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Ombugadu Leading Global TB Caucus Advocates for Action Against Tuberculosis

From Abel Leonard, Lafia
Rt. Hon. David Emmanuel Ombugadu, representing the Global TB Caucus, has emphasized the need for innovative financing and strategic interventions to combat tuberculosis (TB) in Africa.
The Global TB Caucus, an international network of over 2,500 parliamentarians from more than 150 countries, continues to champion the fight against TB worldwide. Ombugadu’s advocacy explains the need for collective action to address the challenges posed by the disease and ensure sustainable solutions for its eradication.
Representing Global TB Caucus at the Africa Dialogue: Financing to End Tuberculosis in Abuja, Ombugadu noted the vital role of parliamentarians in addressing TB challenges and integrating solutions into national health systems.
The dialogue, held from December 10 to 11, 2024, at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, was hosted by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in collaboration with the African Union (AU), Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Health, and the Stop TB Partnership. The event brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from the Global Fund, the Mineral Council, the Copenhagen Consensus Centre, and civil society organizations from across Africa.
In his remarks, Ombugadu reflected on his tenure as chair of the TB and HIV Committee in Nigeria’s House of Representatives and his co-chairmanship of the African TB Conference. He highlighted the importance of parliamentarians taking a lead role in advocacy and resource allocation for TB interventions.
“As parliamentarians, we have a unique responsibility to address TB in our constituencies. During my time in the House, I ensured that members were informed about the TB burden in their constituencies by providing data on affected individuals and available treatment facilities. This helped build understanding and support for TB interventions,” Ombugadu said.
He further emphasized integrating TB initiatives into existing health systems. “I worked to incorporate TB funding into Nigeria’s National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), with budgetary provisions to cover 17,000 lives in my constituency. Although only 4,000 lives were captured initially due to funding constraints, this demonstrates the potential of including TB treatment in health insurance programs,” he added.
Ombugadu also called for utilizing constituency project funds to address gaps in TB diagnosis and treatment. “I proposed that members of parliament allocate resources for purchasing TB scan machines. Although this initiative was not fully realized during my tenure, I plan to engage with the current House Committee on TB, HIV, and Malaria to revive this effort,” he said.
The Minister of Health, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, who was a special guest at the event, commended the dialogue for fostering actionable solutions. He stressed the need for integrated funding approaches and sector-wide programs to combat TB effectively.
The focus of the discussions was on bridging funding gaps for TB control through innovative solutions such as leveraging the Global Fund, the Pandemic Fund, cross-sectoral financing through Primary Health Care (PHC) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and climate-related funding. A priority agenda item was issuing a joint statement on financing the “End of TB in Africa.”
The event concluded with a shared commitment to issuing a joint statement on financing TB eradication efforts across Africa. Stakeholders agreed on the critical role of parliamentarians, private sector collaboration, and innovative financing in achieving the goal of ending TB.
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SERAP sues Akpabio over ‘failure to reverse unlawful suspension of Natasha Akpoti’

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against Senate President Godswill Akpabio over the suspension of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. The group argues that the suspension is unlawful and violates her fundamental right to freedom of expression.
SERAP is seeking a court order compelling Akpabio to reverse the six-month suspension, reinstate Akpoti-Uduaghan, and restore all her legislative privileges. The organization also wants an injunction preventing the Senate from imposing further disciplinary actions against her for expressing her views.
Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was suspended after she reportedly spoke without permission and rejected a new seat assignment in the Senate chamber. As part of her suspension, her salary and allowances have been withheld, and she has been barred from identifying as a senator.
In its suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, SERAP contends that the suspension deprives Akpoti-Uduaghan’s constituents of political representation. The organization also argues that penalizing a senator for exercising free speech creates a chilling effect on other lawmakers.
“No one should ever be punished for speaking without permission,” SERAP stated. “The Senate should uphold the rule of law and protect human rights, not suppress them.”
The group cites constitutional provisions and international human rights treaties, including Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
SERAP maintains that the Senate Standing Orders cannot override constitutional guarantees of free speech. The lawsuit emphasizes that restricting a senator’s expression undermines democracy and violates Nigerians’ right to receive information and participate politically.
No date has been set for the hearing of the case.
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Market associations, women groups knock el-Rufai, rally support for Tinubu, Gov Sani

