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How Obasanjo’s Diabolical Double-Cross Cost Akande Second Term Aspiration– Buhari

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President Muhammadu Buhari recalled on Thursday in Lagos how former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s devious double-cross cost Chief Bisi Akande his bid for a second term.

He spoke at the public presentation of Akande’s autobiography, “My Participations,” hosted at the Eko Hotel on Victoria Island in Lagos.

Buhari said Obasanjo’s diabolical acts ended Akande’s governorship aspiration.

“It is common knowledge that Akande was the victim – along with other AD Governors – of a diabolical double-cross which ended his gubernatorial career. Only the steadfast Asiwaju Bola Tinubu escaped the electoral massacre masterminded by President Obasanjo.

”Desperately disappointed though he was, and being a good Muslim, he accepted this setback as part of the trials of life. He looked to the future of service to the country,” he said.

Buhari described Akande as a ‘‘perfect public officer,” and the type of person he could go into the jungle with, saying that he had retained his ‘‘inflexible integrity,” in and out of public office, never accepting or offering bribes.

The President, who lavished accolades on the former governor of Osun State, characterized him as a kind, sincere, and pleasant man, as well as a first-rate administrator, whose leadership characteristics made him the consensus choice as the APC’s first Chairman.

Buhari used the occasion to recount his first meeting with Akande, his love for Nigeria, his accomplishments and disappointments as governor of Osun State, and his many efforts to dethrone the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

”My first personal contact with Chief Akande was, if I recall correctly, in 2006 when preliminary consultations were coming to fruition for a grand coalition to unseat the PDP Government.

”Those efforts eventually came to nothing.

”Neither he, nor I, nor many of our friends and associates gave up as, in Chief Akande’s words: “the country was going down and down under PDP” (p.396 of My Participations),” he said.

The President also narrated how Akande had risen to prominence from his participation in the Constituent Assembly established by the Military Government of General Olusegun Obasanjo.

”He was always in the thick of things through the difficulties and political discontinuities of the 1980s and 90s.

‘‘He emerged as Governor of Osun State in 1999 when the military handed over to the civilians.

”Chief Akande had a horrendous baptism as Governor of Osun State with discord from his own party; his State Assembly (including an attempt to impeach him without any reason whatsoever); from the trade unions and from his own deputy Governor!

”On top of that, he inherited a deeply indebted Treasury, huge arrears of salary, allowances, and pensions. Enough challenges to overwhelm many aspiring leaders.

”Bisi Akande stood four square and faced all the challenges head-on and overcame most of them.

”His first action was to stop payment of “critical allowances” a euphemism for government money customarily shared by the big boys in Osun State.

”This set the tone of his Administration,” the President said.

Recounting the achievements of the former Governor of Osun State, President Buhari noted that it is on record that within one year, Akande had paid off all the salary and other arrears, showing his mettle as a competent and serious administrator.

”By 2003 Chief Akande had virtually sanitised governance in Osun State having cleared some of the troublemakers from his government and, though reluctant to serve a second term, he was persuaded to run again,” he said.

Reflecting on the political history of the author, particularly his bid to seek a second term as Governor of Osun, President Buhari declared: ” Reminiscing on APC’s ascent to governance at the Federal level in 2015, President Buhari said:

”Chief Akande was in the thick of further attempts in 2011 and 2014 to fuse together different groups and dislodge PDP from governance.

”The key to his thinking which coincides with mine is that Nigeria can only be successfully managed by alliances between major groups.

”Although we failed in 2011 but by persistence and knowledge that PDP was driving the country towards disaster, several major parties were able to finally coalesce into APC in 2014 .

”Chief Akande was unanimously chosen as the first Chairman of this great coalition.

”Throughout the difficult negotiations, I found Akande truthful, steady and always with an eye to the ultimate goal.

”In or out of office, he has retained his inflexible integrity. On page 400 of his book, he wrote: ‘I never gave to or demanded bribe from anyone all my life.’ A perfect gentleman. A perfect public officer, he said.

Quoting a famous Hausa saying, ”Labarin zucciya a tambayi fuska” (loosely translated -if you want to know what is in a man’s heart watch his face), President Buhari affirmed that Akande has a permanent smile on his face, saying ”He is the type I will go into the jungle with.”

On the book, President Buhari recommended it to students of Nigeria politics and the general public alike.

”This book is a historical document. Students will find this an invaluable source of Nigeria’s politics, notably between 1999 and 2020,” he said.

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Delta NMA Declares Blessing CEO’s Cancer Report Fraudulent

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The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Delta State branch, has officially debunked the cancer claims made by relationship influencer Blessing Okoro, popularly known as Blessing CEO.

In a statement on Tuesday, the association revealed that the document is an altered version of an original medical report belonging to a different patient diagnosed with breast cancer.

