Politics

I’ll Reform Pharmaceutical Industry, SDP Presidential Candidate, Adebayo, Promises

Published

3 years ago

November 7, 2022

Editor

The presidential candidate of Social Democratic Party, SDP, Prince Adewole Adebayo, has promised a reform in Nigeria’s Pharmaceutical industry if elected into power.

He made the promise at the 95th Annual National Conference of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, held in Jos, Plateau State with the theme: ‘Synergizing Healthcare Professionals for Effective Delivery: Nigeria Post 2023 in Context.’

The SDP presidential candidate said he would create an enabling environment in order for the pharmaceutical industry to conduct research that will benefit the health sector and the economy.

He said, “You need a stable environment, the country has to be secured, then the business environment has to be protected; the government has to have policies that are stable so that your investments don’t waste.

“The first thing we will guarantee you is stability; your neighborhood will be safe. There will be no riots, no unrest, and no boundaries, no kidnapping. You will be able to set up concerns from possible research to production, even to dispensation where you have your pharmacies across”.

Speaking further on his plans to enhance the health sector, Adebayo said, “I will ensure that public hospitals, including public dispensaries, are well-stocked and they are up to date.

“I would ensure that professionals, when they finish from school, the first point of call before they go into private practice should be a strong public health sector so that they would have spent a number of years government health before they go out to major on their own.

“Thirdly, we will stabilize our currency. I’m not saying I will give you 1 naira to $1, no, I am saying that for planning purposes, if you have 500 naira to the dollar in year one you have 500, not a dollar.

“The last thing which I will do is that we should have a system for the retention of our manpower in this country.”

He also noted that the economy needs to be kept stable because a lot of the components for the health sector, like medicine manufacturing, has foreign trade component to it.

Adebayo further disclosed that his party will take care of poverty, create nutritional balance for Nigerians by making sure there’s food supply, provide housing and create adequate access to healthcare.

“In our government, we will take care of poverty, and to take care of poverty, you need to do five things.

“First, you need to know that the revenue coming into the country has to be preserved for the people of that country; second thing we will do is that we need to give nutritional balance to our people; then housing which is very important to health and to instability; then we deal with general issue of accessing health care.

“The fifth component is that we need to give education to our people, education is what differentiates you from your cousins who are bricklayers, carpenters and whatever”, he said.

Prince Adewole said his government would support the pharmacy profession for highest standard of professional training that would be given to pharmacists within the country and internationally.

He said, “Because pharmaceutical field is also an employmer both in the public and private sector, we will ensure that you have living wages and people who practice pharmacy do not automatically sign the oath of poverty”.

The SDP presidential candidate was accompanied by former Minister of Sports, Solomon Dalung, Sen Ugochukwu Uba, Pastor Ade Alabi, Godwin Osigbeme.

Politics

By-Election: Edo Is Home To APC — Deputy Gov, Idahosa

Published

8 hours ago

August 14, 2025

Editor

The deputy governor of Edo state, Hon Dennis Idahosa, says irrespective of the setback experienced during the immediate past administration of the state, Edo is originally home to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a press statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Friday Aghedo, Idahosa stated this during the final campaign round for the Ovia federal constituency by-election in Ovia South West local government area that took place at Iguobazuwa.

The deputy governor expressed optimism that the party will come victorious in the bye-election scheduled for Saturday.

Idahosa, who was the occupant of the seat before his election as the state’s deputy governor, said he was sure of the APC candidate, Hon Omosede Igbinedion, securing a minimum of 90 percent votes for the by-election.

“All that is needed is for us to fully mobilise and encourage our supporters to come out enmass to exercise their civic responsibilities on Saturday.

“It is very obvious that from our engagement with the people these past days and across various communities in the federal constituency, we are sure of not less than 90 percent of total votes cast.

“In fact, is not for the misdeed of the immediate past administration, Edo is home to the APC, it has always been right from the AC to ACN, and before the APC”, Idahosa stated

Meanwhile, the APC candidate for the bye-election, again reiterated her commitment to the betterment of the federal constituency.

Omosede Igbinedion noted that her synergy with the deputy governor was sure to attract developmental projects to the federal government.

