The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently intervene in what it described as the growing domination of medical doctors in the health and education sectors.

ACPN warned that such practices are detrimental to national development and inclusive governance.

The pharmacists made this known in an open letter signed by their National Chairman, Ambrose Ezeh, and his Secretary, Omokhafe Ashore, dated June 16, 2025.

The letter titled, “Call off these bluffs in national interest,” followed reports of industrial action by members of the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria at the University of Calabar, who downed tools over the appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor.

According to the ACPN, the protest is part of a wider trend, referencing a similar situation at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, where the appointment of a VC was nullified by the Federal Ministry of Education because MDCAN members at the institution went on strike.

It said in the last few years, the Nigerian Medical Association, MDCAN, and the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors have become audacious in Nigeria because the FG inadvertently boosted a culture of fascism in the health and labour sectors between 2015 and 2023, and now the Health and Education Sectors through the appointment of physician–ministers in these crucial sectors.

According to the association, since 1985, only physicians have been appointed as Chief Medical Directors or Medical Directors of federal health institutions based on a misinterpretation of eligibility criteria.

“In Nigeria, contrary to the dictates of common sense, only physicians are designated as CMDs/CEOs of FHIs since 1985 (40 years ago) because they wrongly interpreted the condition precedent for such appointments, which ties eligibility to being ‘medically qualified’ as implying that only physicians meet the eligibility criterion.

“In more damning circumstances, the Ninth NASS actually fraudulently passed a Federal Medical Centre bill later signed into law without public hearing which now makes it mandatory that only personnel registered by the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria can be appointed as MD/CEO of Federal Medical Centres in Nigeria in 2023.

“Despite these insultingly ancient methodologies of physicians in Nigeria, to unlawfully create a dozen exclusive privileges for themselves in Nigeria, they have now with the blessing of Education Minister, Dr. Tunji Alausa, perfected a thriving culture of blackmail to proceed on strike everytime there is a contest for the position of VCs and the rules which are grounded in having a Ph.D. as condition precedent is applied because most of these physicians have professional qualifications of fellowships and not Ph.Ds. which are academic qualifications. Most public sector appointments have strict conditions precedent, which make the appointment lawful.

“The ineptitude of the FG to succumb to this shameful blackmail leaves a sour taste in the mouth as lawful stakeholders who are eligible based on the rules wallow in chronic invalidism imposed by the corrupted mechanism embraced by the Federal Ministry of Education,” the letter partly read.

The association also expressed disappointment in the Federal Ministry of Health for failing to properly involve pharmacists in key drug procurement processes, including the recent rollout of the MEDIPOOL initiative.

It renewed its call for the establishment of a Federal Drug Management Agency to standardise drug procurement and distribution across the country.

According to the association, Universal Health Coverage remains a mirage in Nigeria because the strategic pillars to achieve it are hindered by stumbling blocks.

“Your Excellency, we strongly demand a presidential intervention to make the government stand up to its stewardship responsibilities as the government.

“The government should change tactics in the skewed appointment of physicians who dominate sectors which are alien to medical practice while resisting ‘incursions’ into healthcare by any other cadre of practitioners, including colleagues, non-physician health professionals.

“It is important to inform Mr President that the humiliation health workers in healthcare are subjected to in deference to physicians is beginning to affect the psyche of youths in a generation where nobody wants to be an underdog.

“National growth, development, transformation and evolution will gradually become stunted if the Federal Government does not wield the big stick to stop the outrageously incomprehensible dominance of an overpampered group of civil servants who get what they request and are allowed to dictate a pittance for other skilled personnel in the Nigerian workforce.

“Your Excellency, the time to act is now in the public interest,” it concluded.&

The traditional ruler of Ifetuntun community in Ife South Local Government Area of Osun State, Oba Taofeeq Osunmakinde, the Obawure of Ifetuntun, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, over alleged threats to destroy the community

The monarch also appealed to the IGP over incessant clashes arising from a boundary dispute between his community and a neighbouring community in the Ijebu West Local Government Area of Ogun State.

The monarch who spoke in Akure, the Ondo State capital, on Sunday, urged Egbetokun to investigate and apprehend the perpetrators of unrest stemming from the ongoing border dispute between Ife South and Ijebu West over the 30-mile land area known as Ifetuntun.

Osunmakinde recalled that in 2001, during President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, a conflict erupted between the settlers of Ifetuntun and the Ijebu communities, prompting the Federal Government’s intervention.

