASO), Sen. Dino Melaye described Abubakar as a unifier and a servant leader that had cure for all the problems in the country.

The PDP State Chairman, Chief Kingsley Esiso, said delegates would support aspirants with proven integrity.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng).

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Edited by Benson Iziama/Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

By Oluwafunke Ishola

The Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) says it has launched a new Dialysis Unit to improve health outcomes for patients battling kidney diseases.

The Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Prof. Adetokunbo Fabamwo, disclosed this in a statement issued by Oluwaseyi Adewale, the Head of Public Affairs Department of LASUTH on Friday in Lagos.

Fabamwo said the dialysis unit would enhance health outcomes for patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD),
acute kidney injuries and end stage renal disease.

According to him, the unit has eight dialysis stations which cater for a minimum of 22 sessions daily and
660 dialysis sessions monthly.

He explained that the latest unit was in addition to the existing six dialysis machines in the Critical Care Unit (CCU) of the
hospital.

He added that LASUTH is the first public tertiary hospital in Lagos State to have a Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy (CRRT) machine.

This is a 24-hour non-stop dialysis machine used to support unstable patients with renal failure.

The Unit also has two dedicated machines for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Hepatitis patients.

Fabamwo said that the dialysis machine performed the kidney functions of filtering waste products and excess
fluid from a patients blood when the kidneys malfunction.

According to him, the most common form of dialysis is haemodialysis with a session taking four hours and done three times
a week.

The new Dialysis Unit of LASUTH will be providing standard haemodialysis care to patients with all spectrums of
renal diseases requiring dialysis, he said.

Fabamwo said that the goal was to ensure a safe procedure with the best possible therapeutic outcome using
the latest technology, convenient scheduling and dedicated staff.

Edited by Abiemwense Moru/Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

Source: NAN News

By Hajara Leman

MTN Foundation has donated medical equipment to Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH) Gombe for the benefit of Gombe residents.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that items donated included two Dental Chairs with Accessories,
an ENT Console, Complete set of Laparoscopy and Hysteroscopy equipment.

Speaking at the inauguration and handover ceremony of the equipment on Friday in Gombe,
the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, charged the FTH to imbibe maintenance culture to ensure that the
equipment last long.

The minister, who was represented by Dr Adebimpe Adebiyi, the Director, Hospital Service, Federal Ministry
of Health, said I charge those members of staff that will handle the equipment that we are inaugurating
today to always put patients first in their conduct.

This will enable them benefit maximally from your professional knowledge, you must have compassion
for patients, taking cognisance that majority of them reside in rural communities and are less privileged.

You must reach out to them and include them in your resolve to encourage healthy living.

He thanked MTN Foundation for the remarkable gesture, while calling on other organisations to emulate them.

The Chairman of MTN Foundation, Mr Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, said the goal was to improve quality of life
through partnerships in communities where MTN operates.

Represented by Mrs Odunayo Sanya, the Executive Secretary of MTN Foundation, he said the foundation
had been partnering with Gombe State Government in so many ways.

He added that prior to this donation, we have upgraded Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities in some local
government areas of the state.

No fewer than 4,377 persons across the state have benefitted from MTN medical outreaches. We
also made various donations to some orphanages in the state.

The Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Ali Pantami, said the Government-Private Partnership
was a welcome development as MTN Foundation fulfill its corporate social responsibility by
complementing governments effort.

He said We always encourage private sector to support government in providing infrastructure, while government
provides the enabling environment for economy to grow.

Dr Felix Ogedegbe, the acting Board Chairman of FTH Gombe, thanked Pantami for supporting the hospital through various
interventions like the Digital Economy Centre, among others.

Ogedegbe, who was represented by Azerz Ense, hospital board member, thanked MTN Foundation and appealed to
public-spirited individuals to support the hospital for the benefit of the teeming population in the state.

The Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, said the present administration was passionate about the health sector and that was
why on assumption of duty, 114 Primary Health Care Centres were upgraded across the state aimed at achieving Universal Health Coverage.

Represented by his Deputy, Manasseh Jatau, Tahaya said that the intervention by MTN Foundation was apt, considering the increase
in health challenges.

He called on private organisations and individuals to emulate the foundation.

