These are the stories that drove the conversation today:
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Saturday announced the outbreak of yellow fever in Edo.
In a statement by the Chief Executive Officer of the NCDC, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, in Abuja said that following the report of an outbreak of fever of unknown origin public health team commenced investigation on November 21 and nine cases tested positive for yellow fever in four local government areas of the state, adding that the NCDC has deployed a rapid response team to support the state with contact tracing, risk communications and management of cases.
He advised the public to keep their environments clean and free of stagnant water to discourage the breeding of mosquitoes and use insecticide treated mosquito nets, screens on windows and doors to prevent mosquito bites which is the causative agent.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, appears to be entangled in another controversy within his party as he has reacted to the accusation by the party’s National Legal adviser of the party, who said in an internal memo recently that he (Oshiomhole) was usurping his office.
Reacting to the development in an interview with Daily Trust, Oshiomhole said the constitution of the party provides that he is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the APC to protect the corporate interest of the party, stressing that every member of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) must take directive from him.
“The word CEO has the same meaning everywhere in the world. The fact that you are the head of a department or a division, or a unit, does not isolate you from taking a directive from the CEO. So, if there is anyone, including a legal adviser, who thinks that he is running a different system that is not accountable to the internal structures and power and control within the party, the challenge may be his,” he added.
Former Military Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, has warned that militarising the 2019 elections could affect the credibility of the poll, saying that the responsibility of security agencies must be defined as their roles are very critical to the success or failure of any election.
Speaking late Friday while delivering a lecture at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) in Jos, also harped on the need to put an end to the ill of vote-buying before the 2019 elections, stressing that a credible electoral umpire seen as transparent is very critical in building the confidence of the electorate.
“They must not be seen to be taking sides as observed in Ekiti State with the result now being contested in court,” he said, adding that “heavy policing and militarisation of election as recently observed in Ekiti was enough to scare voters from coming out to exercise their franchise.”
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has filed a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), seeking an order to permit its candidates to participate in the forthcoming general elections in Zamfara.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1279/2018, the APC prayed the court to declare that INEC’s letter purporting to exclude the party from presenting and submitting the list of its candidates for the forthcoming election in Zamfara state scheduled for 2019, is null, void, ultra vires and of no effect having regards to the provisions of sections 31(1) and 86(2), (3) and (4) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
The court has however fixed December 11 to commence hearing on the matter after Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu okayed the case for hearing on Friday.
The Nigerian Army on Saturday said that 155 ex-Boko Haram ex-Boko Haram terrorists that have been rehabilitated under the De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation, and Reintegration programme are set to be reintegrated into the society.
Coordinator of the Operations Safe Corridor (OSC), Maj.-Gen. Bamidele Shafa, who disclosed this at the end of a rehabilitation programme for the repentant Boko Haram members in Gombe on Saturday, said that prior to the event, a stakeholders’ meeting was held on Oct. 4 at the instance of the Chief of Defence Staff to work out modalities for the reintegration, adding that visits were conducted in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states to sensitise the state authorities, traditional rulers, religious leaders and other relevant stakeholders on the need to reconcile, resettle and reintegrate the clients back into their communities.
“The first batch of 95 clients who were discharged in February, have been successfully reintegrated. By the grace of God, a total of 155 clients will also be discharged and handed over to their state authorities for reintegration and resettlement,” he said.
And stories from around the world:
European Council President Donald Tusk has recommended that the EU approve the Brexit deal at a summit on Sunday.
It comes after Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez received assurances from the UK government over Gibraltar, and dropped his threat to boycott the summit. (BBC)
Tunisian politicians and civil society groups have expressed their rejection of Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman’s upcoming visit to Tunisia.
“It is a shame that Tunisia, which has witnessed a democratic transition and a revolution against tyranny and dictatorship, will receive a criminal whose hands were stained with the blood of Saudis and Yemenis,” Tunisian activist Tarek Kahlawi told Al Jazeera.
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani called on Muslims worldwide on Saturday to unite against the United States, instead of “rolling out red carpets for criminals.” (Reuters)
The UN Security Council has granted a sanctions exemption for the two Koreas to jointly conduct a survey on reconnecting railways across their border, a spokesman for the South Korean presidency said Saturday. (AFP)
Turkey is uneasy about U.S. plans to set up “observation posts” in Syria along parts of its border with Turkey, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar said on Saturday. (Reuters)
Temidayo Taiwo-Sidiq is a Journalist, Political Analyst and Satirist with major interest in Nigerian Politics, Governance and Sports.
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