News & Announcements

Ayodele Fayose, a former governor of Ekiti State, congratulated Bola Tinubu on his victory in the presidential election that took place last Saturday.

On Wednesday, he tweeted this.

In a tweet, he wrote: “I congratulate Asiwaju Bola Tinubu on his election as the next President of Nigeria.”

The former governor of Ekiti pleaded with the PDP’s presidential candidate to concede loss in the sake of the country while demanding the resignation of the party’s national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

The tweet added further, “As for the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, I call for his immediate resignation for his inability to move the party forward.

“As the presidential election comes to an end, I urge other contestants, especially Atiku Abubakar to accept the outcome in the overall interest of our country. There will always be another day.”

Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate for the All Progressives Congress, has been declared as the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission.

After receiving 8,794,726 votes to win the 2023 presidential election, Tinubu, a former governor of Lagos State, was named the new president.

In the International Collation Centre in Abuja in the wee hours of Wednesday, INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu declared Tinubu the winner.

Tinubu triumphed against rival candidates Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party.

The three front-runners for president each won 12 states, although Kwankwaso only won Kano State.

With no less than 1.8 million votes, Tinubu defeated Atiku, a former vice president and his closest rival.

According to reports, Tinubu will be running for the presidency for the first time in 2023. The former senator, who served as governor of Lagos State for two terms before leaving office in 2007, is credited with organizing the coalition that deposed the PDP in 2015. In recent years, he has expanded his influence outside of the South-West.

In addition to Tinubu, Obi, Atiku, and Kwankwaso, other contenders for the presidency of the country included Dumebi Kachikwu of the African Democratic Congress, Kola Abiola of the People’s Redemption Party, Omoyele Sowore of the Africa Action Congress, Adewole Adebayo of the Social Democratic Party, Malik Ado-Ibrahim of the Young Progressive Party, Prof. Christopher Imumulen of the Accord Party.

The list also includes Sani Yusuf of the Action Democratic Party, Nnnadi Osita of the Action Peoples Party, Oluwafemi Adenuga of the Boot Party, Osakwe Felix Johnson of the National Recovery Movement, and Hamza Al-Mustapha of the Action Alliance.

According to a count of the ballots made public by election officials from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Prof. Jude Rabo, the state collation officer for Borno, pronounced Tinubu the winner after the candidate received 252,282 votes from voters in the 27 local government areas.

Atiku and Obi only managed to receive 190,921 and 7,205 votes, respectively, while Kwankwaso received 4,626.

Tinubu received 231,591 votes from 23 LGAs in Rivers State, while the LP received 175, 071 votes and the PDP received 88, 468 votes.

Yet the Labour Party’s victory in the Federal Capital Territory turned out to be a game-changer, shocking both Tinubu and his PDP rival.

Due to his popularity in Abuja, Obi received 281,717 votes, while the former governor of Lagos and the former vice president tied for the remaining positions with 90,902 and 74,149 votes, respectively. Kwankwaso received 4,517 votes as well.

Yet in several northern and middle belt areas, such as Zamfara, Kwara, Kogi, Benue, and Kogi States, Tinubu made up for his losses.

In Benue, the APC amassed 310,468 votes to relegate LP (308,372), PDP (130,081) and NNPP (4,740) to second, third and fourth places.

He received 298,396 votes in Zamfara State, compared to 1,660 for the LP, 4,044 for the NNPP, and 193,978 for the PDP.

As anticipated, Obi outperformed rival candidates in Plateau, winning with 466,272 votes to the APC’s 307,195, the PDP’s 243,808, and the NNPP’s 8,869 votes.

Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, Kwara, Ekiti, Kogi, Benue, Zamfara, and Jigawa are among the states that Tinubu has so far won, while Atiku has triumphed in Bauchi, Yobe, Gombe, Kaduna, Kebbi, Bayelsa, Adamawa, and Akwa Ibom.

Obi, on the other side, won the FCT as well as the states of Lagos, Enugu, Cross River, Nasarawa, Imo, Anambra, Abia, and Anambra.

APC received 8,794,726 votes in the final tally, compared to PDP’s 6,984,520, LP’s 6,101,533, and NNPP’s 1,496,687.

“That Tinubu Bola Ahmed of the APC, having satisfied the conditions of the law is now proclaimed the winner and returned elected,” the INEC chief said in announcing Tinubu as the winner.

Barely 24 hours after Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour Party (LP) agents walked out from the Presidential collation centre, the two political parties and African Democratic Congress (ADC) have demanded that the 2023 general election be cancelled over irregularities that have marred the exercise across the country.

The parties stated that the general election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was completely marred by irregularities that cannot be amended to conform with the wish of the people that cast their votes during the electoral exercise.

Aside from the cancellation, they also demanded that Chairman of the electoral umpire , Prof. Mahmud Yakubu, should resign immediately to allow another credible and transparent individual to conduct a fresh general election exercise across the country.

They made the demands on Tuesday during a joint press briefing held in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, to state their grievances against the exercise conducted by INEC on February 25.

More than 600 people are now being investigated in Turkey over buildings that collapsed in the deadly earthquake on 6 February, the government has said.