NAN reports that highlights of the occasion were the inauguration of the equipment donated by MTN Foundation by
Pantami, the launch of newly constructed Accidents and Emergency Unit by Ehanire, as well as the inauguration of
road network by Yahaya. (NAN)

Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu

Source: NAN News

By Angela Atabo

The Hope 23 Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign Organisation has refuted in strong terms, a fake report that Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi has picked an All Progressives Congress (APC) form for senate.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bello, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the APC, submitted

Dr Yemi Kolapo, the Director, Media and Publicity of the campaign organisation in a statement on Friday said that Bello would be the last man standing in the presidential race.

Kolapo said the campaign organisation described the report as a laughable concoction of desperate aspirants, who would do anything to be in the shoes of Bello, the leading contender in the 2023 presidential race.

She urged the media to always do their checks thoroughly and not play into the hands of those she described as out-paced politicians seeking to pull down serious contenders with fake and utterly mischievous reports.

As we stand today in the build up to the APC primary elections, Yahaya Bellos popularity among critical stakeholders, party members in general, and Nigerians as a whole, is unparalleled.

Who among the aspirants has an office address? Let them come and visit the headquarters of the Yahaya Bello presidential campaign office and see that we are ready to move to Aso Rock after our father, President Muhammadu Buhari. Bello bought Senate form? A lie from the pit of hell.

Our consultations across all the states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory, have shown that the next election will only favour a man of the people.

Our highly experienced and noble party leaders know that the only consideration is about winning election and will field the right candidate that will enable the party to retain power. That candidate is Gov. Bello, she said.

According to Kolapo , the campaign organisation can say conservatively, that more than half of the APC delegates are with Bello and supporting him.

She said that people had decided to vote their conscience and were yearning for that loyal leader with the capacity to build on the successes of President Muhammadu Buhari and take Nigeria to the desired destination.

She said that it was disheartening that some people could still resort to this kind of intellectually deficit strategy to make themselves relevant in an arena where they definitely had no seats.

We know the sponsors of this report and urge them with every sense of decency to retrace their steps and work on picking the pieces of their fast crumbling political bricks instead of engaging in petty, outdated pull them down gimmicks, she said.

Kolapo assured Nigerians and the teeming supporters of Yahaya Bello, youths, women, people with special needs and indeed all Nigerians, at home and abroad of Bellos stance in the election.

If there will be one individual left in the presidential race, that individual will be Yahaya Bello, Kolapo said. (NAN)

Edited by Chioma Ugboma

Source: NAN News

By Perpetua Onuegbu
The National Universities Commission (NUC) has presented provisional licences to 12 new private universities, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, presented the licences to each proprietor of the universities in Abuja on Thursday.

The universities include the Pen Resource University, Gombe; Al-Ansar University, Maiduguri; Margaret Lawrence University Galilee, Delta; and Khalifa Isiyaku Rabiu University, Kano.

Others are Sports University, Idumuje, Delta; Bab Ahmed University, Kano; Saisa University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Sokoto; and the Nigerian British University, Asa, Abia.

The rest are Peter University, Achina/Onneh, Anambra; Newgate University, Minna; European University of Nigeria, Duboyi, FCT; and Northwest University, Sokoto, Sokoto State.

Speaking at the event, the minister said while the number of the new universities may seem large, there was the need to establish more universities in the country,

Government is also well aware of the need to improve the countrys Human Development Index ranking, knowing that countries that are consistently well-ranked in human development indices have maintained a respectable number of universities relative to their population.

In the 2020 UN Human Development index, Nigeria dropped three places to 161 out of 189 countries and territories. These are some of the matters we aim to address.

As usual the provisional approval for these universities to operate is intended to create room for effective mentoring and qualitative growth within the first three years of operation, Adamu said.

He said the universities would be affiliated to older generation universities for academic and administrative mentoring which would be moderated by the NUC.

He urged the proprietors to sustain funding towards improving infrastructure, equipment for teaching and learning as well as human resources to earn the universities accreditation by NUC.

Prof. Abubakar Rasheed, the Executive Secretary NUC, commended the proprietors of the new universities.

He said private universities bring uniqueness to the Nigerian university landscape.

The NUC has embarked on a radical re-engineering of the curricula in the Nigerian universities to meet global standards and international best practices toward preparing Nigerian graduates for relevance in world economy.

The Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards (BMAS) has been revised to Core Curriculum Minimum Academic Standards (CCMAS) by NUC along with the programmes best experts and industry stakeholders.

The CCMAS, which will soon be unveiled to the public provides 70 per cent of what should be taught along with the expected outcomes, while universities will provide 30 per cent based on their individual contextual peculiarities and characteristics.

The establishment of more private universities under the strict supervision of NUC is an antidote to the proliferation of illegal source of worry and embarrassment to the nation and a menace to quality university education delivery.

Rasheedtherefore enjoined the proprietors to acquaintthemselves with the code of governance for private universities which aimed to enhance successful running and sustainability of the institutions.

Prof. Julius Okojie, a former Executive Secretary of NUC, in his remarks said: Universities bring development, if we must have qualitative universities education, private universities must be encouraged.

According to him, unless there is the creation of new states new state universities cannot be created and government is hard pressed in terms of political will and funds to establish more universities.

Universities bring development and the future of development in this country resides with the universities.

Go to any state in this country, the establishment of universities bring about an increase in economics activities, new buildings coming up for students accommodation, okada riders for transportation, etc.

He said countries with huge populations have good number of universities to cushion their educational needs, therefore, called for support for those that want to establish private universities.

He said private universities make room for innovative and qualitative education.

Dr Muhammed Dikwa, the Proprietor of Al-Ansar University, Maiduguri, Borno, speaking on behalf of the proprietors assured the NUC that the newly licenced universities would observe all the guidelines set out by the NUC and ensure that qualitative education was not compromised.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Executive Council (NEC) approved the establishment of the universities on April 6, and there are now a total of 111 private universities in the country. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Sunday Bassey

Akwa Ibom says it has N830 million as West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) fees for its 2022 final year students.

Commissioner for Education, Mrs Idongesit Etiebet, made this declaration at a briefing of principals, supervisors and other examination functionaries for the 2022 WASSCE held in Uyo on Friday.

She called on key players and stakeholders in the education sector to collectively employ strategies and modalities at ending examination malpractices.

Akwa Ibom spent N830 million to ensure that children in public secondary schools write the WASSCE this year, she said.

She added that Akwa Ibom set a target in 2021 that 80 per cent of its students writing WASSCE must obtain a minimum of five credits in subjects including English Language and Mathematics.

The target for 2022, she said is 90 per cent.

In the last three years, analyses conducted by the West African Examination Council (WAEC) shows that students in Akwa Ibom have improved in their WASSCE results, she said.

She thanked teachers, principals and supervisors in public and private schools for the good job of teaching and grooming students, particularly students in exit classes.

Earlier, a Senior Internal Auditor at WAEC, Mrs Faith Ihediwah said there had been a noticeable decline in examination malpractices.

She expressed the hope that the trend would continue until the menace is completely subdued.

She also noted that there was an increase in the success rate of candidates and attributed this to the tenacity of the teachers.

Ihediwah thanked Akwa Ibom for the payment of the examination fees and the release of teachers for supervision and invigilation at the examination centres.

She enjoined all stakeholders to ensure the success of the 2022 WASSCE.

Ihediwah noted that WAEC had recorded improvements in the ease of collection of certificates at choice locations and the prompt release of examination results. (NAN)

Edited by Alli Hakeem

Source: NAN News

By Sumaila Ogbaje

The National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno, has expressed Nigerias readiness to seek more support and partnership of the Global Coalition against ISIS to enhance ongoing counter-terrorism operations.

Monguno said this when he led Nigerias delegation to the Ministerial Meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, held in Marrakesh, Morocco.

He also called for global support and collaboration in tackling other threats to national security as well as efforts in preventing and countering violent extremism within the country and beyond.

The Head, Strategic Communication, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Mr Zakari Usman, made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

Monguno explained that the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS was an 83-member alliance established in 2014 to reduce the threat ISIS poses to international security in general and the national security of member countries.

He said the 2022 meeting was the first to be convened in Africa, adding that it presented an opportunity for the coalition, led by the United States, to reaffirm the shared determination to continue the fight against ISIS.

According to him, the fight will continue through both military and civilian-led efforts to sustain pressure on ISIS remnants in Iraq and Syria and to counter its global networks, especially in Africa where it has been undermining national security through the proliferation of affiliates.

