Ekiti State Government has prohibited the staging and hosting of an event tagged: “Kiss-A-Thon in the state.

The government in a letter conveyed through the state Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism to State chapter of Hoteliers Association warned them against holding such event.

A flier obtained by journalists in Ado Ekiti, the state capital yesterday, about the event has the inscriptions “SUGARTEE KISS-A-THON: 3-Day Kissing Marathon Date: July 7th – July 10th. In an attempt to break the Guinness World Records for the longest kissing marathon”.

The letter signed the state tourism director, Mr Adebanji Adelusi on behalf of the ministry Permanent Secretary, Dele Ogunsemoyin described such event as absurd and immoral.

The letter reads, “The attention of the State Government has been drawn to a planned hosting of ‘Kiss-a-thon’ in Ekiti State.

“According to information at the disposal of this Ministry, kiss-a-thon, a 3-day kissing marathon event, has been scheduled to hold on 7th of July, 2023 at one of the hospitality outlets in the State.

“This event is said to be planned towards setting a Guinness World Record. “Kiss-a-thon” as an event is not only absurd, unhealthy, immoral and capable of denigrating the image of the state, it is a programme that runs counter to the values of the people of the state and therefore capable of plunging our Youths morally backward.

“In view of the foregoing, the Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism hereby prohibits the hosting of such event or any other events like it in any facility that wishes to continue to operate lawfully in Ekiti State.

“To the above, you are hereby requested to convey the content of this Notice to the members of Ekiti State Hoteliers’ Association to effectively monitor their outlets against being used negatively to cause embarrassment to the Government and People of Ekiti State.”

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has notified the public of the illegal importation of foreign unauthorized sugar manufactured in Brazil and India.

In a statement issued by the Agency’s management on Wednesday, NAFDAC disclosed the sugar is not registered and non-fortified with Vitamin A, making the illegal importation and marketing of the products a risk to the health of consumers, as the safety and quality of the products are not guaranteed.

According to the statement, the products are imported through Cameroun (Douala), Niger, Chad & Benin Repbulic into the Nigerian border communities of Borno, Adamawa, Lagos, Oyo and Ogun States, etc.

The statement also disclosed an estimated value of 200 trucks have been found to be distributed within the Nigerian markets in communities including Mubi, Gamboru’gala, Saki, Keshi, Badagry, and Idi – Iroko and sold for N32,000 – N34,000 per bag.

NAFDAC implored importers, distributors, retailers, and consumers to exercise caution and vigilance within the supply chain to avoid the importation, distribution, sale and consumption of the unregistered regulated products.

The national leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has expressed sadness at the news of the tragic incidents that recently affected the Salvation Army and the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG).

The President of CAN, Archbishop Daniel Okoh, in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the twin tragedy is shocking, thus the need for government to secure the lives of Nigerians.

“The loss of 12 pastors (officers), a baby, and a driver in a fatal accident on the same day, near Benin City, Edo State, is a devastating blow to the congregation, the body of Christ in Nigeria, and the nation at large.

“We stand with the Salvation Army during this very difficult time in prayer, asking that God will comfort them and ease their pain. We also urge the government authorities to thoroughly investigate the accident in order to prevent a repeat of this episode.

“Furthermore, the attack on worshippers at the Redeemed Christian Church of God in Abule-Ori, Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, is an assault on religious freedom in Nigeria.

“We mourn the loss of the pastor and condemn the kidnapping of worshippers who were simply exercising their religious freedom to worship,” Okoh said.

He commended the security agencies for their swift response to the incident and called for intensified efforts to apprehend all the perpetrators.

Okoh said, “CAN urge citizens not to be discouraged by recent losses but to continue to look up to God for help. Our thoughts and prayers are with the affected families and churches.”

The battle to make the ministerial nominees list of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu may soon be over as the president is set to send the much-anticipated list to the National Assembly.

Naija News gathered that those who lose out on the final list would be compensated with boards and parastatals’ appointments.

According to Daily Sun, the ministerial list being compiled and undergoing vetting process by the relevant agencies is dominated by the old Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) members from the SouthWest zone, while conceding the nominees to other members of the legacy parties that existed before the formation of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The publication claimed that a prominent member from Ekiti State Prince Dayo Adeyeye is believed to be included in the list.

