The Supreme Court on Friday upheld an earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal which okayed the deregistration of National Unity Party and 73 others.

It was reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission last year deregistered the political parties over their inability to win any election during the 2019 general elections.

In the judgment delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro, the Supreme Court, on Friday, said the deregistration of NUP, one of the 74 parties, was done in line with the laws and compliance with the extant provisions of the Constitution and Electoral Act.

Details later…

The National Examinations Council, NECO, has released the results of the 2020 Senior School Certificate Examination for External Candidates.

This announcement is contained in a statement signed by Mr Azeez Sani, Head, Information and Public Relations Division of council in Abuja on Thursday.

The council Registrar, Prof. Godswill Obioma, during the announcement of results, said 41,459 candidates registered for the examination out of which 39,503 actually sat for it.

Obioma explained that a total of 26,277 candidates obtained five credits and above including English Language and Mathematics while 34,014 candidates also obtained five credits and above irrespective of English Language and Mathematics.

The registrar who reiterated the council’s zero tolerance for examination malpractice, noted that appropriate standards and excellence were maintained right from the planning stage to the release of results.

He added that 6,465 cases of examination malpractice were recorded in the 2020 SSCE External as against 17,004 cases in 2019.

He noted that the reduction in the level of malpractice was as a result of deepened monitoring of the examination by members of the Governing Board, Management and Senior Staff of the Council.

He further explained that in line with the council’s zero tolerance for examination malpractice, four supervisors who were found culpable of aiding and abetting malpractice had been blacklisted and would no longer be engaged in the conduct of NECO examinations.

Obioma said that the results of 256,000 candidates who missed some papers during the 2020 SSCE (Internal) due to the ENDSARS protests in some states and who sat for those papers during the 2020 SSCE (External) were being released alongside external candidates’.

“One examination centre in Ogun State has been derecognised for intimidation and several attempts to induce NECO officials as well as aiding and abetting examination malpractice.

“it is gratifying to note that the examination was at no extra cost to the affected candidates.

“A further analysis of candidates performance indicates that a total number of 29,918 obtained credit and above in English Language while a total number of 34,061 candidates obtained credit and above in Mathematics.”

The registrar stated that year 2020 ushered in very daunting challenges essentially occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic and ENDSARS protests in the pursuit of the council mandates.

He said that necessitated the rescheduling of the various examinations organised by NECO.

He said for instance, 2020 SSCE (External) which ought to have been concluded in November/December 2020 was conducted in February/March 2021.

According to him, “in spite of these, we were not deterred rather we remained resilient and resolute in the conduct of our activities.”

The registrar reiterated the council’s commitment to conducting credible examinations to improve the quality of education in the country.

“In view of the above, and based on approval of the Federal Ministry of Education, NECO has scheduled her public examinations for year 2021 as follows:

“National Common Entrance Examination (NCEE) for admission of JSS 1 students into Federal Unity Colleges is scheduled for May 29.

“Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) Internal is scheduled from July 5 to Monday, August 16.

“Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) is scheduled for August 23 to Monday, September 6 in order to enable students at that level cover enough subject matter for the examination,” he said.

The registrar expressed gratitude to President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR for finding him worthy to be appointed to serve and contribute to the development of education in the country.

He, therefore, enjoined candidates to access their results on NECO website www.neco.gov.ng using their examination registration numbers.

The Governor, government and the people of the State of Osun received with pain and shock, the news of the demise of your son, Pastor Dare Adeboye, and wish to express our deepest and sincere sympathy on this sad loss.

Dare was one of your seeds who had chosen to follow closely in his revered father’s footsteps.

No parent deserves this kind of loss. We feel your pain. Our dear state has lost yet again another bright light. We just buried Yinka Odumakin and now we have to mourn the loss of another young one.

We take solace in the exemplary life of Pastor Dare Adeboye and the peaceful way he went to be with the Lord .

We pray that the Holy Spirit will comfort you, your wife, the entire family and indeed the Redeemed Christian Church of God flock. May the Lord make available the Balm of Gilead and see you through this trying period and grant every member of the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

Signed:

Funke Egbemode

Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation

Rajendra Kapila, US- based world renowned infectious diseases expert, has died of Covid-19 in India. He was aged 81.

