Former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega, has said reckless politicians who want to win elections at all costs infiltrated the electoral body’s election result portal, IReV, during the 2023 elections.

Jega said these reckless and desperate politicians destroyed INEC’s efforts to get the election right.

He spoke while featuring on Channels Television’s Inside Sources Programme on Friday.

According to Jega: “In 2023, INEC did its best under very difficult circumstances, and a lot of these difficult circumstances were caused by the mindset of our selfish politicians who wanted to win by hook or by crook.

“INEC has over time introduced technology to make the process of election results very transparent with integrity, but from my own experience when I was in INEC from 2011 to 2015, I suspect that a lot of that has continued to be so up to 2023, our reckless politicians try to be a step ahead of INEC.

“If you introduce something today and you try it, they try to be a step ahead of you and beat it by the next election.

“I feel that something has happened, that in spite of the confidence and the very articulate manner the INEC chairman (Mahmood Yakubu) had spoken about the IReV, it then failed.

“I believe that some of our reckless politicians may have infiltrated it and truncated it but INEC will take the blame for that.”

Jega said politicians use their “said and means” to truncate and bypass the IReV portal.

While calling for a probe, Jega charged INEN to tell Nigerians what happened to IReV.

President Bola Tinubu has given his approval for the appointment of Dr Samuel James as the Acting Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa.

This decision, pending the appointment of a substantive Rector, was communicated through a letter dated January 23, 2024.

The letter, signed by Dr A.U. Ejeh, Director of Polytechnic Education and Allied Institutions at the Federal Ministry of Education, was transmitted to Dr. Munir Ahmad, the Registrar of the Polytechnic.

The announcement was made in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State on Friday by Safina Sabo, the Acting Director of Information and Publicity for the institution.

Dr James assumes the role of Acting Rector following the expiration of the tenure of the previous Rector, Dr Abdullahi Alhassan.

According to Sabo, Dr James, who previously served as the Polytechnic’s Deputy Rector, Academics, has been appointed as the acting head until a substantive Rector is appointed.

The Federal Ministry of Education made this decision after Dr. Alhassan’s five-year single tenure elapsed on December 31, 2023.

on January 15, that Dr James had initially been appointed as the Overseer of the institution by the Polytechnic’s outgoing Rector, Dr Abdullahi Alhassan Ahmed.

The decision had generated controversy as the appointment is said to be contrary to the stipulations of the Polytechnic Act.

In response to his appointment, the new Acting Rector, Dr Samuel James, expressed gratitude to God and the Federal Ministry of Education for the opportunity to serve in this capacity.

He pledged to work collaboratively with the management and staff of the Polytechnic to achieve important goals and contribute to the institution’s progress.

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has said that it is set for the February 3 rerun elections in Nnewi North/Nnewi South/Ekwusigo and Orumba North and Orumba South federal constituencies in Anambra.

Resident Electoral Commissioner, REC, Dr Elizabeth Agwu, made this statement on Wednesday during a media interaction at the INEC headquarters in Awka.

Agwu said the rerun election was in response to a court order that directed that the election in the 21 polling units in the two federal constituencies be cancelled and rerun conducted instead.

According to her, the election would be held in five polling units: four wards in Nnewi North, 16 polling units and one ward in Orumba North.

She added that INEC in Anambra had made adequate preparations to ensure the election was credible, free and fair.

She reminded the concerned LGAs that there was no winner yet until after the rerun elections for the candidates in the federal constituencies.

The REC urged the 97,438 registered voters in the affected LGAs to come out en masse to cast their votes.

She also admonished the 161,914 registered voters in Orumba North and South to come out on February 3 to vote for their preferred candidates.

Agwu assured voters of tight security before, during and after the election, stressing that the commission had been engaging security agencies in meetings to provide adequate security for the electorate willing to exercise their franchise.

Republican presidential hopeful Nikki Haley has vowed to press on with her campaign in the wake of a second consecutive loss to Donald Trump.