In Osun State, former Governor Gboyega Oyetola and Femi Fani Kayode are also believed to have made the list.

Dr. Tunji Abayomi and Olusola Oke are locking horns for the Ondo State slot.

Salihu Lukman, outspoken APC National Vice Chairman of the zone, is possibly the nominee from Kaduna State. In the case of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso is believed to be among the nominees, but additional an slot is being conceded for the immediate past governor Ganduje.

The case of the nominee from Sokoto is being awaited from Aliyu Magatakarda Wammako. The fate of the nominee from Zamfara State is in the hands of Ahmed Sani Yarima. The nominee for Katsina being lobbied for by Ibrahim Masari, the placeholder of the Vice Presidential Candidate of the party then before the emergence of Kashim Shettima as the substantive nominee of the Vice Presidential ticket.

The Jigawa State nominee is being speculated as a serving functionary from the state in the Federal Government to be revealed soon. It was learned that his state governor is not against his nomination because he mobilized support for the President not only in his domain but in other places.

“He is a workaholic and committed supporter of Mr. President excluding tremendous goodwill and supported by grassroots-oriented politicians in the state. The immediate past Governor of the state was rejected because he failed to deliver his area for the President during the polls,” a party chieftain told Daily Sun.

There is consultation for the Kebbi nominee with former governor Atiku Bagudu likely to be the only one among his peers to cross the nomination hurdle.

Mohammed Dambu and Tijani Tumsah, the pioneer National Secretary of the party are locking horns for the only available slot in Yobe.

The nomination for Borno State may go to Senator Abubakar Kyari, the Deputy National Chairman North of the party.

The nomination for Taraba State is inching toward Senator Emmanuel Bwatcha.

The struggle for the Bauchi State slot is believed to be a straight fight between Malam Isa Yugudu, one minister and two-term governor of the state, and Ali Pate, former minister and an employee of the Breten Woods.

Gombe State slot is being battled by Farouk Bamusa, Senator Idris Umar, and Jamilu Isiyaka Gwamna.

Adamawa slot is believed to be considered for either the husband of Senator Aisha Binani, Dr. Ahmed Moddibo, or Senator Jonathan Zangwina, a prominent politician and a strong member of the Chief MKO Abiola campaign in 1993.

The Kwara State slot is likely going to either Professor Ishaq Olorode or Isa Aremu.

Niger State is likely tilting towards Professor Yahaya Kuta, one-time Secretary to the state government and an academician from the University of Ibadan. “His capacity is unlimited and ability to communicate because of multilingual endowment is an added advantage. The big men from his state gave their blessings to his nomination,” a close ally said.

The National Chairman of the party Senator Abdullahi Adamu and the governor are all interested in picking a nominee for Nasarawa State. However, one Labaran Magaji from Toto, and Musa Wayo, a close political associate of Tinubu over the years are being considered too.

Benue State is for George Akume to decide. Emmanuel Jime is a strong contender.

While in Plateau, a nominee is being discussed due to the failure of the immediate past governor of the state Solomon Lalong to do anything politically spectacular during last the polls. He is pushing for Yakubu Datti, a one-time commissioner in the state. Both the Akume and former governor Joshua Dariye are going to find a suitable nominee.

Kogi State nominee is completely at the discretion of Governor Yahaya Bello.

Imo State nominee is possibly Mike Okiro, a former Inspector-General of Police.

“Men like Okiro are needed to help the party win the forthcoming governorship election in Imo State and also help stabilize the region for the administration,” a friend noted.

Enugu State slot is likely going to Emma Enekwu, Deputy National Chairman, South of the APC.

Anambra State slot is likely for Andy Uba being the most visible politician from the state that identified himself with Tinubu for some time now. Uche Ukwunife is being considered based on gender consideration and non-controversial posture.

Abia State slot is speculated to be inching towards Mac Wabara, a reputable banker.

Ebonyi State is being determined by Dave Umahi. He is the last bus stop as far as Ebonyi’s nomination is concerned. He is enjoying an excellent relationship with Mr. President.

Rivers State slot is possibly former governor Nyesom Wike, while the Cross River State slot is being considered for Senator John Onwah.

