Mohammed Idris, the minister of information, says the federal government will continue the disbursement of palliatives across the country until the hardship caused by the removal of petrol subsidy is addressed. The minister who spoke at a reception organised by the Niger state government, on Saturday, assured Nigerians that the federal government will continue to develop policies that promote national values and orientation among the citizens. He noted that state governments should support the federal government in the project of reorienting Nigerians. The minister also said the President Bola Tinubu administration is conscious of the people’s needs, and its agenda has been designed to address the leading socio-economic challenges and create jobs for the youth. On August 23, the minister had said the new administration will not rely on propaganda to propagate government programmes and policies. He said the administration will strive to restore people’s confidence and trust in the government by implementing tangible and credible policies. Speaking at the event, Mohammed Bago, governor of Niger State, congratulated those who secured political positions at both the federal and state levels and urged them to be good ambassadors of the state. He commended the federal government on the plans to ameliorate the suffering of the citizens, promising that the state governors would play their part in ensuring that the palliatives reach those for whom they were intended. Bago noted that Niger state provides opportunities for agriculture with its mass arable land, saying it can play a huge role in the federal government’s desire to create more prosperity for Nigerians.

  The National and State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal in Kano State has nullified the electoral victory of Yusuf Umar Datti, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) candidate for the Kura/Madobi/Garun Malam Federal House of Representatives Justice Ngozi Azinge, who presided over the case and delivered the verdict, cited Datti’s failure to resign from Bayero University, Kano, within 30 days before the election as the grounds for the decision. Justice Azinge emphasised the importance of electoral guidelines, stating, “electoral rules and regulations are crucial in maintaining the integrity of our democratic process. Failure to adhere to these rules can have serious consequences”. Following the ruling, Justice Azinge ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to set aside the certificate of return that had previously been issued to Datti and declared Musa Ilyasu Kwankwaso of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the rightful winner of the election. Kwankwaso secured the second-highest number of votes during the election held on February 25, 2023. In response to the tribunal’s decision, Kwankwaso expressed gratitude and commitment to serving the people, saying, “I appreciate the judiciary for upholding the rule of law and ensuring that the will of the people prevails. I am ready to fulfill my responsibilities as the elected representative for the Kura/Madobi/Garun Malam constituency.”

  Imo State National Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja has sacked the Member representing Ideato North and South Federal Constituency, Imo Ugochinyere Ikeagwuonu of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The election Tribunal sitting in Mararaba High Court ruled that PDP has no candidate for the election as Primaries didn’t hold in the Federal Constituency. The panel also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct rerun election Calls in 4 Wards between APC and LP candidates. More details to come…..

  Tragedy struck in Niger State on Sunday after a boat capsized in the Mokwa area of the state. The exact number of people onboard the boat and the cause of the accident is yet to be confirmed as at the time of filing this report. Speaking to the incident to Channels Television through a telephone call, the Chairman of Mokwa Local Government, Jibrim Muregi, confirmed the incident, saying rescue efforts are ongoing. He confirmed that 21 dead bodies were recovered, adding that three community members of Gbajibo, Ekwa and Yankeiade were also affected. When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Wasiu Abiodun confirmed the mishap. He however said available information at the police disposal suggest that 13 people lost their lives. “Information received from Gbajibo area of Mokwa indicated that a wooden boat conveying some passengers on board from Gbajibo water side heading to Tungan-Mango for farming activities capsized,” the police spokesman said. “On receiving the report, DPO Mokwa Div mobilised police teams including marine police to the scene, in collaboration with local divers and so far thirteen persons confirmed dead as search and rescue operation is ongoing. Further development will be made public.” The latest incident comes three months after a boat carrying families returning from a wedding sank in a river, killing over 100 people on board.

