Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Sunday, 19th May, 2024

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naijaonpoint roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Sunday, 19th May 2024.

President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointments of 555 persons to serve as Pro-chancellors/Chairmen and members of the Governing Boards of 111 Federal Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education.

Naijaonpoint reports that the appointment of the governing council followed Tinubu’s assent to a list of nominees selected by the Ministry of Education.

An advertorial signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Didi Esther Walson-Jack, showed the appointment of a chairperson and four members for each institution.

The advertorial stated that the Inaugural/Retreat for the Chairmen and Members of the Governing Councils of Tertiary Institutions will take place on Thursday, May 30th, and Friday, May 31st, 2024.

It added that the inauguration and retreat would take place at the National Universities Commission, 26 Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, at 9:00 am daily.

Some Rivers State elders have declared their support for Governor Siminalayi Fubara in his political supremacy battle with his predecessor cum the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike.

The elders, who are members of the Rivers State Elders Council, include High Chief Anabs Sara-Igbe, Chief Rufus Ada-George, Chief Asukewe Iko-Awaji, High Chief Sunnie Chukumele, and a former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus.

Other prominent members of the council include a former deputy governor, Dr Gabriel Toby, a Second Republic lawmaker, Senator Bennett Birabi, a Niger Delta activist, Mrs Ann Kio-Briggs, and former Senator, Andrew Uchendu.

Speaking in separate interviews with Punch, the elders advised Fubara to stand firm against Wike and deliver dividends of democracy to the Rivers people.

The elders, who have been vocal about the state’s happenings, said they would not allow the state to be plunged into an avoidable crisis.

President Bola Tinubu has called for synergy and stronger coordinated action to address economic challenges within African nations.

The Nigerian leader made the call at the State House on Friday during the presentation of Letters of Credence by newly-appointed ambassadors to Nigeria.

The ambassadors who presented their credentials were Ambassador Edouard Nduwimana, Burundi Ambassador to Nigeria; Ambassador Mersole Mellejor, Philippines Ambassador to Nigeria, and the High Commissioner of Kenya to Nigeria, Isaac Parashina.

In separate meetings with each ambassador, President Tinubu emphasized that Nigeria values warm and brotherly relations with their respective countries.

The president added that Nigeria remains a steadfast partner in promoting democratic values and economic opportunities that benefit citizens of all partner nations.

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has said he would step down for Peter Obi if he is chosen as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2027 general election.

Naijaonpoint reports that Obi is still a member of the Labour Party (LP) and the party’s presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections.

In an interview with BBC Hausa on Friday, Atiku said he would abide by the decision of party members if they unanimously agreed to zone the PDP’s presidential candidate to the South East.

Atiku added that if the party selects Obi as the presidential candidate in 2027, he will readily offer his support to him.

Atiku stated that it was too early to decide his presidential ambition or whether he would run for president in the 2027 elections, adding that party members would decide his fate.

The Federal Government is contemplating helping independent fuel marketers finance the installation of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) sales pumps at filling stations nationwide.

Naijaonpoint reports that this initiative follows concerns raised by the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) regarding the high costs associated with installing these pumps, as mandated by a presidential directive to promote the CNG initiative.

During an interview with Punch, the Public Relations Officer of IPMAN, Chinedu Ukadike, voiced the challenges faced by marketers due to prohibitive installation costs and high interest rates from banks.

He suggested the establishment of an ‘energy bank’ to provide more accessible loans for marketers.

Africa’s richest man and Chairman of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, announced that Nigeria would cease to import gasoline within the next month thanks to the operations of the Dangote Refinery.

In a groundbreaking statement at the Africa CEO Forum Annual Summit in Kigali on Friday, Dangote expressed his confidence in the refinery’s capacity to meet not only Nigeria’s petrol and diesel requirements but also the broader needs of West Africa and the continent’s aviation fuel demand.

Dangote also shared insights into the refinery’s production capabilities, noting that it will not only serve Nigeria but is also poised to supply West Africa, Central Africa, and South Africa.

He stressed the importance of transitioning from raw material exportation to finished product production to foster job creation and economic development.

The industrial magnate also touched on challenges such as policy inconsistency, which he identified as a major obstacle for African entrepreneurs.

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has said he has no plans of retiring from active politics.
The former vice president stated this during an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBCC) on Friday in Abuja.

Atiku, the Turaki of Adamawa, also refuted a claim that he would retire from active politics after the 2023 presidential election, saying that those peddling the claim are dreaming.

The former presidential candidate stated that he fought various military governments fiercely and would never retrace from fighting injustice and bad governance against the citizens.

Atiku stated that his active politics does not in any way block the chances of young politicians contesting for the presidency or any other elective position.

The Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has disowned a WhatsApp post claiming that she is bringing investors to Nigeria.

In a post via her official X handle on Friday, the former Minister of Finance stated that she does not use the WhatsApp Broadcast feature and the message did not originate from her.

Describing the message as fake, the WTO boss urged members of the public to desist from relying on information circulating on WhatsApp purportedly originated from her.

She described the message as a “bad example” of using social media, stating that peddlers of such misleading information “will not succeed.”

Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State has said his administration has performed better since assuming office a year ago.

The governor stated that his administration has recorded giant strides in infrastructure than any past administration since its inception about a year ago.

Fubara made the remark on Saturday in Ngo Town at the inauguration of the Andoni section of the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo Unity Road project, Andoni Local Government Area.

While he did not mention any past administration, Fubara said since coming on board, his government has done well in the execution of projects, promising to do more for residents of the oil-rich state.

Lauretta Onochie, a former Media Aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has stated that the reelection of President Bola Tinubu on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) would be made easy if the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, step down for his Labour Party (LP) counterpart, Peter Obi, in 2027.

Naijaonpoint recalls that Obi and Atiku recently met behind closed doors, sparking speculations about a merger of some opposition political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Confirming the move by opposition parties to align in a bid to unseat the APC in the 2027 election, Atiku said he would step down for Peter Obi if he is chosen as the party’s presidential candidate in the 2027 general election.

In an interview with BBC Hausa on Friday, Atiku said he would abide by the decision of party members if they unanimously agreed to zone the PDP’s presidential candidate to the South East.

Atiku added that if the party selects Obi as the presidential candidate in 2027, he will readily offer his support to him.

Reacting, Onochie, in a post via X on Saturday, said Atiku stepping down for Obi would make President Tinubu’s reelection easier and prayed that Atiku would make such a decision in 2027.

That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naijaonpoint. See you again tomorrow.