Akwa Ibom State ministerial nominee is to be handled by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. The name of Dan Abia, former Managing Director of NDDC has been mentioned

Delta State is a straight fight between Festus Keyamo, Frank Kokori, and Felix Morka, National Publicly Secretary of the APC.

Bayelsa State nominee is expected to have the endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Edo State slot is for Adams Oshimhole to decide. The candidate will certainly come from Benin to battle Governor Godwin Obaseki during the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in the state.

Tinubu is consulting widely with relevant stakeholders, including Senator Sidi Ali and Isa Rahma on the possibility of giving FCT a ministerial slot.

A pregnant woman has lost her life following the disruption of services as a result of a 5-day strike embarked by resident doctors at the state government-owned Dalhatu Specialist Hospital in Lafia.

The woman was booked by the hospital for a cesarean session but died while waiting for doctors to attend to her.

The resident doctors commenced the warning strike on Wednesday to pressurise the state government to address issues concerning the welfare of their members.

The strike came after 21 days ultimatum by the Nigerian Medical Association to the state government to address the contending issues or face the consequences of health sector shutdown.

The state chairman of the body, Dr. Peter Attah had listed the contending issues to include non-implementation of promotions for Doctors and Annual Salary increment for over nine years, non-implementation of N30,000 minimum wage and consequential adjustments.

Others are non-implementation of the reviewed Hazard allowance circular and the accrued 17 Months arrears, High burden of Taxation and inadequate manpower and overwork load.

He said: “added to the challenges is non-promotion of doctors who were employed in 2014 at Dalhatu Araf Specialist Hospital (DASH) Lafia and the Hospital Management Board for the past nine years.”

The deceased pregnant woman’s appointment coincided with the warning strike.

Malam Abubakar Liman, the deceased’s husband, said they decided to stay back at the hospital due to their inability to afford the medical bill at the private hospitals.

He said he had accepted the deaths of his wife and unborn child as act of God, adding that there is nothing anyone can do about what is already destined by the Almighty.

He however, appealed to the state government to urgently meet the demands of the doctors in the interest of the less privileged.

The House of Representatives has asked the Joint Admission And Matriculation Board (JAMB) to lift the three years ban on Ejikeme Mmesoma not to sit Unified Tartary Matriculation Examination (UTME) over alleged manipulation of her results in the examination this year.

The House also set up an Ad-hoc Committee chaired by Sada Soli (APC, Katsina) to investigate the alleged manipulation, JAMB facilities with a view to averting such a situation in the future and report back in three weeks.

The Green Chamber reached these decisions when it adopted a motion moved by Hon. Awaji-Inombek Abiante (PDP, Rivers) at plenary on Wednesday, calling on independent examiners to cross-check Mmesoma’s script to determine her score.

Moving the motion, Abiante stated that Ejikeme Mmesoma of Anglican Girls Secondary School, Nnewi, Anambra State sat for the 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations and scored 362.

He said on July 2, JAMB, Head of Public Affairs and Protocol, Dr. Fabian Benjamin made a public pronouncement accusing Miss Ejikeme Mmesoma of manipulating her UTME results that she actually scored 249 instead of the 362 as claimed.

“Further aware that Miss. Ejikeme Mmesoma came out to defend herself, that she actually printed the result from the JAMB portal and had been a brilliant child all through her Nursery and Tertiary education, coming first in all the Examinations she has been taken before the UTME, hence she posited that she is not capable of manipulating her UTME result.

“Cognizant of the fact that uploading or downloading result of examinations or polls electronically, in Nigeria, glitches can occur at any time, hence the need to establish the facts before any blames.

“Worried that Dr. Fabian Benjamin, JAMB Head of Public Affairs and Protocol alleged that some of the 2023 UTME Candidates are parading fake scores in order to get undue advantage from the public, hence the need to investigate the allegation,” the lawmaker added.

The EU report on the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria is itself the biggest and best example of fake news and it belongs in the dustbin.

There is not one thing we said during the campaign about the antics of the opposition, their foreign collaborators, their friends and backers in identifiable sections of the Nigerian and international media and their subterranean and covert co-conspirators in the then corridors of powers that is not true.

