Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative technology with the potential to revolutionize various sectors, including medical care, legal services, education, and scientific innovation. The benefits of AI are not limited to individual productivity but also extend to the overall growth of economies. Recognizing the significance of AI, the Chinese government has implemented a regulatory framework to ensure its responsible and ethical use.

As a preemptive measure, prior to the proliferation of the use of AI for mischief and unethical purposes, it is very crucial for the Federal Government of Nigeria commence without delay, the establishment of a similar regulatory framework to harness the potential benefits of AI while addressing potential challenges.

Artificial intelligence has the potential to bring profound benefits to Nigeria, improving various sectors and enhancing productivity. However, to ensure responsible and ethical use, the Federal Government of Nigeria should establish a regulatory commission similar to that of China, that would be charged with the following responsibilities:

1. Ensuring Ethical Use of AI:
The implementation of a regulatory framework will enable the Nigerian government to ensure the ethical use of AI. This framework can include guidelines and standards that govern the development, deployment, and use of AI systems. By setting ethical boundaries, the government can prevent the misuse of AI technology, such as the creation of deepfake videos or the dissemination of false information.

For example, the Chinese government has established regulations that require AI companies to obtain licenses for certain applications, such as facial recognition technology. This ensures that AI systems are used responsibly and in compliance with privacy and security standards.

2. Protecting Citizens' Privacy:
AI systems often rely on vast amounts of data to function effectively. Therefore, it is crucial to protect citizens' privacy and personal information. The Nigerian government can establish data protection laws and regulations that require AI companies to obtain consent from individuals before collecting and using their data.

China has implemented the Personal Information Protection Law, which provides guidelines for the collection, storage, and use of personal information by AI companies. Similar legislation in Nigeria would safeguard citizens' privacy and build trust in AI systems.

3. Promoting Research and Development:
A regulatory framework can also foster research and development in AI. By providing clear guidelines and support, the Nigerian government can encourage investment in AI technologies and innovation. This will not only benefit the economy but also promote scientific advancements and technological breakthroughs.

China's regulatory framework includes policies that support AI research and development, such as funding initiatives and tax incentives. Nigeria can adopt similar measures to attract investment and nurture a thriving AI ecosystem.

Finally, Artificial intelligence has the potential to bring profound benefits to Nigeria, improving various sectors and enhancing productivity. However, to ensure responsible and ethical use, the Federal Government of Nigeria should establish a regulatory framework similar to that of China. This framework should focus on ensuring ethical use, protecting citizens' privacy, and promoting research and development. By implementing such a framework, Nigeria can harness the potential of AI while safeguarding its citizens and fostering innovation.

Popular human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has expressed concern about the attention the expected verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal is generating from Nigerians.

The lawyer stated that no election petition has attracted such a level of blackmail and intimidation of the judiciary since the colonial days as the 2023 tribunal.

Falana however pointed out that the verdict of the tribunal is not final and all stakeholders need to remember that the Supreme Court can still overturn whatever be the presidential tribunal’s ruling.

Naija News reports the lawyer made the submission on Monday during an interview appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today.

In his words, “We have been having election petitions since the colonial era, but none has attracted such level of blackmail and intimidation of the judiciary.

“I am worried that people give the impression that everything ends with the judgement of the Court of Appeal, the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal. Any party that loses on Wednesday still has the opportunity to appeal to the Supreme Court. So, what is the basis for the cheap blackmail that is going on?”

The senior lawyer noted that regardless of the outcome of Wednesday’s tribunal ruling, the heavens won’t fall and the judges must not be intimidated.

“As they say, even if the heavens will fall and the heavens won’t fall anyway, the judges must not be intimidated, they must give their decision regardless of blackmail or intimidations convinced that they can justify their judgment.

“That is what is required of them, to examine the evidence, apply the law and deliver a decision. One way or the other, some will lose, some will win; but those who lose in the case and are aggrieved will have another opportunity to approach the Supreme Court and demonstrate how the Court of Appeal has erred,” Falana submitted.

