• Ekiti State Government Bans Planned Guinness World Record Kissing Marathon
• Resident Doctors Issue Two-Week Ultimatum to FG Over 200% Salary Increment
• I’ll Beg JAMB If Mmesoma Comes Clean On Result – CBT Owner
• Tinubu and Shettima Close Defense in PDP’s Petition as Bamidele Testifies
• Keyamo Says EU Election Report is Biased and Presumptuous

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss

Ekiti State Government Bans Planned Guinness World Record Kissing Marathon

In a surprising move, the Ekiti State Government has issued a ban on a highly anticipated three-day kissing marathon that aimed to set a Guinness World Record.

The event, organized by a group known as Sugartee, was scheduled to take place on July 7 at a popular amusement park in Ado, the state capital.

However, the Ministry of Arts and Culture, in a letter dated July 3, 2023, addressed to the Ekiti State Hoteliers Association, expressed strong reservations about the event and warned of potential sanctions against any facility that hosted it.

The Director of Tourism, Adebanji Adelusi, who signed the letter, raised concerns about the event’s impact on the state’s image.

Describing the event as “absurd, immoral, unhealthy, and capable of denigrating the image of Ekiti,” Adelusi emphasized that such a program contradicted the values of the state’s people and could have negative moral consequences for the youth.

As a result, the Ministry of Arts, Culture, and Tourism issued a prohibition on the event and any similar events from being held in any facility wishing to continue lawful operation within Ekiti State.

This decision comes on the heels of recent marathon events that have taken place in the state. Notably, Chef Damilola Adeparusi, popularly known as Chef Dammy, concluded a 120-hour cooking marathon in Ilupeju-Ekiti, located in the Oye Local Government Area.

In a similar vein, Adeola Adeyeye, also known as Chef DEO, is currently attempting to set the record for the longest world cooking marathon, aiming for an impressive 150 hours in Ile-Oluji, a region in Ondo State.

The ban on the Guinness World Record kissing marathon has generated significant interest and debate among the public. While some argue that the event would have been a unique and entertaining way to put Ekiti State on the global map, others support the government’s decision, citing concerns about morality and the potential negative portrayal of the state. Regardless of differing opinions, it is clear that the ban has stirred conversations about cultural values, tourism, and the appropriate boundaries for public events.

Resident Doctors Issue Two-Week Ultimatum to FG Over 200% Salary Increment 

In a decisive move, the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has issued a fresh two-week ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the implementation of a 200% increment in the salary structure for its members, along with other crucial demands.

This ultimatum comes as a result of the association’s assessment of the level of implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed with the government on May 19, 2023, following a five-day warning strike that took place from May 17, 2023.

The resolution was reached during a virtual Extraordinary National Executive Council Meeting (E-NEC) held on Wednesday. The communique, co-signed by NARD President Orji Innocent, Secretary General Chikezie Kelechi, and Publicity and Social Secretary Umar Musa, highlights the pressing issues faced by resident doctors and emphasizes the urgent need for the government’s intervention.

One of the key demands made by NARD is the prompt payment of all outstanding arrears owed to its members, including hazard allowances, skipping arrears from 2014 to 2016, and the arrears of consequential adjustment related to the minimum wage. The doctors firmly assert that there is no justifiable reason for the government to continue withholding their arrears and allowances, underscoring the importance of timely and fair compensation for their services.

The ultimatum issued by NARD serves as a clear indication of the mounting frustration among resident doctors in Nigeria. The association firmly believes that the government must fulfill its obligations outlined in the signed MoU and address the pressing concerns affecting doctors’ welfare.

Failure to meet these demands within the given two-week timeframe could potentially lead to further disruptions in the healthcare sector, adversely affecting patient care and exacerbating an already challenging situation.

As the two-week ultimatum begins, stakeholders and the public will closely monitor the developments between NARD and the Federal Government. The outcome of this impasse will not only impact the resident doctors but also have wider implications for the healthcare system and the well-being of Nigerians relying on quality medical services.

I’ll Beg JAMB If Mmesoma Comes Clean On Result – CBT Owner

Osita Chidoka, a former Minister of Aviation and the owner of the Computer-Based Testing (CBT) Centre where Mmesoma Ejikeme, a 2023 UTME candidate, took her examination, has urged her to provide information about the source of her result. Chidoka expressed his willingness to appeal to the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) for leniency if Mmesoma comes forward with the truth.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Chidoka emphasized the importance of transparency in determining the authenticity of the candidate’s result. He called on Mmesoma to explain how she obtained the claimed score and who may have misled her in the process. The former minister further stated that if she discloses the truth, he will lend his voice in appealing to JAMB to consider her age and show more leniency.

