Less than two weeks to the 2023 presidential election, tech expert, Iyin Aboyeji, says he sees no wrong in the election of a sick candidate into the nation’s highest office, citing ill former U.S. presidents like Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, to support his claim.

“I have always found it quite amusing how much of Nigeria’s political discourse revolves around the physical fitness and health of the candidates,” Mr Aboyeji wrote in a social media post.

“However I wonder sometimes how Nigerians would feel if they knew some of America’s greatest presidents served with debilitating health conditions,”

Mr Aboyeji said before listing ex-presidents diagnosed with illness.

Mr Aboyeji, a staunch supporter of the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu, claims that while serving as president, Ronald Reagan had Alzheimer’s disease; John F. Kennedy had Addison’s disease, and Dwight Eisenhower had Crohn’s disease.

The tech expert believes the physical and mental health of any presidential candidate is of no consequence to the position he seeks.

Mr Aboyeji explained that his assertions should not be perceived as a “political commentary or an endorsement of any candidate” and should only be seen as an “amusing observation of the things” Nigerians considered important.

Speculations have been rife over the mental and physical wellbeing of Bola Tinubu, who has made several gaffes in his public speeches.

On Wednesday, Mr Tinubu added to his long list of gaffes when he raised his hands during the recitation of the national anthem at his presidential rally in Rivers.

Governor Aminu Masari’s government has withdrawn a misappropriation of N11 billion Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) fund case against Katsina’s ex-Governor Ibrahim Shema.

In 2016, the Katsina government and the EFCC sued Mr Shema and others over alleged misappropriation of N11 billion ALGON funds.

Malam Abdulrahman Umar, Katsina’s director of public prosecution, disclosed this to journalists on Monday in Katsina.

“The state government filed a nolle prosecute. This is the power of a state attorney-general under Section 211 of the 1999 constitution as (amended), to either institute an action on a criminal case against any person before any court of law,” he explained.

“The attorney general can take over any criminal proceedings against any person, as well as power to discontinue with any case at any stage of the proceeding before judgment is entered.”

Mr Umar added;

“The attorney-general exercised that power and we went with it and the court gladly accepted that position of the attorney general to discontinue with the case.

To that effect, the former governor and Lawal Dankaba were discharged from all charges against them. That is the position of the state government at the moment. But the EFCC’s case is still ongoing.”

Mr Shema had pleaded not guilty to 24-count charge filed against him by the EFCC. The anti-graft agency had instituted the charge against him, which bordered on criminal beach of trust, fraud, conspiracy, forgery, etc.

Mr Shema stood trial with three others (Lawal Safana, Ibrahim Dankaba and Sani Makana) who were members of his defunct administration.

Youths and women in Katsina State have pledged to deliver two million votes to presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar in the poll billed to hold on February 25.

Ahmed Adamu, Special Assistant to Mr Abubakar on Youth and Strategy, made this known on Friday in Katsina when he led thousands of party loyalists in a procession tagged “Katsina State March for Atiku”.

He said the rally was to mobilise more support for Mr Abubakar, the PDP flag bearer, and ensure his victory in the forthcoming presidential election.

“This is a clear demonstration of support from the young people in the state for the presidential candidate and we would deliver millions of votes to him.

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.

“Our unwavering and unconditional support for Atiku Abubakar is an indication that Nigerians, especially the youth, are yearning for change and we are desperate for the change.

“This election is the most important one for the young people, that’s why you can see most people here are women and youths because it’s all about their future,” Mr Adamu said.

He said that bubakar was the right candidate for the young people as he knew how to engage them in different productive and creative ventures.

“In Katsina State, we are mobilising about 80 per cent votes for Abubakar and I assure you he’s going to get millions of votes in the state,” Mr Adamu said.

Ahmed Tijjani-Uwais, one of the organisers of the march, said not only Katsina but other states in the North-West and North-East would deliver their votes to Mr Abubakar.

“When you look at Katsina State, we have over three million votes, Kaduna State the same thing and by the time you add them up you are talking about North-West and North-East delivering between seven million and eight million votes to Abubakar.

“These votes we are talking about will definitely come to Abubakar during the forthcoming 2023 elections, ” Mr Tijjani-Uwais said.

The National Union of Road Transport workers (NURTW) says it has appointed coordinators to arrange transportation of polling materials and personnel for the forthcoming general elections in Lagos, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states where its activities were banned.

In a letter to INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the General Secretary of NURTW, Kabiru Ado Yau, the union said it has appointed as coordinators Rafiu Olohunwa, Oluwatoyin Olaoye, Rauf Fakorede and Abideen Olajide for Lagos, Ondo, Osun and Oyo states, respectively, to organise drivers on wheels for the exercise.

The NURTW also listed in the letter names and contact details of all its officials who would facilitate the successful deployment of vehicles and monitor the prompt delivery of election materials and personnel in all states across the country.

The letter reads;

“I am pleased to inform your good self that the Union’s leadership has appointed coordinators to be responsible for monitoring and supervision of the activities of our members to be engaged by the commission for its electoral activities at state and local government levels.

“To achieve effective and efficient delivery of logistics, those engaged are to facilitate the successful deployment of vehicles as well as to monitor and assist the state councils they are assigned to.

“They are also required to lead a delegation of state officials to supervise the signing of any contractual agreement with INEC in respect of the 2023 general elections.”

Recall that INEC National Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, on January 31 met on MoU with the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) and the Road Transport Employees Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) on the transportation of election officials and ballot papers to polling units on the election day.

At the consultative meeting, the INEC chairman reminded the unions, whose members are going to be conveying personnel and materials nationwide, on their obligation to neutrality.