Good morning, Nigeria. Welcome to the Naturenex roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Sunday, 8th September, 2024.
1. ‘You Always Talk Before You Think, You Are A Tailor’ – Ighodalo Replies Oshiomhole
The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State, Asue Ighodalo, has taken a dig at former governor, Adams Oshiomhole.
This comes after Oshiomhole claimed that Ighodalo is not electable and familiar with the people of Edo State ahead of the September 12 governorship election.
Ighodalo, in his response during an interview with BBC Pidgin, said Oshiomhole was a tailor while he was a board chairman.
The host asked, “The former governor of Edo state, someone weh you work for his economic team, to offer your expertise and your experience, Adam’s Oshiomhole.”
He said, “Asue Ighodalo is not electable, he doesn’t understand the people, he doesn’t know Edo state. He can’t speak the language of his own village. Wetin go be your response to that?”
Ighodalo countered that Oshiomhole’s remarks were thoughtless, asserting that if Oshiomhole could govern for eight years with minimal experience, he as a seasoned board chairman who has employed ten thousand people, could certainly do better.
2. We Never Imagined Buhari, Tinubu Would Be Such Colossal Failures – Former APC Chieftain
A former National Vice Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has said that erstwhile President, Muhammadu Buhari, and the incumbent President, Bola Tinubu, are responsible for the economic crisis in the country.
He emphasized the importance of taking power from the APC in the 2027 elections.
Speaking via a statement on Saturday, Salihu insisted that replacing the APC is not enough, adding that the citizenry must ensure that the new political party has the power to put elected officials in check.
He condemned the opposition for failing to join forces and work together towards building a common platform capable of overthrowing the APC and President Bola Tinubu in 2027.
The former APC stalwart lamented that it is quite worrisome that despite the dangers before the nation, key opposition leaders believe in a business-as-usual approach to politics.
3. Why We Declared 2023 Presidential Results At 2 AM – INEC
In a crucial clarification that has intrigued the polity, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally addressed the concerns surrounding the timing of the results for the 2023 presidential election.
After a suspense-filled wait, President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was announced as the victor of the fiercely contested election, amassing a total of 8,794,726 votes.
His closest contenders included Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
The declaration came in the early hours of March 1, 2023, at about 2 am, stirring diverse reactions nationwide.
The timing, according to the Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Rotimi Oyekanmi, was dictated by the complex logistics of collating results from Nigeria’s vast geographical spread.
The process involves the aggregation of results from polling units to wards, local governments, states, and finally to the national level in Abuja.
Oyekanmi also emphasized that neither the constitution nor the electoral act mandates a specific time for declaring election results, which allowed the commission the flexibility needed to ensure accuracy and thoroughness in the electoral process.
4. Fuel Scarcity: ‘We Are Not Exclusive Buyers’ – NNPC Denies Monopolizing Dangote Refinery Products
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has clarified its stance regarding the recent accusations by the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), which suggested that NNPC’s actions were undermining the operations of Dangote Refinery Limited (DRL).
According to a statement issued on Saturday by Olufemi Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPC, the company refuted claims that changes in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) would prevent the Dangote Refinery from offering competitive prices.
NNPC emphasized that it is not the sole buyer of petroleum products in Nigeria and that the market remains open for competitive pricing from any local refinery, including DRL.
They reiterated that the pricing of products from any refinery, including DRL, is determined by global market forces, and current high prices present an opportunity for local refineries to sell at lower rates.
The company also dismissed the claim that it is the sole off-taker of products from DRL, stating that domestic refineries are free to sell directly to any marketer on a “willing buyer, willing seller” basis.
The NNPC assured the public that they hold no exclusive rights to distribute Dangote Refinery’s products and that their role in the market remains transparent and competitive.
5. Five Vehicles Burnt As Tanker Explodes In Ibadan
Chaos erupted when a petrol-filled tanker exploded, engulfing two articulated trucks, an 18-seater bus, two commercial taxis, and three motorcycles in the Iyana-Ajia area of Egbeda, Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State.
Naturenex understands that the tanker continues to burn while the other vehicles involved have been reduced to ashes as at the time of filing this report.
The incident took place along the Ibadan section of the Ibadan-Ife Expressway, in close proximity to the construction of the Iyana-Ajia bridge.
It has been reported that there were no fatalities resulting from this event.
6. Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman Help Super Eagles Beat Benin Republic
Victor Osimhen returned from the football wilderness to help the Super Eagles of Nigeria beat the Benin Republic at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo, on Saturday, September 7, 2024.
Recall that Victor Osimhen was the last player to arrive in the Super Eagles camp due to his European transfer tussle.
He was almost stuck at Napoli this summer even though he had made it clear that he wanted to leave the club.
Naturenex reports that after failing to secure a move to Premier League club Chelsea and Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli due to disagreement in the financial aspect of the deal, Osimhen joined Turkish side Galatasaray on loan.
Following the completion of the loan deal, Osimhen joined the Super Eagles camp for the 2025 AFCON qualifiers against Benin Republic two days before the game.
As expected, coach Augustine Eguavoen started him from the bench in favour of Victor Boniface.
In his absence, Ademola Lookman came to the rescue of Nigeria as he gave the Super Eagles the lead in the additional minutes of the first half.
Nigeria went into the break with the slim win and held on to it until after the hour mark when coach Eguavoen brought on Victor Osimhen for Boniface to a loud cheer from the spectators.
His arrival on the pitch changed the pace of the game, and he got his goal in the 78th minute, 6 minutes after his introduction into the game, thanks to an assist from Wilfred Ndidi.