Contrary to Mmesoma’s claim of scoring 362, JAMB has insisted that her actual score is 249. The ongoing controversy has raised questions about the credibility of the result and its implications for the candidate’s future.

During an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily program, Mmesoma expressed her dismay over being blamed for the controversy surrounding her result. She maintained that she printed the result as it appeared and denied any involvement in forgery. Mmesoma argued that the ban imposed on her by JAMB was unfair.

The House of Representatives has criticized JAMB’s handling of the situation, considering it unprofessional to withdraw the candidate’s result and impose a three-year ban, given her status as a minor. As a result, the House established an ad hoc committee to investigate the matter and requested that JAMB refrain from taking any further action until the investigation is completed.

In his statement, Chidoka highlighted two concerns regarding Mmesoma’s result. Firstly, he noted that the name of his CBT center on the JAMB portal has been changed since 2021, causing suspicion about the authenticity of the result that displays his previous center’s name. Secondly, he observed discrepancies in the result template, including the absence of the candidate’s passport picture, JAMB watermarks, and the examination center’s name.

Chidoka acknowledged JAMB’s strong defense of its integrity and commended the board for its proactive approach in addressing the issue. He contrasted JAMB’s response to the technical glitch experienced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during the presidential election held on February 25, 2023, suggesting that INEC should provide an explanation similar to JAMB’s.

As the investigation continues, stakeholders await further developments and the resolution of the controversy surrounding Mmesoma’s UTME result.

Tinubu and Shettima Close Defense in PDP’s Petition as Bamidele Testifies

President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashim Shettima have concluded their defense in the petition filed against them by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Opeyemi Bamidele, the senator representing Ekiti central, testified as the star witness for the respondents. He informed the court that Tinubu had never been indicted, charged, or convicted of any criminal offenses in the United States. He clarified that the $460,000 forfeiture by Tinubu in 1993 was a civil proceeding rather than a criminal case.

During the proceedings, various documents were submitted as evidence through Bamidele.

After the president and vice president concluded their case, Lateef Fagbemi, counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC), announced that he would not be calling witnesses or presenting further documents. Fagbemi stated that the evidence provided by the second and third respondents was sufficient to support the APC’s case. Consequently, the APC counsel closed his case.

Additionally, Tinubu, Shettima, and the APC have also concluded their defense in the petition filed by the Labour Party (LP) and its presidential candidate, Peter Obi. Bamidele served as the sole witness for the respondents in this case as well.

The court directed all respondents to file their final briefs of argument within 10 days, while the petitioners were given seven days to submit theirs. The respondents were also instructed to prepare their replies to the petitioners’ address within five days of being served. The court will communicate the date for the adoption of final written addresses to all parties.

Keyamo Says EU Election Report is Biased and Presumptuous

Festus Keyamo, former Minister of State for Labour and Employment, has criticized the European Union Election Observation Mission (EUEOM) report on Nigeria’s 2023 polls, stating that it reflects a biased narrative.

The report accused Keyamo of sharing fake news during the elections by promoting information from a suspicious website that accused Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) candidate, of bribery.

In response, Keyamo issued a statement on Wednesday, calling the part of the EU report referring to his sharing of fake news presumptuous and outside the observers’ mandate.

He expressed disappointment and criticized the observers for taking a biased approach instead of fulfilling their role to observe and report.

Keyamo emphasized that the observers should not be investigating claims made by candidates against each other as they are neither journalists nor law enforcement officers.

Keyamo questioned the basis on which the EU observers labeled a website as “suspicious” without providing further details or evidence. He accused the observers of arrogance for declaring a local news website suspicious and criticized their failure to engage with those who made the claims or seek clarification before rushing to write their report.

Furthermore, Keyamo accused the observers of singling out the All Progressives Congress (APC) while ignoring false reports from other political parties. He pointed out that false stories were pushed by multiple parties during the campaign, including claims about Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who is now president, being evacuated abroad for urgent medical attention without any evidence.

Keyamo concluded by characterizing the EU report as a one-sided narrative and congratulated the opposition for collaborating closely with the EU to influence the final report.

He expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the presidential election and considered the EU report as a consolation prize compared to the actual winner of the election.