Ms Haley toured much of New Hampshire ahead of Tuesday’s primary, courting both independent and moderate Republican voters.

But she was unable to catch Mr Trump, who had a comfortable 10-point lead with most ballots counted.

The former president last week won a landslide in Iowa’s caucuses.

Days later, Ms Haley became the last remaining rival to Mr Trump, with the sudden departure of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis from the Republican field.

At an election night party in Concord on Tuesday night, Ms Haley conceded the New Hampshire race, congratulating Mr Trump on his win.

But she vowed to take her bid to become the Republican party’s presidential candidate back home to South Carolina, the state where she served as governor.

“New Hampshire is first in the nation,” Ms Haley said to a boisterous room of supporters. “It is not the last in the nation.

“This race is far from over. There are dozens of states left to go. And the next one is my sweet state of South Carolina.

Mr Trump did not seem to take well to the speech, calling her “delusional” at his own election night party. “Who the hell was that imposter that went up on that stage that went before and claimed victory?” he said.

Team Haley hit back almost immediately, describing his speech as a “furious and rumbling rant”.

“If Mr Trump is in such good shape, why is he so angry?” the campaign said in a statement.

For months, Ms Haley remained cautious in her criticism of Mr Trump, the prohibitive frontrunner and her former boss.

But in New Hampshire last weekend, as she campaigned through her 52nd birthday, the former UN ambassador made her most pointed attacks to date, warning of his friendships with “dictators”, questioning his mental acuity and slamming his “lies”.

Exit polls from CBS News, the BBC’s US partner, showed her 11th-hour sprint may have paid off – two-thirds of voters who made their decision in the last few days voted for her. And Ms Haley outperformed opinion polls that had shown her trailing Mr Trump by around 20 points.

Still, despite the Granite State’s sizable bloc of independent voters – those who were considered likely to favour Ms Haley – she could not fully close the considerable ground between herself and the former president.

“Nikki put in the time, put in the work and put in the money,” said Katon Dawson, a Haley surrogate and the former chairman of the South Carolina Republican party.

“With that said, Donald Trump is an 800 pound gorilla that has his arms around the base.

“Across New Hampshire ahead of the primary, some members of that base told the BBC they thought Ms Haley was insufficiently conservative. Others said they liked her personally, but that they would not waver in their support for Mr Trump.

“I’m not sure about some of her policies,” said Pat Hansen on Tuesday in Manchester. And it reflected poorly on Ms Haley, she believed, that top Republicans in South Carolina had turned their backs on her and endorsed Mr Trump.

Ms Haley is opting out of the third Republican contest – caucuses in Nevada – meaning her next major match-up with Mr Trump is several weeks away, in South Carolina’s primary on 24 February.

There, she hopes to be welcomed by a loyal base of voters who twice sent her to the governor’s mansion.

“She’s got a track record here,” said Bill Nettles, a Democrat who served as a top prosecutor in the state while Ms Haley was governor. “She left office very popular.

“But even with her close ties to the state, opinion polls show Ms Haley trailing Mr Trump by 30-plus points.

Experts said a loss in her political backyard would likely be fatal to her campaign.

“The momentum is moving toward Trump rapidly and he’s likely going to close the nomination early,” said veteran Republican strategist Ron Bonjean. “There’s little doubt now.

“And there’s this daunting piece of political trivia for Ms Haley: no Republican candidate has ever won the first two states and not gone on to become the Republican nominee.

President Bola Tinubu has said his administration will continue to provide the needed interventions in the oil and gas industry in line with the provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act, PIA.

Speaking when he received a delegation led by Mr Clay Neff, President of Chevron International Exploration and Production, on Tuesday in Abuja, President Tinubu said Nigeria would strengthen its long-standing partnership with the multinational company in line with the evolving dynamics in the oil and gas industry.

The President welcomed Chevron’s commitment to build on its investments in shallow and deep water operations in Nigeria, noting the company’s ongoing $1.4 billion drilling project with the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL.

He also commended Chevron for its dedication to reducing its carbon footprint in the country.