Afterwards, Osimhen failed to convert on one goalscoring opportunity, which could have earned him a historic hat-trick on his return to the national team. Recall that the first time Osimhen played for Nigeria was during the 2023 AFCON final in February 2024.
Lookman made it 3-0 in the 83rd clash with Benin Republic and earned Nigeria a win in their first game of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers.
Super Eagles’ win over the Cheetahs came less than three months after Gernot Rohr’s team beat Nigeria 2-1 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria’s next AFCON qualifier is away against Rwanda on September 10.
7. Federal Government To Embark On Massive Police Recruitment Drive – Tinubu
The Federal Government has promised to provide more equipment and resources to the Nigeria Police Force.
President Bola Tinubu made the pledge on Saturday at the graduation ceremony of 478 students of Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, Kano State.
He said the equipment and resources were to enable the Nigeria Police Force to discharge its responsibilities more effectively.
Tinubu, who Vice-President Kashim Shettima represented, stressed the importance of shunning corruption and upholding the highest level of professionalism in discharging their responsibilities.
He said, “We are also embarking on a massive recruitment drive into the Police Force aimed at empowering our youth to participate in national security efforts.”
The president urged graduands to adhere strictly to the ethics of modern policing in the discharge of their duties. He expressed confidence that the officers had received enough training, both academically and professionally, to make a positive impact on the country’s security architecture.
Tinubu assured that the Federal Government would continue to support the academy, which he described as one of the best training grounds for police officers in Sub-Saharan Africa.
He, therefore, charged the new officers to prioritise the nation’s interests and discharge their constitutional responsibilities and to work dedication and commitment.
8. You Cannot Sacrifice Education For Fuel Scarcity – APC Knocks Edo Govt Over Postponement Of School Resumption
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticised the Edo State Government’s move to indefinitely suspend the resumption date for schools in the state over the hike in the price of fuel.
Naturenex reports that the Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Education, Ojo Akin-Longe, via a memo, announced the postponement of Sept.9, the earlier scheduled date until further notice.
Reacting to the development while speaking to newsmen, the Publicity Secretary of the APC, Peter Uwadiae-Enosorogbe, described the decision as ‘expensive political gimmickry.’
He expressed shock that the state government was willing to sacrifice the educational pursuit of the children for politics.
“You cannot sacrifice the education pursuit of the children for fuel scarcity. It is not today we are having a hike in fuel price. This cannot derail the educational system.
“Nobody is protesting the hike and no parents have complained that they cannot take their children to school for learning. This is not adding up.
“To every reasonable and rational individual, the government has erred again. It is one of the mistakes of the state government.
“It is not in the interest of the children; it is not in the interest of the parents and it is not in the interest of the educational system,” he said.
Uwadiae-Enosorogbe subsequently called for the reversal of the decision, saying the state education had suffered a lot under the incumbent administration.
9. Presidency Disowns Yacht Spotted In France With Nigerian Flag
The presidency, on Saturday, disowned a yacht spotted with the Nigerian flag in St-Tropez, a coastal town in France.
There had been reports of a “presidential yacht belonging to the Nigerian government being used for vacation at St Tropez” on social media.
Senior Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on digital and new media, Otega Ogra, in a post on X, said the yacht belongs to a private individual.
The presidential aide said flags used by the president or armed forces do not contain the coat of arms like the one on the yacht.
Ogra said on Saturday, “There have been false claims circulating that a private individual’s yacht was spotted in St. Tropez is a Nigerian government yacht. Here are some points to consider in order to discern the truth.
“The 42m Bennetti yacht currently being shared online has been privately owned for around 5 years since it was constructed.
“It is important to note that this specific yacht has no connection or ownership ties to the Nigerian government, president or armed forces. Any claims or assertions suggesting otherwise are simply not true and inaccurate.
“It is not uncommon for luxury yachts to fly the flag of the owner’s country as well as the flag of the country in which they are registered.
“The official Nigerian flag is Green-White-Green without a coat of arms in the middle. Flags representing the Nigerian President or the Armed Forces do not contain a coat of arms in the center. Placing anything in the center of the flag is a clear deviation.”
10. Opay To Start Charging Customers For Electronic Transfers Above ₦10,000 (See Why)
Famous fintech company Opay has notified its customers and users that it would start charging a one-time fee of ₦50 on electronic transfers above ₦10,000 paid into their personal or business accounts.
According to the company, the charges, tagged Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL), would become effective as of Monday, September 9, 2024.
Opay, in a message sent to its customers on Saturday, said the charges comply with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) regulations, adding that the company itself does not benefit in any way from the charges as it is directed entirely to the federal government.
The message reads: “Dear valued customer, please be informed that starting September 9th 2024, a one-time fee of N50 will be applied to electronic transfers of N10,000 and above paid into your personal or business account in compliance with the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) regulations.
“It is important to note that Opay does not benefit from this charge in any way as it is directed entirely to the federal government.
“Thank you for your understanding.”
Meanwhile, OPay, has once again emphasized its strict ban on cryptocurrency and virtual asset trading on its platforms.
The company stated that as a compliant organization dedicated to upholding legal, constitutional, and regulatory obligations, it prioritizes the safety, strength, and integrity of the financial system.
The Chief Executive Officer of OPay Nigeria, Gotring Wuritka Dauda, emphasized some weeks back that the company strictly prohibits trading in any form of cryptocurrency or virtual currency on its platform.
