Category: Nigerian Tribune

Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, has vowed to personally meet the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi State, Chief Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii, and ask him to step down from the 2027 governorship race for Governor Francis Nwifuru.

Umahi, a former governor of the state, also insisted that the governorship slot has not yet returned to Ebonyi South Senatorial District, which produced him as governor between 2015 and 2023.

The minister stated this on Tuesday while addressing prominent stakeholders from Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo Federal Constituency at Osborne Hotel, Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area.

Umahi said he would personally engage Odii at the appropriate time, stressing that the existing political arrangement in the state should be respected.

‘I will be the one to go and talk to the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Ifeanyi Odii,’ Umahi said.

He maintained that his position on the governorship contest was connected to the principle of political rotation in the state, arguing that Ebonyi South should wait for its turn after the completion of the current political cycle.

‘When I say it is not the turn of the South-East to produce the President, I am likewise saying that it is not yet the turn of the people of Ebonyi South to govern the state,’ he stated.

The former governor said he would discuss the matter directly with Odii, whom he described as a fellow Ebonyian, rather than allowing political differences to divide the people.

His comments come amid intensifying political activities ahead of the 2027 governorship election, with Governor Nwifuru expected to seek a second term on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), while Odii is set to challenge the incumbent on the PDP platform.

Umahi has in recent days intensified mobilisation for Nwifuru and the APC ahead of the 2027 elections. He recently declared that the PDP would not return to power in Ebonyi, while calling on residents to support Nwifuru’s re-election.

The minister also used the stakeholders’ meeting to emphasise the need for unity, fairness and collective interest in political decisions affecting the state.

He urged political leaders and stakeholders to put the interest of the state above personal ambitions, while stressing that Ebonyi people should remain united despite political differences.

Umahi further described Ebonyi as a state with a strong tradition of integrity, honesty and commitment, urging its people to protect the state’s interests and support projects and policies that would promote its development.

The Kano State governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, has urged Nigerians to use the country’s 66th Independence Anniversary to renew their commitment to national unity, democratic values, and good governance.

Gwarzo, in a statement issued on Wednesday by his spokesperson, Ibrahim Garba Shuaibu, congratulated Nigerians, particularly residents of Kano State, on the anniversary.

He said the occasion should provide an opportunity to reflect on Nigeria’s progress and challenges while renewing efforts towards economic development and improved living conditions.

According to him, Independence Day should go beyond ceremonies and speeches and serve as a reminder of the responsibility of leaders and citizens to build a country where Nigerians can live with dignity, security, and hope.

Gwarzo said Nigeria’s 66 years of independence had demonstrated the resilience and determination of its people despite the challenges facing the country.

He urged political leaders at all levels to place the interests of citizens above personal and partisan considerations, saying the impact of leadership should be measured by its effect on the lives of the people.

The former Kano Deputy Governor said Nigeria needed leadership that listened to citizens, protected their interests, and created opportunities for young people to contribute to national development.

He also called for increased investment in education, healthcare, agriculture, infrastructure, security, and job creation, describing the sectors as important to national development.

Gwarzo said the economic difficulties faced by many families required urgent and practical interventions to reduce hardship and restore confidence in the country’s future.

He also urged Nigerians to reject ethnic and religious divisions, saying the country’s diversity should be harnessed for national development.

‘Independence is not simply about the freedom we got in 1960; it is about the responsibility we have today to protect our democracy, strengthen our institutions, promote freedom of speech, and build a country that works for all,’ Gwarzo said.

He further called on Nigerians, especially young people, to participate actively in the democratic process and demand accountability from public officials.

Gwarzo reaffirmed his commitment to democratic governance and a political system that prioritizes the welfare of ordinary citizens.

He said Nigeria’s future would depend largely on the quality of its leadership and the collective determination of its people.

The NDC governorship candidate prayed for peace, security, and prosperity in the country and wished Nigerians a happy 66th Independence Anniversary.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos State has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s 66th Independence Day address, saying Nigerians need to see tangible improvements in their living conditions rather than more promises of economic prosperity.

The party said the president’s speech highlighted economic reforms and improved macroeconomic indicators but did not adequately address the immediate challenges facing millions of Nigerians, including rising living costs, insecurity, unemployment, and declining household purchasing power.