It would be recalled that the Court of Appeal on Monday confirmed that it will deliver judgement on the presidential election petitions on Wednesday, 6th September, 2023.

Former Deputy National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has warned the judiciary not to truncate the electoral process as it delivers judgment on the Presidential Election Petition.

Naija News reports that the elder statesman, while speaking during a state-of-the-nation press conference in Lagos on Monday, said the judiciary should never go through the route of announcing any of the 2023 presidential candidates as the winner.

Bode George said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) procedure was faulty; therefore, the judiciary should order a rerun.

He noted that pronouncing any of the candidates as President would redefine democracy in Nigeria as the government of the judiciary.

The PDP leader said, “Whoever that the tribunal eventually announces as the winner of the election, I am saying, if the judiciary pronounces anybody the President with the shambolic procedure from this election, it will be a shame on this country. The judiciary should never go through that route.

“The procedure is faulty, so they should direct the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to go back and do the election again. If it is one million times, go back and do the election. You see now that there is peace in Kenya because the Supreme Court said go back and do the election.

“Otherwise, if they pronounce Mr A or Mr B as the winner of that shambolic election, then democracy in Nigeria would be redefined as the government of the judiciary, for the judiciary and by the judiciary. Is that a democracy?”

Bode George also took a swipe at the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu‘s administration, saying it is hurting Nigerians.

He faulted the Federal Government’s method in the distribution of N5 billion palliatives to Nigerians, describing it as voodoo economics.

He said, “There is no individual in this globe called earth that knows it all. Who is the Chief Economic Adviser in the Villa? Is he a voodoo economist? Is he a medieval economist? Basic theory in economics says that when too much money is chasing a few goods, it causes hyperinflation. You gave N5 billion to states as palliatives, Who took that decision? Lagos has more than 22 million people, Bayelsa has about two million people and they have the same money.

“Kano with a huge population got the same with Jigawa. Is it money for the boys or money for the people? The whole world is now a global village.

“The moment Russia shut down their gas pipeline to Europe; they have all been in hell. What we are talking about here is the pain the people are passing through.

“In England too, there is pain and the people are shouting, doctors are on strike and the salary can no longer meet their daily needs. The cost of electricity has gone through the roof. But in Nigeria, what the hell are we doing here?”

The Ad-hoc Committee of the House of Representatives on the disposal of public property on Monday, commenced investigation into the Federal Ministry of Water Resources over its disposal of assets belonging to 12 River Basin Development Authority in 2018.

This came as the committee summoned six key agencies to appear before it to clarify the role they played in the sale of public assets at their disposal.

The invited agencies are the Nigeria Ports Authority, the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Nigerian Railway Corporation, Nigeria Customs Service, Anambra/Imo River Basin Development Authourity, Osun River Development Authourity and the Federal Ministry of Water Resources.

The Managing Directors of the River Basin Development Authority who showed up before the committee on Monday said the Ministry of Water Resources took charge of the disposal of the property because the agency had no governing boards in 2018.

The leadership of the RBDA also informed the committee that the ministry advertised and selected auctioneers who disposed off the assets, adding that it would in the place of the ministry to provide answers to some of the questions raised by the committee.

The Chairman of the committee and a member representing Owan Federal Constituency of Edo State, Julius Ihonbvere faulted the submissions of the MDs, stressing that the committee was left with no option but to invite the ministry.

“I want to assure you for now that we are not very satisfied and that is because you did not preside over this process. We are not satisfied with the disconnects in some of the documents; we will require that you come back after we deduce some of those documents directly from the ministry on behalf of your agencies. We will also invite the ministry to deal with us directly,” he said.

A 15-man investigative panel of the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria has suspended four medical professionals from practising in the country.

The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) made this known on Monday via its social media platforms.

The Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigation Panel is a court of first hearing in matters of alleged ethical misconduct that are properly brought before the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria.

The panel consists of 15 members all of whom must be registered medical practitioners or dental surgeons.

