Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naijaonpoint roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 9th May 2024
President Bola Tinubu has returned to Abuja after his trips to the Netherlands and Saudi Arabia.
The Nigerian leader arrived at the presidential wing of the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja on Wednesday morning.
President Tinubu was received at the airport by ministers, senior government officials and security heads.
Naijaonpoint recalls the President was in the Netherlands at the invitation of the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Mark Rutte.
After his official visit to the Netherlands, the President proceeded to attend a special World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting held from April 28-29 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has rejected the newly announced cybersecurity levy introduced by the federal government and called for the immediate termination of the policy.
The TUC, in a statement on Wednesday by its president, Festus Osifo, accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of inflicting nothing but pain, anguish and sorrow on Nigerians since its inception in May 2023.
It also called on the federal government to direct the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to withdraw the circular on the 0.5 percent cybersecurity levy on electronic transactions, which is set to kick off by May 20.
It described the policies of the current government as unfriendly and a conspiracy against the masses.
According to the TUC, if the government fails to withdraw the cybersecurity levy, members, stakeholders, and the masses would be mobilized to embark on an immediate protest that would culminate into a total shutdown of the Nigerian economy as this was one exploitation too many.
The Labour Union said the levy is insensitive and ill-timed as it is coming at a time when Nigerians are already economically battered and grappling with high cost of living occasioned by fuel subsidy removal.
Instead of focusing on the cybersecurity levy, the TUC urged the government to expedite action on implementing the new minimum wage for Nigerians.
The President Bola Tinubu-led federal government has accused the leadership of cryptocurrency trading platform, Binance of attempting to blackmail the government amid an ongoing trial that the company is currently facing in the country.
This allegation was made in a statement released on Wednesday by Rabiu Ibrahim, the Special Assistant to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Malagi.
Naijaonpoint recalls that Binance had alleged that some top government officials were demanding $150 million in cryptocurrency to settle the criminal charges levelled against the financial firm.
However, in the statement, the federal government argued that the claim lacked any substance and was intended to blackmail the government.
The statement read, “This claim by Binance CEO lacks any iota of substance. It is nothing but a diversionary tactic and an attempted act of blackmail by a company desperate to obfuscate the grievous criminal charges it is facing in Nigeria.
“The facts of this matter remain that Binance is being investigated in Nigeria for allowing its platform to be used for money laundering, terrorism financing, and foreign exchange manipulation through illegal trading.”
Senator Jimoh Ibrahim has petitioned the Federal High Court in Abuja to nullify the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election held on April 20.
Naijaonpoint reports that Senator Ibrahim, representing Ondo South, is contesting the legitimacy of incumbent Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s nomination as the party’s candidate for the forthcoming gubernatorial election, which is slated for November 16.
The lawsuit, which also names the APC, Governor Aiyedatiwa, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants, alleges serious irregularities in the primary process.
Senator Ibrahim, through his legal team led by Chief Chris Uche, SAN, argues that the primary election was fraught with procedural errors and breaches of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, specifically sections 221 and 228 and section 84 of the Electoral Act, 2022.
The crux of Senator Ibrahim’s grievance lies in the accusation that several delegates, presumably his supporters, were not accredited and thus could not participate in the voting process.
According to him, this compromised the fairness of the primary, rendering it invalid.
In his legal challenge, Senator Ibrahim seeks several judicial remedies, including an order to prevent INEC from recognizing Governor Aiyedatiwa as the APC’s candidate.
He is also asking for a perpetual injunction that would prohibit Aiyedatiwa from presenting himself as the party’s nominee.
Lawmakers loyal to Governor Siminalayi Fubara have elected Hon. Victor Oko Jumbo, representing Bonny Constituency, as the new Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Naijaonpoint reports that Hon. Oko Jumbo, on Wednesday, took the oath of office as the factional Speaker of the Assembly following his election by two lawmakers loyal to the state governor.
Jumbo expressed willingness to work with Governor Fubara, stating that he has directed the Clerk of the Assembly to communicate the emergence of a new leadership of the assembly to the executive.
The emergence of a new Speaker has led to the total collapse of the peace deal brokered between the parties by President Bola Tinubu, returning all involved in the impasse to the trenches.
