Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naturenex roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Tuesday, 8th October, 2024
1. Tinubu Condemns Violence In Rivers State, Issues Directive To Police
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has decried the recent violence in Rivers State following the outcome of Saturday’s Local Government Area elections.
Naturenex reports that after the election, Governor Sim Fubara subsequently swore in the newly elected council chairmen of the 23 local government areas of the state on Sunday.
However, after the ceremony, hoodlums on Monday, invaded many Rivers LGA secretariats to cause destruction and prevent newly elected officials from resuming their duties.
Reacting to the development, Tinubu, in a statement on Monday through his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, expressed concern over the arson and explosion in the state.
President Tinubu urged Fubara, political leaders and their supporters in Rivers State to exercise restraint and uphold the rule of law.
He also called on the security operatives in the state to restore and maintain peace, law, and order immediately.
2. Governor Ododo Announces ₦72,500 Minimum Wage For Kogi State Workers
The Governor of Kogi State, Usman Ododo, has approved the immediate implementation of a minimum wage of ₦72,500 for civil servants in the state.
The Governor also announced a one-year suspension of the Pay-As-You-Earn (PAYE) tax, adding that no form of deductions would be made within the next year from the salaries of civil servants in the state.
Governor Ododo made this known on Monday during the unveiling of the new minimum wage package for civil servants in the state.
Signing the agreement after receiving a report from the Kogi state minimum wage implementation committee, the Governor said the new minimum wage is to enable workers cope with the current economic situation in the country.
3. IGP Egbetokun Speaks On Rivers LG Election, Clash With Fubara
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has dismissed recent comments made by Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, regarding the actions of the Nigeria Police Force during the just-concluded local government elections as “unwarranted” and lacking any factual basis.
Governor Fubara expressed his concerns during a press conference in Port Harcourt on Friday, where he cautioned the Inspector-General to be mindful of his responsibilities as head of the police force.
Fubara alleged that officers of the Nigeria Police Force, alongside the Rivers State Command, attempted to tamper with election materials but were thwarted in their actions.
In response, IGP Egbetokun, through a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, on Monday, described Fubara’s outburst as “uncalled for” and “unfair” to the law enforcement institutions in Nigeria.
He reaffirmed the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to neutrality and non-interference in political matters, emphasizing that the police acted solely in accordance with an existing court judgment.
Egbetokun clarified that the police received an order of injunction from the Federal High Court dated July 19, 2024, which prohibited the police from participating in the local government elections, deeming such involvement unlawful.
4. Fubara vs Wike: ‘You Will Be The Biggest Loser If Democracy Is Truncated’ – Bode George Tells Tinubu
Former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has urged President Bola Tinubu to call the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to order over the lingering political crisis in Rivers State.
Recall that Wike, the immediate past governor of the oil-rich state, has been locked in a political battle with his successor, Sim Fubara, over control of the state.
Also, there has been tension in Rivers State after Saturday’s Local Government Areas election, where Action People’s Party (APP) swept the polls in 22 of the 23 local governments.
Naturenex reports that Bode George, in a statement on Monday, raised concerns over recent political developments in Rivers State, warning that if not addressed, they could lead to a crisis with far-reaching security implications for Nigeria, West Africa, and Africa at large.
The PDP chieftain asked Tinubu to prevail on Wike to allow Governor Fubara to work and deliver dividends of democracy to the residents of the state.
Bode George added that President Tinubu would be the biggest loser if democracy in Rivers State gets truncated.
5. Lagos Assembly Indefinitely Suspends Alimosho Council Chairman
The Lagos State House of Assembly has slammed an indefinite suspension to the chairman of the Alimosho Local Government Area, Jelili Sulaimon.
Naturenex reports that the suspension is with immediate effect.
This was made known in a statement on Monday by the Chief Press Secretary to the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Eromosele Ebhomele.
Sitting at plenary, the lawmakers resolved that the vice chairman of the council, Mr. Akinpelu Johnson, should take over the running of its affairs.
The House further instructed the management of the council, including the manager and treasurer, to recognise the authority of the vice chairman and accord him all the support to make him work effectively.
The chairman was suspended in a unanimous vote by the lawmakers over an alleged non-compliance, defiance and unyielding attitude to the legislative House.