But the office of the Surveyor General of the Federation demarcated the borders, allowing both communities to coexist peacefully until now.

According to him, the Ifetuntun community had been existing before 2010, and the recognition of the throne solidified their peaceful way of life, which has persisted since.

He, however, alleged that some top government officials are threatening to destroy the community, noting that armed hoodlums were beginning to take control of the community while security agencies are victimising his people.

He said, “Ifetuntun has experienced the rule of nine military and civilian administrations without significant conflict or disarray in the community.

“However, in 2016, we faced their first attack led by a forest guard from the Ministry of Natural Resources. They hired thugs who burned homes and caused damage estimated at N2 billion in our community.

“Several arrests were made then, while the principal suspects disappeared, and the matter was eventually settled out of court through intervention from the then Ooni of Ife and the former Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration.

“But in recent times, a group of hoodlums has been harassing our residents along the federal road connecting Ife South to Ijebu West LGs ( in Osun and Ogun states, respectively). The hoodlums have been extorting money from passersby, claiming to be acting on behalf of the state government. Continue reading Osun monarch petitions IG over threat to destroy community

The Anambra State Government has expressed its preparedness to respond effectively to any flood related emergency by taking precautionary measures across the state to avert any disaster.

The Commissioner for Environment, Dr Felix Odimegwu, made this known in an interview with journalists in Awka, on Saturday, adding that the ministry in collaboration with relevant agencies, has intensify the sensitisation of the people to this year’s rainfall and likely flooding.

This is coming ahead of the three-day rainy weather conditions predicted by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency starting from Saturday to Monday across Nigeria.

Also, fears have gripped residents since last Monday when a heavy downpour caused severe flooding around Zik’s Avenue, Iweka Road, near the popular Ochanja Market in Onitsha, the commercial centre of the state, ravaged some shops and disrupted business activities in the area.

The flood, triggered by several hours of non-stop rainfall and worsened by blocked drainage channels, submerged the entire stretch of Zik’s Avenue, displacing traders and halting commercial operations as well as both vehicular and non-vehicular movements throughout the day.

Videos of the flooding still circulating online showed when traders and residents struggled to salvage goods from flooded shops, while tricycle operators were seen struggling to rescue his vehicles from being swept away by the rising waters.

Reacting to these developments, Odimegwu stated that the campaign and sensitisation was in response to early warnings from NiMET indicating that Anambra was among the states at high risk of flooding during the rainy season.

He said, “After the first six months seasonal prediction by NiMet, we disseminated the information and notified residents, especially those living at the coastal areas about the upcoming rainfall and flooding consequences, and urged the general public to be absolutely careful and prepared for it.

“The state government has consistently sensitises the people to desist from blocking water channels and drainages in and around surroundings of their houses to pave way for easy flow of flooding. The blockage of water drainages is the root cause of man-made flooding.

“What we are doing is that whatever would cause flooding in the urban areas by man, we will try to prevent it. But, if it is the flooding caused by river rising above the sea level, we will give warning to people living in the riverine areas to prepare on how to vacate.”

The Commissioner further said that the state governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, is equally showing great concerns to flood devastations in the state in the last three years and as a result, has constituted committees headed by the Deputy Governor, Dr Onyekachi Ibezim.

According to him, the committees constitute officials of the ministry of environment, ministry of health, ministry of information, ministry of education, local government chairmen, and State Emergency Management Agency.

“The reason for constituting the committees is for us to start in time to strategise and put measures in place ahead of this year’s flooding in case it occurs. The Committees were formed since 2022 when flood devastated about nine local government areas of the state.

“After that 2022 flood devastation, we vowed that such disaster cannot occur again, but if it eventually happens, the effects will not be as severe as it was in 2022 because of the measures we have put in place.

“Now, rains have started, every week I send notice of early warnings to some other stakeholders who are in the standing Committees which local government chairmen are also among them because they have their own local emergency management committees who manage the crisis if it occurs.

“The early warning signs have become important because it will alert to how and when it will rain heavily and provides avenue for them to prepare and be careful whether the rain will cause flooding or not,” he added.

He also pointed out that the weekly early warning alerts will equally help farmers in the riverine areas to harvest their products to avoid being submerged by flood, stressing that the early warning/ signs of rains also helps traders, artisans and civil servants to adjust their movements to avoid being caught up by rain.