Fubara has refused to recognise the state House of Assembly, led by Hon. Martin Amaewhule, following the decison of the lawmakers loyal to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He had claimed that the Amaewhule-led Assembly had ceased to exist by law.
The Editor of FirstNews, Segun Olatunji, has tendered his resignation after the publication apologised to the Chief of Staff of President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Recall that Olatunji had spent 14 days in the custody of Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) Abuja for a report on Gbajabiamila.
The report titled: “How Gbajabiamila attempted to corner $30bn, 66 houses traced to Sabiu” was written by Olatunji.
Gbajabiamila had in a statement on Tuesday threatened to drag Olatunji and FirstNews to court over the article and another interview granted by the Editor to the Foundation of Investigative Journalism (FIJ).
The First News Management, in a statement on Wednesday, May 8, said it had discovered the said story contained “falsehoods and fabricated stories handed out to us as facts by a misleading source which was highly negligent on our part and for which we deeply tender an unreserved apology to the Chief of Staff to the President.”
In his resignation letter after the apology, Olatunji said he resigned for his safety and that of the family.
Hinting that he was unhappy about the apology, he expressed hope that the truth would come out soonest on what transpired over the report.
President Bola Tinubu is set to commission the Funtua Inland Dry Port in Katsina State on Thursday, May 9.
The project inauguration is set to hold hours after President Tinubu returned to Nigeria in the early hours of Wednesday following two weeks of overseas journey.
The Assistant Director, Public Relations Unit, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Rebecca Adamu, who gave the update on the project, said the inauguration would be conducted at Funtua IDP Project Site, Katsina, at 11: 00 a.m.
Speaking to newsmen in Lagos on Wednesday, Adamu described the sea port as one of the pivotal projects to showcase the NSC commitments to facilitating trade in the country.
Former Aviation Minister, Hadi Sirika, is set to face trial on Thursday before Justice Sylvanus Oriji of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, over allegations of abuse of office and fraudulent contracts awarded during his tenure.
Naijaonpoint reports that Sirika, who served under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, will be arraigned on a six-count amended charge alongside three others, including his daughter, Fatima; Jalal Hamma; and Al-Duraq Investment Ltd.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been investigating Sirika over alleged contract malfeasance and fraudulent activities while he was in office.
According to sources, the former minister was invited by the Abuja Zonal Command of the EFCC on April 23 for questioning and was subsequently detained at the commission’s Formella Street, Wuse 2 zonal office.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an injunction preventing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from removing, selecting a replacement for Umar Damagum as its Acting National Chairman until a lawsuit brought by two party chieftains is resolved.
Naijaonpoint reports that Justice Peter Lifu delivered the ruling based on an urgent affidavit submitted by the plaintiffs. Senator Umar Maina and Alhaji Zanna Gaddama filed the suit, identified as FHC/ABJ/CS/579/2024, naming the PDP, its National Working Committee (NWC), National Executive Committee (NEC), Board of Trustees (BOT), and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.
In addition to the originating summons, the plaintiffs requested an interim order to keep Damagum in his role as Acting National Chairman until their case is heard.
Following arguments from the plaintiffs’ legal team, led by Mr M. O. Onyilokwu, Justice Lifu granted the requests.
Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has barred all heads and officials of the 23 local government areas in the state from appearing before the Rivers Assembly, especially the lawmakers loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital (FCT), Nyesom Wike.
Naijaonpoint learnt that Fubara’s directive is contained in an online circular signed by the Director of Information and Communications for Chairman Local Government Service Commission, Ebirieneuket Nteile C, dated Tuesday, May 7, 2024.
The governor warned that any local government official who appeared before the lawmakers loyal to Wike, led by Martin Amaewhule as Speaker, would be sacked.
The circular read. “I am directed to inform you/ all officers of the 23 Local Government Councils in Rivers State, not to honour/appear before the Members of Assembly or any purported invitation by anybody or group of persons in any guise without the permission of the Acting Chairman- Local Government Service Commission.
“Any staff who disobeys or violates this instruction will be dismissed accordingly from service.
“Treat as very important, please.”
That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naijaonpoint. See you again tomorrow.