News

Tinubu jets out to London for medical attention three days to kick-start campaign

Published

12 months ago

September 26, 2022

Advocate News Nigeria

Inauguration of 422-member presidential campaign council moved from Monday to Wednesday

The Presidential candidate and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu has left Nigeria to see his doctors in London, United Kingdom, SaharaReporters has gathered.

This comes a few days before the commencement of political campaign activities ahead of the presidential election scheduled to hold on February 25, 2023.

According to multiple sources, Tinubu left Nigeria at midnight on Saturday for London.

The former governor is expected to see his doctors at a Central London Clinic today (Monday).

“Our principal, Tinubu is sick and tired. He is expected to see his doctors in London today at a Central London Clinic,” a source told the online newspaper.

“He left Nigeria 12 midnight on Saturday. He ought to have launched the Presidential Campaign Council today but it was postponed till Wednesday for President Muhammadu Buhari to return from the US. However, it has now been postponed indefinitely.

“There is mass disaffection within the party currently.”

Meanwhile, APC has postponed the inauguration of its 422- member presidential campaign council (PCC) earlier scheduled for Monday to Wednesday.

The list of the Presidential Campaign Council was released on Friday.

According to Bayo Onanuga, spokesperson for the council, members are also expected to participate in a “special prayer session” to usher in the presidential election campaign.

But sources told SaharaReporters that the inauguration would not hold on Wednesday with the latest developments.

In 2021 alone, Tinubu spent over 80 days patronising hospitals in France, the United States and the UK where he underwent surgeries amid the poorly equipped hospitals in Nigeria led by the APC government.

He was flown out of the country some days before Christmas in 2020 to Paris, France.

There were speculations that he tested positive for COVID-19 but his media aide later denied such reports.

The APC leader returned to Nigeria on January 24, 2021, after an absence of about one month from Nigeria.

He then went for a medical check-up on Thursday, June 10, 2021, to France and was conspicuously absent from the one-day working visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Lagos State.

“Tinubu is in Paris, France for a medical checkup. His health is deteriorating due to old age,” a top source had told SaharaReporters.

Tinubu, amid death rumours, was forced to return to the country on Tuesday, June 15, 2021.

SaharaReporters also reported that Tinubu was hospitalised in Maryland, the United States in July 2021 where he had knee surgery.

“Tinubu is hospitalised in Maryland, US. His health is failing. He couldn’t participate in launching his Arewa library, and he couldn’t participate in the Local Government Area elections last week. He could not attend today’s APC congress due to health reasons.

“He had surgery last week,” an authoritative source had disclosed at the time.

On August 9, 2021, Tinubu had another knee surgery at the John Hopkins University Hospital in Maryland, United States.

The APC chieftain, it was learnt, left the US for the United Kingdom on crutches, a few days after the surgery.

Sources close to Tinubu had told SaharaReporters that he wanted the surgery in Paris, France but changed his plan over rumours of his death.

“Tinubu had his second surgery at John Hopkins University in Maryland recently. He was accompanied by a popular Nigerian doctor in Chicago. He had wanted the surgery in Paris but when rumour was rife about his death, he hurriedly left for Nigeria and went to John Hopkins,” one of the sources had said.

“He left the US for the UK on crutches,” another source had revealed.

In 2021, the President paid a visit to Tinubu in London and the latter was seen with a walking stick during Buhari’s visit, confirming earlier report that he underwent a second surgery in the United States.

A few weeks after winning the APC ticket, the former governor was in Paris, France to attend to his medical needs.

Tinubu currently toes the path of President Buhari, who himself has spent hundreds of days on medical leave in the United Kingdom since he assumed office in 2015. (SaharaReporters)

News

PDP demands probe of Supreme Court fire disaster

Published

5 hours ago

September 25, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) has demanded a thorough investigation into the fire incident that gutted a section of the Supreme Court in the early hours of Monday.

The party raised the alarm over the incident which it described as suspicious giving the fact that a verdict on a sensitive issue of national importance is being expected.

