Nigeria sprinter Divine Oduduru has been placed on a six-year ban after he was found guilty by the World Athletics Disciplinary Tribunal set up to investigate allegations of two potential Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU).

The tribunal’s ruling which was exclusively obtained by Bold Sports, showed that Oduduru was found guilty of possession (Rule 2.6 of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules; ADR) and/or use or attempted use of multiple Prohibited Substances (Rule 2.2 ADR).

Oduduru, in the judgement dated September 18, which was signed by Anna Bordiugova, was linked with fellow Nigerian Blessing Okagbare who was banned for 11 years for use of prohibited substance.

While Oduduru didn’t test positive for any banned substance, he was alleged to have been implicated in a WhatsApp message between Okagbare and her supplier, Eric Lira, where Okagbare mentioned “Divine” and “we” while discussing.

According to the panel, the following conversation between Okagbare and Lira took place:

BO: Good morning Eric. Any update on the stuff I asked for?

EL: Good morning love… the tb 500 with you igf1 and gonatropina is a good combination to

increase strength and oxygen levels

EL: That’s also with hgh and epo

BO: Cool. So, [how] much of each do me and divine need?

EL: I have to review the cycle to see how much you need

BO: Please eric. The ea[r]lier the better

A complaint signed by FBI Special Agent Serkes further revealed that an unnamed individual who Oduduru had asked to help move some of his belongings in his Florida apartement while away for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics on July 12, 2021, reported that he found some prohibited substances, same as linked with Okagbare.

The FBI agent’s complaint submitted to the tribunal was:

“a. On or about July 12 and 13, 2021, Individual-1, at the request of Athlete-2, who was then outside of the United States, entered a residence in the vicinity of Jacksonville, Florida (the “Residence”), where Athlete-2 had recently resided. Individual-1 intended to gather Athlete�2’s belongings and to transfer those belongings to a near-by storage facility. At the time that Individual-1 entered the Residence, Athlete-1 was abroad, training for the then-upcoming Tokyo Olympics.

b. Inside the residence, Individual-1 found and photographed packages and vials that appeared to be various performance enhancing drugs, including drugs on the Prohibited List described above. Individual-1 subsequently provided those photographs to the FBI. For example:

(i) Individual-1 provided photographs of a United States Postal Service parcel from “Eric Lira/ [redacted street address] / El Paso, TX” (the “El Paso Address”) with a particular telephone number for Lira (the “Lira Number”). The same parcel was addressed to Athlete-1 at an address other than the address of the Residence.

(ii) Individual-1 also provided photographs of the content of that parcel, which was a single box containing a drug appearing to have been manufactured by a Mexico-based pharmaceutical company. The box was labeled: “Xerendip® Somatropina,” and, in Spanish, “injectable.” From my review of publicly available sources of information regarding the content and effect of various drugs, I have learned that somatropin (or, in Spanish, “somatropina”) is a human growth hormone, which, as noted above, is among the prohibited substances on the Prohibited List.

(Subsequent to July 13, 2021, I obtained the same box of Xerendip from the storage locker into which Individual-1 moved this drug and other items, having obtained consent to enter the storage facility. Upon inspection of the box itself, I have noted that the box indicates, in Spanish, that the drug is to be administered only as prescribed by a physician (“Dosis: Lo que el médico señale.”). I also received from the same storage locker a used box of a Mexico-manufactured, injectable erythropoietin drug, Alveritin. The box, which originally contained six vials of that substance, was found containing only one remaining vial. As described in more detail below, both the photographs of these categories of drugs provided by Individual-1 and the drugs that I obtained subsequent to July 13, 2021, are drugs of the same categories discussed in the course of communications between Eric Lira, the defendant, and Athlete-1).

(iii) Individual-1 also provided a photograph of a small, clear, sealable bag containing three vials of white powder. The bag was labeled “IGF [illegible] R3.” From my experience in this case and from my conversations with other FBI agents working on separate investigations of performance enhancing substances, I know that “IGF” is an abbreviation for “insulin growth factor.” Among the substances on the Prohibited List is “Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) and its analogues. (iv) Individual-1 further provided a photograph of a box of 100 hypodermic needles, insulin injection needles, and various other drugs including A) a separate box of somatropin, also from what appears to have been a Mexico- or Central American pharmaceutical company, bearing the brand name “Humatrope;” and B) a box labeled as containing a “prefilled syringe” holding 5 ml of “recombinant human erythropoistin injection.” This final drug’s box included a symbol representing that it is a prescription drug, i.e., “Rx.””

