Category: Northern Reports

A non-governmental organisation, the League of Concerned Women for Equity and Justice, (LOCWEJ) has said the development of women and children remained an indication of good governance and stimulus to speedy national development.

International Director of the organisation, Mrs. Patience Akor stated this while speaking ahead of LOCWEJ’s forthcoming conference with the theme: “A new Nigeria: Redefining The Dynamics For Effective Leadership – 2023 and Beyond In Focus.”

She explained in a statement signed by the Chairman, Organising Committee, Thomas George that the organisation was founded in 2014, with a deep passion for promoting and defending the interests of women in dire need and other vulnerable groups in Nigeria.

Akor said LOCWEJ has over the years, provided succour to thousands of women and children in the areas of medical outreach programmes, food support and payment of school fees for indigent children in some remote parts of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.

She said a cardinal aspect of the set goals of the organisation revolved around providing legal representation to women, especially widows who suffered disenfranchisement due to warped cultural and traditional bias practices that shut out women from the administration of the estates of the deceased.

According to her, the conference, which was conceived to attract about 3,000 persons cutting across board, with major contenders in the 2023 presidential candidates, would be chaired by His Eminence John Cardinal Onaiyekan with His Highness, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar Ill as the Royal Father of the Day.

She added that diplomatic corps, women and youth organisations and political/opinion leaders, among others would be in attendance.

“To spice up the day and add glamour to the events, there will be special conferment of Excellence Service Awards to few painstakingly selected Nigerians and organizations, with a view to spurring others to tow the line,” Akor said.

She disclosed that the conference and conferment will hold on Wednesday, January 25, 2023 at the Main Auditorium, National Centre for Women Development, Abuja.

Ahead of next month’s presidential election, the Dakacin of Gawu Babangida, Niger State, Emir Musa Abubakar has endorsed the All Progressives Congress candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The emir, who said the former Lagos State governor was the next President of Nigeria, urged members of the community to vote massively for Tinubu in next month’s election.

Speaking while receiving the Community Support Directorate of the APC Presidential Campaign Council lead by Director of the Directorate, Dr. Abdulahi Maiago, the emir described Tinubu as a detribalised Nigerian grassroot politician who has proven over the years the capacity to lead the country.

The monarch assured the APC flag bearer of 100 per cent votes from the community

In his response, Maiago said the people would vote for Tinubu and Shetima and the governorship candidate of the APC in the state.

He said: “The next President by God’s grace is Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu. There’s nowhere he goes that he will not talk about security, farming, education and electricity. He’s going to fix the challenges of this country by God’s grace.”

He encouraged the community members and well-meaning Nigerians to vote APC from top to bottom because “when they support the governor, senators, Houses of Assembly members, it will be an easy and smooth ride for Tinubu and Kashim Shettima.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said 253,774 permanent voter cards (PVCs) remain unclaimed in Adamawa State.

The commission announced this at stakeholders’ meeting in Yola, urging all those who registered for the cards not to delay any further in claiming them.

The state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Hudu Ari, during a stakeholders’ meeting, said that as of January 10th, 253,774 PVCs were yet to be claimed.

He said: “I call on all stakeholders to join in the enlightenment of our citizens to come out and collect their PVCs, because no PVC no election.”

Hudu Ari announced that the Adamawa INEC office had received 4,104 Biomodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines for use during the scheduled elections as part of the commission’s commitment to using technology for credible accreditation and transmission of election results.

He said: “We are currently testing the functionality, and configuring and labelling the BVAS to ensure the ideal of one man one vote and to see that all votes count.”

The REC disclosed further that the commission had published the first batch of 10,165 Ad-hoc staff out of 10,932 applications.

Commissioner of Police Sikiru Akande commended political parties and other stakeholders for the peace maintained since the commencement of the campaign rallies in the state.

“I thank all stakeholders for playing the game according to the rule so far and I want to urge you to continue to ensure that Adamawa remains peaceful,” he said, pledging that the Police would be fair to all.

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Taraba State is in fresh crisis as the presidential candidate of the party Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso endorsed A.A Liman as candidate for the Taraba north senatorial election 2023.

Kwankwaso reportedly handed over the NNPP flag to A.A Liman instead of Haruna Bako, at the North-east zonal rally in Bauchi.

NNPP stakeholders in the state are kicking against Liman’s endorsement as Bako is said to be the legally recognised candidate for the senatorial election.

Speaking to The Nation, an NNPP House of Representatives candidate for Karim Lamido, Lau, Ardo Kola, Stephen Othaniel, said the endorsement of A.A Liman was is exercise in futility as Haruna Bako is the legally recogniaed candidate for Taraba north.

“The issue is that Liman contested in APC. He even went to court and finally someone is holding the ticket. He is still alive. He is Mr. Haruna Bako.

“The issue of who receives the flag is different from who receives the ticket. You have the flag and somebody has the ticket. It is two different things.

“If you go to INEC now, you will see Haruna Bako. So, for me it is an exercise that doesn’t have a meaning,” he stated.

He said both Liman and Bako were in Bauchi for the event and wondered why Kwankwaso had to do what he did. He however expressed confidence in Kwankwaso resolving the issue even as he said Bako will approach the court for redress.

“The presidential candidate is not greater than the rule of the land. Somebody with a good reputation like Kwankwaso needs to go back and look at the whole thing before taking a critical decision because I know Kwankwaso is a straight forward person. He would not allow his party to lose out,” he added.

From David Adenuga, Bauchi

The Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH), Bauchi has launched an electronic platform for patients, doctors and management to reduce bottlenecks in healthcare delivery.

ATBUTH Chief Medical Director, Dr. Yusuf Jibrin at the Official launching of the Platform yesterday, said the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) selected the hospital along with five other health institutions across the six geopolitical zones to benefit from the Smart Clinic Telemedicine suite (e-Health solutions).

He said it is an e-mobile and web solution that links a patient-based mobile health application with a hospital or doctor-based information management system.

“It will effectively help people access health services remotely irrespective of their location at any given time. This is part of the commission’s mandate to encourage research and development efforts by all communications industry practitioners,” the CMD said.

Jibrin said the Federal Ministry of Health has emphasised the need for the adoption of e-health in all federal teaching hospitals, federal medical centres, specialist hospitals across the nation.

Also, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Health, Mahmuda Mamman said the need for the inclusion of technologies in health has many advantages and is incontrovertible.

“It is required to enable meeting up with the increasing demand of health service delivery and it is in line with the Executive Order 001 (ease of doing business) of this administration because it is the confluence of medical informatics, service delivery, public health, and business,” Mamman said