Kapila, who had traveled to India to take care of his family, was supposed to return to the US in the second week of April, but had to be hospitalized in Delhi after testing positive for the virus

However, the intriguing thing about the death of the University of Rutgers Professor who had practised medicine in the United States for 50 years and known for his extensive work on HIV/AIDS is that he and his wife Dr Deepti Saxena Kapila, had taken both doses of the Pfizer vaccine prior to his arrival in India.

Kapila’s colleagues confirmed his death on Twitter Wednesday, expressing their grief and applauding Kapila’s work.

“We have lost a giant in infection disease,” wrote Nancy Connell, Professor and Vice-Chair for research in the Division of Infectious Disease in the Department of Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, adding that Kapila “served as a leader in global infectious diseases” at Rutgers and the department “will be forever grateful for his contribution to global ID and remember his extraordinary diagnostic talent.”

Given Kapila’s age, he was within an age group that is vulnerable to complications from the virus. He also had diabetes and heart complications, his ex-wife Dr. Bina Kapila told ABC7.

“For the last one year I have been working at a Covid-19 lab in New Jersey and had ensured a safe environment at home. It is ironic that we came to India for two weeks and he contracted it here,” Dr Deepti, who specialises in microbiology, was quoted as saying by the Hindustan Times.

Still, Bina, to whom Kapila was married for 40 years before they divorced a decade ago, has expressed shock over his death, saying he had decided he would stay in New Delhi for one week to help his family and provide his expertise.

“What can go wrong in one week? So he was only going to go for one week,” she said. She also said her ex-husband was a uniquely gifted medical professional. “He was so brilliant when we were in college, in medical school, that the professors of medicine after they gave a lecture, they would come to him and ask him, ‘did I cover everything?’” she told ABC7.

Kapila’s death has not only sent shock waves across the world but has also raised concerns over the efficacy of the Pfizer vaccines against the new double mutant variant first found in India. Although there is no direct evidence showing reduced efficacy of Pfizer vaccines, previous studies show their efficacy against other variants is not guaranteed.

However, according to what Tao Lina, a Shanghai-based vaccine expert, told the Global Times on Wednesday there is no direct evidence showing whether the Pfizer vaccine is effective on this variant or not, while noting that China-developed inactivated vaccines might be more effective against the double mutant than mRNA ones.

“Technically, Pfizer vaccine uses human cells to synthesize S protein in the human body to produce antibodies, whereas China-developed vaccines, including Sinovac and Sinopharm, use inactivated viruses as antibodies, which may cover more variants than Pfizer does,” Tao said.

Tao added that while the efficacy of Pfizer against the new double mutant remains unknown, previous medical studies suggested a reduced efficacy rate of Pfizer shots against other Covid-19 variants.

“The human body develops resistance to vaccines, and the variants may need even five or six doses of vaccine instead of merely two to produce enough protection,” he noted.

Still, according to a press release on its official website, Pfizer said its vaccines show a 95.3 percent efficacy rate against severe COVID-19 cases, which has been defined by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Osun government has announced that the next phase of the ongoing recruitment exercise for teachers in the State will commence on Monday, 17th May, 2021.

In a statement signed by the Coordinating Director of the Ministry of Education, Mrs C.K. Olaniyan, Osun government said the next phase will involve an oral interview for those who made the cut-off mark in the first round of the screening.

The statement read in part: “The interview will be in two stages. For Senior Secondary School Recruitment, applicants (whether First Degree or NCE) who scored 40% and above will be attended to between Monday, 17th May and Thursday, 3rd June, 2021.

“For Basic School Recruitment, applicants with MAXIMUM QUALIFICATION OF NCE, who scored between 35% and 39%, will be interviewed between Monday, 7th June and Thursday, 24th June, 2021.

“Candidates are required to bring to the interview the following credentials: Degree Certificate, NYSC Certificate, PGDE Certificate, NCE, TRCN Certificate (where available), Basic Education Certificate (JSS 3 Certificate), Local Government of Origin Attestation, Birth Certificate or Court Declaration of Age, One National Identification Card (Driver’s License, Voter’s Card, International Passport, etc.).

“In furtherance of the above, Time, Date and Centre will be communicated via SMS. Candidates can also check their portal for the above information”, the statement read.

As part of the social benefits of the Osun Food Support Scheme, the government of the State of Osun has said the Scheme is proving useful in the evaluation of the available database of the poor and vulnerable households in the state.

The Chairman of the Osun Food Support Scheme and Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, Eng Olalekan Badmus, during the meeting of the Scheme’s Steering Committee, disclosed this on Wednesday, at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Information, while responding to questions and feedbacks from stakeholders at the review meeting of the scheme.