Oduduru who was represented by his lawyer, Chinedu Udora, however denied having knowledge of the prohibited substances reportedly found in his house. According to him, he had no possession of any of such in his appartement when he left for Europe to prepare for the Olympics on July 3, 2021.

He also said the person he asked to move his belongings from his appartement never mentioned finding any prohibited substance in his apartment even though they maintained phone communications. He also denied being the one mentioned in the WhatsApp chats between Okagbare and Lira, saying he was unaware of that any conversation of such took place.

Oduduru further held that through the period the conversation between Okagbare and Lira held in 2019 to 2021 when the substances were reportedly found in his apartment to February 2023 when he was provisionally suspended, he was tested numerous times and returned negative. He alleged a gang-up to implicate him.

The tribunal however dismissed his defense, finding him guilty of violating rules 2.6 and 2.2 of the World Athletics Anti-Doping Rules. He was subsequently banned for six years from February 6, 2023.

The ruling read, “The Athlete has committed ADRVs under Rules 2.6 and 2.2 ADR. The violations shall be considered together as one single first violation.

“A period of Ineligibility of six (6) years is imposed by the Panel upon the Athlete commencing on the date of the Decision. The period of Provisional Suspension imposed on the Athlete from 9 February 2023 until the date of the decision shall be credited against the total period of Ineligibility.

“The Athlete’s results from 12 July 2021 until the date that the Provisional Suspension was imposed, on 9 February 2023, shall be disqualified with all resulting consequences including the forfeiture of any titles, awards, medals, points and prize and appearance money.”

He was also ordered to pay World Athletics $3,000 “as contribution towards the legal fees and other expenses incurred in connection with these proceedings”.

The All Progressives Congress has moved its presidential primary election to June 6 and 7.

The party reached the decision after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) bowed to pressured by political parties to extend the dates for primary elections.

INEC in a statement on Friday, extended the dates for primaries by six days.

WesternPost had earlier exclusively reported that the party was planning on postponing the presidential primaries.

WesternPost learnt the postponement was one of the issues discussed during a meeting APC National Chairman, Senator Abdullahi Adamu; INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmud Yakubu; and Secretary to the Government of the Federation Boss Mustapha had with President Muhammadu Buhari.

The planned postponement was exemplified in the delay in the commencement of activities towards the APC convention is already causing apprehension in Abuja.

This was the second time APC was shifting the dates for the presidential primaries after initially moving it from the first scheduled date of May 31 and June 1.

Governors elected on the platform of All Progressives Congress met with President Muhammadu Buhari earlier today ahead of the meeting of National Executive Committee meeting of the party slated for Wednesday in Abuja.

This is just as the National Working Committee of the party led by Senator Abdullahi Adamu also met today to prepare agenda for the NEC meeting that will be attended by all Governors, members of the National Assembly, former Governors, State Chairmen, and other relevant party stakeholders.

WesternPost gathered that the NWC has already adopted the indirect form of primaries for electing its presidential candidate and other flagbearers for various offices in the 2023 general elections.

The NWC decision was taken by the National Working Committee of the party at their meeting on Tuesday in Abuja.

A source within the NWC told WesternPost that they decided to go against the consensus arrangement that was used to pick the party leaders at the convention last month, asking all aspirants to test their popularity in the field.

There had been speculations that the party will adopt a consensus arrangement to choose its presidential candidate just like it did during last party convention where most party positions were filled through consensus.

Some of the presidential aspirants who are posturing as the anointed candidate of President Buhari have been canvassing for the use of consensus arrangement using their foot soldiers to push the agenda.

Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, recently launched verbal attacks at his political benefactor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, over their support of different aspirants at the Osun All Progressives Congress, APC.

Western Post however reported that Aregbesola who has been Tinubu’s associate for over two decades before the disagreement is trying to retrace his steps and mend fences with his boss.