National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba made the position of the opposition party on the fire incident known in a statement on Monday.

He said, “The PDP is worried over the fire outbreak especially given heightened public apprehension of possible arsonist attack with the intent to cripple and frustrate the Supreme Court from effectively discharging its constitutional duties especially with regard to high profile electoral cases including the Presidential Election Appeals pending before it.

“Our Party demands for an immediate full-scale investigation into the fire outbreak with the view to unraveling the circumstances or possible sabotage in the incident.

“The PDP insists that the outcome of the investigation should be made public unlike those of previous fire incidents in various government Ministries, Departments and Agencies which were characteristically swept under the carpet by the All Progressives Congress (APC) administrations.

“While calling on the Federal Government to beef up security around the Supreme Court, the PDP also demands that Nigerians must be assured of the safety of sensitive documents and equipment at the Court especially at this critical time.”

News

Gov. Mbah tasks FG on New Road Maintenance Model as bridge collapses along Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway

Published

6 hours ago

September 25, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

Gov Peter Mbah (centre) and some government officials during inspection of the collapsed bridge in Enugu on Monday

…urges FG to concession roads to states

Governor of Enugu State, Dr. Peter Mbah, has called for a new road maintenance model to guarantee a better condition and longevity of Nigerians roads, regretting that the current model had failed woefully.

Dr. Mbah made the call when he visited the site of the collapsed bridge between the New Artisan flyover and the NNPC Mega Station along the Enugu – Port Harcourt Expressway.

The collapsed bridge

Fielding questions from newsmen after the first-hand inspection of the scene of the disaster, Mbah who thanked God that no life was lost despite the magnitude of the incident, urged the federal government to consider a concession of all the federal roads in each state to the state governments for proper maintenance in conjunction with the private sector.

“I think the question should be whether the current model of federal road maintenance is working or not; and I think that is the bigger question that we must ask.

“Today, we are here witnessing a tragedy that has just occurred. We are fortunate enough that no life was lost, but this could have been prevented entirely. So, the people can no longer ply this route because of this tragedy. This shows clearly that we do not have a sound federal road maintenance model.

“The bridge collapse didn’t just happen. These threats could have been identified if we had routine or regular maintenance.

“Perhaps the way to go is to find a way to concession these roads to the states. The states need to take charge of the roads within their domains and there has to be a conversation around the funding models”.

The said bridge collapsed on Monday, leaving commuters stranded.

Meanwhile, in a statement signed by the Enugu State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Engr. Gerald Otiji, government has advised commuters to use Nza Street through New Haven or ply Ogui Road and Abakaliki Road to their various destinations, while the authorities come up with measures for immediate repair on the failed section of the bridge.

News

Flyover bridge collapses in Enugu, no casualty

Published

10 hours ago

September 25, 2023

Advocate News Nigeria

The collapsed flyover bridge in Enugu

The flyover bridge across the Enugu – Port Harcourt Expressway at the Enugu New Artisan market in Enugu state capital has collapsed.

The bridge collapsed Monday morning but an eyewitness said there was no casualty as artisans and residents were yet to come out from their homes for the day’s activity.

The eyewitness, an Auto Mechanic who identified himself as Nnamdi, told The Advocate that two lorries conveying goods which were on the bridge when the incident occurred were affected.

According to him, drivers and conductors of the two lorries, however, escaped unhurt.

The Advocate observed that one lane of the Enugu – Port Harcourt dual-carriage way had been blocked by the debris of the collapsed bridge forcing motorists playing the expressway to divert through alternative routes to continue their journey.

Security operatives, officials of the Federal and Enugu State Ministries of Works, Federal Road Maintenance Agency, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) were sighted within the area to access the situation as well as to assist the road users plying the alternative routes.

Residents of Goshen Estate, Premier Layout, worshippers at the Dunamis Church and traders at the New Artisan market who are regular users of the bridge are likely to encounter serious traffic gridlock on account of the collapsed bridge, if an alternative route is not created as a matter of urgency.

The state government has yet to speak on the development by press time.