Speaking on Thursday, the party’s spokesman, Prince Christopher Odianarewo, said the key question after the president’s address was when Nigerians would begin to experience the benefits of the government’s economic reforms in their homes and communities.

In his Independence Day address, Tinubu said Nigeria had moved from an ‘age of reform’ into an ‘age of prosperity,’ maintaining that his administration had corrected the country’s economic direction and laid the foundation for broad-based prosperity.

The President, however, acknowledged that millions of Nigerians continued to struggle with food costs, school fees, medical bills and transportation expenses.

Reacting to the address, the Lagos PDP said the acknowledgement highlighted the gap between improvements in macroeconomic indicators and the daily experiences of Nigerians.

The party referred to World Bank data showing that Nigeria’s real Gross Domestic Product grew by 4.2 percent in the first half of 2026, but argued that the growth had yet to translate sufficiently into productive employment or significant poverty reduction.

The World Bank estimated that 69.6 per cent of Nigerians were living below the $4.20-a-day lower-middle-income poverty line in 2025, while 50.8 per cent were living in extreme poverty. It also identified job creation, insecurity, and weak real-income growth among the challenges facing the country.

The PDP said the administration’s claim that Nigeria was entering an era of prosperity should be assessed against measurable improvements in citizens’ living conditions.

It called on the Federal Government to provide clear timelines and targets for reducing food and transportation costs, creating jobs and ensuring that the benefits of economic reforms reached ordinary households.

The party said, ‘Prosperity cannot remain a speech. It must become measurable improvement in the lives of citizens.’

The PDP also criticised what it described as the administration’s continued reference to the economic challenges inherited in 2023.

According to the party, after more than three years in office, the Tinubu administration should take responsibility for the outcomes of its policies while Nigerians assess what the government inherited, what it promised, what it implemented and what citizens can see and feel.

On insecurity, the opposition party said the President’s address did not provide adequate details on measures to tackle terrorism, banditry, kidnapping and communal violence.

It said economic prosperity could not be considered broad-based when farmers were afraid to access their farms, businesses remained exposed to insecurity and families continued to live in fear.

The PDP also called for stronger accountability and institutions capable of earning public confidence.

It said the President’s assertion that Nigeria had ‘corrected its course’ and that the country’s ‘foundations are strong’ should be assessed against measurable outcomes.

The World Bank, while reporting improvements in Nigeria’s macroeconomic stability, has also noted that poverty remains widespread and that growth needs to become faster and more broad-based to accelerate poverty reduction.

The Lagos PDP said its concern was not with economic reform itself but with whether the reforms were delivering inclusive and sustainable prosperity.

‘Nigerians do not need another four years defined primarily by promises of what will eventually happen,’ the party said, insisting that citizens deserved transparent evidence of how government policies were improving their quality of life.

As the 2027 general elections approach, the party said Nigerians would have the opportunity to assess the administration’s record, compare competing programmes and decide through their votes the direction they want the country to take.

‘The Nigerian people, not political rhetoric, must have the final word,’ the party said.

The Federal Government has called for an overhaul of general hospitals across the states to close gaps in Nigeria’s healthcare system and reduce the pressure on tertiary health facilities.

The Director, Reproductive Health Division, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Dr Samuel Oyeniyi, made the call on Thursday at a special webinar, organised by the Doctors Medical Aid Foundation (DMAF), with the theme, ‘Nigeria’s Health Workforce at a Crossroads: Rethinking How We Deliver Care.’

Oyeniyi identified weak state-level general hospitals as a major gap in the country’s healthcare delivery system, noting that many patients bypass secondary healthcare facilities and travel long distances to tertiary hospitals in state capitals.

He said the situation had placed additional pressure on tertiary facilities, with some patients travelling between 120 and 300 kilometres in search of care that could have been provided at general hospitals closer to their communities.

According to him, state governments must take greater responsibility for strengthening general hospitals, particularly in areas of infrastructure, staffing, equipment and service delivery.

‘We have a challenge with our general hospitals in the states. That is one area where we need to look at what we can do differently because people bypass these hospitals and go straight to the tertiary centres,’ he said.