In this report, OKUNADE ADEKUNLE writes on ten political associates of Tinubu who had once erred but later returned to him for forgiveness

1. Otunba Femi Pedro

Pedro, a former banker, served as Lagos State deputy governor from 2003 till May 10 2007, when he was impeached by the House of Assembly for gross misconduct. Prior to his impeachment saga, Pedro enjoyed smooth and cordial relationship with his boss and benefactor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, whom he served under for four years.

The relationship between Tinubu and Pedro turned sour when the latter showed interest in succeeding his boss after 2007, which many analysts believed Tinubu was not comfortable with. At that time, Tinubu had begun to gravitate towards Babatunde Raji Fashola as the campaign season drew closer.

This angered Pedro who left the Action Congress, AC, to join the Labour Party, where he declared for the governorship seat December 13, 2006. On January 30, 2007, Pedro named a University lecturer, Oluranti Adebule, as his running mate for the April 19 elections. Pedro however lost at the general elections to Fashola.

Pedro again vied for the state’s number 1 seat in 2010, when with support and goodwill from the party’s hierarchy in Abuja, but lost the party’s ticket for the 2011 governorship election to Dr. Ade Dosunmu.

Reconciliation moves

After losing the 2007 and 2011 governorship elections, Pedro in 2013 initiated reconciliation moves to settle with his former boss and benefactor, Tinubu. It was also learnt that Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, played a key role in reconciling the duo as he publicly and privately encouraged the reconciliation moves after Tinubu had graced the wedding ceremony of Pedro’s son in 2012, which was the first time they had been publicly seen together since 2006.

In December 2013, Pedro was said to have held a secret meeting with Tinubu, the then Rivers State Governor and current Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, and the former interim National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande, to finalise his move to APC. Within a matter of days, Pedro released a statement confirming his move to the APC and rejoining Tinubu’s political dynasty.

On December 31, 2015, the Lagos State House of Assembly invalidated Pedro’s 2007 impeachment by way of a resolution passed by the majority of its members so that he could enjoy all the paraphernalia of a deputy governor of the state.

2. Sen. Seye Ogunlewe
Ogunlewe was elected Senator on the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD) in 1999, representing Lagos East Senatorial District, before defecting to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ). At this time, Tinubu was governor of the state and they both had robust and friendly political relationship before the sudden feud. Ogunlewe later became the Minister of Works (July 2003 to March 2006) during the second term of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Ogunlewe/Tinubu feud

The failure of Tinubu to support the 2003 re-election bid of Ogunlewe and his strong ties with the then aggrieved Afenifere leaders were said to have caused the feud between the duo as Tinubu was rooting for the then Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Olorunnimbe Mamora, to replace Ogunlewe at the senate. This made Ogunlewe to defect to the PDP to actualise his second term bid but could not succeed as he lost to Mamora at the general elections.

While as works minister, Ogunlewe renewed his battle with Tinubu which also often led to clashes between agents of the Federal Ministry of Works and officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, over control of federal roads. The dispute between the duo was also said to have cost Ogunlewe’s son, Moyo (current Chairman of Kosofe LG) his dream to represent Kosofe constituency 1 at the Lagos State House of Assembly twice.

Reconciliation moves

The process of reconciliation between the duo was not publicly but privately as Ogunlewe was said to have met with Tinubu quietly after he could not resolve his dispute with his former political patron, Chief Bode George, the then Deputy National Chairman of the PDP.

3. Sen. Musiliu Obanikoro
Obanikoro served as commissioner for home affairs in 1999-2003 under the first administration of Bola Tinubu before being elected as Senator between 2003-2007. While serving as commissioner, Obanikoro played key political role in the Tinubu Dynasty and this earned him the senatorial ticket of the AD to represent Lagos Central. He was perceived to be the right-hand man of Tinubu and his point-man in Lagos Central not until political feud broke out between the duo over succession.

The Senator who had begun to show interest in the governorship race immediately he resumed the Senate, was said to have been building political structures across Lagos, a move Tinubu was reportedly not comfortable with because of his strong interest in Fashola. Although, Obanikoro after observing that he could not get the governorship ticket of the Action Congress (AC) quickly defected to the PDP to realise his dream. He was controversially handed the ticket of the PDP in 2007, but lost at the poll to Tinubu’s candidate.