In a Joint communiqu issued by Ministers of the Global Coalition following the meeting in Morocco, member countries affirmed that ensuring the enduring defeat of ISIS in Iraq and Syria remained a priority.

The coalition acknowledged that, in spite of the significant setbacks suffered by ISIS leadership in recent times, the group continues to conduct attacks in Iraq and Syria and represents an ongoing threat, he said.

NSA said the coalition also reiterated the importance of allocating adequate resources to sustaining its activities and those of legitimate partner forces.

He added that the coalition agreed that civilian-led efforts, including prevention, stabilisation, countering terrorist financing, counter narratives and foreign terrorist fighter prosecution, rehabilitation and reintegration are increasingly necessary to achieve the lasting defeat of ISIS.

According to him, the coalition recognised the need to meet the evolving threat of ISIS in Africa and welcomed the first three Africa Focus Group meetings, which took place in Brussels, Rome and Marrakesh.

He said the coalition believed Africa would bolster the civilian-led counterterrorism capabilities of its members by fostering synergies with other existing international, sub-regional and regional counterterrorism efforts and initiatives.

According to him, the importance of addressing the underlying causes of insecurity in Africa was also stressed at the event.

The Coalition reiterated that any lasting solution to halting the spread of ISIS in Africa would rely primarily on national authorities, as well as sub-regional and regional efforts and initiatives that acknowledge and address the political and economic drivers of conflict.

To this end, Nigerias participation in the 2022 meeting was an opportunity to compare notes and share knowledge, as well as expand network on strategies to minimise or eradicate national, sub-regional and regional threats posed by the activities of terrorist groups and violent extremists.

Recall that Nigeria and the United States co-chaired a virtual meeting of the same event in November 2020, where Nigerias position on the global coalition was firmly emphasised.

Through the Counter-Terrorism Centre in ONSA, Nigeria highlighted, among other issues, that the challenges of global terrorism had negatively impacted virtually every facet of human endeavour.

They include national security, the economy, polity, environment and the lives and livelihoods of people, as apparent in the Sahel, the Lake Chad Basin and parts of the North-East of the country, he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

Source: NAN News

By Lizzy Okoji

Edited by Maureen Ojinaka/Isaac Aregbesola

Source: NAN News

By Emmanuel Mogbede
Hafsat Abiola-Costello, Director-General (DG) Gov. Yahaya Bello Presidential Campaign Organisation has advised Nigerians to keep faith in the country because better days are coming.
She said this while speaking with newsmen after submitting Gov. Yahaya Bellos Expression of Interest and Nomination forms to contest for the APC ticket for the 2023 presidential election.
She expressed gratitude to Nigerians for supporting Bellos presidential aspiration, adding that his presidency would restore hope in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Bello, the Kogi governor is one of the 28 2023 APC presidential aspirants that will be contesting the partys ticket at its special presidential primary convention.
The convention is slated for May 30 and June 1
Today we have taken another step in the journey to restore hope to Nigerians by submitting the 2023 presidential expression of interest and nomination forms of Gov. Yahaya Bello, Abiola-Costello said.
She added that Bello was confident that he would clinch the APC presidential ticket to emerge its candidate for the 2023 presidential election because he had the capacity and competence.
According to her, Bello has built credibility within the party, and had built allies across religions and zones in the country.
So we have nothing to fear about other aspirants, especially those that are just joining the race now.
We see that some candidates are going around, meeting with delegates, Gov. Bello had been doing that religiously for years, so we are fully confident in the movement that he represents,she said.
Abiola-Costello said the governor had a formidable team and supporters working to actualise his presidential aspiration.
We have no reservations whatsoever about this great candidate. We have no reservations about his competency. We have no reservations about his qualifications from his first day in office.
As governor of Kogi, he started working to unify a state that was polarised, he started working to bring security to a state that had insecurity.

He started working to diversify the economy and to restore sanity to the civil service system. This is what he will do as president and we look forward to Nigerians welcoming him as APC 2023 presidential candidate come June 1 2022, she said.
She expressed gratitude to the APC National Working Committee(NWC) for the exemplary way it had conducted the partys affairs so far.
She said the governor Yahaya Bello presidential campaign organisation was looking forward to a successful party primaries come May 30 and June 1.
We sincerely believe that today we have submitted the form for the person that Nigerians will welcome in 2023 as the president of the country, she said.(NAN)

Edited by Chioma Ugboma

Source: NAN News

Source: NAN News

By Dorcas Jonah

The National Council for Women Societies (NCWS) has called for support for the Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen, as she declares her ambition for the senatorial race.