Oyeniyi said the Federal Government was considering ways of supporting the strengthening of secondary healthcare, while also engaging state governments and relevant stakeholders to address the gaps.

He said the issue had been raised in a memorandum to the National Council on Health, stressing that improving healthcare delivery required a holistic approach to workforce planning, infrastructure, commodities, coordination and partnerships.

The director also disclosed that the government was expanding the health workforce through the recruitment of 4,000 nurses and midwives under the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and Basic Health Care Provision Fund arrangements, particularly for facilities with significant workforce gaps and high disease burden.

He added that the government was expanding medical training capacity, with universities increasing admission capacity, while infrastructure was being supported through the Tertiary Education Trust Fund.

Oyeniyi said simulation and training centres were also being developed in Kano and Ekiti to strengthen practical training for health workers.

He further disclosed that the government was reviewing its task-shifting and task-sharing policy in collaboration with professional bodies, including the Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives, community health workers and local government authorities.

On the role of private healthcare providers, Oyeniyi said private facilities remained an important component of the health system but noted that their regulation largely fell under state governments, while the Federal Government provided policy direction and oversight.

Also speaking, a health systems and financing expert, Dapo Odulana, said addressing Nigeria’s health workforce challenges required looking beyond the number of health workers to the broader health system.

Odulana identified medicines and human resources as two critical inputs in healthcare delivery, warning that innovations such as task shifting would have limited impact where health workers lacked adequate infrastructure, medicines and other essential commodities.

He called for greater investment across the health workforce value chain, covering production, deployment, welfare and retention, while urging stronger engagement with the private sector.

The Health Systems Strengthening Expert at the Clinton Health Access Initiative, Ruth Adetokunbo, identified four critical areas requiring attention: production, absorption, deployment and retention of health workers.

Adetokunbo said workforce distribution remained heavily skewed towards urban areas, citing an assessment which found that fewer than four per cent of doctors were practising in rural areas, with similar patterns observed among pharmacists and laboratory scientists.

She also raised concerns about the capacity of training institutions, noting that more than 80 per cent of qualified nursing candidates were being directed to other courses because of limited training capacity.

Adetokunbo said efforts to address health workforce shortages must therefore go beyond recruitment to include equitable deployment, retention and provision of the equipment and infrastructure required for health workers to function effectively.

The Head of Training, Primary Healthcare Division, NPHCDA, Dr Gilbert Uwadia, said a functional primary healthcare system required not only the right number and mix of health workers but also adequate infrastructure, medicines and essential commodities.

He said the minimum workforce team for a functional primary healthcare facility should comprise four to five appropriately skilled frontline workers, adding that the agency had revitalised 3,504 primary healthcare centres since 2023.

Uwadia said the agency was also providing job aids and standard operating procedures to improve service delivery, while introducing incentives aimed at encouraging health workers to serve in rural areas.

He listed rural allowances, flexible duty rosters, accommodation, solarisation and other non-financial incentives among measures being used to improve rural deployment and retention.

He stressed that task shifting must be properly supervised and supported with essential commodities, clear referral pathways and appropriate regulation.

Chairman, Board of Trustees, DMAF, Prof Bala Audu, said the webinar provided an opportunity for stakeholders to examine the interconnected challenges of training, deployment and retention of health workers.

Audu said the foundation would sustain conversations around health workforce development and support efforts aimed at improving the country’s healthcare system.

In its closing remarks, DMAF said Nigeria’s health workforce challenge could not be resolved through numbers alone, stressing the need for equitable distribution, retention, conducive working environments and deliberate utilisation of available skills.

The foundation also cautioned that task shifting should complement, rather than substitute, investment in health workforce development and must be based on competence, clear roles, collaboration, supervision, referral systems, regulation and accountability.

The Country Director, Doctors Medical Aid, Dr Hameed Adediran, said an earlier poll among participants showed that 66 per cent identified poor remuneration as the biggest health workforce challenge.

Adediran said 23 per cent cited poor working conditions, while 21 per cent identified inadequate workforce numbers.

Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has granted executive clemency to 91-year-old Lamidi Mohammed Garuba and 100 other inmates as part of the celebrations for Nigeria’s 66th Independence Anniversary. He urged the recipients to embrace this second chance.

The clemency for Lamidi Mohammed Garuba, who is 91 years old, was granted on medical grounds.

Governor Ododo announced this decision during his Independence Day address to the people of the state on Thursday.

He explained that the exercise was carried out in accordance with the constitutional prerogative of mercy and was guided by considerations of rehabilitation, remorse, humanitarian circumstances, public interest, and justice.

The governor emphasised that this decision is significant, as Nigeria’s Independence Anniversary symbolises freedom, responsibility, and the hope of building a better society for future generations.

He stressed that justice should be balanced with compassion, noting that a society committed to justice must also recognise rehabilitation and the possibility of redemption for individuals who show genuine remorse and a readiness to lead responsible lives.

Ododo disclosed that he inaugurated the seven-member Kogi State Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy on September 2, 2026, in accordance with the constitutional framework governing the exercise of the prerogative.

The council, chaired by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Muizudeen Yunus Abdullahi, SAN, reviewed relevant case records, considered representations made on behalf of inmates and convicts, examined correctional reports and visited correctional centres across the state.

The facilities visited included correctional centres in Koton Karfe, Kabba, Dekina, Ankpa, Idah and Okene.

According to the governor, the council considered several factors in arriving at its recommendations, including the age and health of inmates, nature and circumstances of offences, period already served, conduct in custody, remorse, rehabilitation, vocational skills acquired, family and community support, interests of victims, public safety and the broader interests of justice.

He explained that 94 beneficiaries were granted mercy based on factors such as old age, medical conditions, good conduct, rehabilitation, remorse and other compassionate considerations, while seven others had their sentences remitted.

Those granted mercy on old-age and medical grounds include Lamidi Mohammed Garuba, 91; Ajagbonna Olufemi David, 72; Yakubu Atabo; Chief Umane Okeme; Saidu Atuluku Yunusa; Hilary Chike Nwaeze; Ebenezer Mopah; Abdullahi Jibril; and Usman Ismaila.

The seven beneficiaries whose sentences were remitted are Tunde Adura, Olusaye Moses Abayomi, Abu Mowde, Zakariyau Baba, Michael Ojonugwa, Rami Sadiq and Salawudeen Sanusi.

Governor Ododo emphasised that the exercise did not diminish the seriousness of the offences for which the beneficiaries were convicted, describing the decision instead as an exercise of constitutional compassion in deserving circumstances.

He urged the beneficiaries to see their release as a fresh responsibility and return to their families and communities as responsible citizens.

‘You have been given another opportunity, and every second opportunity comes with a greater responsibility,’ the governor said.

He urged them to avoid criminal activities and make productive use of the skills, education and lessons acquired during their period of incarceration.

The governor also called on residents, particularly young people, to shun kidnapping, armed robbery, fraud, theft, cultism, drug-related offences and other forms of criminality.

He said poverty, peer pressure and the pursuit of quick wealth should not be used as excuses for criminal conduct, stressing that education, hard work, enterprise, integrity and perseverance remained legitimate pathways to a meaningful life.

Ododo reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to supporting security agencies and strengthening the administration of justice while protecting citizens’ rights and maintaining firm action against criminality.

He urged parents, traditional rulers, religious leaders, community leaders, youth organisations and other stakeholders to support government efforts to combat crime.

‘The battle against criminality is not a battle that government can win alone. It is a collective struggle for the soul and future of our communities,’ he said.

Ododo Commends Tinubu

The governor also used the Independence Day address to commend President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what he described as the courage and vision of his administration in pursuing national renewal.

He said the Federal Government’s focus on economic reforms, infrastructure, energy, agriculture, education, healthcare, youth empowerment and social investment was aimed at addressing immediate difficulties as well as longstanding structural challenges.

Ododo particularly highlighted the Federal Government’s recently approved deep offshore investment framework, which the Presidency says is expected to unlock up to US$50 billion in new investment and revive major deep offshore developments.

He also cited interventions in education, agriculture, housing, compressed natural gas, domestic refining and other sectors as part of the Federal Government’s broader development agenda.

