The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar have formally filed a motion asking the president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa to step aside from the panel that will hear and determine their petition, challenging President Muhammadu Buhari’s election.

In the motion filed on Friday, the applicants alleged that Justice Bulkachuwa is disqualified because of her filial and biological relationships with two APC chieftains.

In the motion signed by the PDP’s lead counsel, Livy Uzoukwu, the applicants averred that Justice Bulkachuwa is the wife of Adamu Mohammed Bulkachuwa, a prominent card-carrying member of the APC and the Senator-elect for Bauchi north senatorial district on the platform of the APC.

The applicant also alleged that Justice Bulkachuwa is the biological mother of Aliyu Haider Abubakar, a prominent card-carrying member of the APC who was also a gubernatorial aspirant in Gombe state at the last general election on the platform of the APC.

The PDP and Atiku, therefore, demanded that because of these relationships, there is every likelihood of bias if Justice Bulkachuwa remained the head or even as a member of the panel.

The PDP also referred to the remarks by the Court of Appeal President at the inaugural sitting of the panel, to the effect that “elections are held in Nigeria every four years into elective positions.”

No matter how well the election is conducted, there are bound to be complaints.

According to the applicants, by making this remark, it would appear that Justice Bulkachuwa had already prejudged the presidential election as well.

The application is expected to be heard on May 22.

P.M News

Nigeria’s former finance minister and head of the economy coordinating team under former President Goodluck Jonathan, Ms Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been honoured with an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy degree from Tel Aviv University for her work on economic development, poverty alleviation, transparency and inclusion.

Okonjo-Iweala happily posted the photos on tweeter on Friday

”Wonderful to receive an Honorary Doctorate of Philosophy degree from Tel Aviv University for my work on Economic Development, Poverty Alleviation, Transparency and Inclusion.”

P M News

The Senate on Thursday passed the Public Holiday Act Amendment Bill to recognize June 12 as the new Democracy Day.

The Senate at the plenary on Thursday passed the amendment in concurrence with the House of Representatives which approved the new date earlier in December 2018.

The passage followed the adoption of a report by Senator Ahmad Lawan, the Majority Leader, for the Senate to concur with the House.

The bill was passed almost one year after President Muhammadu Buhari announced that the date would replace May 29 for Nigerians to commemorate the return to the civilian government.

The legislation is now billed for transmission to President Muhammadu Buhari for assent.

President Buhari had on June 6, 2018, announced June 12 as the new date which Democracy Day would be celebrated in the country, to honour the presumed winner of the 1993 presidential election, Moshood Abiola, who was fondly known as MKO.

The President made the declaration as the Federal Government honoured the acclaimed winner of the 1993 presidential election, the late Chief Moshood Abiola, with a posthumous conferment of the highest national award, Grand Commander of the Federal Republic, on him.

The decision has made Abiola the second Nigerian who never presided over the country but was given the highest national award. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, before Abiola, was given the same award despite failing to become the president of Nigeria.

Buhari had also conferred on Abiola’s running mate in the election, Alhaji Babagana Kingibe and foremost human rights lawyer, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, the Grand Commander of the Niger award, which is the second highest national honour.

Source: Sahara Reporters

Former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (rtd.) on Thursday said that upgrading and funding of Nigeria’s health institutions will reverse the burden of medical tourism.

Gowon stated this in Benin, Edo State, at the inaugural Founder’s Day ceremony of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

He noted that UBTH’s performance since inception, has justified the vision behind its establishment, adding that it has contributed immensely to the strengthening of health service systems​.

He described as relevant and worthy endeavour, the launching of endowment fund to raise the standard and quality of service at the hospital.

“What we are celebrating today is the last, present and the future of this citadel of learning, the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and the possibilities that the future holds for the hospital.

“That is why the endowment fund being launched today becomes so relevant. It is a worth endeavor geared towards upgrading the institution and health services in the state and the country to a level capable of helping reversing the burden of medical tourism in Nigeria,” Gowon said.

The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, who was represented at the event by Dr. Shaibu Belgore, noted that not all Nigeria’s hospital problems were due to lack of adequate equipment or expertise.

According to him, “About a year ago, it was estimated that Nigeria loses about $1 billion every year to medical service sourced abroad. Outside medical tourism is effectively a declaration of no confidence in our health system, which we must endeavor to reverse.

“The long air travel involved for care in unfamiliar cultures not only severely strains the individual patients​, it often improvises their families and hurt Nigeria’s economy. We must restore confidence in our health sector by improving all aspects​ of quality of care, cost efficiency and patient experience.

“Not all of our hospitals’ problems are due to lack of adequate equipment or expertise. I can attest that Nigerian doctors and nurses are technically competent, in fact, some hospitals patronized by our citizens in certain Asian countries turn out to be not as equipped or well-staffed as Nigerian teaching hospitals.”

Ehanire said improvement is urgently ​needed in all aspects, from environmental upgrade to tiptop housekeeping, from registration, to focused, attentive doctor consultation.

Earlier in his welcome address, the CMD of UBTH, Prof. Darlington Obaseki, appealed for financial support to enable the hospital put a stop to medical tourism in the country.

He insisted that the hospital was capable of carrying out treatment of every​ ailment for which Nigerians have travel abroad for.

“We don’t have the resources to do these things, so we felt we have to talk to people to help us with the needed fund to enable us do all these things,” he said.

He also announced the naming of the dual-carriage way to the hospital, Victoria Gowon Drive, after the wife of the former Head of State, who commissioned the hospital on 12 May, 1973.

The central administrative building was also named after Dr. Samuel Samuel Ogbemudia; the statute of a nurse at the hospital gate after Mrs. Iyalekhue Bello-Osagie.

In his remark, the chairman, management board of UBTH, Bashorun Adedoja Adewolu thanked federal government for taking over the management of hospital.

He noted that UBTH was one of first six generation teaching hospitals established by the Yakubu Gowon administration.

National chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, lauded workers of UBTH whom he said have all the years kept the vision of the founding fathers of the hospital.

Source: PM News