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Pope Francis Remains ‘Critical’, Has Kidney Problem-Vatican
Pope Francis is still in critical condition but has not had any “further respiratory crisis,” the Vatican said yesterday, after the 88-year-old leader of the Catholic Church was reported Saturday to be in critical condition, following his week-long hospitalisation for a lung infection.
The Vatican reported earlier that Saturday “night passed quietly” and “the pope rested,” also saying Francis remains conscious and tests were still being conducted, Forbes reported.
Francis is still on supplemental oxygen and tests showed “initial, mild” kidney failure, the Vatican said, according to the AP, but doctors said the situation is under control and the pope is alert and “well-oriented.”
The pope’s “prognosis remains reserved,” the Vatican said, not making predictions on Francis’ potential recovery given “the complexity of the clinical picture, and the necessary wait for drug therapies to provide some feedback.”
Francis has also received blood transfusions following tests that indicated a condition associated with anemia, and doctors expect he will remain hospitalised through the next week.
The pope’s medical team previously said Friday his condition was not life-threatening, but that he is “not out of danger.”
The Vatican released an Angelus statement from Pope Francis on Sunday, in which the pope remarked on the upcoming third anniversary of the war in Ukraine and thanked the public for their messages of support about his hospital stay, asking people to “pray for me.”
“I am confidently continuing my hospitalisation at the Gemelli Hospital, carrying on with the necessary treatment; and rest is also part of the therapy!” Pope Francis said, as translated by The Vatican.
“I sincerely thank the doctors and health workers of this hospital for the attention they are showing me and the dedication with which they carry out their service among the sick,” he added.
The pope has pneumonia in both lungs, as well as bacterial, viral and fungal infections, according to his doctors. His doctors have given him supplemental oxygen when necessary, and they are treating him with a drug therapy they say Francis is responding to.
Doctors also prescribed Francis “absolute rest,” and several of his public events have been canceled. Doctors have said the primary threat to Francis’ health would be the onset of sepsis, a serious condition that could arise from pneumonia complications, though Francis has not shown signs of sepsis so far.
Francis, 88, has led the church as pope for 12 years since his election in 2013. Francis has been hospitalised several times in recent years, including one hospital stay in July 2021 for a narrowing of his large intestine, and another in 2023 for bronchitis. Francis has chronic bronchitis and a history of respiratory issues, the Forbes report said.
The Confederation of All Progressives Congress (APC) Support Group (CASG) and Concerned Nigerian Citizens for Justice and Sovereignty have condemned what they describe as a coordinated campaign by US federal agencies targeting President Bola Tinubu, warning that such actions threaten Nigeria’s sovereignty and democratic integrity.
Engr Muhammed Kailani, Director General of the groups in a statement
issued on Wednesday, accusing the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of orchestrating a “politically engineered witch-hunt” against Tinubu.
He described the actions as an affront to Nigeria’s democracy.
“President Tinubu was elected to lead, not to be distracted by foreign conspiracies or trial by media,” Kailani said.
“The world must respect our sovereignty and our right to choose our leaders without external intimidation.”
The groups pointed to the recent release of decades-old documents by US agencies as evidence of a deliberate attempt to tarnish Tinubu’s reputation and undermine the will of Nigerians, who elected him in the 2023 presidential election.
The vote, widely regarded as free and fair, saw Tinubu emerge as the country’s leader despite longstanding allegations that have never been substantiated in court.
“This sudden rush to dredge up old documents is nothing short of a politically motivated attack,” Kailani added.
“Nigeria is a sovereign nation, not a satellite state to be dictated to by foreign intelligence bodies acting on behalf of interest groups.”
He called on the FBI and associated agencies to “immediately halt this charade,” warning that continued actions could be interpreted as foreign interference in Nigeria’s domestic politics.
The groups also raised concerns about the timing of the allegations, suggesting they were fuelled by “politically biased actors” seeking to destabilise the country.
The brand new magnificent Enugu State International Conference Centre was the venue of the 14th Chief Emeka Anyaoku Lecture Series on Good Governance with the theme “The Imperative Of Good Governance: Nigeria in a Global Comparative Perspective”, and organised by the Board of Youth Affairs International Foundation.
The event was a Spectacle of immense didactic importance with great minds in attendance. The Former Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations, Chief Emeka Anyaoku was the Star of the day, the former Military Governor of the Old Imo State, and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Major General Ike Nwachukwu was the Chairman of the event, and Nigeria’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari was the Guest Speaker at the event where the Performing Governor of Enugu State Dr Peter Mbah amongst other Esteemed Guests stood in honour of a nonagenarian whose life is a testament of dignity, integrity and discipline.
