POLITICS
Sickle Cell Disorder Research, Therapy Centers Bill Scales Second Reading in Senate
A Bill for an Act to establish the Sickle Cell Disorder Research and Therapy Centers has scaled second reading in the Senate.
The bill aims to drastically reduce the country’s high sickle cell mortality rate and improve access to specialised care for patients.
This followed the presentation of the lead debate on the general principles of the bill by the sponsor, Sen.
Sunday Katung (PDP-Kaduna) during Wednesday’s plenary.The proposed legislation provides for the establishment of one Sickle Cell Centre in each of the six geo-political zones and the Federal Capital Territory.
The Centres will offer diagnostic, curative and rehabilitative services, while also serving as hubs for research, data collection and patient education.
Katung said that the initiative would provide a structured and sustainable approach to the management of sickle cell disorder, one of the most common inherited diseases in Africa.
He explained that they would not only deliver advanced medical care but also support families and communities affected by the disorder through counselling and public education.
The lawmaker described Nigeria as the global epicentre of sickle cell disorder, accounting for about half of the estimated 300, 000 newborns with the disease each year.
“Sickle cell disorder is the most common inherited disorder in tropical Africa, with over 650 children dying per day.
“In Nigeria, most of those with the most severe form of the disorder die before the age of five,” he said.
He, however, noted that more than 90 per cent of patients in high-income countries now survive into adulthood due to improved treatment and care.
“But Nigeria continues to record a high mortality rate because it lags behind in diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.
“In spite of the tremendous global scientific progress, Nigeria still records a very high rate of SCD complications and deaths because we have not fully implemented the treatment plans that have worked in other countries,” he said.
Contributing to the debate on the bill, Osita Ngwu (PDP-Enugu), described the bill as timely and important.
He said, “It comes from a genetic transmission, due to ignorance of the parents. This bill is timely and will go a long way in providing therapy and saving lives.”
On his part, Sen. Buhari Abdulfatai (APC-Oyo) said that the bill should prioritise enlightenment and rural outreach to sensitise more people on the disorder.
He said: “Most people don’t even know who to marry in terms of genotype compatibility.”
Similarly, Sen. Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan (PDP-Kogi) supported the bill, but expressed the view that the centres should be attached to university teaching hospitals to enhance research and reduce establishment cost.
Deputy Senate President Jibrin Barau who presided over the plenary referred the bill to the Committee on Health for further legislative action.
The Labour Party governorship candidate in Anambra State, George Moghalu, has charged the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to use Saturday’s election to redeem its image.
Moghalu gave this charge on Thursday while speaking in an interview on Channels Television monitored by.
INEC had scheduled November 8 for the conduct of the off-cycle governorship poll in Anambra State, where the incumbent governor, Charles Soludo, is seeking re-election for another four years.
16 political parties have been cleared by the electoral commission for the exercise, including the LP.
“Let’s give INEC the benefit of doubt. It would be most unfair of me to come here and write it off.
It has the responsibility to deliver free, fair and credible elections to the people of Anambra.“Let me say very emphatically that it is an opportunity for INEC to redeem its image. It is INEC’s responsibility to do what is right and restore the confidence of the people in our election,” Moghalu said.
According to him, trouble makers, including members of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network, ESN, have no power to truncate the election.
He, however, appealed to security operatives to be professional in the discharge of their duties, as well as create an enabling environment for voters to exercise their franchise on Saturday.
“The confidence is that the security agencies, once they become professional and do what they are expected to do, I’m certain that we have peace and a credible environment to have peace.
“I believe also, the IPOB, ESN, or whatever they go by, they don’t have the capacity to stop our election. The point I’m making here, since I have the platform, is to appeal to the security agencies to be very professional. Do what is right, provide security, provide the enabling environment,” he added.
By Mike Odiakose, Abuja
Loyalists of the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike have purportedly postponed the Ekiti State gubernatorial primary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) earlier scheduled for Saturday, November 8th, 2025.
They said the primary election was postponed due to logistics issues.
This was disclosed in a letter signed by one Abdulrahman Mohammed and the suspended National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu.
The letter was addressed to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan.
The letter reads: “We wish to inform you that the PDP Ekiti State Congress and Governorship primary slated for November 8th, 2025, has been postponed due to logistics reasons constraining this exercise.
“A new date will be formally communicated when decided.
“Please accept the assurances of my esteemed regards. Kindly refer to our earlier letter to the commission on this subject matter.”
By Eze Okechukwu, Abuja
Senator Ita Enang has said that the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) should not be blamed should Nigeria drift into One Party State, blaming defecting politicians instead.
Speaking yesterday with journalists, the former Special Adviser to President Buhari on Senate Matters stated that
Nigeria is not becoming a one-party state by any machination of the APC or the Tinubu administration, stressing that it is happening because other political parties have failed to survive as true institutions.
“Most of them exist for a week or two in the news and disappear. Some collapse under internal disputes; others are bought up or enjoined by court orders.
“So, what party do you expect people to belong to? Naturally, they gravitate toward the one that is functional.
“My only concern is the status of members of the National Assembly and state assemblies who defect without a declared divisions in their parties.
“The Constitution is clear: if there is no court-declared division, and you leave your party, you lose your seat — whether it is formally declared vacant or not.
“The Supreme Court has affirmed that such defectors must even refund all salaries and allowances collected after defection”, he said.
Reflecting on the 2024 capital component which has barely 56 days left, Senator Ita Enang faulted its implementation with revenue generated in 2025, insisting that such affected projects should have been rolled into the 2025 fiscal year and budgetary provisions .
” Each year’s revenue should fund that year’s expenditure. Projects not completed in 2024 should have been rolled over and captured in the 2025 budgetary provisions .
“The reality is that the federal government does not have enough money to fund its responsibilities which is making it to borrow money for budget deficit funding .
” But the year of budget implementation and revenue generation supposed to have been same , not what we have at hand now where capital component of 2024 budget , is being implemented by revenue generated in 2025 due to extension of implementation of its life span from December 31st 2024 to December 31st , 2025 “, he said.
He however stated that the borrowing plans of the federal government, were in order , particularly those meant for funding budget deficit .
“To my knowledge, every budget — including those of 2024 and 2025 — has always contained a deficit, and provision for borrowing to fund that deficit. So, the current borrowings were anticipated in the Appropriation Act”, he said .
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