  Sun, 10 Sep 2023 12:34:40 WAT President Bola Tinubu will meet with the leadership of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to resolve the diplomatic dispute with Nigeria. The UAE authorities had in October 2022 slammed visa ban on Nigerians, coming shortly after the Emirates also suspended flights. Nigerian carrier, Air Peace, which was also operating to Dubai similarly suspended its flight as the UAE stopped issuance of visa to prospective travelers. Emirates had suspended its flight to Nigeria over its inability to repatriate trapped funds. When he hosted Salem Saeed Al-Shamsi, UAE Ambassador to Nigeria at Aso Rock last month, the President had directed that issues affecting relations with the Emirates Airline, and issuance of visas to Nigerians should be “immediately’’ resolved, emphasizing that he stands prepared to “personally’’ intervene. “We are a family with the UAE, we only live in separate rooms, but we are in the same house. We should look at the issues as a family problem, and resolve it amicably. As you know in every family, there are peculiarities. You can have an erring son, or daughter, but we must work together. We need to agree on core aviation and immigration issues,” the President had said. On Sunday, Chief Ajuri Ngelale, Presidential spokesman, announced that Tinubu would meet UAE authorities over the issue. “President Bola Tinubu will meet with the leadership of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during a technical stopover in Abu Dhabi, UAE, after the President’s departure from New Delhi, India.” “The meeting will serve as a follow-up discussion to address specific, salient issues within the bilateral relationship after conversations held during a recent visit by the UAE Ambassador to the President at the State House in Abuja. “The President is maximizing the opportunity of the stopover to equally advance his investment promotion objectives with high-level authorities in the public and private sectors of the United Arab Emirates. Following a successful investment drive on the sidelines of the G-20 Summit, active participation in the G-20 Summit, and a productive stopover in the UAE, the President is expected to return to Abuja immediately following the bilateral engagement.”

  Scientists have developed a device that mimics the functions of a kidney. The artificial kidney was created by scientists at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), United States. In a statement announcing the innovation, the university said the artificial kidney is made up of human kidney cells, housed in an implantable device called a bioreactor. It was successfully tested in pigs for a week and found to mimic several important kidney functions. The device can work quietly in the background and does not trigger the recipient’s immune system to go on the attack. “Eventually, scientists plan to fill the bioreactor with different kidney cells that perform vital functions like balancing the body’s fluids and releasing hormones to regulate blood pressure – then pair it with a device that filters waste from the blood,” the statement reads. “The aim is to produce a human-scale device to improve on dialysis, which keeps people alive after their kidneys fail but is a poor substitute for having a real working organ.   “The next step will be month-long trials, as required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), first in animals and eventually in humans.” Shuvo Roy, a bioengineering professor in the UCSF School of Pharmacy, said the bioartificial kidney will make treatment for kidney disease more effective and also much more tolerable and comfortable. “We needed to prove that a functional bioreactor will not require immunosuppressant drugs, and we did. We had no complications and can now iterate up, reaching for the whole panel of kidney functions at the human scale,” he said.

  Pestana CR7, a 174-room hotel owned by Portuguese star, Cristiano Ronaldo, in Marrakesh, Morocco, has become a refuge site for the survivors of an earthquake in the country. The earthquake recorded in the North African country on Friday, has killed at least 2,012 people and injured over 2,000. The 6.8-magnitude quake struck 72 kilometres (45 miles) southwest of the tourist hub of Marrakesh, wiping out entire villages in the hills of the Atlas mountain range. As a result, people have taken to any buildings that they can to find shelter following the natural disaster, including Ronaldo’s hotel. According to Spanish newspaper, Marca, the Pestana CR7 Marrakesh is graded at four stars, just below luxury, and includes an outdoor pool, fitness centre, restaurant, and terrace. But as Moroccans come together to attempt to find recovery, the hotel has set aside its up-market qualities. A Spanish national, Irene Seixas, said: “The hotels are the same. We had to come to the new area of Marrakesh, where there are more luxury hotels, so to speak. “Now we have managed to get Cristiano Ronaldo’s hotel, which is on the outskirts, to give us a room. Pestana CR7, a 174-room hotel owned by Portuguese star, Cristiano Ronaldo, in Marrakesh, Morocco has become a refuge site for the survivors of earthquake in the country. “We are waiting. We slept all night on the street and at seven in the morning they told us that yes, we could approach. We are in a lobby a lot of people of different nationalities, waiting to see if we can get a room, but we have all slept on the street.”