“You must see the PIA as a legacy law. We assure you of quick interventions and turnarounds on any issue you may have in your operations in our country.

Nigeria is proud of the 60-year partnership with Chevron, and we believe this partnership will be strengthened to add mutually beneficial value for the benefit of your shareholders as well as the living standards and economic opportunities of our population,” President Tinubu said.

In his remarks, Mr Neff pledged that the company would continue to operate in full adherence to the highest standards, even as it meets its investment commitments in Nigeria.

He highlighted the company’s contributions to domestic gas supply, noting the delivery of 25 per cent gas through a joint venture with NNPC Limited.

The Enugu State House of Assembly has ordered the immediate suspension of work on the land causing a dispute among Obeagu Awkunanaw, Ugwuaji, Ugwu Afor Akpugo, and Umuedenwaoko Akpugo.

The order is in a statement by the Special Committee on Land Disputes chairman, Pius Ezugwu, in Enugu on Monday.

Mr Ezugwu stated that the order became imperative to pave the way for all parties to work toward a peaceful resolution of the dispute.

He warned that engaging in any activity on the disputed land was an invitation to violence and war, which he said the committee would not tolerate.

Mr Ezugwu directed the police and other security agencies to arrest anyone found around the disputed lands or engaging in any form of work in the place.

He also directed traditional rulers, president-generals and developers in the affected communities to appear before the committee at the Assembly complex on Tuesday.

According to him, the crucial meeting is vital for a comprehensive discussion and resolution of the land dispute.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has dropped out of the 2024 presidential race and endorsed Donald Trump.

He quit ahead of the Republican primary election in New Hampshire, where he was polling in the single digits.

Mr DeSantis was once considered a strong contender for the party’s nomination – but on Sunday he said he did not “have a clear path to victory”.

Nikki Haley, Mr Trump’s last remaining challenger, said she was the “only one” able to beat US President Joe Biden.

Ms Haley will go head-to-head with Mr Trump in New Hampshire on Tuesday, the second in a series of state-by-state contests to pick a Republican nominee for the November general election.

In a nearly five-minute long video on X, formerly Twitter, released on Sunday afternoon, Mr DeSantis said his campaign had “left it all out on the field”.

“If there was anything I could do to produce a favourable outcome – more campaign stops, more interviews – I would do it,” he added, as he ended his seven-month campaign.

The Florida governor said he was endorsing Mr Trump, who is the clear frontrunner after winning the first contest in Iowa with 51% of the vote. Mr DeSantis said it had become clear that a majority of Republican voters “want to give Donald Trump another chance”.

He acknowledged “disagreements” with the former president, but said Mr Trump was “superior” to Mr Biden, who is almost certain to be the Democratic nominee in November’s general election.

“I signed a pledge to support the Republican nominee, and I will honour that pledge,” Mr DeSantis said.

There were loud cheers when Mr Trump made his first comments about Mr DeSantis’s withdrawal and endorsement to a room in New Hampshire full of supporters on Sunday afternoon.

Later, addressing an audience at a rally, Mr Trump described his former opponent as a “really terrific person”, adding: “He ran a really good campaign, it’s not easy.

“Mr DeSantis had presented himself as the Republican candidate who could deliver Mr Trump’s populist agenda without the drama or baggage.

But one of the speakers at the event, Florida Representative Matt Gaetz, referred to him as “diet Trump”. And several supporters of Mr Trump told the BBC they liked the Florida governor but felt this was not the right time for him.

Lynne Mason, 60, said she thought Mr DeSantis’s campaign was “a little weak” and she had “expected more from him”. Mr Trump, she added, was the “only person at this time who can save this country”.

BethAnne Tatro, another local backing Mr Trump, agreed. “I think that President Trump has proven, from being in office previously, that he can do this again and get things back on track.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned a former governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, before Justice Hamza Muazu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama.

He was re-arraigned yesterday on a 20-count amended charge bordering on conferment of corrupt advantages, conspiracy, criminal breach of trust, forgery and obtaining by false pretences to the tune of $6,230,000.00.