The governor said Kogi remained aligned with the national aspiration for a stronger, more prosperous and secure Nigeria.

He noted that Kogi’s strategic location at the confluence of the Rivers Niger and Benue, alongside its agricultural, mineral and tourism resources, gives the state significant development potential.

Ododo reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to investments in infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, security, human capital development, rural electrification, mining, tourism and enterprise.

According to him, the administration’s objective is to create a Kogi where opportunities are accessible across communities and where government provides the infrastructure, environment and policies required for citizens to create wealth.

The governor further called for unity among the people of Kogi State, irrespective of political, religious, ethnic or social differences.

‘Politics will come and go. Administrations will come and go. But Kogi State will remain our common home,’ he said.

He urged citizens to protect the state, invest in its future and give younger generations reasons to remain proud of their heritage.

As Nigeria marked 66 years of independence, Ododo called on Nigerians to renew their faith in the country and remain committed to building a stronger, more productive and prosperous nation.

He congratulated President Tinubu and Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora on the anniversary, while paying tribute to the country’s founding fathers, soldiers and security personnel serving to protect the nation.

The governor concluded by reaffirming his administration’s commitment to good governance, security, infrastructure development, human capital development, economic empowerment and the creation of opportunities for the people of Kogi State.

‘The Nigeria we desire is possible. The Kogi State we desire is possible. But possibility becomes reality only when hope is matched with action,’ Ododo said.

The Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Dr Mukail Aremu Akinde, has said the next phase of his administration will focus on strengthening the ‘Engineering Identity’ of the Federal University of Technology, Ilaro (FUTI), with emphasis on hands-on technical skills, research and practical application of knowledge.

According to him, the objective is to create an environment where research can be replicated and applied to real-world industrial and societal needs.

For Akinde, however, the progress recorded over the past four years is not an endpoint,c saying, ‘We haven’t done anything, other than that we have to do more,’ he said.

Despite the expansion recorded under his administration, Akinde has played down the achievements, saying the institution still has much more to accomplish.

Reflecting on his four-year tenure, he said: ‘We haven’t done anything, other than that we have to do more collectively with the council, principal officers, deans, directors, heads of department, heads of units, staff, students and the unions.’

Akinde’s connection with the institution predates his appointment as its head, noting that he started as a clerk in an institution where his late father was a vendor.

He began his career in 1987 as a clerk in the Bursary Department and later worked across several administrative areas before becoming an Instructor on February 11, 1999.

He also studied at the Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, where he graduated with an ND in Accountancy in 1991 and an HND in Accountancy in 1994.

He added that he later became the pioneer head of the Taxation Department in 2015 and was elected dean in 2018 after a closely contested election in which he won by one vote, 28 to 27.

Recalling one of the individuals who supported his progression within the institution, Akinde said Alhaji Rilwan Egbeyemi, the then registrar, recognised his potential and allowed him to contribute more directly to the development of the institution.

He said the transition from the former Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, to the Federal University of Technology, Ilaro, was progressing, although the process was being handled strategically.

He said committees headed by Professor Rahman Bello, a former VC of the University of Lagos, and Dr Charlotte Bose Iro-Idoro, respectively, had made steady progress on the respective aspects of the transition.

‘Our people should know that the work of changing FPI to FUTI is progressing. Only that thing must be done strategically,’ he reiterated.

He added that the institution was targeting the 2027/28 academic session for the commencement of university education

He also attributed the continued relationship between the institution and its host community to cooperation with the Olu of Ilaro and Paramount Ruler of Yewaland, HRM Oba Kehinde Gbadewole Olugbenle, MFR, Asade Agunloye IV, as well as the Polytechnic Ilaro Community Forum.

On the challenge of academic staff leaving the country for opportunities abroad, the Akinde-led administration intensified and ensured strict compliance with a policy requiring staff sponsored for international studies to return and serve the institution and the country.

Four years on, the institution is the best polytechnic in Nigeria before transitioning to a University of Technology.