The commissioner said, “We will continue posting the early warning signs until we reach the peak of rain season. During this period, we will now embark on manual preventive measure ‘Called Marking’. There is an object that has different coloured edges which we buried in the ground that shows the level of rising water from the sea.

“From the object, when water level reaches the green edge, it indicates that there is no problem, but if it rises from green to yellow edge, it indicates that people should be vigilant and by then, we will tell people to start packing to where we arranged for them. If the water level rises to red edge, then there is great danger. Red edge is a situation where flood begins to carry people and destroy properties.”

The Kebbi State Government has commenced the evacuation and clearance of drainage systems across sensitive areas of the state.

The Commissioner for Urban Development, Hayatu Bawa, made this known on Friday in a statement issued to journalists in Birnin Kebbi.

He explained that the exercise is part of ongoing efforts to prepare the state ahead of the rainy season.

According to the commissioner, the clearance is aimed at removing waste and other blockages from waterways to ensure the free flow of rainwater, thereby preventing the overflow that often leads to flooding in residential areas.

“We have already begun clearing drains to allow water to flow freely during the rainy season. This is intended to prevent the devastating effects of flooding,” Bawa said.

He commended Governor Nasir Idris for approving the initiative and for providing the necessary financial and logistical support to the ministry, which he said has ensured a smooth and effective operation.

Bawa also used the opportunity to caution residents against constructing buildings on waterways and the indiscriminate dumping of refuse.

He emphasised that such practices contribute significantly to flooding.

He further advised people living in flood-prone communities to consider relocating to safer, upland areas to safeguard lives and property.

“The clearing of drains remains one of the most effective ways of preventing flood disasters, and we urge the public to cooperate with government efforts,” he added.

The state government reaffirmed its commitment to prioritising environmental safety and protecting citizens from the dangers of seasonal flooding.

32 Years After: The Need for Recognition of the Coalition of June 12 Activists and Martyrs by President Bola Tinubu

Being text of a world press conference by Defend Nigeria Movement (DNM) and Nigeria’s Unite for Democracy (NUD) held today Thursday June 12, 2025 in Lagos, Nigeria.

Comrades, friends, associates, ladies and gentlemen of the press, on behalf of Defend Nigeria Movement (DNM) and Nigerians Unite for Democracy (NUD) which are coalitions of civil society, non governmental organizations and public interest groups, we welcome you all once again to this August gathering in commemoration of Nigeria’s Democracy Day and the 32nd year anniversary of the historic June 12 1993 presidential election won by late Chief MKO Abiola of blessed memory.

I welcome you all with profound gratitude, particularly to our falling fighters in the anti military struggles, who were murdered or martyred across the streets of our beloved country with the hope that the survivors will keep the dream alive in order that our struggle and efforts shall not be in vain and the surviving June 12 activists with tremendous nostalgia, because in retrospect we have been on a journey of no return most especially when we are yet to reach our destination, in other words, our dream remains a dream.

As we gather to honour this great day of our democracy, it is instructive to refresh our memory on it’s import to our unity and democracy.

We recollect with nostalgia how Nigerians all over the country on the historic day of June 12 1993, went to the polls in a peaceful and cordial atmosphere, jettisoning ethnic, religious and other primordial sentiments which have always divided us, to speak with one voice as a people with a common destiny for the peace, progress and prosperity of fatherland.

That historic election which has been variously adjudged as the freeest and fairest election in Nigeria’s history, was sadly and treasonable annulled by the General Ibrahim Babangida military junta for his interest of self perpetuation in power.

However, Nigerians in unison with a common destiny, rose in stout defiance of the guns and bullets to insist on the de-annulment of the election at great cost of loss of human lives, limbs, property and freedom which culminated in the forced retreat of the military from Nigeria’s political life and birth the current democratic dispensation on May 29, 1999.

June 12 has become a symbol of national unity and consciousness, showcasing Nigerians’ ability to unite around an ideology despite our differences. This event has sown seeds of national consciousness, promoting a sense of togetherness and shared identity.

The annulment of the June 12 election didn’t just mark a turning point in Nigeria’s democratic journey, it is also a symbol of our democratic culture, resilience and self awareness. This event has inspired a bibliography of its own, highlighting its significance in Nigeria’s history.

The declaration of June 12 as a national public holiday by President Muhammadu Buhari has given the epoch its pride of place in Nigeria’s socio-political calendar. This move has helped to promote the value and symbolism of June 12. However, we need to deepen the gains of the lessons of June 12.