Count one of the charges read: “That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele, male, adult, sometime in 2018 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court did use your position as governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria to confer a corrupt advantage on Sa`adatu Ramallan Yaro, a staff of the Central Bank of Nigeria by awarding a contract for the supply of 37 (Nos.) Toyota Hilux Vehicles at the cost of N854, 700,000.00 to April 1616 Investment Ltd, a company in which the said Sa`adutu Ramallan Yaro is a director and you thereby committed an offence.”

Count 20 of the charges read: “That you, Godwin Ifeanyi Emefiele male, adult and Odoh Eric Ocheme (still at large) on or about the 8th day of February, 2023 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court knowingly obtained by false pretence, the sum of $6,230,000.00 by falsely representing that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation vide a letter dated 26th January, 2023 with Ref No. SGFF.43/L.01/201 requested the Central Bank of Nigeria to provide a contingent logistic advance in the sum of $6,230,000.00 “in line with Mr. President`s directive” which representation you knew to be false and you thereby committed an offence.”

Before Emefiele took his “not guilty” plea, his counsel, Mathew Burkaa (SAN) objected to the charges, citing Section 221 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA 2015.

However, Justice Muazu, relying on Section 396 of ACJA, overruled his objection, stating that any objection in respect of the charges should be heard after the defendant has taken his plea. He also advised the defence counsel to tender his objection in writing.

Upon Emefiele’s “not guilty” plea to all the charges, prosecution counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN) asked the court for a trial date. Justice Muazu adjourned the matter till February 12 and 13, 2024, for continuation of trial and sustained the bail earlier granted to the defendant.

The EFCC, had on November 17, 2023, arraigned the former CBN governor before Justice Muazu on six-count charges bordering on procurement fraud to which he also pleaded “not guilty.”

Donald Trump has urged the US Supreme Court to put a “swift and decisive end” to his exclusion from Colorado’s presidential primary ballot.

In a court filing on Thursday, Mr Trump said “chaos and bedlam” would be unleashed if other states followed Colorado and banned him from primaries.

Colorado’s top court banned Mr Trump in December, accusing him of engaging in insurrection over the Capitol riot.

An identical ruling in Maine was placed on hold by state judges on Wednesday.

The 14th Amendment of the US constitution excludes anyone who has “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” from holding federal office.

But in his filing on Thursday, Mr Trump’s lawyers argued that the provision does not apply to the presidency, writing that the office is not among those listed in the amendment.

“The Court should reverse the Colorado decision because President Trump is not even subject to section 3, as the president is not an ‘officer of the United States’ under the Constitution,” the submission read.

“And even if President Trump were subject to section 3 he did not ‘engage in’ anything that qualifies as ‘insurrection,” it added.

The 77-year-old remains the firm frontrunner in the Republican presidential race, and his lawyers argued that his disqualification from the ballot would “disenfranchise tens of millions of Americans”.

The filing gives an insight into the arguments Mr Trump’s legal team will present when the Supreme Court hears the case on 8 February.

His appeal to the nation’s highest court over the Colorado decision means that the nine Supreme Court justices could end up making a hugely consequential judgment on his eligibility to run for the White House.

The Republican primaries in Colorado and Maine are scheduled for 5 March – so-called Super Tuesday – when many states hold their votes to choose party contenders. But postal ballots need to be sent out weeks beforehand, meaning the Supreme Court is under growing pressure to act.

Similar efforts to disqualify Mr Trump in at least 30 other states are underway, his submission claimed. Efforts in Minnesota and Michigan have already failed, while a state court in Washington struck down another bid on Thursday.

The US’ top court, which has a conservative majority – with three justices appointed by Donald Trump when he was president – faces a difficult decision in ruling whether to apply the 14th Amendment.

Historically, the provision – approved in 1866 – was intended to prevent the return of Confederate politicians to powerful offices within the US government following the Civil War.

But its application in the modern day has never been tested, and academics have expressed some scepticism whether it can be applied to Mr Trump’s case.

