Tinubu Is Healthy, Every Nigerian Above 40 Is Sick – Orji Kalu

 The Chief Whip of the Senate, Orji Kalu said the 2023 presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s health is very stable.

Kalu made this assertion while speaking on Political Paradigm, a political pogramme of Channels Television on Monday. 

According to Kalu, Tinubu has no health problems.

Kalu, a former governor of Abia State emphasised that every Nigerian above 40 years old suffers from one form of health challenge or the other.

He said, “His (Tinubu’s) health is very stable. No man above 40 is not sick. There is not one, no Nigerian above 40 that is not sick,” 

The federal lawmaker also said some incoherent statements attributed to Tinubu at rallies were forged by political opponents.

“These are things you people go to form on the internet. All these things can be forged by political opponents,” he said.

2023 Polls: Court Okays Suit Seeking To Compel INEC To Audit Voters’ Register

 The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Monday, okayed a suit seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to appoint a reputable auditing firm to carry out external forensic audit on the Voters’ Register that will be used for the 2023 general elections.

The suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/24/2023, which was brought before the court by an electorate, Prince Ozodinobi, is also seeking an order to restrain INEC from conducting the impending elections with a Voters’ Register containing the list of double registrants and under-aged voters.

The plaintiff alleged before the court that the Voters’ Register as currently maintained by INEC, for the purpose of the election, “is heavily corrupted and afflicted with under-aged registrants and multiple registrants in contravention of the laws governing election in Nigeria”.



He told the court that shortly after INEC published the list of Registered Voters on its website and called upon Nigerians to scrutinize the published list, himself, in company of other like-minded Nigerians, swiftly went into action to undertake a critical review of the Voters’ Register that was published and identified “thousands of under-aged voters and multiple registrants.”

“A list of the identified thousands of under-aged voters and multiple registrants from different states of the Federation as mined from the website of the 1st Defendant is hereby annexed in four volumes marked as EXHIBIT B.

“That the Plaintiff together with his friends raised objections regarding the under-aged registrants and multiple registrants in the manner directed by the 1st Defendant.

“That the 1st Defendant has continued to re-assure the general Nigerian public that the under-aged registrants and multiple registrants will be weeded out of its Voters’ Register.

“That notwithstanding the consistent reassurances of the 1st Defendant, the 1st Defendant has failed to execute the duty imposed on it by law regarding the under-aged registrants and multiple registrants by failing to glaringly weed out the under-aged registrants and multiple registrants from its Voters’ Register.


“That the time allotted by law within which the 1st Defendant is allowed to make the necessary corrections and take decisions on the objections around under-aged voters and multiple registrants has long expired.

“That barring the swift intervention of this Honourable Court, the 1st Defendant will crash the fragile democracy of Nigeria by destroying the foundation of elections in Nigeria through the use of heavily tainted Voters’ Register despite the heavy resources, exceeding Three Hundred Billion Naira, voted for the 1st Defendant to conduct a credible pool in 2023 for the Nigerian nation”.

Consequently, the plaintiff, in the suit he filed through his lawyer, Mr. Jideobi Johnmary, is praying the court to among other thing, determine; “Whether having regard to section 117(2) and Part I of the Third Schedule to the amended 1999 Constitution, Section 12 (1), 19 and 20 of the Electoral Act, 2022 it is not unconstitutional for the 1st Defendant to conduct a general election with a Voters’ Register besmirched/afflicted with double registrants and under-aged voters?

Upon determination of the question, he wants, “An order of this Honourable Court expunging FORTHWITH, from the Voters’ Register maintained by the 1st Defendant, the list of double registrants and under-aged voters as identified and assembled by the Plaintiffs in Exhibit A of the affidavit supporting this Originating Summons.

“An order of this Honourable Court appointing a reputable Auditing Firm [including but not limited to either; PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), KPMG, Deloitte & Touche and Ernst & Young to carry out external forensic audit on the Voters’ Register maintained by the 1st Defendant with a view to removing all under-aged and double registrants from the Voters’ Register before the 2023 General Election”.