6. Why Peter Obi, Atiku, Osinbajo, El-Rufai, Amaechi, Others Must Come Together For 2027 – Lukman
A former National Vice Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has voiced the need to have functional political parties in Nigeria.
According to him, Nigeria currently lacks functional political parties, which is not good for the country’s democracy.
To this end, he said aggrieved leaders in the APC, such as former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, former Minister Rotimi Amaechi and opposition party leaders such as Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, as well as many others, must form an alliance and work together for victory in 2027.
In a statement on Monday, Lukman also accused President Bola Tinubu of weakening the structures within the APC.
He said under Tinubu’s leadership, all political parties have similarly been undermined, leading to a situation where Nigeria is described as a democracy lacking functional political parties.
He also accused Tinubu of making life unbearable for Nigerians in a way that has never happened before in the history of the country.
According to Lukman, Tinubu has performed worse than former presidents Muhammadu Buhari and Goodluck Jonathan.
7. Alleged Judge Intimidation Stalls Anti-Corruption Efforts – Tinubu
President Bola Tinubu has pointed to several significant obstacles undermining the fight against corruption in Nigeria, including frivolous appeals, purported intimidation of judges by legal representatives, and rulings based on technicalities rather than substantive evidence.
Speaking at the opening of the 6th Capacity Building Workshop for Justices and Judges, organized by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the National Judicial Institute (NJI) in Abuja, Tinubu emphasized that these issues must be addressed to expedite the resolution of corruption cases.
Represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, the president acknowledged the strides made in prosecuting corruption cases, thanks to justice sector reforms implemented in recent years.
He characterized the workshop as a vital forum for unifying efforts against corruption, which he referred to as Nigeria’s “common enemy.”
Despite recognizing improvements in the prosecution of corruption cases, Tinubu noted persistent challenges that hinder swift adjudication.
He highlighted the prevalence of frivolous applications and appeals designed to stall proceedings, as well as intimidation faced by judges from attorneys.
Additionally, he criticized judgments that focus on technicalities rather than the facts of cases.
8. Police Unseal All 23 LGA Secretariats In Rivers State
The Rivers State Police Command has officially unsealed all 23 Local Government Area Secretariats in the state, following the successful election and swearing-in of new chairmen.
This development was confirmed in a statement released by the Command’s spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, earlier on Monday morning.
According to Iringe-Koko, the newly appointed Commissioner of Police, CP Mustapha Bala, acted on the orders of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to withdraw all police personnel previously deployed to seal and safeguard the council secretariats.
The statement emphasized that the police presence in these locations will only be reinstated in the event of a crisis or a breakdown of law and order.
9. Sanusi Prioritized Varsity Projects With CBN Funds; Emefiele, Cardoso Fell Short – ASUU
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has criticized the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for its lack of recent investment in public university projects.
ASUU highlighted a significant change since the tenure of former CBN Governor and current Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi.
The union claimed that despite available funds earmarked for community development, the CBN has not undertaken any projects in tertiary institutions since 2014, when Sanusi’s term ended.
ASUU President, Emmanuel Osodeke, shared these concerns on Inside Sources, a socio-political program on Channels Television.
Osodeke pointed out that during his time as CBN governor (2009-2014), Sanusi actively utilized the bank’s resources to fund essential university projects across Nigeria.
Osodeke contrasted Sanusi’s contributions with those of his successors, Godwin Emefiele and the current CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, asserting that neither has continued this legacy.
According to Osodeke, if Sanusi’s approach had been maintained, infrastructure challenges in public universities could have been significantly reduced.
10. ‘Let Go Of Rivers, You Can’t Win All Fights’ – Fubara Tells Wike
The Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara has charged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, to let go of any grip he desires to have over the state.
Fubara stated this on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Monday.
According to Fubara, he does not regret conducting local government election in the state last Saturday.
The governor said he has kept all understanding he had with his predecessor to ensure peace in the state but the issue has continued to escalate.
Asked what his message to Wike would be if they meet, Fubara said, “I’ll tell him (Wike) that it has gotten to a point where he needs to let go. We need peace in this state.
“You don’t necessarily need to win all the fights; at times, you just let go for the sake of the good people of Rivers State and the love that you have always profess for the state. We need to secure the state.
“Fubara will leave tomorrow. Who knows who is going come. It might be through him or through another person but we need to secure the state.”
That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naturenex. See you again tomorrow.