The June 12, 1993 struggle was a pivotal moment in Nigeria’s democratic journey, symbolizing the fight against military tyranny and the quest for good governance. Thirty-two years after the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, the inspiration from the courage and determination of our struggle still motivates us.

We must use this medium to congratulate Nigerians for keeping faith with democracy despite the challenges that confront us as a people with 26 years of unprecedented and unbroken democratic system and like the saying goes, a people united, can never be defeated.

Today, no matter the antics and provocation, the human dignity that democracy confers on human beings is our lot as we make our laws in a civilian parliament and not by decree as witnessed under military despotism. We are consolidating our democracy no doubt with its own glaring challenges and improvements is imminent and possible.

While acknowledging the initial pains and inconvenience, we congratulate and commend President Bola Tinubu for his bold and daring economic reforms which has extinguished the hemorrhaging of our economy through the termination of the fuel subsidy regime and the unification of the foreign exchange system. By these two critical policies, the President Tinubu administration has saved the country the loss of about $10bn annually in the last two years and the result is that the three tiers of government now receive almost triple their allocations from the federation account to enable them provide the dividends of democracy to the citizenry.

We can all see the gains of the economic re-engineering of the President Bola Tinubu administration begin to manifest in infrastructural renewal as well as other policies which are making positive impacts in every other sectors of the Nigerian economy, eg. Lagos Calabar Coastal highway, Lagos Sokoto highway, naira for crude, NELFUND, tax reforms bills, etc.

However, as much as we are holding the federal government accountable for its stewardship in the last two years of the President Bola Tinubu administration, it is very important for us to demand same from our states and local government councils administration who are beneficiaries of this unprecedented largesse from the federation account now.

Under the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration, things are getting gradually into shape and it is not by accident or luck, but rather a product of our collective struggle for a better society even as we recognize President Tinubu as then Lagos State governor provided succour by making Lagos State conducive for the struggle and which makes Lagos State as the epi center and this atmosphere has been sustained by subsequent Lagos State governments till date. It is our belief that to who much is given, much is expected hence we should continue to give our unreserved support to the present administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Importantly, special mention must be made of Mr. Babajide Sanwo Olu the executive governor of Lagos State who has continued on the templates for political, economic and infrastructural development of the state as laid down in the state by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the then governor of the state. Without a blink of an eye, Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu has not only sustained the developmental architecture of the state, but he continues to sustain the progressive legacies left behind by President Tinubu’s administration in the state.
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But beyond the memories and nostalgia, the June 12 struggle has become at the same time a symbol and a call to action for good governance and democracy. This is the way to continue to stand on June 12. On June 12 we Stand!
This notwithstanding, there is the compelling need to deepen the gains of the lessons of June 12.

There is no administration since 1999 that can be acknowledged as the Baby of the June 12 struggle than the present administration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. This is not only because the President was a key player among those who made sacrifices in those days and who later as governor of Lagos State was adept at innovations towards development and defiance of authoritarian central government, but also because of its richness in progressive elements and democrats. It is therefore not surprising that alongside policies geared towards economic and socio-political transformation the government has also not forgotten the heroes of the past. This cannot be denied and we are not about to do that.

However, we make bold to state that this recognition appears to have been one-sided. The heroic deeds of the grassroots people defined that struggle. Their resilience bore the banner forward and their sweet and blood watered the flowers of struggle. Too many unsung heroes. Too many forgotten ordinary people. President Tinubu, himself a player in the board room and in the street of the struggle, need to pay attention to this.

Therefore, we demand that the President give due recognition to the June 12 Activists and Martyrs.

There should also be a monument to the unsung heroes of June 12. They are our own unknown soldiers.

The government at all levels needs to urgently address our security challenges by leveraging technology and community participation. State police and community policing have become a matter of urgency, beyond rhetorics and sentimental considerations. Security in the real sense should be the collective responsibility of the people, not as empty declarations but with indigenous and innovative inputs.

We equally salute the tenacity and perseverance of our people in standing firm and keeping faith with democracy despite the challenges and provocations and we urge them to remain resolutely undeterred despite attempts to gain political capital and make a mockery of their economic plights by agents of “ebi n pawa” or “we are hungry” which has now become a political and blackmail slogan.

On June 12 and democracy we stand.

My Comradely, fraternal regards to us all.

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Comrade Razaq Olokoba
Convener.
Thursday June 12, 2025. Lagos Nigeria.