The Professional Discipline (PD) department receives and processes allegations of professional misconduct against medical doctors and dental surgeons from members of the public as specified in the Standing Orders and Rules of Procedure of the MDPIP.

The Head of Department coordinates the activities of the department and serves as the secretary to the Investigation.

According to MDCN, the Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigation Panel has ordered the Interim Suspension from the Medical Profession in Nigeria, of the following registered medical practitioners: 1. Dr. Ejike Ferdinand Orji. 2. Dr. Richard Chukwujekwu Okoye. 3. Dr. Olalekan Olatise. 4. Dr. Buliaminu Adebayo Adigun.

Dr Richard Chukwujekwu Okoye is the director of the Save A Life Medical Center Limited who was said to have rejected an international offer to build a multi-billion naira medical empire in Nigeria.

Dr. Ejike Ferdinand Orji, was sentenced to one year imprisonment by Justice Adedayo Akintoye of the Lagos High court sitting at Tafawa Balewa Square over negligence, causing harm and endangering the life of a 16-year-old patient.

The Medical Director of Excel Medical Centre Dolphin Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos was arraigned alongside his wife, Dr(Mrs) Ifeanyinwa Grace Orji but was discharged and acquitted following an application by the Director of Public Production that the Lagos State government wishes to discontinue the case against her.

Dr Olatise Olalekan is a specialist and consultant nephrologist in Zenith Medical and Kidney Centre, and is a professional in kidney transplant and consultation services, dialysis and other medical treatments that relates to kidney disease.

Dr. Buliaminu Adebayo Adigun is a medical doctor at the Oyo Hospitals Management Board.

The above registered medical practitioners were ordered by the panel not to practise medicine in Nigeria “until the cases against them are determined by the Medical and Dental Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal.”

The tribunal noted that “that their suspension has been communicated to them and other relevant institutions to enforce the order.”

Farmers in Nigeria will be receiving 33,000 metric tonnes of raw granular potash, which will be used as fertilizers.

Granular potash or Potassium (K) is an essential element for plants that improves water uptake, carbohydrate storage and frost and disease resistance.

It also strengthens the standing power of cereals reducing the risk of lodging and counteracting the damaging effects of excessive nitrogen.

The decision to disburse the farm material led to the inauguration of two committees, namely logistics and blending by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari.

Kyari said it is part of the measures to address the food security emergency in the country in statement signed by the Chief Information Officer of FMAFS, Eremah Anthonia on Monday.

He said, “In a bid to address the emergency in food security, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security. Senator Abubakar Kyari, has inaugurated two committees namely logistics and blending.

“They will work out the modalities for utilizing the donated 33,000 metric tons of granular potash raw materials for subsequent distribution of the finished products to smallholder farmers to boost food and nutrition security.

“We will not rest on our oars until the cloud foisted by the high cost of food prizes is swept off the skies over Nigeria”.

The Agric Minister added that farmers need NPK fertilizer, which was the result of process of blending Urea, Limestone granules (LSG), Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) and Muriate of Potash (MOP).

He also noted that two of the raw materials (urea and limestone) can be found locally, while other materials were imported; the DAP is from Morocco while the Potash from Europe.

He believes in integrity of judiciary

Spokesperson to President Bola Tinubu, Ajuri Ngelale, says his principal is not worried about possible outcomes of the judgment of the presidential election tribunal.

Speaking in an interview on Channels Television on Monday, Ngelale said Tinubu sees no need to threaten judicial officers regarding the election petition.

Earlier on Monday, the tribunal fixed September 6 to deliver judgment on the petitions challenging the victory of Tinubu in the February 25 election.

The Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP), and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have approached the tribunal to challenge Tinubu’s victory.

The presidential spokesperson said Tinubu is optimistic that the panel would deliver judgment based on the evidence presented.

He said the president has “confidence and faith” in the judiciary, adding that Tinubu is sure that his mandate would be affirmed.