The statement, jointly signed by NMA Delta State Chairman, Dr. Israel Adaigho, and Secretary, Dr. Usamah Hannah, was sighted by The Nation on Tuesday.

According to the NMA, the viral report was purportedly issued by Xinus Medical Diagnostics and signed by consultant pathologist Dr. O.A. Odigwe.

However, Dr. Odigwe, who is the proprietor of the diagnostic centre, clarified that his facility never issued any report to Blessing Okoro.

The association explained that Xinus Medical Diagnostics is located in Asaba, Delta State not Enugu State as claimed in the circulating document.

The centre was contacted in May 2025 by a doctor from a private hospital in Asaba to conduct a confirmatory histology test for a patient identified as Mbara Deborah, who had a suspected case of breast cancer.

The test confirmed breast cancer, and the original result was issued to the referring doctor on May 9, 2025.

The NMA stated that the document currently being paraded online by the law firm Allen Juris Law is the original report bearing the name Mbara Deborah.

The version linked to Blessing CEO appears to be a doctored copy of this same report.

The statement read in part: “Our attention has been drawn to an online histology report purportedly issued to one Blessing Okoro, aka Blessing CEO, by Xinus Medical Diagnostics allegedly located in Enugu State. The said histology report was also alleged to have been signed by Dr. O.A. Odigwe, a consultant pathologist.

“The proprietor of Xinus Medical Diagnostics, Dr. O.A. Odigwe, who is also a member of the Nigerian Medical Association, Delta State chapter, has reached us and offered the following clarification: that Xinus Medical Diagnostics is located in Asaba, Delta State and did not at any time issue any report to Blessing Okoro.

“The centre was contacted in May 2025 by a doctor from a private hospital in Asaba to do a confirmatory test on a possible case of breast cancer for a patient, Mbara Deborah. The test was done and the result issued to the referring doctor as a case of breast cancer on May 9, 2025.

“A copy of that result is the one currently being circulated online by the law firm, Allen Juris Law, with the name Mbara Deborah as the patient. That result from the law firm is the original version issued to the patient through her hospital.”

The NMA said the clarification became necessary because of the way the altered report was allegedly being used to solicit public sympathy and financial assistance.

It urged the public to be cautious and warned against actions that could tarnish the integrity of medical professionals.

The association also called on relevant security agencies to take appropriate steps to protect unsuspecting members of the public.

“The integrity of our association and its members is very paramount and should not therefore be taken for granted.

“We call on the authorities responsible for maintaining law and order to do the needful and save unsuspecting members of the public from being unduly taken advantage of,” it added.

Recall that Blessing CEO recently solicited financial help from the public for the treatment of what she claimed was stage four cancer.

Following widespread backlash and allegations that her medical report had been edited, she made a U-turn, stating in an interview: “I don’t have stage 4 cancer. That was a miscommunication.”

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Abuja Court Jails Boko Haram Food Supplier, Hamatu Modu For 40 Years

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Justice Binta Fatima Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja has sentenced Hamatu Modu, a major food supplier for Boko Haram terrorists, to 40 years imprisonment for his involvement in terrorism activities.

Modu, who confessed in the open court to supplying food items and information to terrorists, was put on trial by the federal government through the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice.

He was slammed with 4- count charges and instantly pleaded guilty to them.

The Director of the Public Prosecution of the Federation, DPPF, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN, led the prosecution.

In his judgment, Justice Nyako sentenced him to 10 years on each of the count but due to the plea of the defense counsel, the judge ordered that the 40 years imprisonment should run concurrently, giving the convict opportunity to spend only 10 years.

In another development, Isah Ali, another food supplier also in Borno, was jailed 10 years by Justice Nyako.

His jail term will, however, start three years ago when he was arrested and clamped into detention.

The convict confessed to committing the offence as charged.

Justice Nyako ordered that the convicts be made to undergo rehabilitation and radicalization at the end of their service of the jail terms.

The Federal Ministry of Interior was ordered to determine where the two men will serve their jail terms.

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Just In: Kebbi Assembly Speaker Muhammad Ankwai Passes Away

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The Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, Muhammad Usman Ankwai has passed away in the late hours of Monday, 6 April 2026.

Ankwai, who represented Zuru Constituency under the All Progressives Congress (APC), was elected Speaker at the inauguration of the 10th Assembly on June 8, 2023.

Details surrounding the circumstances of his death were not immediately disclosed at the time of filing this report.

His death has, however, triggered an outpouring of condolences from fellow lawmakers, political associates, and residents across Kebbi State, many of whom have described him as a dedicated public servant who contributed to legislative development in the state.

Further announcements regarding burial arrangements are expected to be made by his family soon.

 

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