“You don’t have a clear definition of what insurrection is within the meaning of the 14th Amendment. It’s not clear. It just uses the word,” Prof Robert Tsai of Boston University told the BBC last month.

The other issue with disqualifying Mr Trump on the grounds of engaging in an insurrection is that he has not yet been found guilty of doing so by any court.But legal experts have previously said the court may take unfavourably to claims that the presidency is not covered by the 14th Amendment, as argued in Mr Trump’s submission on Thursday.

“If there’s anybody who’s an officer of the United States, it’s somebody who holds the highest and most powerful office in federal government,” Prof Ilya Somin, a law professor at George Mason University, said.

The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) said it relocated its corporate headquarters from Abuja to Lagos to reduce expenditures.

This was disclosed in a statement by FAAN spokeswoman Obiageli Orah.

According to the statement, aviation minister Festus Kayamo ordered the relocation to stop the waste of public resources and rip-off of the public purse.

The FAAN management and stakeholders, which also involved the unions, agreed that the action was in the best interest of the authority and the country for now, noted the statement.

“Those affected by the decision to move the headquarters to Abuja have since returned to Lagos as there is no office space for them in Abuja. It was ill-advised in the first place to move the headquarters to Abuja when there was no single FAAN building in Abuja to accommodate all of them at once.

“Having returned to Lagos, the Authority will be liable to pay them DTA because technically they are working out of station as their official posting is to Abuja,” said FAAN.

It noted that more than 60 per cent of the FAAN activities were in Lagos, given the huge passenger volume of the Lagos airports.

“The minister has rolled out plans to get concessionaires to build befitting offices for the Authority in Lagos and Abuja. Until that is done, the authority will continue to manage its old building in Lagos that can accommodate all its directors and senior officials for now,” added the statement.

FAAN explained that Abuja would continue to have full operational offices as the FAAN had not scaled down operations in Abuja one bit.

“It is just the technical decision of where the authority has its ‘corporate headquarters’ that has been taken without affecting the structure of operations as they are for now in both cities.

“⁠In the near future, when befitting corporate buildings have been built for the authority in both Lagos and Abuja, a final decision will be taken as to the location of the permanent headquarters,” the agency stated.

The minister-in-charge of All Saints Church, Jericho in Ibadan, Funso Jolayemi, has bemoaned the death of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, describing his demise as painful and a big loss to the church.

Mr Jolayemi is the minister-in-charge of the church where the late Akeredolu worshipped during his lifetime.

Speaking on Tuesday in Ibadan, the cleric said that he received the news of the former governor’s death with mixed feelings, adding that his death was too painful because the church had lost a strong pillar.

“We accepted his death with mixed feelings. We never wanted him to go, yet we never wanted him to remain in that terrible condition of sickness. We reluctantly agreed with God that he had gone to rest,” said Mr Jolayemi.

The cleric described Mr Akeredolu as a good and godly man, adding that he was very committed to things of God.

“He was a member of the choir, the harvest planning committee, memorial parks and garden and also, a newly-elected trustee of our church. He doesn’t play with All Saints Church. It was the church of his pride. He cared for everyone,” the priest stated.

Mr Jolayemi added, “He was a philanthropist par excellence and a singer who was not ashamed to confess God Almighty openly. He loved God, and he identified with God’s people, both church members and ministers.

“He would always make people around him laugh, and he was ready to close his eyes and say ‘amen’ when it was time for prayer. We can boldly say that he had gone to rest. May his good soul rest in perfect peace.”

Mr Akeredolu died in the early hours of December 27, 2023, at a German hospital where he was receiving treatment for a protracted illness

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State, on Monday, signed the 2024 appropriation bill into law, with an addition of N21.74 billion on the initial N2.246 trillion ‘Budget of Renewal’ presented.

Speaking during the signing ceremony at the Lagos House Ikeja, Mr Sanwo-Olu said the budget size now stood at N2.267 trillion as against the initial N2.246 trillion.”