As well as, “An order of this Honourable Court directing the Federal Government of Nigeria, as represented by the 2nd Defendant, to bear the cost of the external forensic audit to be carried out on the INEC’s Voters’ Register by the court-appointed Auditing Firm”.

Aside from INEC, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, was listed as the 2nd Defendant in the matter.

Meanwhile, no date has been fixed the suit to be heard.

Naira Redesign To Tackle Kidnapping – CBN

 The Central Bank of Nigeria has said the myriads of security challenges plaguing the country, ranging from terrorism to kidnapping, will be curbed with the use of its latest initiative of the naira redesign.

Speaking on Tuesday at a programme at the Gombe International Market, the Senior Manager, Currency Operations Department, CBN, Shamsudeen Imam, said situations whereby criminals collected ransom would be reduced.

According to Imam, there is so much money in circulation, which has a way of encouraging criminal activities, revealing that the apex bank’s latest effort will control the money in circulation.

He said, “It will address the issue of terrorism, kidnapping, because there is a lot of money in circulation before, and the kidnappers are using that opportunity to collect ransom from people.”

He disclosed that the currency change was a good step, adding that it would add a lot of positive benefits to the economy.

According to him, other countries change their currencies every five years. “Globally, currencies are redesigned every five to eight years, but for Nigeria, it’s long overdue. Some of our currencies have stayed for 14 to 20 years, so it’s the right time to redesign our currency,” Imam said.

While enumerating the importance of the currency change, Imam said it would improve the country’s monetary policy.

“The CIC is a component of monetary policy, so definitely, our monetary policy mechanism will be very effective. It will improve our financial inclusion drive, as it will push a lot of people to open accounts because we can’t carry cash. You need to open an account and as a result, more people will come into the financial system,” he said.

Elections Must Hold, Afenifere Tells INEC

 The Pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation,Afenifere, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to put all necessary machinery in place for the smooth conduct of the 2023 elections.

In a statement by its national publicity secretary, Jare Ajayi, on Tuesday, the organisation said every effort must be made to ensure that the general election slated for February and March, respectively, not only hold successfully but that winners must emerge and sworn in on May 29, 2023, as stipulated by relevant laws.

The PUNCH reports that Afenifere’s reaction came in the wake of the threat issued by the INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, that the seeming unabated insecurity may adversely affect the much-expected general election this year.

Afenifere said, “But we feel that there is the need to let anyone thinking of postponement or cancellation of the elections that such a thing is and will remain unacceptable, no matter the reason. We recall that in 2015, there was insecurity too, to the extent that some local government areas, specifically in Borno State, were in the hands of Boko Haram terrorists. Yet elections were held. There was also insecurity in 2019 and elections were not stopped.

“Afenifere felt the need to sound this note of warning so that whoever may be thinking of postponing or altering the election calendar should know that such a thing would not be accepted.

In Nigeria, there is often the tendency to fly a kite. Most of the times, such kites are on policies or steps that were usually not in the best interest of the Nigerian public. This is why it is very important to clearly sound this note of warning without any ambiguity. This is why we are stating clearly that Nigerians are prepared for the elections just as the whole world is awaiting the elections. Nothing whatsoever should alter the schedule or cause postponement let alone cancellation,” Ajayi stated.

Court Sacks Elisha Abbo From Contesting As APC’s Senatorial Candidate

 A Yola High Court presided over by Justice Mohammed Danladi Tuesday sacked Senator Ishaku Abbo as the APC Senatorial candidate for Adamawa North senatorial zone for this year’s election.

The court sacked Senator Abbo on the ground that he was expelled from the party by his ward in Mubi North local government area of Adamawa.

Justice Danladi, held that the Senator and APC are bound by the resolution of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Mubi North Local government chapter’s executive expelling him from the party on the 7th of October 2022.

The court also averred that Senator Abbo is not entitled to enjoy any right or privilege accorded to APC members.

