IN 2012, the World Health Organisation, WHO, reported that Non Communicable Diseases, NCDs, notably Cardiovascular Diseases have attained epidemic proportions particularly in developing countries like Nigeria.

OWERRI—Members of Imo State House of Assembly have been urged to pass the Public Finance Management Bill, PFMB, which has for long, been yearning for their action. Citizens, who spoke to Vanguard yesterday on the issue, were of the view that if the Bill had been passed into law, the level of transparency and accountability in the management of goods and services in the state would have been enhanced.

ONITSHA— Three political parties in Anambra State, All Progressives Congress, APC; Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, are trading words over allegations of printing fake result sheets for the forthcoming Presidential and National Assembly elections. However, PDP and APC are accusing the ruling party, APGA, of having a hand in the fake result sheets.

SAPELE—A signed death certificate of All Progressives Congress, APC, House of Representatives candidate for Okpe, Uvwie & Sapele Federal Constituency, Delta State, Chief Christopher Anirah, sent to the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, is generating commotion in the state chapter of the party.

BENIN—MAJORITY Leader of Edo State House of Assembly and All Progressives Congress, APC, House of Representatives candidate for Etsako federal constituency, Mr Philip Shaibu, has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to commence the prosecution of those arrested over alleged purchase of Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, from people so as to serve as a deterrent to others.

PORT HARCOURT—Rivers Elders and Leaders Council, RELEC, has called on Rivers people to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan in the presidential election. Chairman of the body and former Director, State Security Service, Chief Albert Horsfall, who addressed newsmen in Port Harcourt at the end of a meeting of the body, said that as elders, they had resolved to call on all indigenes of the state to vote for Jonathan, adding that the call was in line with the agitation of the region for a South-South president.

Former Flying Eagles head coach, Paul Hamilton has said the side have what it takes to overcome the Ghanaian opponents, the Black satellites.

CALABAR—HOODLUMS, numbering seven, Sunday night, abducted Chief Dominic Aqua Edem, Labour Party, LP, House of Representatives candidate for Calabar South/Akpabuyo/Bakassi Federal Constituency and took him to an unknown destination. The hoodlums, according to one of his aides, laid wait for him outside his home at Ikotenim in the Western part of Calabar.

Former Nigeria international Willy Bazuaye has died, few days after being rushed into intensive care unit of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.

THE Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC approved the suspension of Rule 42 (5)(e) of the Consolidated Rules and Regulations of the Commission for 90 days, effective February 25, 2015. The suspended rule provides: “Membership of an Audit Committee shall be for a term of three (3) years, subject to good performance; Provided, that such Member shall not be eligible for re-election until the expiration of three (3) years after his previous term”. In this interview with Alhaji Gbadebo Olatokunbo, shareholder activist, he said the regulators should listen more to the shareholders.