Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naturenex roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 26th September, 2024
1. Tinubu Will Reshuffle Cabinet – Presidency Confirms
President Bola Tinubu has acknowledged that reshuffling his cabinet is imminent.
Additionally, the President has urged the Ministers to engage with the media actively and to publicize the initiatives of their respective ministries.
During a press conference held at the State House in Abuja on Wednesday, Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, expressed concern that despite significant efforts being made, the Nigerian populace remains largely uninformed.
He said, “The President has expressed his desire to reshuffle his cabinet and he will do it. I don’t know whether he wants to do it before October first and he will surely do it. That is what I will say, but he has not given us any timeline.”
2. After Two Hours Grilling, Senate Confirms Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun As New CJN
The Nigerian Senate has confirmed Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, the highest-ranking justice of the Supreme Court, as the new Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN).
Kekere-Ekun, the 23rd Chief Justice of Nigeria, received confirmation on Wednesday following a rigorous two-hour question-and-answer session with senators.
Naturenex reports that she has been serving in this role on an acting basis since August.
During her screening today, Kekere-Ekun was joined by members of the judiciary from different courts and her relatives.
The screening process commenced just over 24 hours after President Bola Tinubu reached out to the Senate, requesting that they proceed with the confirmation of Kekere-Ekun as CJN.
3. ₦110.4 Billion Fraud: FG Files Fresh 16 Count Charge Against Yahaya Bello
The federal government has filed a new 16-count charge against the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, in a case that has intensified scrutiny of his financial dealings.
The charges, submitted to a federal high court in Abuja on Wednesday, center around an alleged criminal breach of trust amounting to ₦110,446,470,089.
This is in violation of sections 96 and 311 of the Penal Code Law Cap.89 Laws of Northern Nigeria, 1963, and is punishable under Section 312 of the same law.
Bello, who is already facing a separate 19-count charge brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), will now appear in court alongside two officials from the Kogi State government, Abdulsalami Hudu and Umar Oricha.
According to the charge sheet obtained by TheCable, the defendants are accused of misappropriating funds from the Kogi State treasury to purchase properties in upscale areas within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
4. Presidency Reveals Tinubu’s Stand On Dangote, NNPCL Fuel Price Feud
The Presidency has clarified that President Bola Tinubu will not intervene in the ongoing fuel price dispute between Dangote Refinery and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr. Bayo Onanuga, made this statement on Wednesday while addressing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Onanuga emphasized that both entities operate independently within a deregulated market framework. He noted that under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), the NNPCL functions autonomously despite being government-owned.
The clarification comes amid rising fuel pricing tensions as both Dangote Refinery and NNPCL navigate the complexities of the Nigerian oil market.
Onanuga said that instead of intervening, the government plans to promote alternative energy solutions like Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, offering a cheaper option for consumers and subsidizing vehicle conversion costs.
He noted that the price difference is significant, with CNG costing about ₦230 per litre, equivalent to PMS at around ₦850 per litre.
According to him, the government aims to have about a million vehicles running on CNG and plans to subsidize the conversion costs for private vehicle owners.
5. Security Challenges Remain A Significant Concern In The North – Abbas
The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, has decried the security situation in the Northern region of Nigeria.
Tajudeen Abbas regretted that attacks by bandits and terrorists have affected residents of different communities in Nigeria, particularly the North.
The Speaker of the House of Reps stated this during plenary on Wednesday, in his welcome address to lawmakers after a long recess.
Abbas, however, praised the gallantry of Nigeria security forces in combatting the activities of insurgents and bandits.
6. Pay Us Or We Go On Strike In 2 Weeks – ASUU Threatens FG
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the federal government to meet its pending demands as contained in the agreements between both parties or risk facing a fresh strike action.
ASUU, in a statement on Wednesday by its president, Professor Emmanuel Osodoke, accused the federal government of not showing commitment to executing the agreements with the union, some of which date as far back as 2009.
It urged the government to pay the withheld salaries due to the 2022 strike action and stop exhibiting delay tactics.
The University academic union is also seeking the conclusion of the renegotiation of the 2009 FGN/ASUU Agreement based on the Nimi Briggs Committee’s Draft Agreement of 2021.
ASUU, in its statement on Wednesday, said if its demands are not satisfactorily met in two weeks time, its members will embark on strike, which would cripple academic activities in the nation’s public universities.
7. Court Stops PDP NWC, Govs, BoT From Dissolving Pro-Wike EXCOs In Rivers State
The Federal High Court in Abuja has restricted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including its Governors, the National Working Committee, NWC, and Board of Trustees, from interfering with or disbanding the Executive Committee in Rivers State.
It is worth noting that members of Rivers PDP EXCO are loyalists of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike.
However, Wike, a former governor, is currently at a loggerhead with Siminalayi Fubara, the incumbent governor of Rivers State.
In a ruling on Wednesday, the Abuja court also stopped the PDP Governors and the party’s NWC and BoT from forming any temporary committees to take over the leadership roles of the party at the state, local government, and ward levels in Rivers State.
Justice Peter Lifu made this decision while ruling on a case filed by the PDP Rivers State Executive Committee, led by Aaron Chukwuemeka and his local government and ward members.
Justice Lifu also directed the PDP national organization and others to refrain from interfering with or dissolving the leadership positions of the PDP in Rivers State that were elected during the recent party congress.
8. Why Yahaya Bello Was Turned Back At Headquarters – EFCC
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Wednesday, disclosed why the former governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, was turned back at the commission’s headquarters last week.
The anti-graft agency, in a statement released on its X account, claimed that Bello had played up several antics to garner public sympathy and evade due process.
EFCC noted that Bello’s visit to its headquarters with an entourage of aides and a sitting governor was why he was rebuffed.
The commission maintained that it wouldn’t be deterred by the former governor’s antics, assuring Nigerians that it would ensure he had his day at court.
9. Bobrisky: FG Probes Allegation Against Prison CG
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has initiated an unconditional and comprehensive investigation into allegations of bribery and corruption within the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS).
In a statement released on Wednesday by his media aide, Babatunde Alao, the Minister condemned the alleged misconduct, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy towards any form of indiscipline, unprofessionalism, and corruption within the paramilitary services under his Ministry.
To oversee the investigation, the Minister has called for a special investigative team led by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, Dr. Magdalene Ajani.
He assured the public that the probe would be rigorous, transparent, and impartial, with appropriate disciplinary actions to be taken against any personnel found guilty.
The investigation follows bribery allegations made by Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, in a video released by blogger Martins Otse, known as VeryDarkMan.
10. Edwin Clark Raises Alarm Over Plot By Powerful Politicians To Hijack State Judiciary, Local Governments
South-South leader, Edwin Clark has advised the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, to ensure that powerful politicians do not hijack state judiciary and local governments.
He warned the Senate president that some powerful politicians have been regrouping and planning to control their various state judiciary and local governments.
The leader of the Southern and Middlebelt Leaders Forum made the allegation in a statement on Wednesday.
He urged the senate president to endeavour that he halts the hijacking of the public debates in the various state houses of assembly.
The elder statesman said the identified persons want state accounts to be removed without debate as provided for in Section 9 of the 1999 Constitution. He stressed that they have won the congresses of their political parties in their various states, and are now waiting to take over party structures through dubious means because it is the National Assembly that can amend the Constitution as provided.