We have not forgotten what they subjected us to, what they did to us and the role each and every one of them played.

Their collective intention was to stop PBAT and, thanks be to God, they failed.

The truth is that the EU is still smarting over the fact that it's preferred candidate lost.

We know what happened behind the scenes but that is a story for another day. The most important thing is that PBAT prevailed.

Now they are trying to diminish, discredit and tarnish his victory by saying that the election was flawed with irregularities and rigged and that his front line generals and warriors, who stood with him in the heat of battle, indulged in fake news.

They are nothing but poor losers and lost souls and whether they like it or not PBAT is here to stay and, God-willing, will lead Nigeria for the next 8 years!

I am glad that the Presidency has responded to their dishonest, disrespectful and contemptuous report in a decisive and appropriate manner.

We need say no more.

(FFK)

With just one witness, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, his Vice, Kashim Shetima and the All Progressives Congress APC on Wednesday closed their respective defence in a petition by the Labour Party LP and its presidential candidate, Mr Peter Gregory Obi seeking nullification of the February 25 presidential election.

Contrary to Tinubu’s decision to call 39 witnesses, he terminated his defence alongside two other respondents after the evidence-in-chief of the Senate Majority Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele.

In his evidence-in-Chief, Senator Bamidele insisted that the $460, 000 forfeiture order against the President by an American Court was in respect of a civil matter that cannot take the place of criminal charges.

Bamidele, who is the immediate past Chairman of the Senate Committee on Judiciary and a registered member of the American Bar Association, said there was no conviction and sentence against Tinubu as required by law for it to be turned to criminal charges.

Details later…

The Certified True Copy (CTC) of Kashim Shettima’s voluntary resignation letter from his position as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Borno Central senatorial district was admitted into evidence by the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) on Wednesday.

The letter, dated July 6, 2022, was one of several papers presented by attorney Wole Olanipekun (SAN) to President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima at the start of their defence against the petition filed by Peter Obi and the Labour Party (LP).

The petitioners are challenging the competence of the joint ticket of Tinubu and Shettma, claiming that Shettima had double nomination.

The letter is intended to prove that the Vice President resigned his senatorial candidacy before his selection as the vice presidential candidate of the APC.

Primate Elijah Ayodele, the leader of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has advised the presidential election petition tribunal to consider a rerun or another presidential election.

Ayodele stated that a rerun or new presidential election would restore Nigeria’s electoral system’s credibility.

He disclosed this in his 2023 edition of prophecies, ‘Warnings To The Nations’.

According to Primate Ayodele, the best options are to order a rematch between the two leading candidates or to hold another presidential election.

He stated that the current government will thwart any attempt by the election tribunal to issue a ruling against it.

The clergyman explained that President Bola Tinubu is willing to go to any length to keep his seat, but unless God touches the hearts of the judges, they will dance to the president’s tune.

“This government will do so many things to see that this Tribunal has no place. The President is ready technically, spiritually, economically, and financially to see that whatever it takes to keep him in office, no matter the charges of fraud in the election, such challenges will be met.

“It is only God that can remove him. I foresee that judges will be compromised on this matter unless God touches their hearts. No one except God can remove the President from office. He is desperate to do anything to see that nobody removes him.”

Primate Ayodele explained that the actual winner will not be given the mandate to take over the government even though Nigerians will still face hardship in the present government.

He also blamed the disunity among opposition parties for the failure experienced in the last election.

“The truth will be known but the Judges will use legal terms to discredit the argument of the petitioners. INEC, BVAS, and IVR will be rubbished. The government of the day will remain and will continue in office.

“They will do so well but there will be consequences that Nigeria will pay for dearly. The actual winner will not be given the mandate to take over the government. Atiku and Obi ought to have merged and claim victory. If they are not careful and united, it will affect subsequent elections in the country.”

Ayodele warned that if the Tribunal fails to do the needful, it will affect the image of the judiciary and the electoral body will no longer be seen as an unbiased empire.

“However, If the Tribunal does not do the needful, it will affect the image of the Tribunal members. INEC will be seen as a clearing house for all manners of election results.

“There will be confusion in the government circles because the judgment will be very clear to all. The best option will be to either go for a rerun or another election entirely or leave it the way it is. ‘’