Recall that the Mubi North LG executive of the party had on the 7th of October 2022, approved the expulsion of the Senator as recommended by the party’s disciplinary committee.

The court further restrained APC under which the Senator is seeking re-election from recognising him as its candidate, saying that he cannot validly be the candidate of the party in the forthcoming general election.

The ruling also restrained Sen. Abbo from parading himself as the candidate of the party in the Northern Senatorial District in the forthcoming general election.

Justice Danladi, held that the plaintiff’s counsel has proved beyond doubt and that the court is satisfied with the procedure followed by the party, saying that Senator was accorded the opportunity to defend himself but deliberately refused to so do.

He said that the action of the plaintiffs in suing the Senator is not an internal affair of the party as claimed and that they have locus standi to institute the action against him since they are registered members of the party.

It could be recalled that two APC members, Abdullahi Suleiman and Yusha’u Usman of Kolere and Sabon Layi Wards, Mubi North LGA, respectively, sued the Senator and sought for an interpretation regarding his status in APC.

In his reaction, Counsel to the Plaintiffs, Abubakar Ali Esq, appreciated the court, saying that the judgement will serve as a deterrent to erring members of the party who claim to be above the party.

The Counsel to the defendant, E. O. Odo, said that he will inform his Client about the judgment of the court, saying if he agrees, they will challenge the judgement at the Court of Appeal.

Serena Williams Baptized As A Jehovah’s Witness

 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, Serena Williams was baptized on Sunday as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, marking a monumental moment for the recently retired tennis great.

The baptism took place at the Jehovah’s Witness Assembly in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Serena who announced her exit from the court last year September had earlier expressed her desire to focus on her family and faith after quitting the game.

She is reputed for her outstanding achievement in her career that spanned over two decades-winning 23 grand slam titles, the most by any player in the open era and second-most of all time.

“Being a Jehovah’s Witness is important to me, but I’ve never really practiced it and have been wanting to get into it.” – Serena had said in an interview with Vogue.

Satanic Temple Set For Largest Gathering In History

 The Satanic Temple is planning its 'largest satanic gathering in history' right on the streets of Boston, after the mayor of the city denied a planning application to host a part in the area.

The ominous tones of Satanism are set for a masked get-together under the Satanic Temple banner, who are set to mark a chilling historic event.

Preparing the "largest satanic gathering in history", a convention has been put together for all things devilish, after their initial plan was rejected by the Mayor of Boston.

The United States-based religious organisation is hoping to mark SatanCon 2023 as an event in downtown Boston this April, even after Mayor Michelle Wu rejected the group's plans.

With the Satanic Temple committed to safety, they have made it clear that "masks" must be worn, although they will not allow "gaiters, bandanas, and cloth masks".

Boston City Hall officials have repeatedly denied the Satanic Temple from practicing or congregating.
Coming together under the celebration of The Satanic Temple's 10-year established anniversary, followers of the eerie, edgy religion will take part in the "Hexennacht in Boston."

Translated from German to English, that marks the celebration as "Witches Night", the ancient pagan holiday that will this year feature a "satanic marketplace".

Due to the back-and-forth with Mayor Wu, The Satanic Temple has decided to dedicate the celebration to her and "her unconstitutional efforts to keep TST out of Boston's public spaces."

Said group filed a lawsuit against the city back in 2021 for being denied the chance to carry out a satanic plan in front of a City Council meeting.

The Satanic Temple and Boston City Council have been feuding for years.
That is not the first run in with the City Hall office that The Satanic Temple have had to deal with, though, as numerous other troubles have seen a feud develop.

Back in 2021 also was the request to raise a flag at Boston City Hall in the hopes of commemorating "Satan Appreciation Week" in July 2021.

Such a request was denied in October 2021, after the city announced they would no longer be taking or accepting applications to raise flags at the building, Yahoo reported.

Just last year the temple found themselves at odds with teh city yet again, after former Mayor Jim Lane denied a request to invoke Satan at a City Council meeting.