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Tinubu jets out to London for medical attention three days to kick-start campaign

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  • Inauguration of 422-member presidential campaign council moved from Monday to Wednesday

The Presidential candidate and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu has left Nigeria to see his doctors in London, United Kingdom, SaharaReporters has gathered.

This comes a few days before the commencement of political campaign activities ahead of the presidential election scheduled to hold on February 25, 2023.

According to multiple sources, Tinubu left Nigeria at midnight on Saturday for London.

The former governor is expected to see his doctors at a Central London Clinic today (Monday).

“Our principal, Tinubu is sick and tired. He is expected to see his doctors in London today at a Central London Clinic,” a source told the online newspaper.

“He left Nigeria 12 midnight on Saturday. He ought to have launched the Presidential Campaign Council today but it was postponed till Wednesday for President Muhammadu Buhari to return from the US. However, it has now been postponed indefinitely.

“There is mass disaffection within the party currently.”

Meanwhile, APC has postponed the inauguration of its 422- member presidential campaign council (PCC) earlier scheduled for Monday to Wednesday.

The list of the Presidential Campaign Council was released on Friday.

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According to Bayo Onanuga, spokesperson for the council, members are also expected to participate in a “special prayer session” to usher in the presidential election campaign.

But sources told SaharaReporters that the inauguration would not hold on Wednesday with the latest developments.

In 2021 alone, Tinubu spent over 80 days patronising hospitals in France, the United States and the UK where he underwent surgeries amid the poorly equipped hospitals in Nigeria led by the APC government.

SEE ALSO:  Abure re-elected as LP National Chairman

He was flown out of the country some days before Christmas in 2020 to Paris, France.

There were speculations that he tested positive for COVID-19 but his media aide later denied such reports.

The APC leader returned to Nigeria on January 24, 2021, after an absence of about one month from Nigeria.

He then went for a medical check-up on Thursday, June 10, 2021, to France and was conspicuously absent from the one-day working visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Lagos State.

“Tinubu is in Paris, France for a medical checkup. His health is deteriorating due to old age,” a top source had told SaharaReporters.

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Tinubu, amid death rumours, was forced to return to the country on Tuesday, June 15, 2021.

SaharaReporters also reported that Tinubu was hospitalised in Maryland, the United States in July 2021 where he had knee surgery.

“Tinubu is hospitalised in Maryland, US. His health is failing. He couldn’t participate in launching his Arewa library, and he couldn’t participate in the Local Government Area elections last week. He could not attend today’s APC congress due to health reasons.

“He had surgery last week,” an authoritative source had disclosed at the time.

On August 9, 2021, Tinubu had another knee surgery at the John Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland, United States.

The APC chieftain, it was learnt, left the US for the United Kingdom on crutches, a few days after the surgery.

Sources close to Tinubu had told SaharaReporters that he wanted the surgery in Paris, France but changed his plan over rumours of his death.

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“Tinubu had his second surgery at John Hopkins University in Maryland recently. He was accompanied by a popular Nigerian doctor in Chicago. He had wanted the surgery in Paris but when rumour was rife about his death, he hurriedly left for Nigeria and went to John Hopkins,” one of the sources had said.

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“He left the US for the UK on crutches,” another source had revealed.

In 2021, the President paid a visit to Tinubu in London and the latter was seen with a walking stick during Buhari’s visit, confirming earlier report that he underwent a second surgery in the United States.

A few weeks after winning the APC ticket, the former governor was in Paris, France to attend to his medical needs.

Tinubu currently toes the path of President Buhari, who himself has spent hundreds of days on medical leave in the United Kingdom since he assumed office in 2015. (SaharaReporters)

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BoT takes over affairs of Labour Party, declares Anambra National Convention a charade

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BoT takes over affairs of Labour Party, declares Anambra National Convention a charade
The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Labour Party (LP) said it has stepped in to steer the affairs of the party following the expiration of the tenure in office of the immediate past National Working Committee (NWC) led by Julius Abure.

A statement signed and issued on Wednesday night by the BoT, through its Chairman, Comrade S.O.Z. Ejiofor, described the secret national convention held on Wednesday, at Nnewi in Anambra State, as a charade.

The statement reads: “Following the expiration of the tenure in office of the immediate past National Working Committee of the Labour Party headed by Mr. Julius Abure, the Board of Trustees of the Labour Party, in line with the Labour Party Constitution, has stepped in to steer the affairs of the Labour Party.

