Anambra Assembly Makes Genotype Test Compulsory Before Marriage

In the bid to reduce the number of sickle cell patients in the state, the Anambra State House of Assembly has passed a bill that makes genotype test compulsory before marriage.

The new law also seeks to reduce abuse, stigmatisation and exploitation victims of sickle cell anaemia go through in the state.

According to the law, no religious body or marriage registry "shall perform solemnisation of Holy Matrimony", without presentation of a sickle cell disease prevention certificate from the intending couple.

"Anybody who contravenes the provisions of this section shall be guilty of an offence and is liable on conviction to a fine of N200,000 or imprisonment to a term of three years or both," the law states.

Speaking after the passage of the bill, Ezeani said that love is blind but the new law would ensure that lives are saved, and unnecessary death prevented.

Tinubu-Ojo: I Can Choose Anybody to Head Computer Village Market

The leader of traders in Lagos and the Iyaloja General of Nigeria, Mrs Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, has said that some traders in the Computer village market who protested against the appointment of Iyaloja and Babaloja in the market on Tuesday were ill-informed.

Addressing a press briefing on Wednesday, Tinubu-Ojo, said all the markets in the state were under her control and the computer village market cannot be an exception.

According to our constitution, I can choose anybody from any local government in the state to head the market, all the iyaloja and babaloja in all the Lagos markets are my representatives in the market where they operate.

"They cannot tell us they are not pepper sellers, everybody cannot be textile dealers; they can't tell us that computer village will be exonerated (sic) from other markets."

They don't have the initiative that the person leading the protest has finished his tenure and wants to remain in power... "Computer village is not just an ICT hub, there are a lot of commodities being sold there; nobody can say it is wrong to select a babaloja and iyaloja for the market."

Atiku: Buhari Can Order Army to Produce his Certificates if They Existn

     

In a joint petition filed on March 18, the former Vice-President and his party urged the tribunal to declare them the authentic winner of the February 23 presidential election, insisting Buhari did not possess the educational qualifications he claimed to have in his INEC Form CF001.

They said in the reply filed on April 15 by their legal team, led by Dr Livy Uzoukwu (SAN), that having not been able to attach his academic certificates to INEC Form CF001, Buhari had falsely claimed that his certificates were in the custody of the Nigerian Army.

The joint reply filed by Atiku and the PDP read in part, "In further response to paragraph 381(iv) of the 2nd respondent's reply, aver that the petitioners have no knowledge of any certificates or alleged qualifications issued to the 2nd respondent (Buhari), but contend that 2nd respondent falsely represented that his certificates are in the custody of the Nigerian Army when the 2nd respondent by his own admission is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria.

The petitioners also stated that "the purported training and courses", which Buhari claimed placed him "head and shoulders above" Atiku regarding educational qualifications to contest the presidential election, "did not culminate in the issuance of any certificates he claimed in his INEC Form CF001".

They stated, "In reply to paragraph 383 of the 2nd respondent's reply, the petitioners aver that the 1st petitioner (Atiku) is eminently qualified to contest election to the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and had indeed attached evidence of his educational qualifications to his INEC Form CF001 submitted to the 1st respondent, unlike the 2nd respondent (Buhari) who did not attach evidence of the qualifications he claimed in his INEC Form CF001 because he does not possess them as he falsely claimed."

Messi to Receive Prestigious Catalan Award

Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi is set receive Catalonia's highest distinctions, the Creu de Sant Jordi.

The award was created in 1981 by the Catalan government to recognise individuals who have successfully contributed to the identity of the region.

Lionel Messi is widely considered to be one of the greatest players of all time, amassing five Ballon d'Or trophies and enjoying spectacular success at Barca since making his debut in 2004.

He has won 34 major honours as a Barca player – more than any other player in the club's history – and is its all-time record goalscorer with 598 goals across all competitions.

Nigeria Election: INEC Reveals What Will Happen to Electoral Offenders

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Monday called for decisive actions against electoral offenders in the country.

The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said this at the Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room Stakeholders’ Forum on Future of Elections in Nigeria, organised by a Coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), in Abuja.

Yakubu, who was represented by Mr Festus Okoye, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, said the commission was in full support of the establishment of Electoral Offences Commission to punish offenders.

“It is time to take decisive action to break the cycle of impunity through the promulgation of an Electoral Offences Commission/Tribunal to handle matters relating to electoral offences.

“The commission has made it clear that it lacks the capacity and wherewithal to continue the prosecution of electoral offenders.

“And it is for this reason that the commission supports and will continue to support the creation of an Electoral Offences Commission/Tribunal to process, arrest, investigate and prosecute electoral offenders,’’ he said.

Yakubu said that INEC was set to design strategies to checkmate the act of vote buying and selling.

Senate Directs Minister, Agency to Return Alleged Diverted N14.3billion

 

The Senate has directed the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah and acting Managing Director of Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Engineer Terhemba Nongo to return alleged diverted N14.3 billion from 2017 NEPZA budget into the National treasury.

The upper legislative chamber in a letter written to that effect by Chairman of its Committee on Trade and Investment, Senator Mohammed Nakudu Sabo (APC Jigawa South West), warned the Minister and NEPZA boss to either comply with the directive or be ready to face serious legislative action against them.

The dissatisfaction of the committee as explained by Senator Sabo in Abuja Monday was as a result of the alleged fraudulent way the diverted N14.3billion was hurriedly transfered from NEPZA account into a private company called Nigerian Special Economic Zone Company Account between April 8, to10 with disregard to earlier warnings.

The alleged diverted fund, according to the Chairman, was first warehoused in NEPZA account with the CBN from 2017 budget allocations before it was moved into the private company account about two weeks ago.

“To prevent this fraud, my committee wrote a letter to the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele on the 8th of this month not to release the money but very annoyingly, the money is confirmed to have been released and transfered by NEPZA in collaboration with the Minister into a private company account.

“This is unacceptable and will not be condoned, hence the need for the money to be returned into national treasury,” he said.

Gunmen Kidnap UBEC Chairman, Daughter; Kill Driver on Kaduna-Abuja Highway

 

Armed men have reportedly blocked the Kaduna-Abuja highway, opened fire on some vehicles and abducted two people.

NAN reports that the attack was said to have occurred at about 3 pm around Katari village on Monday and resulted to the death of one person.

Spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, DSP Yakubu Sabo, said the attackers kidnapped the Chairman of the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC), Muhammad Abubakar and his daughter while his driver was shot dead.

Sabo, who confirmed the incident in a statement issued in Kaduna, said two victims of the attack were rescued.

“Today April 29, we received information through DPO Katari that at about 1530hrs, he got a distress call that armed men in military uniform intercepted a Land Cruiser SUV with Reg. No 07E o4 FG and Toyota Sienna with Reg. No SLJ 465 TN at Kurmin Kare Village along Kaduna -Abuja Expressway, opened fire on the vehicles and in the process the driver of the SUV was shot dead.

“While the occupants, Dr. Muhammad Abubakar, who is the Chairman of Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) and his daughter were kidnapped.

“The occupants of the Sienna; one Alowonle Olalere and Onuka Victor both of Ibadan, Oyo State were injured and rescued to Katari Police Station.”