On Saturday, Justice Minister Bekir Bozdag said 184 suspects – including construction contractors and property owners – had already been arrested.

For years, experts warned that endemic corruption and government policies meant many new buildings were unsafe.

The confirmed death toll in Turkey and Syria has now exceeded 50,000.

Mr Bozdag made the televised remarks from south-eastern Turkey, where the 7.8 magnitude quake struck and was followed by another powerful tremor just hours later.

His comments showed how the investigation had widened – two weeks ago, the authorities said that 113 arrest warrants had been issued.

Among those that have been arrested is a mayor of one of the towns close to where the tremors hit, Turkish media reported.

More than 160,000 buildings collapsed or were severely damaged in Turkey after the quakes, raising questions about whether the natural disaster’s impact was made worse by human failings.

Opposition parties and some construction experts accuse President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s administration of failing to enforce building regulations and trying to divert overall blame for the disaster.

They say that government policies have allowed so-called amnesties for contractors who avoided building regulations, in order to encourage a construction boom, including in earthquake-prone regions.

Erdogan has admitted shortcomings but has appeared to blame fate for the scale of the disaster.

“Such things have always happened. It’s part of destiny’s plan,” he said during a recent visit to the region.

With elections on the horizon, Erdogan’s future is on the line after 20 years in power – and his pleas for national unity have gone unheeded.

The CEO of Lanre Shittu Motors Alhaji (Chief) Lanre Shittu is Dead.

His body has been taken to a morgue.

Lanre Shittu Group has over the years supported the private and public sectors of the economy in the realization of the Nigerian developmental goals and objectives.

The Group is a creative and innovative business conglomerate offering high-quality products and services at competitive rates with guaranteed customer satisfaction.

The Group is synonymous with excellence and performance in its various industrial operations.

Lanre Shittu Motors Nigeria Limited, a member of the Group is one of the leading automobile companies in Nigeria that was established on the 31st of March 1981 and incorporated on the 3rd of March 1986.

Judge Lokulo-Sodipe, a Justice of the Court of Appeal based in Akure, the capital of Ondo State, has passed away.

The justice reportedly slouched in his office on Monday while getting ready to go to court.

It was learned that all attempts to revive him, had failed because he allegedly passed away while being transported to the hospital.

He passed away at 67 years old.

Mr. Rotimi Olorunfemi, the immediate past chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association’s Akure section, confirmed the occurrence on WhatsApp.

He simply said, “Just confirmed it (the judge’s death) is true. He collapsed in the office at the Court of Appeal, Akure this (Monday) morning. Was rushed to the hospital but confirmed DOA (Dead on Arrival)”

The current NBA branch chairman in Akure, Mr. Banji Ayenakin, issued a statement in response, stating that the death of the justice was shocking.

The statement read, “The news of the demise of Justice Lokulo-Sodipe came to me as a rude shock. My Lord was a quintessential judge, very intelligent and forthright.

 “I commiserate with his family and the President of the Court of Appeal, Nigeria. The entire members of NBA Akure will surely miss his promptness, forthrightness and commitment to the development of justice in Nigeria.”

Two people were confirmed dead by the Kano State Police Command on Monday after thugs on Sunday set fire to the New Nigeria People’s Party’s campaign office in the state’s Tudun Wada Local Government Area.

Four of the accused hoodlums, according to SP Abdullahi Haruna, the command’s public relations officer, who confirmed the incident, were detained.

He stated, “At about 1600hrs, reports were received that, while the collation of results was ongoing at Tudun Wada Local Government Area INEC Office, a group of thugs in large numbers mobilised and attacked the campaign office of NNPP House of Representatives candidate and set the building ablaze.

“Two unknown persons in a stationary vehicle inside the building were burnt to death as a result of the inferno,” Haruna said in a statement made available to journalists.

He claimed that the suspected hoodlums regrouped and attempted to block the entrance to the INEC Headquarters, adding that security men were dispatched to the area right away.

One of the goons was hurt, he said, and was brought to the hospital, where he passed away while getting treatment.

The police spokesman said the investigation was ongoing after which the suspects would be taken to court.

In the General Hospital in Ilorin, Kwara State, members of the Nigeria Association of Government Medical and Dental Practitioners have started a two-day strike over an alleged assault on a colleague.

According to Dr. Ola Ahmed, the state chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association, the doctors were obliged to put down their instruments because they were frequently in danger of losing their lives, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.

“After an emergency congress, the doctors have unanimously agreed that no doctor will work in the hospital for 48 hours. We are tired of being a punching bag by the public,” he said.

According to Ahmed, a sergeant with the Police Mobile Force physically attacked and assaulted a doctor at the general hospital.

He explained that around 5 p.m. on Sunday, a police sergeant who had brought his sick wife for treatment attacked the doctor at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology unit.

According to him, “The doctor conducted the necessary test and she was later discharged. The sergeant, however,  returned to the hospital and attacked the doctor who examined his wife.

“The sergeant alleged that the doctor did not seek his consent before examining his wife and that in his culture, it is a taboo,” he said.