The institution has also expanded from six schools to eight specialised schools, adding the School of Agriculture and the School of Art and Design and Printing Technology, alongside growth in student population, academic programmes, staffing, academic staff, an increase in the number of PhD holders, and non-teaching infrastructure and research activities by winning more Institutional Based Research (IBR) and National Research Fund (NRF) grants of TETFund.

The institution is currently fabricating 11 electric and solar-powered tricycles for transportation on campus to further support the clean energy initiatives of the Federal Government ably led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR.

Schools of Engineering and of Pure and Applied Sciences have also fabricated equipment for the production line of gari processing, waste conversion for use in the farm and printing press, as well as other patented machines awaiting interest from entrepreneurs to use as commercial machines to help the host community.

According to Akinde, government and TETFund interventions have supported the institution’s development, with high-impact interventions, special interventions, agricultural farm grants, grants for Senate Building, Innovation Hubs, and capital expenditure rising from N400 million in 2022 to billions of naira presently.

The institution’s electricity supply is improving with the ongoing 1.56 megawatts of solar energy generation through TETFund intervention.

The acting deputy vice chancellor(Academics), Dr (Mrs) Charlotte Bose Iro-Idoro, said FUTI was preparing to commence with nine faculties, covering engineering technology, sciences, environmental technology, communication and information, administrative and management science, social science, computing, agriculture technology and visual arts.

She added that the institution would also operate a Centre for General Studies.

The Registrar, Mrs Aderonke Folasade Babatola, said the increase in student population and academic programmes had created additional demand for manpower.

She said FUTI currently had at least 80 PhD holders on its staff list, while 371 new staff members had been recruited in two batches of 146 and 225.

Babatola added that the institution was seeking waivers to enable it to recruit more professors.

The Edo State Tourism Agency (EDSTA) has identified technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI) and the creative economy, as key to the future of tourism in Nigeria.

The agency’s Director-General, Lady Vivian Elabor, made this known as the state marked the 2026 World Tourism Day, observed last Monday under the theme, ‘Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.’

As part of the celebration, EDSTA organised a road walk from the gate of the Museum of West African Art (MOWAA), followed by a symposium at the John Odigie Oyegun Public Service Academy (JOOPSA).

Governor Monday Okpebholo hosted the event, while Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa and the Coordinator of the Office of the Edo State First Lady, Mrs Edesili Okpebholo Anani, attended as special guests of honor.

Elabor said the celebration provided an opportunity for the agency to explore how Edo State could use technology to showcase its rich culture, heritage, and tourist attractions to a wider global audience.

She said the focus was on how digital tools could help the state tell its story more effectively and create new opportunities through tourism and the creative economy.

The agency emphasized the importance of embracing technological innovation to promote Edo’s tourism potential and expand its reach.

Researchers at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, have identified heterogeneously dense breasts, advanced age, and having had at least five pregnancies as significant predictors of suspicious breast changes, including lumps, among women undergoing three-dimensional mammography.

The study found that women with heterogeneously dense breasts had about 10 times the odds of having suspicious breast changes compared to those with other breast patterns.

Women over the age of 70 also had about 10 times the odds of presenting with suspicious lesions, while grand multiparity-defined as having had five or more pregnancies-emerged as another significant predictor.

The findings were presented at the I-Research and Innovation event organised by the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan.

The study examined sociodemographic, reproductive, and radiological factors independently associated with suspicious findings-classified as BI-RADS 4A to 5-compared to benign findings, classified as BI-RADS 4A-5, compared with benign findings classified as BI-RADS 1-3, among women undergoing digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), commonly known as 3D mammography.

Speaking about the research, Dr Ayo Idowu, a Consultant Radiologist at UCH, stated that the study was designed to identify factors that could help predict suspicious findings among women undergoing DBT.

According to her, DBT uses multiple X-ray images taken from different angles to create a three-dimensional view of the breast, reducing the effect of overlapping tissues and helping radiologists detect and evaluate abnormalities.

The researchers conducted a retrospective, cross-sectional analytical study involving women who underwent DBT at UCH. They found that heterogeneously dense breast tissue was the strongest independent predictor of suspicious findings.

‘Among the factors we assessed, heterogeneously dense breast tissue emerged as the strongest independent predictor of a suspicious final assessment,’ Idowu said.