Ahead of the 2027 elections, hundreds of members of market associations and numerous women groups in Kaduna state at the weekend, occupied Kaduna metropolis in a peaceful demonstration where they reiterated their loyalty and support to the administration of
Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna state and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The protesters who alleged that they had bitter experiences during the El-Rufa’i administration, said they would remain where Governor Uba Sani stood and advised the citizens of Kaduna not to be deceived by doing the contrary.
They recounted their ordeals during the 8 years of the previous administration, alleging that hundreds of market shops belonging to individuals were either seized, demolished or confiscated, a situation that triggered ill health in many traders and business owners leading to paralysis and multiple deaths of their colleagues.
“We’ve been in the market for over 40 years and have never experienced the kind of set backs we suffered under the previous Governor.”
“A lot of lives were lost,a lot of finances were ruined by reason of his kind of policies. We are here to speak with one voice and say that anything that would kind of revive such kind of philosophy in Kaduna market, we don’t want it,” Daniel Audu Maigari, a stakeholder of the Kaduna Market associations, has said.
He explained that “this incumbent Governor began by healing the wounds, the wounds that were really severed by the former Governor. Governor Uba Sani has been doing so,so very well and that’s why we’ve been with our leader, Alhaji Abdurrahman Mohammed, who like Governor Sani,has been charting the right course, ensuring programmes and plans that will heal these wounds .”
He said there was never been a time they are having the impact of leadership in Kaduna market, like they are having now.
” Now we’ve lots of incentives, lots of policies that are driving us to progress .We are now standing with one voice to denounce anything that would reverse this,” he said.
Alhaji Daiyabu Ismail Mai Gwanjo, Chairman Stakeholders of the Kaduna State Market Traders associations, said on behalf of their leader,Alhaji Abdurrahman Mohammed, his EXCO and all trader leaders in the 23 Local Government Areas of Kaduna State, they have gathered to unilaterally declare an unalloyed support to Governor Uba Sani who had taken care of them and protected their interests.
According to him,” we have to say so,haven had the harrowing experience in the hands of the past administration. The scar still remains and many are yet to recover.”
“But when Almighty Allah sent Governor Uba Sani to us,he declared he would not do anything bad to traders because the world thrives on businesses.All the most cherished countries like China, Canada, UAE, India,are very proud of and supportive to their traders and other business persons.”
“Unfortunately, we found ourselves during the previous administration that neither showed empathy nor sympathy to traders. An approximate number of 36 markets were demolished at that time.None of these markets was completely rebuild ,till date,and we are suspicious of the collaboration between the previous administration and the market developers.”
“We are therefore calling on Governor Uba Sani, our Governor of sympathy and understanding, to look at this issue with a view to resolving it.We are with Uba Sani a hundred percent, ” he added.
Hajiya Hadiza Abdulaziz,a woman leader of the market association,said they have gathered in multitudes to reiterate their support to the APC and Governor Uba Sani who has tremendously supported the market men and women in Kaduna State.
” Most of the market women had no shops because the shops were collected. But now we give God the glory everybody has gotten their shops back and nobody will collect it again,” she said.
She expressed happiness that those making the market women not to achieve, had left the party and government.
“We’ve been crying, a lot of market women don’t have capital, they have been deceiving us.But now,I believe Governor Uba Sani is going to assist us,”she added.
The protesters later took to the streets ,displaying placards with various inscriptions denouncing the previous arrangements, and chanting slogans in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Uba Sani and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
” Most of the market women had no shops because the shops were collected. But now we give God the glory everybody has gotten their shops back and nobody will collect it again,” she said.
She expressed happiness that those making the market women not to achieve, had left the party and government.
“We’ve been crying, a lot of market women don’t have capital, they have been deceiving us.But now,I believe Governor Uba Sani is going to assist us,”she added.
The protesters later took to the streets ,displaying placards with various inscriptions denouncing the previous arrangements, and chanting slogans in support of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Uba Sani and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
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