*As INEC opens defence Wednesday

After calling 19 witnesses at the Edo State governorship election tribunal,  to attack the credibility and outcome of the September 21, 2024 governorship election that produced governor Monday Okpegholo, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, closed their case.

The decision was communicated to the Justice Wilfred Kpochi- led three-member tribunal yesterday by counsel to the petitioners, Mr. Robert Emukpoeruo, SAN.

In their petition, the petitioners who called 19 witnesses and tendered several documents and devices used for the disputed polls, urged the tribunal to nullify the election of Governor Okpegholo over alleged irregularities including over-voting and non-compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, yesterday, produced five additional Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, machines that were used for the election.

The electronic devices, which were tendered by a Senior Technical Officer in the ICT Department of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Mr. Anthony Itodo, were admitted in evidence, amidst opposition from the camp of the respondents.
This is in addition to the 148 BVAS machines that had earlier been admitted in evidence by the tribunal for the conduct of the election in 133 polling units.
After the short proceedings, the  tribunal then adjourned till Wednesday for INEC to open its defence.
The electoral body had declared that Okpebholo of the APC secured a total of 291,667 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ighodalo of the PDP, who got a total of 247,655 votes.

However dissatisfied with the results, the PDP and its candidate approached the tribunal, praying it to nullify INEC’s declaration of the APC and Okpebholo as winners of the election.

In the petition marked EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, the petitioners argued that Governor Okpebholo of the APC did not secure the highest number of lawful votes that were cast at the election.

Daily Sun

…Okays $1bn HOPE programme to fix PHCs, others

Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by President Bola Tinubu, has approved a significant allocation of N4.5 billion for the procurement of HIV treatment packs, aimed at supporting Nigerians living with HIV/AIDS.

This decision comes in light of the recent suspension of U.S. government funding for HIV programs, which is undergoing a 90-day review period.

Addressing Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy of Nigeria, Wale Edun and Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Ali Pate, explained that the approval underscores Nigeria’s commitment to ensuring continuous access to life-saving treatment for individuals affected by the virus.

The funding landscape for HIV/AIDS treatment in Nigeria has been heavily reliant on international assistance, particularly from the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund. Historically, about 80% of HIV response funding has come from external donors, with domestic contributions lagging behind.

Under the Buhari’s administration, the government had admitted that since 2005, about $6.2 billion had been spent on HIV response in Nigeria, with approximately 80% of these funds contributed by external donors.

Pate, on Monday emphasised the importance of this funding: “This allocation is critical for ensuring that those living with HIV continue to receive necessary treatments without interruption.”

The approved budget will facilitate the procurement of 150,000 treatment packs over a four-month period. This initiative not only aims to provide immediate relief but also demonstrates Nigeria’s intent to build a more sustainable domestic financing model for health interventions.

The minister said FEC also set up a committee with membership drawn from the Ministries of Finance, Budget, Defence, Environment and the Nigeria Governors Forum to come up with a sustainability plan.

Responding to U.S. Policy Shifts on Development Assistance

Addressing recent U.S. policy changes affecting development assistance for diseases like HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, Pate highlighted Nigeria’s proactive approach to sustainability. “While we appreciate the contributions of the U.S. government over the last 20 years, Nigeria is now focused on transforming its health sector using national systems and domestic financing,” he said.

To ensure a seamless transition amid these policy shifts, a committee comprising key ministries and state governors has been tasked with developing a sustainability plan. “This is about ensuring that no Nigerian loses access to treatment during this period of adjustment,” he emphasised.

Pate said FEC approved the HOPE (Human Capital Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity) programme, a $1 billion initiative designed to strengthen governance and primary healthcare systems nationwide. “This programme is very much in line with the direction of this administration—to focus on investing in the human capital of Nigerians. People are at the center of the Renewed Hope Agenda,” Pate stated.

The funding, developed in collaboration with the International Development Association (IDA), allocates $500 million for governance improvements and another $500 million to enhance primary healthcare. The governance component will incentivize states to recruit and train teachers and healthcare workers, while the healthcare portion will expand primary health care services, improve quality, and boost resilience. “This is about accelerating transformation in the health sector,” Pate explained, referencing the ongoing Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative (NHSRII) launched in 2023.

The programme also includes $70 million in grant financing from the Global Financing Facility to support maternal and child health services. “We are building on free emergency medical services for maternal and child health as part of this initiative,” Pate added

…GAC holds meeting with Miranda, others

The hope of returning back to seat of the Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly by Hon. Mudashiru Obasa seem to deeming with more stakeholders pledging allegiance to the new Speaker, Hon. Mojisola Meranda .

The latest among the stakeholders to pledge their loyalty to the new speaker, is Lagos State House of Assembly Staff.

The group gave Hon. Meranda a rousing welcome to the Assembly complex on Monday and also declared their total support for the new speaker.

The former speaker, Obasa, who represents Agege constituency, was removed on January 13, 2025, by the majority members of the Assembly over allegations of gross misconduct and abuse of office while he was away in the US but on his return to the country, he held a press conference where he insisted that his removal didn’t follow due process.

However, since the former speaker, Obasa was removed, many stakeholders have continued to pledge support for the new Speaker, and these stakeholders included the apex body in All Progressive Congress (APC), Governance Advisory Council (GAC).

Although few member of GAC were not comfortable with the emergence of Maranda as Speaker due to constituent she comes from, which is Central Senatorial District.

According to those kicking against emergence of the new Speaker, Meranda, the governor is from Central Senatorial District and it will amount to injustice to other district for speaker to come again from the same Senatorial District .

As at the time of filing the report, GAC is currently holding a closed door meeting at the Lagos House in Marina, and according to a source, top on the agenda of the meeting meeting is issue of zoning which they are trying to resolve.

The new speaker along with some members of the House have also joined the meeting, the outcome of the meeting will determine where pendulum will swing .

Meanwhile , members of the House have denied knowledge of any directive from President Bola Tinubu to reinstate former Speaker, Obasa, saying the former leader of the assembly must be daydreaming.

The denial followed a report by an online news medium, which claimed that President Tinubu had ordered members of the Lagos Assembly to allow Obasa to return as speaker.

The medium claimed the lawmakers should be prepared to return Obasa because the political price for his removal could potentially outweigh the benefits of punishing his excesses, which it stated, bordered largely on corruption and abuse of office.

However, some lawmakers said his return would be difficult for those who participated in his impeachment, especially those who circulated copies of The Gazette’s story that preceded it.

“We’re afraid that bringing him back will be like trying to pacify a snake after its head was severed,” a source said, adding: “Its venom will be super deadly.”