APA – Lagos (Nigeria)
The report that the legal battle to overturn the election victory of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, which commenced on Monday with the Presidential Election Petitions tribunal promising to deliver justice ‘’for those deserving it’’ dominates the headlines of Nigerian newspapers on Tuesday.
The Punch reports that the legal battle to overturn the election victory of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, commenced on Monday with the Presidential Election Petitions Court promising to deliver justice ‘’for those deserving it.’’
The long-awaited pre-hearing proceeding, which was held at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, was presided over by Justice Haruna Tsammani, who gave the assurance that justice would be served dispassionately.
Other members of the five-man panel include Justice Stephen Adah of the Court of Appeal, Asaba Division, Justice Misitura Bolaji-Yusuf, Court of Appeal also of Asaba Division, Justice Boloukuoromo Ugoh of Kano Division and Justice Abba Mohammed of Ibadan Division of the Court of Appeal.
Addressing the petitioners and lawyers in the jam-packed courtroom, Tsammani, who is the Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal, stated, “We are determined to look at the matter dispassionately and give justice to whoever deserves justice.”
He said they would consider the substance of each case over technicalities so that “whoever leaves here will be satisfied that justice has been done.”
He also warned the parties against unnecessary applications that could delay the proceedings.
Addressing the petitioners and lawyers in the jam-packed courtroom, Tsammani, who is the Chief Registrar of the Court of Appeal, stated, “We are determined to look at the matter dispassionately and give justice to whoever deserves justice.”
He said they would consider the substance of each case over technicalities so that “whoever leaves here will be satisfied that justice has been done.”
He also warned the parties against unnecessary applications that could delay the proceedings.
The newspaper says that to displace charcoal with clean cooking gas, also known as Liquefied Petroleum Gas, would cost Nigeria and other countries in Africa about $7.5bn for downstream infrastructure and stoves, the African Refiners and Distributors Association has said.
It also stated that the continent remained the lowest in per capita consumption despite its huge abundance of gas, stressing that it was high time stakeholders came up with finance strategies and solutions to address the bottlenecks to clean cooking gas usage on the continent.
The Executive Secretary, ARDA, Anibor Kragha, who disclosed this during an LPG virtual workshop by the group, stated that while sub-Saharan Africa had 14.4 per cent of the world’s population, it had less than one per cent of global LPG consumption.
“Many countries have little or no bulk handling facilities,” Kragha stated.
He, however, noted that LPG consumption in Africa had more than doubled since 2010, noting that the consumption recorded 9.7 per cent annual growth rate over the past decade.
He said Nigeria remained the largest LPG consumer, adding that LPG was the fastest growing petroleum product in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Vice President, LPG, Europe, Middle East and Africa at Argus, David Appleton, said cooking gas was critical to energy security in Africa.
He noted that safety, pricing, culture and finance were critical to the growth of the sector in Africa, stressing further that infrastructure development remained a key issue.
The Guardian reports that the parent body of all medical doctors in Nigeria, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), yesterday, gave recommendations on how to reverse ongoing brain drain in the country.
This was contained in a communiqué, jointly signed by the President, Dr. Uche R. Ojinmah, and Secretary General, Dr. Jide Onyekwelu, and issued at the end of the association’s 63rd yearly general conference and delegates’ meeting, held in Jalingo, Taraba State.
NMA asked governments, at all levels, to prioritise healthcare, show better political commitment to healthcare financing, pay better and competitive salaries, provide better work environment, rejig security architecture to protect life and property, and provide access to social amenities and increased opportunities for doctors.
The medical practitioners identified these factors as key to reversing brain drain and turning the same to brain gain. The conference also called on government to establish world-class health facilities in Nigeria, while advising political leaders to shun unnecessary medical tourism.
The theme of the conference was: ‘Medicine and the law’. The sub-themes were: ‘Violence against health workers in Nigeria: which way forward?’ and ‘Menace of substance abuse in Nigeria: the burden and urgent need for action’.
The meeting called on the House of Representatives to reject the controversial bill by a lawmaker, Ganiyu Johnson, noting that NMA would deploy all legitimate means at its disposal to resist any form of enslavement of Nigerian medical and dental practitioners.
NMA said, instead, the National Assembly should put pressure on government to address “push” factors propelling brain drain, which have led to mass exodus of doctors and other health workers to greener pastures.
The newspaper says that terrorists have abducted about 40 persons at Bege Baptist Church, Madala, in Chikun Local Council of Kaduna State.
Confirming the incident to journalists, yesterday, in Kaduna, the Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state, Rev. Joseph Hayab, said: “The worshippers were in the Sunday service when, around 9:30 a.m., they heard gunshots very close to the church. The gunmen attacked the church and went away with 40 worshippers.
“Along the way, somehow, 15 of the kidnapped persons returned, remaining 25 in captivity, without any word from the abductors.” Condemning the kidnap of worshippers in churches, he said efforts were being made to contact the abductors, praying they would show mercy and release the remaining 25 persons to their families.
When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Mohammed Jalige, promised to contact the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of the affected area for prompt action.
Meanwhile, operatives of the police command killed a notorious bandit, as others, who dueled with the police, escaped with bullet wounds. During the incident in Giwa Local Council, the police also recovered one operational motorcycle belonging to the bandits.
Jalige said, yesterday, that on Sunday, at about 10.30 a.m., operatives attached to 47 Police Mobile Force (PMF), on routine patrol along Fatika Road, came face-to-face with a gang of armed bandits in military camouflage, riding on motorcycles.
He said: “The gallant operatives swung into action immediately, engaged the bandits in a fierce duel and gave them a hot chase. In the process, one bandit in military camouflage was neutralised, while others escaped with bullet wounds. One operational motorcycle of the bandits was recovered.”
According to Jalige, aggressive patrols along the road have been intensified, with a view to forestalling future occurrence.
GIK/APA