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“Crisis Rocks Nigerian Medical Association As President Bala Audu Is Suspended”.
The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has been plunged into crisis following the suspension of its National President, Bala Audu, by delegates during an Emergency Delegates Meeting held in Abuja on Wednesday.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Reports indicate that 63 delegates from 23 state branches and the Federal Capital Territory attended the meeting, where they also approved the setting up of a caretaker committee to manage the association’s affairs pending fresh elections. The elections are expected to hold during the Annual General Meeting scheduled in Kano between April 27 and May 3.
The crisis stems from a dispute over the disqualification of six aspirants from the upcoming national elections. The National Officers Committee, led by Audu, had earlier barred the candidates over alleged incomplete documentation.
However, delegates at the emergency meeting challenged the decision, insisting it went against established electoral procedures within the association. They subsequently voted to overturn the disqualification, reinstating the affected candidates into the race.
In a major escalation, the delegates also voted to suspend Audu, accusing him of breaching the association’s constitution.
The decision was swiftly rejected by the Audu-led National Officers Committee, which described the meeting and its resolutions as “unconstitutional and procedurally flawed,” arguing that proper procedures were not followed in convening it.
The disagreement has now split the association into opposing camps, worsening an already tense leadership crisis.
Reacting to the situation, the Secretary-General of the NMA, Ben Egbo, said the resolutions from the emergency meeting would be reviewed in line with the association’s constitution, adding that appropriate disciplinary actions would be taken where necessary.
He also confirmed that the Annual Delegates Meeting and elections would proceed as scheduled in Kano, while noting that the disqualification of one presidential candidate had been reviewed and upheld, with no reversal expected.
Meanwhile, the association’s leadership dismissed the caretaker committee formed by the delegates, insisting it has no constitutional backing.
With both sides refusing to back down, concerns are growing over the stability of the association and the credibility of its upcoming elections.
The administration of President Bola Tinubu has approved an upward review of peculiar allowances, welfare benefits, and exit packages for civil servants across Nigeria.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
This was disclosed on Friday in Abuja by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack, during a press briefing.
She explained that the adjustment applies to workers under the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS) as well as the Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS).
According to her, the revised allowances have been designed to cut across all grade levels, ensuring improved earnings for both senior and junior officers.
Further details are expected to be released later.
Taiwo Oyedele has officially taken over as Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy following a formal handover from his predecessor, Wale Edun.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The transition, which reportedly took place on Thursday evening, was confirmed in a statement issued by the Ministry’s Head of Information and Public Relations, Efe Ovuakporie.
According to the statement, the handover was concluded within the timeframe set by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In his inaugural address, Oyedele pledged to consolidate ongoing reforms while delivering measurable economic outcomes.
He said his administration would prioritise fiscal discipline, transparency, and improved performance across key sectors of the economy.
He also expressed his readiness to work closely with staff of the ministry to strengthen efficiency and service delivery.
Oyedele commended his predecessor, Wale Edun, for his role in advancing Nigeria’s economic reform agenda, and thanked President Tinubu for entrusting him with the responsibility.
The Permanent Secretary, Raymond Omachi, alongside the Permanent Secretary (Special Duties), Mohammed Danjuma, welcomed the new minister and assured him of the full support and cooperation of the ministry’s workforce.
During Edun’s tenure, the ministry implemented several fiscal reforms aimed at improving revenue generation and economic coordination. However, the period also faced challenges, including budget implementation constraints that affected ministries, departments, and agencies.
There were also concerns over outstanding payments owed to pensioners and contractors during the same period.
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), sitting in Maitama, has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of an Abuja-based lawyer, Victor Giwa, and a police officer, Edith Erhunmuuse, after they failed to appear in court.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The two defendants were scheduled to be arraigned alongside another accused person, Cecil Osakwe, on a nine-count charge marked FCT/HC/CR/222/2023, filed by the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).
They are accused of criminal conspiracy involving the alleged forceful eviction of occupants and damage to property valued at about N300 million.
When the matter was called on Friday, the prosecution counsel, Aderonke Imana, told the court that although the charge was filed in January 2023, arraignment had repeatedly stalled due to what she described as a consistent pattern of absence by the defendants.
She argued that neither the first nor second defendant had consistently appeared in court or informed the prosecution of their absence, insisting that a bench warrant was necessary to compel attendance.
However, counsel to Victor Giwa, Ogbu Aboje, opposed the application, informing the court that his client was absent due to illness and had submitted medical documentation to support his condition. He also urged the court to hear a pending application before proceeding further.
He asked the court to excuse Giwa’s absence, citing health challenges as the reason for his non-attendance.
In response, the prosecution maintained that arraignment is the proper starting point of any criminal trial, adding that any proceedings before it would be invalid.
The prosecution therefore urged the court to issue a bench warrant to ensure the defendants appear for arraignment.
The third defendant, Cecil Osakwe, was present in court with his lawyer, Farouk Akanbi.
Delivering her ruling, Justice Samira Bature granted the prosecution’s request and ordered the arrest of Victor Giwa, stating that the explanations and medical documents presented amounted to deliberate delay tactics.
The judge noted that the case had suffered repeated delays since it was first filed in 2023 and commenced before her court in July 2024, lamenting that arraignment had still not taken place nearly two years later.
Justice Bature stressed that courts are not venues for delay tactics, adding that the defendants had shown disregard for the judicial process by failing to appear for arraignment.
She further ruled that all pending applications could only be considered after proper arraignment, stating that the court’s jurisdiction in criminal matters becomes fully activated only after that stage.
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