Political Gist Naija

The 2024 African Virology Conference (AVC) is set to bring together leading virologists and scientists from academia, public health institutions, and private health organisations to address trends in emerging and re-emerging viruses of concern in Africa. The conference, themed, “Trends in Emerging and Re-emerging Viruses,” will be held from Monday, 25th to Wednesday, 27th November 2024 at the Exclusive Serene Hotel and Suites, Abuja, Nigeria’s capital. It will be officially declared open by the Honorable Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate. Speaking about the event, Prof. Maryam Aminu, Chairperson of the Local Organising Committee and Dean of the Faculty of Life Sciences at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, highlighted key features of the conference.  She revealed that Professor George Kyei, Director of Research at the University of Ghana Medical Centre, will deliver the keynote lecture titled “HIV Cure Research: State of the Science and the Need to

The Arewa Professionals  for Democracy and Development (APDD) has cautioned Nigerian former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar over his recent criticisms on the loan request from President Bola Tinubu. Recall that the National Assembly had approved a $2.2 billion foreign loan request from President Tinubu. This development was greeted with many reactions from Nigerians. One of the critique of this foreign loan request is the 2023 People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who raised concerns that the loan would be embezzled by the government. In quick reaction to the former Vice president, the APDD said Atiku’s criticism of the borrowing's approval mirrors the fitful twitching of an expired creature in its final throes. The group in a statement signed by its President, Engr. Moses Odaudu said Atiku's criticism of the loan ignores key aspects of economic management and development.  The group said it is important to scrutinise government acti

Ms Chiamaka Nnake, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget in Anambra says the budget of N606.99 billion presented by Gov. Chukwuma Soludo to the State Assembly will consolidate the industrialisation efforts of the state government. Nnake who said this at the breakdown of the budget christened “Changing Gears 2.0” said it was 48 per cent increase over the budget of 2024 which was N410bn. The Commissioner who gave details said  the budget had a capital proposal of N467.5 billion and recurrent purse of N139.5 billion representing 77 percent and 23 percent respectively Nnake said the budget had a deficit of N148.3 billion which would be raised from revenue growth or borrowing from financial institutions. “The budget deficit is estimated at N148.3 billion, that is 24 percent of the budget and this will the deficit is expected to be funded through revenue growth or borrowing from financial institutions. “Like Mr Governor said in his speech, the vision of this administratio

Two civil society organizations, the Renewed Hope Ambassadors of Nigeria (RHAN) and the Centre for Action Against Corruption (CAAC), has unequivocally condemned allegations made by Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, that the Nigerian Navy is complicit in oil theft in the Niger Delta.  The group described Tompolo's allegations as unsubstantiated, baseless, frivolous and lacking in merit. At a press conference on Thursday in Abuja, the group highlighted Tompolo's negative antecedents, including his history as a wanted fugitive and member of a militant coalition that terrorized and kidnapped oil workers, were highlighted. The coalition emphasized that Tompolo lacks moral justification to denigrate the Nigerian Navy. The group praised Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla, Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), for his achievements in the fight against oil bunkering and theft.  Under his leadership, Abdullahi Bilal and Olayemi Isaacs said the Nigerian Navy has achieved significa

Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, CON, has commiserated  the Vice-Chancellor of Federal University of Kashere, Prof. Umaru Pate over the demise of his mother, Hajiya Zainab Pate, who passed away in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, on Wednesday at the age of 80. A statement signed by the Director-General (Press Affairs) Government House Gombe, Ismaila Uba Misilli, said that Governor Inuwa Yahaya described the late Hajiya Zainab Pate as an upright mother and family pillar whose life was marked by kindness and wisdom. The governor conveyed the sympathies of the government and people of Gombe State to Prof. Umaru Pate and his family over this great loss.  He prayed Almighty Allah to forgive the shortcomings of the deceased and reward her good deeds with Aljannat Firdaus.

The purported suspension of the Executive Director, Citizens for Development and Education (CDE),  Amb. Ibrahim Waiya by the Kano Civil Society Forum (KSCF),  is not only laughable, but a joke that cannot stand. This was expressed in a statement signed by the Media Aide to Amb. Ibrahim Waiya, Bahir A Bashir, made available on Thursday November 21, 2024. "The attention of Amb. Ibrahim Waiya, the Executive Director, Citizens for Development and Education (CDE), has been drawn to a widely media report, especially on Social Media platforms, that the BoT under the leadership of Prof. Mohammad Tabiu, has suspended Amb. Ibrahim Waiya, from the membership of Kano Civil Society Forum.  "The misguided information in the press release, published on some media platforms, was said to have been signed by one Alhaji Hamisu Isa Sherifai, who paraded himself as the Secretary of the KCSF Board," it said. According to the statement, " although, Amb. Ibrahim Waiya, is not t