The National President of NCWS, Hajiya Lami Lau, who made the call in a statement on Thursday in Abuja, said that the council would fully support the political ambition of Tallen.

According to Lau, as the umbrella body of women organisations in Nigeria, the NCWS will do its best to give the minister the necessary support she needs to win.

We join the women and youths from Southern Jos, Plateau State, to congratulate our minister, mother, sister and wife, on her ambition for the senatorial position.

Over the years, there has been a sustained poor representation and gender imbalance of women in all spheres of life.

The World Economic Forums Global Gender Gap Report ranking on Women Political participation, ranked Nigeria as 102 in 2019, the country is worse now than in 2010, when it ranked 99th worldwide.

This is a growing concern for the council and we must work hard to narrow the gap of Nigerian womens participation in politics, she said.

According to her, the success of the Gender Policy Framework largely depends on the extent to which it attracts high level support in government at all levels.

She said that to achieve this, the highest political level of governance must embrace gender equality principles and practice, for any meaningful change to occur.

Even as gender has been adopted at the global level as a yardstick for measuring progress in development, this is a clarion call on Nigerian women not to support or vote blindly come 2023 General Elections.

We will only support political parties that have at least 35 per cent women representation in both elective and appointive positions.

We will also look at parties that have the interests of women in their party structures and manifestoes.

Womens participation is central and crucial to our national growth and development. Now is the time for women to take the bull by the horn

As a council, we will support all women aspirants to make sure they become candidates, and also ensure that we support them to win the various positions they are vying for, she said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that a coalition of women and youth groups from Southern Jos, purchased the All Progressives Party (APC), senatorial nomination form for the minister ahead of the general elections

The group said that the action was in recognition of Tallens antecedents in her service to humanity, especially to women and children. (NAN)

DE/DOR

Source: NAN News

By Abiemwense Moru, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Deaths from preventable diseases linked to pregnancy and childbirth are very high in Nigeria.

Indeed statistics released by Health Watch Nigeria, a health communication and advocacy organisation, showed that daily, about 145 women, between the ages of 15 and 45 years die from preventable cases linked to pregnancy and childbirth.

Stakeholders in the public and private health sectors, also stressed that the country should fight the high maternal mortality by improving quality of care.

They also said that manufacturers and distributors of poor-quality maternal medicines should be sanctioned.

The stakeholders said that though sanctions are already in place, but the perpetrators are not deterred.

They advocated stiffer penalties for manufacturers and distributors of poor-quality maternal medicines in the country.

The stakeholders spoke recently in Abuja at a programme on leveraging Public-Private Partnerships to Improve Access to Quality Maternal Medicines, organised by Nigeria Health Watch.

Dr Kayode Afolabi, the Head, Reproductive Health Division, Federal Ministry of Health, said that the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), should continue its work as the main regulatory agency.

He said: We are all familiar with the work of NAFDAC as the regulatory agency in this regard and what we should do is to further strengthen NAFDAC.

This will enable NAFDAC to ensure such substandard products are not allowed into the country and then we need to look at the supply chain process.

Particularly those maternal health products that need to be stored with certain conditions of temperature.

Can we maintain the cold chain and if there are gaps, how do we address the gap, should be our priority, he said.

Dr Kay Adesola, President, Association of Nigerian Private Medical Practitioners (ANPMP), said good regulatory mechanisms with penalties should be put in place to curb the circulation of substandard medicines.

We all must take the issue of access to quality medicines as our businesses since no one is exempted from health concerns.

Good mechanisms in form of regulatory policies with effective implementations.

These measures must, however, not be seen taking the place of appropriate penalties to deter the die-hards importing these substandard drugs just for monetary gain.

In some climes, some similar culprits are made to face stiff penalties such as death sentence or life jail.

Apply penalties and see the mileage we will achieve in making maternal medicines safer and more lives saved, he said.

On his part, Prof. Chimezie Anyakora, Chief Executive Officer, Bloom Public Health, in a panel discussion gave insight into the critical role of supply chain management in ensuring the quality of maternal medicines in the country.