Ahmed emphasized that the woman was an adult, not a minor, and added that a colleague was there before the test was carried out.

Before the doctor was rescued from the policeman, he noticed that the doctor had been hurt.

However he added that the accused had been detained by the police after being taken into custody.

He further stated, “It is terrible that this is happening to us. Our workload is much, coupled with all the social issues, including naira and fuel scarcity.

“We come to work as early as 7am and go home late, and people we are trying to save are abusing and attacking doctors.

“We have used all necessary means to enlighten the public through jingles, banners and talk shows on warning the public to desist from assaulting doctors.

“Similar incident happened at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital. If people are ready to take the law into their hands, we will not allow our doctors to die.”

Ahmed clarified that they were only protecting the lives of their members and were in no way blaming the state administration.

Dr. Bola Abdulkadir, the Chief Medical Director of General Hospital, Ilorin, responded to the event by saying that management was aware of the incident and was making every effort to defuse it.

Abdulkadir added that the state government was aware of the incident and has been making every effort to protect medical professionals.

“We appeal to them that the management and the state government are doing everything possible to prevent a recurrence.

“The consultants will continue to care for patients, so there will be skeletal services that will be rendered,” he assured.

Dr. Bola Abdulkadir, the Chief Medical Director of General Hospital, Ilorin, responded to the event by saying that management was aware of the incident and was making every effort to defuse it.

Abdulkadir added that the state government was aware of the incident and has been making every effort to protect medical professionals.

The CMD applauded the sacrifices made by the medical personnel in order to preserve patients’ lives in the hospital.

Ayodele Fayose, a former governor of Ekiti State, has advised Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential nominee, to “take defeat in maturity and retire peacefully to Dubai.”

Fayose reacted using his verified Twitter account, @GovAyoFayose, in a series of tweets.

Fayose did compliment Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, for his strong performance in the polls.

He also urged the PDP managements to “end the pretense and stop hiding under Peter Obi’s sense of patriotism “

Days after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) completed the nationwide presidential and national assembly elections, the former governor’s response was given.

At the National Collation Centre in Abuja, the election umpire is currently compiling the results.

Nigerian and USA patent holder Dr Kenny Acholonu has commended  Dr Muhammad Ali Pate on his elevation as the head of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, noting that it brings “global technological visibility” to Nigeria.

Dr Muhammad Ali Pate has been appointed as Gavi’s next CEO, due to succeed Dr Seth Berkley in August this year. Dr Berkley is leaving after 12 years at the helm of the vaccine alliance.

Dr Pate emerged as CEO following a rigorous two-year search involving 344 candidates. Gavi said, “Dr Pate was selected from a field of extremely talented and experienced fellow candidates. In the highly competitive process, candidates were tested on all aspects of the role.

“In unanimously recommending him to the Board, both the Search Committee and Governance Committee noted Dr Pate’s achievements as Minister of State for Health in Nigeria in 2011–2013, during which time he led a flagship initiative to revive routine immunisation and primary health care, chaired a presidential taskforce to eradicate polio and introduced new vaccines into the country”.

Acholonu is the Chief Innovation Officer of Micronutrient Laboratories Limited, producing micronutrient powder for retail and industrial application. Acholonu conveyed his appreciation of Dr Pate in a congratulatory letter.

“In unanimously recommending him to the Board, both the Search Committee and Governance Committee noted Dr Pate’s achievements as Minister of State for Health in Nigeria in 2011–2013, during which time

he led a flagship initiative to revive routine immunisation and primary r Muhammad Ali Pate on his elevation as the head of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation, noting that it brings “global technological visibility” to Nigeria.

Dr Muhammad Ali Pate has been appointed as Gavi’s next CEO, due to succeed Dr Seth Berkley in August this year. Dr Berkley is leaving after 12 years at the helm of the vaccine alliance.

Dr Pate emerged as CEO following a rigorous two-year search involving 344 candidates. Gavi said, “Dr Pate was selected from a field of extremely talented and experienced fellow candidates. In the highly competitive process, candidates were tested on all aspects of the role.

“In unanimously recommending him to the Board, both the Search Committee and Governance Committee noted Dr Pate’s achievements as Minister of State for Health in Nigeria in 2011–2013, during which time he led a flagship initiative to revive routine immunisation and primary health care, chaired a presidential taskforce to eradicate polio and introduced new vaccines into the country”.

Acholonu is the Chief Innovation Officer of Micronutrient Laboratories Limited, producing micronutrient powder for retail and industrial application. Acholonu conveyed his appreciation of Dr Pate in a congratulatory letter.

“In unanimously recommending him to the Board, both the Search Committee and Governance Committee noted Dr Pate’s achievements as Minister of State for Health in Nigeria in 2011–2013, during which time he led a flagship initiative to revive routine immunisation and primary health care, chaired a presidential taskforce to eradicate polio and introduced new vaccines into the country”.

Acholonu stated: “The news of your elevation as the CEO of GAVI gives us much joy as well-deserved recognition. Your intellect, hard work and focus on human capital development are highly desirable and exceptional.