She appealed to the people to come out on Saturday without fear or intimidation, to do what is required of them, cast their votes for the progressives party.

Notable leaders at the grand finale of the campaign at Iguobazuwa were the Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Hon. Blessing Agbebaku, Deputy Speaker, Hon. Osamwonyi Atu, former deputy governors of the state, Dr Pius Odubu, and Chief Lucky Imasuen.

Others are Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the party former governorship candidate,Mr Lawrence Okah, the state Secretary of the party, Senator Neda Imasuen, Chief Billy Osawaru, amongst others.

Politics

Osun LG Crisis: INEC To Relocate CVR Centres, Releases Gov Poll Timetable

Published

1 day ago

August 13, 2025

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission in Osun State said it will relocate registration points for the forthcoming Continuous Voter Registration exercise from local government secretariats currently under lock.

Osun LG secretariats have been shut since February 17, 2025, due to a tussle between the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress over control of councils.

The APC had claimed that the February 10, 2025, decision of the Court of Appeal, Akure, had returned its candidates elected in the October 15, 2022, local government elections, but sacked by the Osogbo Federal High Court in December 2022.

But the PDP insisted that the officials who emerged on February 22, 2025, are legally recognised to manage the affairs of council areas in the state.

Speaking during a stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo, the state capital, on Wednesday, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Mutiu Agboke, said the affected INEC offices had been identified and would be moved to alternative locations to ensure the CVR proceeds without disruption.

Agboke said, “The CVR will start on the 18th day of August, 2025, with online registration.

“By this, the prospective registrant will visit www.cvr.inecnigeria.org to supply the necessary information about himself or herself.

“Thereafter, he or she will generate a slip to take to INEC local government office within his place of residence.

“Later on the 25th of August 2025, the registrant will visit the local government office for his or her biometrics, i.e the fingerprint and the facial.

“INEC offices located inside local government secretariats are not shut down.

“However, INEC has harvested the number of those local government offices. We want to bring them out of the LG secretariats. We are working on that. Our headquarters had requested for their details and we have forwarded to them.”

Agboke also announced that activities for the August 8, 2026, Osun governorship election have officially begun, with notices posted in all INEC LG offices.

Party primaries are scheduled between November 24 and December 15, 2025, while submission of candidates’ particulars will run from January 15 to February 9, 2026.

He stated, “This is necessary to enable political parties democratically nominate candidates for the election as required by section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022. The submission of forms EC9 ( personal particulars of candidates) and EC9B (Names/list of nominated candidates) online at the nomination portal of the commission at 9 am on the 15th day of January, 2026, to 6 pm on the 9th February 2026.

“Access code for the submission of nomination forms shall be available for collection on 15th December, 2025, at the headquarters of the commission. I implore all the political parties and other stakeholders to follow the timetable for the 2026 Governorship Election for Osun State with a view to tracking the various activities contained therein. Copies of the timetable shall be made available to the political parties at this meeting in a short while. The 2026 Governorship election shall be conducted on the 8th day of August,2026.”

He appealed to political parties and other major stakeholders to work against the menace of vote buying, saying the electorate should be educated not to sell their votes.

The REC also called on all stakeholders to continue supporting INEC in the state for it to deliver a credible election, noting that the commission alone cannot deliver a peaceful and successful election without their cooperation.
(PUNCH)

Politics

JUST IN: Total Loyalty Non-negotiable, PDP Tells Members

Published

1 day ago

August 13, 2025

Editor

The Peoples Democratic Party has warned that it will not tolerate disloyalty from any member, stressing that total commitment to the party’s cause is non-negotiable.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, PDP National Publicity Secretary Debo Ologunagba said the party will rely on its constitution to ensure members remain committed to its cause.

Responding to a question about the recent conditions set by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, for the success of the November 15 and 16 National Elective Convention, Ologunagba emphasised that the PDP is about the people, not any individual.

He said, “We have zero tolerance for anti-party activities. We expect and demand total loyalty from all our members. Anything short of that will not be tolerated, and we shall invoke the relevant sections of the party’s constitution to enforce this.”

Details shortly…