She noted, however, that menopausal status, family history of breast cancer, and previous breast disease were not significantly associated with suspicious findings in the study.

Idowu stated that the findings underscore the need for further research involving Nigerian women, noting that risk factors identified in studies conducted in other populations may not necessarily yield the same results in Nigeria.

‘We need our own data to look at our women and identify which clinical factors can predict suspicious findings during mammography,’ she said.

She explained that DBT was available at UCH and could be useful for further evaluation of women with dense breasts.

However, she emphasised that women must first undergo mammography to determine whether they have dense breast tissue.

‘You need to undergo mammography before you know whether you have dense breasts. In our study, dense breasts were associated with about 10 times the odds of detecting a suspicious lesion,’ she said.

The radiologist advised Nigerian women to begin regular mammography screenings at age 40 and to continue with annual examinations thereafter.

‘When you turn 40, you should start getting mammograms. It’s not like taking an anti-malaria drug once and forgetting about it. You need to come back annually so we can monitor your health,’ she said.

Idowu stated that women with dense breasts could undergo further assessment using digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) to help radiologists identify suspicious abnormalities that may require additional investigation and treatment.

She said the study aimed to improve breast cancer screening and clinical decision-making by generating evidence specific to Nigerian women.

Idowu urged women to undergo regular breast cancer screenings even when they have no symptoms, stressing that early detection and appropriate follow-up can improve treatment outcomes.

All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ekiti South Federal Constituency I, Engr. Toyin Okoro, and the incumbent lawmaker, AVM Rufus Ojuawo (Rtd), have traded allegations over the party’s primary election and a petition before the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Okoro, through his Campaign Council, accused Ojuawo of actions capable of undermining the unity of the APC ahead of the 2027 general election, while the lawmaker denied any involvement in the petition against the party’s candidate.

The APC primary committee declared Okoro winner of the primary conducted in May, after he polled 9,798 votes against Ojuawo’s 1,842 votes. The constituency comprises Ikere, Ekiti South-West and Ise/Orun local government areas. The result has also been reported by multiple media outlets.

In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its Director of Media, Strategy and Publicity, Yomi Abegunde, the Okoro Campaign Council alleged that Ojuawo had continued to challenge the candidate’s emergence after losing the primary.

The council urged the incumbent lawmaker to pursue any grievance through the recognised internal mechanisms of the party and the courts, where applicable.

Reacting to a purported protest against Okoro’s candidature, the council alleged that Ojuawo was behind the development, arguing that such actions could create tension within the APC at a time members should be preparing for the 2027 election.

‘The outcome of the primary is a matter of record, and any subsequent challenge to the candidate’s emergence should be pursued through the recognised internal and legal mechanisms available to party members,’ the council said.

It also urged Ojuawo to allow the ICPC to independently examine any petition he might have submitted against Okoro.

‘Having invoked the jurisdiction and authority of the ICPC, the appropriate course of action is to allow the Commission, as the competent statutory authority, to independently examine the allegations, conduct whatever investigation it considers necessary, and arrive at its own findings in accordance with the law,’ it said.

The council stressed that the existence of a petition or investigation should not be regarded as proof of wrongdoing until the relevant authorities complete their processes and reach their findings.

Reports in September indicated that Okoro had been invited by the ICPC to respond to allegations concerning his activities while serving as a legislative aide and his alleged links to a private company. The allegations remain subject to investigation and have not been established as findings of guilt.

The campaign council, however, alleged that the disagreement over Okoro’s candidature had gone beyond the primary and could affect the cohesion of the APC in Ekiti.

It said the party’s leadership, including Governor Biodun Oyebanji and other stakeholders, had invested efforts in strengthening the party and urged members to avoid actions that could undermine its preparations for the 2027 election.

The council further alleged that the dispute could be exploited by opposition interests and appealed to party members in Ikere, Ekiti South-West and Ise/Orun to remain calm while established party mechanisms and the courts resolve any outstanding issues.

It also urged those involved not to drag traditional rulers and other prominent individuals into the disagreement.

The council said attempts to overturn the primary result through protests would not alter the outcome, maintaining that the party’s internal electoral process had produced its candidate.