“This step is to avoid any leadership vacuum in the Labour Party.

“Furthermore, the Board of Trustees of the Labour Party, in consultation with major stakeholders in the Party, will soon communicate the processes for the conduct of an all-inclusive and expansive National Convention of the Labour Party.

“This is in line with the March 20, 2018, Federal High Court consent judgement delivered by Justice Gabriel Kolawole, which recognised the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) as the owner of the Labour Party and mandated that an all-inclusive and expansive National Convention of the Labour Party be held.

“The decision of the Board of Trustees is also in furtherance of the agreement signed between the former National Chairman of the Labour Party, Mr. Julius Abure, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on 27th June 2022, which was mediated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

SEE ALSO:  Tinubu approves upgrade of Federal College Dental Technology Enugu to University

“While we commend members of the Labour Party, especially workers, students, youths, market women and men, Obidients, and candidates on the platform of the Labour Party for their contributions and fidelity to the ideals of the party, the Board of Trustees promises to quickly set in motion processes for the conduct of an all-inclusive and expansive National Convention.

“Unlike the charade that took place today in Nnewi and in tandem with the principles of popular democracy, the all-inclusive National Convention will start with grassroots congresses at ward, local government, state and ultimately at the national level.

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“This process will not leave any genuine member of the Labour Party out and will be held in the full view of the Independent National Electoral Commission, media, civil society, security agents and the general public.

“We commend the leader of the Labour Party, Mr. Peter Obi and key stakeholders in the Labour Party for declining to deodorise the malfeasance that took place in Nnewi with their presence.

“The BOT assures all stakeholders that we are committed to reclaiming and repositioning the Labour Party as the vehicle for the socio-political emancipation of our dear country, her working people and populace.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Abure was re-elected as the National Chairman of the Labour Party at a controversial national convention held in Nnewi, Anambra State.

Abure, along with eight others, was declared re-elected into the 22-member National Working Committee (NWC) of the LP by the Chairman of the National Convention and Deputy Governor of Abia State, Ikechukwu Emetu, at the event held at Grand Seasons Hotel in Nnewi.

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A communique issued by the LP delegates, who attended the convention, said the party declared its presidential candidate in the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, as its preferred presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.

The controversial convention also adopted the Governor of Abia State, Alex Otti, as the Labour Party governorship candidate for the 2027 gubernatorial election in Abia State.

However, both Obi and Otti were conspicuously absent at the national convention.

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Abia Deputy Governor, Emetu, led all members of the State Executive Council (SEC) and members of the National and State Assemblies from the state elected on the LP platform to the national convention.

However, no member of the National and State Assemblies from Anambra State elected under the LP platform except the member representing Peter Obi’s Anaocha/Njikoka/Dunukofia Federal Constituency and Deputy Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, George Ozodinobi, attended the LP national convention.

The controversial re-election of Abure as National Chairman came a week after members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) picketed the LP secretariat in Abuja.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had earlier asked Abure to shelve his planned secret national convention.

The NLC had in a statement on Friday, March 15, accused Abure of running the Labour Party as a Sole Administrator by secretly scheduling a supposed national convention of the party without consulting stakeholders.

Members of the NLC, which accused Abure of “financial rascality”, had on Wednesday, March 20, occupied the National headquarters of the Labour Party in Abuja, calling for Abure’s sack as National Chairman of the party.

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Reacting to Abure’s re-election earlier on Wednesday, Benson Upah, Spokesperson of the NLC, said, “It is an illegality, a nullity. The whole exercise was a charade! Nothing can legitimise such brazen impunity.”

Also, the factional chairman of the Party in Anambra State, Peter Okoye, boasted that the Nnewi national convention will not stand.

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Describing the convention as a sham, Okoye queried: “This is not a convention. We are on top of the matter. It’s purely illegal. There was no ward congress, no local government congress, no state congress, and now who and who are the elected delegates that are electing the National Working Committee (NWC) members?

“The NLC was not there, TUC was not there, the owners of the party and members of the NEC and BOT members were not there either. So, who is holding the convention?”

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Palliatives: Dangote’s 80,000 bags of rice for Lagos residents

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Palliatives: Dangote’s 80,000 bags of rice for Lagos residents

Chairman of Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF), Aliko Dangote, billionaire businessman Femi Otedola and Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday kicked off the distribution of rice palliatives to vulnerable persons in the state.