“Unlike some political gladiators in the country, the president sees no need to threaten judicial officers,” he said.

“He sees no need to raise speculations against the integrity of judicial officers. He believes in the sanctity and integrity of the Nigerian judicial system.

“He believes the great men and women on the panel will make their decisions based only on the facts before them and not based on anything else.

“As a result of his confidence and faith in the judiciary, he believes that the mandate which Nigerians freely gave to him during the elections would stand. That is the position of the president.

“He will continue to ensure that no matter what the outcome of the judgment is, he does his part and ensures that our institutions continue to be respected, not just by him, but by all actors.

“He is not worried because he knows he won the election. We believe that we have presented the best case and the evidence is on our side.”

Some graduates of Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma, Edo State are currently in a state of confusion as the university has allegedly refused to issue them results since they graduated from the school in 2018.

PUNCH Metro learnt that the situation is affecting the mobilisation of the affected persons for the National Youth Service Corps.

While the school said the students might have had issues with some courses during their time in school, the affected persons claimed the school had been engaging them with promises that result backlogs would be cleared and students who were yet to be mobilised for NYSC would be settled.

While some pictures suspected to have been taken during such engagements were sighted by our correspondent, affected students said the stalemate had rendered them downtrodden and with a bleak future.

Speaking with PUNCH Metro, one of the aggrieved students, Niyi Ajeboriogbon, said, “Every student has been dropping their results as against the claims made by the school spokesperson, including those who had extensions and wrote them the following year and passed all.

“For five years, we have not had our results. There is no mobilisation for the National Youth Service Corps. We have engaged in dialogues with the vice chancellor and other key stakeholders in the school. There was no way forward.

“Our parents are already thinking that we didn’t go to school at all. When we met with the VC, he assured us that after five years, we would see our results. This issue is not peculiar to Political Science. I have friends in other departments that are facing similar issues.”

Another graduate, Christian Edokpolo, said, “I am frustrated and depressed. My family members are already questioning if I truly attended the school. My life is stagnant right now. I cannot get a job just because I am waiting for my results. We do not understand what is ongoing. What is the problem with our set? Is this not sheer wickedness?

“We have met with these people, yet nothing has come out of it. We do not owe school fees. Even some people they claimed had carryovers in some courses have cleared everything. We need concerned Nigerians to help us.”

Reacting, the institution’s Head of Corporate Communications and Protocol, Mike Aladenika, claimed the students affected had some outstanding courses they needed to clear, hence the reason for the results and mobilisation issues.

“If you had graduated and done all you were asked to do while you were a student, you would not have problems with your results. Some of the students who did not take cognisance of the deficiencies they had with their courses are the ones facing these challenges,” he said.

But when he was asked why the management was having meetings and promising the affected persons of the clearing backlog of results, Aladenika simply said, “If the issues were university challenges, graduates of other departments should be having similar challenges.”

The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) was absent at a meeting called by the federal government to avert the planned two-day warning strike by the union.

TheCable understands only Festus Osifo, president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), showed up for the meeting slated for 3 p.m. but started at exactly 5:32 p,m.

On September 1, Joe Ajaero, NLC president, announced that the strike would commence on Tuesday.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, Simon Lalong, the minister of labour and employment, appealed to the NLC to suspend the proposed warning strike over the impact of petrol subsidy removal on the masses.

Lalong said such a strike would be detrimental to the gains already being recorded by the new administration.

He said the leadership of the congress should give the government more time to address the issues being raised by NLC.

“In light of these matters, I would like to reiterate my appeal to the leadership of the NLC to suspend the warning strike and subsequent future actions to allow us to work together to amicably resolve these issues rather than embark on actions that would further worsen the conditions of the citizens of Nigeria,” Lalong said.

“I would request that the comrade leadership of the NLC give this government some time to settle and address the issues on the ground holistically.

“It should be realised that the cabinet of this administration was only recently sworn in by Mr President and all cabinet members have hit the ground running by receiving briefings from their MDAs.