“We are using scheme as a model for evaluating the currency and validity of the social register that is available in the State.

“In the process of distribution, we are beginning to identify those who are deceased, those who have relocated, and others who should not be on the list again.

“This is proving to be a critical advantage of the Osun Food Support Scheme, and our committee will communicate its observations to the appropriate quarters for further verification and necessary action”, Badmus stated.

He also revealed that civil groups, traditional and religious leaders, among others have been critical in performing the role of identifying the poor and vulnerable in their communities thereby assisting the State Government in the implementation of the Scheme.

…. NAFDAC warn Nigerians.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians against the use of alcohol-based hand sanitisers imported from Mexico.

The Director-General, NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, who gave the warning explained that the US Food and Drug Agency (USFDA) had placed all alcohol-based hand sanitisers from Mexico on a countrywide import alert.

The NAFDAC BOSS said the products were labeled as containing ethanol but were found to have methanol contamination, which is toxic and could be life-threatening if absorbed through the skin into the body system.

She reiterated that USFDA said until it is able to review the products’ safety, it will be on its watchlist.

Information has it that this marks the first time the Agency was issuing a countrywide import alert for any category of drug product to further safeguard the healthy living of all.

NAFDAC said substantial methanol exposure could result in nausea, vomiting, headache, blurred vision, permanent blindness, seizures, coma, permanent damage to the nervous system, or death.

It also warned those in possession of such products to discontinue its usage in their own interest.

…. Presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu

The Presidency says security agencies have arrested some Nigerians funding Boko Haram terrorists, who over the years have been operating in the country.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu, who made the disclosure on a television programme noted that, Nigerians would be shocked when details of the investigation on the humongous sums of money were being made available to the group would be disclosed.

Shehu stated further that the sponsors included but not limited to some Bureau De Change operators who have strong contacts abroad.
He added that the Presidency further identified places of worship being used to harbour killers of security agents in the country, assuring that, efforts are on by the heads of intelligence agencies to bring the perpetrators to book.

It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier ordered the Service Chiefs and other security and intelligence coordinators in the country to be proactive so as to rid the country of disgruntled elements.

The Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, has decorated Usman Alkali Baba with the rank of Inspector-General of Police (IGP).

This followed President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of Baba’s appointment as Acting Inspector-General of Police on Tuesday.

The appointment which was announced by the Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi, took immediate effect.

The Acting IGP replaced Mohammed Adamu whose tenure expired February 1, 2021, but had it extended for three months.

Until his appointment, Usman Alkali Baba was a Deputy Inspector-General of Police. His appointment will be in acting capacity pending his confirmation by the Senate.

An Osun State High Court, sitting in Ejigbo, today dismissed the suit filed against Osun State Government on the selection of Ara kingship and consequent enthronement of Alara of Ara,Oba Dr. Olubayo Adesola Windapo.

Prince Emmanuel Oladejo Ilufoye and three others had jointly filed the suit against the installation of Alara of Ara, Oba Dr. Olubayo Adesola Windapo.

The Plaintiffs had earlier informed the Court
that the Customary Law regulating the selection of a candidate to fill the vacant stool of Ara, whenever it occurs, was not followed. According to them, the flouted Chieftaincy Declaration was registered on the 1st day of June, 1979.

Barrister Moses Faremi, representing Ministry of Justice and state Governor of Osun State, told the court that the plaintiffs had failed to comply with the laid down procedure stated in the section 19 and 20 of the Chiefs Laws Cap 25, Laws of Osun State 2002.

After the kingmakers must have selected the oba elect, among the contestants, aggrieved parties have 21 days to petition the Governor who takes a decision on appointment of Obas, Faremi stated.

Barrister Faremi then advanced that the decision to challenge the action of the kingmakers in court is an abuse of process.

Justice Lawrence Arojo held that the court lacks the jurisdiction to determine the suit filed by aggrieved parties and agreed with the State Counsel, Faremi Moses that the case of the plaintiff is preemptive and premature.

Justice Arojo also said that administrative remedy provided for under section 19 and 20 of chiefs Laws of Osun State was never exhausted before the plaintiffs approached the Court.

Justice Arojo therefore ruled that the suit filed to challenge the installation of Alara of Ara,Oba Dr. Olubayo Adesola Windapo is dismissed.

opeyemi BELLO
Information Officer,
Ministry of Justice.