Reconciliation moves

Obanikoro’s reconciliation moves were both secretly and publicly with funfair where he was openly handed over the flag of the APC by the then State Chairman, Chief Henry Ajomale, on November 2017.

Little wonder that Obanikoro – who openly cast aspersions on Tinubu and heavily deployed federal might during elections against the ruling APC in Lagos – could openly on the day of his return to the party in his speech say that “At this stage of my life, it is important for me to return to my original base and be part of the giant strides that has been achieved in Lagos State, which would not have been possible, but for the wisdom and sagacity of the architect of our modern democracy, my indefatigable Oga, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

“Politics is based and premised on ideologies and powered by interests. I am a progressive and my inalienable conviction about leadership is the need to identify with the yearnings of my people. I am a very proud son of Lagos and I will always do my best to support and fortify any efforts, social, economic or political directed at repositioning my home state for more development and prosperity.

“My political voyage started from this association and I am proud to have learnt under our great leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. The late Chief Obafemi Awolowo is the greatest politician of all time and I make bold to say that the greatest politician of our time is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Today, with thousands of my followers, I rededicate myself to the progress and prosperity of Lagos.”

Ever since his return, Obanikoro has continued to enjoy the benefits of being a member of Tinubu’s political dynasty as his son was elected on the platform of the party in 2019 to represent Eti-Osa federal constituency.

4. Sen. Tokunbo Afikuyomi
Afikuyomi like Ogunlewe was elected into the Senate at the beginning of the fourth republic in 1999 to represent Lagos Central Senatorial District under the platform of Alliance for Democracy (AD) and also sought re-election and won in 2003. Afikuyomi who had strong political tie with Tinubu since the days of National Democractic Coalition (NADECO), played a key role in Tinubu’s exoneration during the Chicago State University certificate scandal that nearly consumed Tinubu in 2002 when Afikuyomi admitted that he mistakenly filled the INEC nomination form for Tinubu.

Things fell apart between the duo in 2007 when Afikuyomi expressed his intention to succeed Tinubu after the expiration of his tenure as governor. He actively campaigned across the wards and local governments for the governorship ticket and reached out to stakeholders in the AC with the believe that he would be handed the party ticket but Tinubu went for different choice.

This angered Afikuyomi and at the late hour defected to the All Nigerians Peoples Party (ANPP) to contest the governorship election in 2007. An interesting thing about his political move at that time, was his quick manoeuvre to the AC a day to the election in April and thereafter served as the party’s state agent at INEC.

Reconciliation moves

Like Ogunlewe, Afikuyomi secretly and quietly returned to the Tinubu political dynasty after serious negotiation for relevance in Fashola’s administration. Afikuyomi was later appointed Commissioner for Tourism and Intergovernmental Relations in the first term of Fashola, an appointment many analysts believed he negotiated for to step down from the governorship race at twilight of the general elections.

One can argue that Afikuyomi joined the league of Tinubu’s strong loyalists who betrayed him at a time they ought not to because of the strategic roles they played in the build-up to the enthronement of civil rule in 1999.

Since he had been forgiven by Tinubu, Afikuyomi has been appointed to supervise party activities including chairing the Lagos APC Local government Election Committee in 2017.

Currently, it was rumoured that he is contesting for APC National Vice Chairman (South).

5. Chief Mrs Oluremi Adiukwu
Adiukwu served as Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs between 2003 and 2005 during the second term of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, becoming the first female ever to serve in that capacity. Before her appointment as commissioner and joining the AD, Adikwu had aspired to be Lagos governor in 2003 under the PDP.

In 2005, when Tinubu rejiged his cabinet, Adiukwu was moved to Ministry of Commerce and Industries before she ran into trouble with her boss because of her interest to succeed him at Alausa Round House.

As expected and being a grassroots politician from Oshodi/Isolo local government, Adikwu was able to mobilise strongly for the actualisation of her dream but could not outshine her boss who had anointed his then Chief of Staff, Fashola, to take over from him in 2007. She angrily left the AC to contest in Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) but lost to Fashola at the general elections and thereafter joined the PDP till 2018 when she returned to the APC and the Tinubu dynasty.