This is to help cushion the effects of economic hardship on indigent and vulnerable persons.

The 80,000 bags of 10kg rice were donated by Aliko Dangote Foundation, under its Food Intervention Programme. The foundation will give out one million 10kg bags of rice across the country. Kano State was the first to receive its share last Saturday.

Dangote described the initiative as another demonstration of the foundation’s commitment to uphold the values of compassion and solidarity that are at the core of humanity.

He promised that the initiative would reach all the 774 local governments before the end of Ramadan.

“The foundation, in the last 30 years, has been providing support for vulnerable persons during Ramadan. While our traditional Ramadan food distribution has been focused on the Muslim community, we recognise that the current circumstances where a significant proportion of Nigerians are experiencing hardship due to the prevailing high prices of food require that we broaden our programme to cover communities of all faiths. This is why we are extending the Ramadan initiative to cover all the states and the Federal Capital Territory as a testament to our commitment to support our communities in line with our core values and the spirit of Ramadan. We will ensure this initiative reaches the entire 774 local governments before the end of Ramadan.

SEE ALSO:  Gunmen kill man, kidnap wife, daughter in Enugu

“We must stand together in times of hardship, extending the hand of fellowship to one another,” Dangote added.

Governor Sanwo-Olu hailed the initiatives of Dangote to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians. He also praised him for showing compassion to the needy.

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Why we are not happy with Nigerian constitution – Ohanaeze Ndigbo

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• Insists on restructuring of Nigeria

• As Gov Peter Mbah of Enugu State shared his thoughts on the issues affecting the South-east region.

The Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has reiterated its call for restructuring of the country and the creation of additional states in the South-east.

The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu made the call during the Ohanaeze Ndigbo retreat on Wednesday in Enugu.

Mr Iwuanyanwu, who said Ohanaeze was not happy with the 1999 Constitution as amended, called for the restructuring of Nigeria where power would devolve from federal government to state governments.

This, he said, would help the states have a reasonable autonomy to develop at their own pace without any hindrance from the federal government.

“It will enable us to build our own seaports, railways and other infrastructure to develop the zone,” he said.

While calling for the creation of an extra state in the region, the Igbo leader lamented that the South-east had lost trillions because of inadequate states like in other geopolitical zones.

He threatened to take legal action against the federal government if it failed to give the region an additional state equivalent to other zones in the country, saying “We are assembling Igbo lawyers to pursue it”.

He added that they would allow the state anywhere it was created in Igboland.

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The Igbo leader also kicked against merging of Project Development Institute (PRODA) with another science Institute, stressing that the institute was borne out of the experience of the Nigeria Civil War.

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“Ohanaeze is in full support of the implementation of the Oronsaye report, but will request all Igbo anywhere to ensure that PRODA is not merged with any other institutions,” he said.

In a remark, Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State, represented by the Deputy Governor, Ifeanyi Ossai commended Igbos serving in various capacities for their sacrifice and support.

The governor said the region needed to work towards economic integration of their business and people.

He said the economic team in Ohaneze had a huge task to engage political leaders across the South-east to work towards creating a common market that attracted investors to the region.

“It beats my imagination that Onitsha and Oguta ports in Imo State are not working. We should act in a way to liberate ourselves.

“Enugu is known for coal and from what I heard from an engineer, if coal is heated 1000 degrees it will melt and if you pour it on the road, will last more than bitumen and asphalt we use in road construction,” he noted.

In a paper presentation titled “Education: Technical Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Igboland” the Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nnenna Oti, called for new hope, equal opportunities, technological and entrepreneurial development in Igboland.

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She called on the Igbos to identify who they were and pursue their dreams for greater exploits.

Earlier in a welcome address, the chairperson of the event, Allison Madueke, a retired rear admiral, said it was time for Igbos to step out and make a move for the betterment of the region.

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“When you move without wisdom, you get injured,” Mr Madueke said, stressing that it was time for Igbos to ask themselves questions about where they went wrong and make amends.

Some Igbo leaders at the Ohanaeze Ndigbo retreat held in Enugu on Wednesday

While commending Mr Iwuanyanwu for organising the programme, Mr Madueke said “We need to change our tactics and approaches with the wisdom given to us”.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was attended by Igbo leaders, their prominent sons and daughters both in Nigeria and in the Diaspora.

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