For the purpose of clarity, the approved budget size is N2,267,976,120,869; comprising N1,315,545,553,871 for capital expenditure and N952,430,566,998 for recurrent expenditure, a ratio of 58:42.

The approved budget size is N21.74 billion higher than what was presented to the House of Assembly, due to additional provisions to enforce completion of ongoing projects,” he said.

The governor said the impact of the budget would be determined by the effectiveness of its implementation.

He said the government was determined to ensure that the goals and objectives of the budget were maximally realised, for the benefit of all residents and in line with the THEMES+ development agenda.

According to him, the government will work assiduously to ensure the completion of ongoing projects and ensure the effective take off of new ones.

He urged all residents to play their roles in the successful implementation of the budget, committedly discharging their civic obligations as and when due.”

As a government, we will continue to be guided by the highest standards of transparency and accountability in the management of resources put in our care,” the governor said.

He thanked the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, and all members of the assembly for their cooperation and commitment, which ensured the expeditious consideration and passage of the budget.

Speaking earlier on behalf of the Speaker, the Deputy Speaker, Mojisola Meranda, said the budget had been thoroughly looked at by the assembly members and all necessities put in place.

Also speaking, the commissioner for economic planning and budget, Ope George, said to put up an all encompassing budget, the ministry held fora at the five divisions (Ikorodu, Ikeja, Epe, Badagry, and Lagos Island) of the state.

Mr George said that such fora helped to understand the needs from the different divisions, which assisted to guide the budget development.

Governor Bassey Otu of Cross River has assured families of fallen heroes of the support of the government.

Mr Otu gave the assurance in Calabar during a service at the Presbyterian Church, Hope Waddell Parish, held in honour of the fallen heroes as part of the activities to mark the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

The governor said, “I believe we should not allow their toil to go in vain. We stand by you and are ready to offer support whenever needed; it is our commitment that no family is left alone in the face of adversity.

“Far beyond this ceremony, we will support the widows and legion.”

He commended the officers and men of the security agencies for their efforts in battling insecurity in the state, urging them to continue to do their best to ensure that peace reigns in the state and the country at large.

The prelate of the Presbyterian Church of Nigeria, Ekpenyong Akpanika, emphasised the importance of sacrifice for the nation.

Mr Akpanika said Nigerians should take the opportunity of the Armed Forces Remembrance celebrations to reflect more on the meaning and importance of sacrifice as it affected the interest of the nation.

He stated, “This service affords us the opportunity to reflect and seek peaceful ways of living with members of the society. No matter what we are passing through, victory is sure, we will not labour in vain.”

The Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the election of Babajide Sanwo-Olu as Governor of Lagos State.

Justice Garba Lawal who read the lead judgment, dismissed the appeal filed by the Labour Party, LP, candidate, Mr Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.

Earlier, Sanwo-Olu had urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the appeals against his victory at the February 25 governorship election.

Rhodes-Vivour, and the Peoples Democratic Party and its candidate, Abdulazeez Adediran, were challenging Sanwo-Olu’s victory.

The LP urged the apex court to hold that the March 18 election was marred by irregularities and non-compliance with the Electoral Act, adding that Deputy Governor Obafemi Hamzat was not qualified to contest the election.

Similarly, Adediran filed 34 grounds of appeal, asking the apex court to upturn the verdict of the Lagos State Governorship Election Tribunal and the Court of Appeal.

But counsel to Sanwo-Olu, Nas Ogunsakin, informed the court that the applicants did not present evidence to support their claims and that the witnesses brought were incompetent.

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party during the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi, has donated N75m to the Immaculate Heart of Mary Specialist Hospital, Nkpor, Anambra State.

Obi, while presenting the cheques to the hospital’s management on the hospital’s premises on Thursday, said the money was to help the hospital in critical areas of need and other health interventions.

The former Anambra State governor said the donation comprised $50,000, which he personally raised for the hospital through his friend and a renowned New York-based paediatrician, Dr Philip Ozuah, and his own personal donation of N15m.