It further alleged that the dispute was part of efforts to frustrate the commitment of Governor Oyebanji and APC leaders to securing President Bola Tinubu’s victory in the state.

The council also made claims about Ojuawo’s political associations and motives, alleging that his actions were connected to wider political interests. Those claims were not independently established in the statement.

Ojuawo denies involvement

Responding through his media office, Ojuawo denied the allegations and said he had no involvement in the ICPC invitation or petition against Okoro.

‘We respectfully advise Engr. Toyin Okoro to concentrate on addressing whatever issues have arisen between him and the ICPC and to allow the appropriate institutions to carry out their responsibilities,’ he said.

Ojuawo said there was no justification for linking him to the ICPC invitation, insisting that he neither initiated nor had prior knowledge of the matter. His media team had similarly denied any connection between him and Okoro’s invitation to the anti-corruption agency.

The lawmaker said he remained focused on his legislative responsibilities and urged political actors to separate political contests from personal hostility.

‘Political contests should end when the contest ends. They should not become a basis for perpetual hostility or the manufacture of narratives against political opponents,’ he said.

Ojuawo added that he remained committed to peace, responsible political engagement and the interests of the people of Ekiti South Federal Constituency I.

The dispute comes against the backdrop of the APC primary in which Okoro defeated Ojuawo to secure the party’s ticket for the 2027 House of Representatives election.

The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Oluyole District, Ibadan, on Wednesday donated food items to an orphanage and settled the medical bills of some patients at Adeoyo Maternity Hospital, Yemetu, Ibadan, as part of activities marking its second anniversary.

The district also visited Children of Promise Ministries, Ashi, Bodija, Ibadan, where it presented various food and household items to support the home and the children under its care.

Items donated included bags of rice and beans, spaghetti, toothpaste, body creams, seasoning cubes, vegetable oil, palm oil, salt, sugar, cornflakes, tissue papers and beverages, among others.

Speaking during the exercise, the Chairman of ICAN Oluyole District, Dr Olawale Dopemu, said the anniversary was an opportunity for the district to make a positive impact on the lives of members of the community.

Dopemu said the outreach was part of the district’s commitment to giving back to society and supporting vulnerable members of the community.

He said, ‘Today is our second anniversary, and one of the points of our activities is to leave a life of impact. That is why we visited the orphanage home, Children of Promise Ministries at Ashi, Bodija, Ibadan.

‘Last month, we organised a quiz competition among secondary schools in Ibadan and also paid the WAEC fees of 100 students as part of our efforts to impact the community.

‘Today, we are visiting the orphanage home to give them gifts, and we are also here at Adeoyo Maternity Hospital, Yemetu, to support some of the patients. You can only do what is within your capacity, and we are trying to do our best.’

According to him, the donation to the orphanage was made up of essential food and household items needed by the children.

The ICAN chairman also called on individuals, organisations and governments to pay greater attention to the needs of vulnerable people in society.

He said, ‘My advice is that if you have anything to give, let us reach out to the less privileged. At least, they will be happy that they are part of Nigeria.

He added that other activities had been planned as part of the second anniversary celebration, including a programme scheduled for October 11.

In her remarks, the supervisor of the orphanage, Oluwatosin Adelakun, commended ICAN Oluyole District for its gesture and continued support for vulnerable people.

She said, ‘We want to express our gratitude to you for your visit today. Your encouragement, donation and support are the keys to our existence and a pillar to the programmes we provide to the less privileged, orphans and vulnerable children, including widows.

A medical officer at Adeoyo Maternity Hospital, Yemetu, Ibadan, Abibat Nurideen-Busari, appreciated the gesture, saying the donation would provide much-needed relief to patients facing financial difficulties.

She said some patients with serious medical conditions often incur huge expenses on treatment, drugs and other medical needs, making the support from organisations such as ICAN particularly valuable.

Nurideen-Busari said, ‘Thank you so much. We really appreciate your contribution. The donation given to patients who really need this help means a lot because there are some patients with medical conditions that require them to spend so much, and they still need more support.

‘This help will provide some relief for them, assist them in getting drugs, blood for transfusion and also help them settle part of their medical bills. We really appreciate the gesture.’