He said that maternal medicine quality is determined by factors including manufacturing, supply, storage and distribution of these medicines.

Anyakora stated that concerted efforts and strategic partnership among stakeholders were essential to build capacity in supply chain management in order to ensure quality medicines for the end users.

He also highlighted the role Bloom Public Health and its partners, including DrugStoc, were playing in ensuring proper management of the supply chain from manufacturers to end users.

He added that the distributions were through various projects like: the Drug Revolving Fund Project in Ebonyi to ensure sustainable availability and access to safe and quality drugs.

In her presentation, Dr Chioma Ejekam, Consultant Public Health Physician, said that all women needed access to high quality care in pregnancy and during childbirth.

She explained that most maternal deaths were preventable as the healthcare solutions to prevent or manage complications were well-known.

Ejekam, however, said the issue of quality around these maternal medicines had become a global concern as substandard or falsified (SF) medical products had long been acknowledged as a threat to individual and public health.

She said that penalties should be melted out on those manufacturers and distributors of such falsified or substandard maternal products.

Mr Frank Muonemeh, Executive Secretary, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Group of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (PMG-MAN), said everyone must be involved in the fight against substandard medicines.

According to him, unless the people are in the drivers seat, from production to the last distribution point, substandard medicines will continue to be in circulation.

He, therefore, called for penalties against producers and manufacturers of falsified medicines.

Dr Chibuzo Opara, Chief Executive Officer of DrugStoc, said some of the key things his organisation was trying to solve was the problem related to supply chain financing and healthcare commodities security.

He said that the country needed to improve its cold chain infrastructure for better health services.

He said that, good investment, power supply and transportation could enhance the quality of the cold chain.

On her part, Mrs Vivianne Ihekweazu, the Managing Director of Nigeria Health Watch, said there should be stronger accountability to reinforce sanctions for substandard medicines.

She advised that policy makers, stakeholders and health workers needed to work together to improve pharmaco-vigilance, since it impacts on the quality of care they deliver.

There is a need for a stronger reporting system and cross collaboration to detect falsified medicines and prevent them from getting to the bedside of a mother, she said.

Ms Azuka Okeke, Chief Executive Office, Africa Resource Centre for Excellence in Supply Chain Management, said the country needed to leverage the PMG-MAN for better medicines.

She said this was necessary as they provide an organised structure for local manufacturers and ensure the production of quality and affordable medicines.

You cannot guarantee the quality of products if you dont know the source.

To achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), we must engage local manufacturers and associations in order to guarantee quality and accountability, she said. (NANFeatures)

** If used, please credit the writer as well as the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

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Source: NAN News

By Abdul Hassan

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has denied endorsing former President Goodluck Jonathan, as its preferred candidate for the 2023 presidential election.

A chieftain of the ACF, Alhaji Musa Saidu stated in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Thursday in Abuja.

Saidu, who is also the leader of the Arewa community in South-South and South-East, was reacting to media reports stating that a Coalition of Northern Groups has endorsed Jonathan for 2023 poll.

There was never a time the ACF or the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) endorsed a particular aspirant for the presidential election.

That is to say clearly that no coalition or any group that have the mandate to speak for the North, he said.

Saidu, however, said that although the group has the freedom to speak on national issues as a pressure group, it had no mandate to speak on behalf of the North.

I actually read a statement credited to one Abdulazeez Suleiman, the spokesperson for the coalition claiming that the North has endorsed Jonathan for 2023.

I want to say that this is not true, he said.

According to him, it is absurd to accept the groups claim that there is other credible and qualified candidate than Jonathan in all the South-South and South-East states.

We have been living in the South-South for years, we are part of the politics and we know who is who in the area, Jonathan came to power by incidental political circumstances, we know his weaknesses and advantages.

We have more credible candidates than him even within the Buhari administration, you can get them.

Perhaps, the coalitions claims was to attract monetary benefits from the former president, certainly not on the basis of truth, he said.

The chieftain, who urged Nigerians to disregard the claimed, called on the coalition to desist from speaking on behalf of the North.

It is absolutely misleading for a group to speak on behalf of the North without any mandate, doing this is a mischief and tantamount to creating confusion among interest groups, he said.

Saidu lauded President Muhammadu Buhari for urging that all interest aspirants in his cabinet to leave. (NAN)

Source: NAN News