At the event, the Former Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, described Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State as an epitome of good governance, noting that the Governor was genuinely and quietly transforming Enugu State.
Chief Emeka Anyaoku was clear and unambiguous in his appraisal of the Enugu State Governor as a visionary, and that Peter Mbah’s leadership style works for the speedy development of the State. Anyaoku was emphatic that the spate of development in Enugu State under Governor Peter Mbah, would become the norm should Nigeria have a genuine Federal Constitution that engenders True Fiscal Federalism.
The Super Diplomat whilst speaking at the 14th Chief Emeka Anyaoku Lecture Series on Good Governance hosted in his honour at the Enugu State International Conference Centre on Tuesday, was unequivocal in his praise of the Enugu State Governor, hear him, “Allow me the privilege of describing him (Governor Peter Mbah) as a truly performing Governor. Yesterday, I was given glimpses of projects that have either been completed or in active progress towards completion. I saw, for example, this magnificent International Conference Centre. I saw an array of CNG Buses at Okpara Square. I saw the Smart Green Schools, which I gather that the Governor’s plan is to replicate in every Electoral Constituency (Wards), and I learnt that there are as many as 260 of them. I was also able to visit a state-of-the-art Bus station, the Holy Ghost Terminal. So, I would say that Governor Peter Mbah is genuinely transforming Enugu State, which used to be described as a Civil Service State. He is transforming it into an Industrial, Educational Hub and Agricultural Innovation.”
Chief Anyaoku continues, “The surprising thing is that all these developments are going on with little publicity. I had expected, as my experience visiting many other States in this country has shown, that in places where you have two to three projects going, you will have massive publicity of them. But not so in Enugu. So, Governor Peter Mbah is not just a performing Governor, but he is also a quiet and noiseless Governor”, he noted.
In a few days, the Enugu State Government will be hosting the National Convention of the Nigerian Bar Association NBA, another testament to the beauty, the peace, the Security, the Industry and the camaraderie that attends the Enugu space, thanks to the ebullient Servant Leader, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah.
We, the Concerned Professionals For Good Governance (A Good Leadership Advocacy Group) are committed to a private sector driven appraisal of leadership any and everywhere in Nigeria. We shall praise, applaud and celebrate PERFORMERS whilst profusely lampooning all underperforming Political operators across the nation, such is our creed. And in furtherance to this creed of ours, we hereby adopt the salient and unequivocal words of the 92 years old Elder Statesman, Chief Emeka Anyaoku to wit that Peter Mbah is genuinely quietly transforming Enugu State… And such is the unassailable TRUTH.
Okechukwu Nwafor
Concerned Professionals For Good Governance. (A Good Leadership Advocacy Group).
Emomotimi Agama, director general (DG) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), says the agency has not received any formal notice regarding the sale of Lafarge Africa Plc to Chinese investors.
Agama announced in a letter dated April 23, addressed to the clerk of the national assembly, and distributed during a hearing with the committee on the capital market on Wednesday.
The clarification followed a resolution by the senate (S/Res/2/78/24), which urged the federal government to stop the reported sale of Lafarge Africa Plc to Chinese interests on the grounds of national security and economic sovereignty.
“I acknowledge receipt of your letter referenced above, requesting the Commission’s intervention in the ongoing sale of Lafarge Africa Plc, with specific emphasis on safeguarding national security and economic sovereignty,” Agama said.
“The Commission wishes to inform the national assembly that it has not received any formal filing regarding the proposed divestment of majority shareholding in Lafarge Africa Plc.”
He noted that the commission was only informed of an internal restructuring by Holcim Group, which holds 83.81 percent of Lafarge Africa’s issued share capital.
Agama explained that Holcim Group controls its stake through two wholly owned entities — Caricement B.V. with 56.04 percent, and Associated International Cement Limited with 27.77 percent.
“As part of the internal restructuring, the 27.77% equity stake held by Associated International Cement Limited was transferred to another Holcim-owned entity, Davis Peak Holdings Limited,” he said.
“There has been no change in the ultimate beneficial ownership of the shares as a result of this transaction.”
He added that no regulatory action has been taken and no approval has been granted by the commission in relation to any sale to Chinese investors.
“Please be assured that the Commission remains committed to transparency, strict adherence to regulatory requirements, and the protection of national interest in all capital market operations,” Agama said.
In February, Agama assured the national assembly that the capital market operates a disclosure regime rather than a merit regime.
“Every company and director has a responsibility for figures that are disclosed to the public,” he said.
The DG also said it is the responsibility of the SEC to monitor and ensure that documents provided to members of the public are accurate, adding that if they do not meet standards, such institutions will be penalised.