Reconciliation moves

One major move she made to reconcile with Tinubu was to lobby the then Governor of Osun state and current Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola. A close source who was privy to her return to the APC, said that Aregbesola played a key role in her return to the Tinubu political family in 2018. The source further disclosed that Adiukwu had to convincingly assure Aregbesola of winning Oshodi/Isolo for the APC in the 2019 general elections, a promise she fulfilled because before then, the PDP won all general elections in the local government in 2015.

Like Obanikoro, Adiukwu was welcomed back to the Tinubu political family elegantly and with funfair at the APC state secretariat in Acme, Ikeja. In her speech on the day of her return to the APC, Adiukwu said her coming to APC was motivated by the development the party had brought to the state and the positive politics of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, national leader of the party.

Since then, Adiukwu had been exerting influence on the party politics of Oshodi/Isolo and playing key role in determining who gets what and how in Oshodi/Isolo APC.

sammietos:
Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, Sunday evening, returned to the country from his annual leave, amidst rumours of his hospitalisation.

Governor Akeredolu shared a video of himself arriving at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja being received by some aides.

Among those seen receiving the governor was his Special Adviser on Public and Intergovernmental Relations, Bunmi Ademosun.

News had surfaced online about Akeredolu’s health, suggesting his was being hospitalised, while others claimed he was close to death.

Sahara Reporters had reported on April 7 that Akeredolu was flown out sick to a Germany hospital where he was hospitalised and receiving treatment.

This was quickly debunked by hie media team, who said he was only outside the country to observe the first leg of his annual leave.

In a statement he signed, Akeredolu’s Chief Press Secretary, Richard Olatunde, said the reports were being sponsored to discredit the governor.

According to him, contrary to the report, the governor attended the annual Investment Meeting in the United Emirates between March 28 to 31 before proceeding on his annual leave.

While the rumour was yet to die, blogger Gistlover posted on April 16 that Governor Akeredolu was being treated of prostate cancer and was on live support, with rumours that he had died.

To debunk the rumours, the governor’s media team again posted videos of Akeredolu singing and talking with a friend online.

With Governor Akeredolu back in the country, it puts to an end speculation surrounding his health.

femi312:
imperiouxx and oludare01 might able to give you more insight on clinical chemistry schools after you have put in some work. However, this website is a good place to start to give you a general application and funding information, http://graddecision.org/ So step 1) Decide on the course you want to study 2) Search for schools using a)
www.msinus.com (b) www.gradschools.com c) www.google.com (you can just type 'msc in bla bla in the us in google' d) www.usnews.com e)
www.4icu.org . 3) check up the website of the schools you find, to see the requirements. most schools will require GRE and some will require both gre and toefl . 4) Register for standardize exam and take it. You can register for gre as soon as you are ready and prepared to take the exam. Its done online at www.ets.org. You can also get all the information you need about the exam on the website. You will get adequate materials to prepare for the exam in this dropbox https://www.dropbox.com/sh/t9ot6d07hp1lkm7/AADL_dTihjEvNBRCBsmAcoXja?dl=0

As for the Tuition, if you have good profile (GRE, GPA, Toefl), SOP and LOR; US schools do offer assistanship to graduate students. This can either be Research Assistant, Teaching Assistant or Administrative Assistant. Depending on the school, if you get an assistantship, your Tuition will be waived and you will also be paid a monthly stipend that can take care of your living expenses. One advice, once you shortlist schools, send emails to the grad cord of the schools and ask specific questions relating to that course and funding opportunities, be very explicit. With your first class, you have a VERY good chance of getting a full assistantantship in a good school. Just make sure you ace your GRE, > 315 is a very good score to complement your GPA

Lastly, there are basically 2 admission session in the US, Spring (Jan) and Fall (August). Schools admit more students in Fall, so Its advisable you plan towards Fall 2019. If you plan to resume in fall 2019, make sure you submit all your application documents before ending of Dec 2018. If you don't give it a trial, you will never know. Always do your part, with that your don't get to regret later. Above all, if you believe in God,pray to him.

femi312:
First, what course do you intend to study? Scholarships are not that common for graduate studies. What is common is assistantships where you work for a prof as a TA or Ra and your tuition is waived with monthly stipend to take care of your living expenses.