He said he had always talked to people of like minds to support society in critical areas such as health and education while appreciating Ozuah for the positive intervention.

Obi said, “Institutions like the one run by the Immaculate Heart Sisters are in difficulty and require support because they don’t receive government subvention.

“They treat people, including the poor, who are unable to pay, so individuals like me should come to their aid and support them to do more. I have been doing this for years and I will continue to offer my support for this.

“I will always support institutions that are well managed like the Immaculate Heart of Mary Specialist Hospital, managed by the Immaculate Heart Sisters. They have proved to be effective managers of funds since my relationship with them over the years.

“I most sincerely thank the Immaculate Heart of Mary Sisters for the wonderful work they are doing in critical areas of developmental health, education and pulling people out of poverty.

“And I will continue to solicit support for them wherever I can. My brother and good friend, Dr Philip Ozuah, whom I consider a very kind and committed fellow in terms of improving humanity, has donated the sum of $50,000. I am also supporting with N15m.”

The Proprietor of the Immaculate Heart Hospital, Rev. Mother Maureen Akabogu, appreciated Obi for his gracious donation and consistent support for the Hospital since its inception.

She said, “It is indeed a great day of joy and I believe strongly what St. Paul said that for those who love God, everything works together for good. I was bothered about how to execute some projects in this hospital until I got the good news that Mr Peter Obi is coming to assist us and here we are.

“This is a great help to us and a great leap to what we are doing here in caring for the sick. The hospital runs many charity activities, including offsetting the bills of some indigent patients who could not pay their medical bills. The donation from Obi and his friend will help us greatly in this direction,” Akabogu added.

The Chief Executive Officer of Immaculate Heart Hospital, Rev. Sister Maria-Nkiruka Okafor, in her remarks, said Obi and Ozuah’s donation would go a long way to help in providing standard healthcare services to both the rich and the poor who access the hospital.

She solicited more assistance for the hospital from people of goodwill, noting that the hospital focuses on saving lives first and deemphasising money.

The Supreme Court will deliver judgment on the Kano State governorship election appeals on Friday.

Confirming this to Daily Trust, legal team’s secretary for the New Nigeria People’s Party, Bashir Tudun Wuzirci, stated that each party had been directed not to come to the court with more than two counsels.

He said, “Yes, it is officially confirmed. They told us to appear on Friday for the judgment. They told us that each party should not have more than two counsels in attendance. This, they said, is because they will be delivering seven judgments on the same Friday,” he added.

Governor Abba Yusuf had appealed the judgment of the Court of Appeal which had affirmed his sacking by the state election petition tribunal.

The tribunal also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to issue a certificate of return to Nasir Yusuf Gawuna, candidate of the All Progressives Congress in the March, 2023 election.

On its part, the appeal court, while affirming the governor’s sack, further held that he was not an NNPP member as of the time of the election and could not have been said to be properly sponsored for the election.

The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Olumuyiwa Enitan, has taken over the management of the ministry as directed by President Bola Tinubu after the suspension of Betta Edu as minister.

Edu was suspended by the President on Monday following widespread anger over the approval given by the former humanitarian affairs minister for the payment of N585m into a private account.

The President had directed the minister to hand over to the permanent secretary, who got the letter to take over the affairs of the ministry on Monday night.

The letter was handed over to Enitan by an official from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, according to workers at the humanitarian ministry on Wednesday.

“The permanent secretary has taken over the affairs of the ministry based on the directive of Mr President. He officially got the letter to assume duty on Monday night,” a senior official at the humanitarian ministry, who pleaded not to be named due to a lack of authorisation, stated.

The official added, “He (permanent secretary) needed to get the letter of authorisation from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation before assuming duties, despite the announcement in the media.”

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, had stated in a statement on Monday that Tinubu directed the suspended minister to “hand over to the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.”

The suspended minister was also directed by the President to fully cooperate with the investigating authorities as they conduct their investigation.

The panel, headed by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, was also charged with conducting a comprehensive diagnostic of the financial architecture and framework of the social investment programmes.