Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the NATURENEX roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 15th July 2024
1. Nobody From Southeast Will Protest Against Tinubu, We Are Not Aggrieved – Uzodinma
The governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodinma, has warned southeast youths to resist calls for protest against the government.
He stated that such protests are pioneered by enemies of the country and aimed at destabilizing the national government.
The governor gave the warning in Abakaliki, the capital of Ebonyi state, during the grand finale of the All Progressive Congress (APC) campaign for local government election.
According to him, the people of the region have no reason to protest against the incumbent government, stressing that the federal government and President Bola Tinubu are working hard to bring lasting solutions to the economic challenges the people are facing.
Uzodinma appealed to the people to give the government more time to work and fix the challenges.
2. Police React As NBA Issues Seven Days Ultimatum To IGP To Stop CMRIS Certificate Issuance
The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has reacted after the Nigerian Bar Association Section on Public Interest (NBA-SPIDEL) gave the Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, a seven-day ultimatum to reverse the Central Motor Information System Certificate issuance to motorists.
Naturenex reported that NBA had questioned the legal basis for the Nigeria Police Force’s issuance of the CMRIS Certificates, stating that no law had granted the police the authority to issue such licences or certificates to vehicle owners following vehicle registration at the appropriate offices.
It has demanded an immediate halt to the issuance and enforcement of the CMRIS Certificates, urging the Inspector General of Police to issue a directive stopping the practice nationwide.
Additionally, the association has called for the shutdown of the registration website and physical registration centres, with refunds to be made to those who had already paid.
Reacting in a statement via X on Sunday, Adejobi said that the police have the right and powers to initiate any approach to curb crime and criminality in Nigeria, as applicable in other climes.
The police spokesman revealed that the security agency has been issuing CMR for decades, so it is not a new strategy or document, adding that no agency can take the police up on the initiative.
3. ‘It Is Distasteful’ – Tinubu Condemns Attack On Donald Trump
President Bola Tinubu has condemned the attack on the United States Republican Presidential candidate, Donald Trump, during his campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, which left one person dead and another seriously injured.
Naturenex reported that the Former President was on Saturday rushed off a stage during a presidential rally following what sounded like gunshots.
Trump sustained a minor injury during the attack before the Secret Service quickly escorted him off the stage after gunshots were fired.
In a statement released on Sunday, Trump provided details about his injury, stating that a bullet pierced the upper part of his right ear.
While expressing his condolences to the families of the victims who were shot and injured during the attack, Trump thanked law enforcement for their prompt response to the shooting.
In a terse statement via his X handle on Sunday, Tinubu described the assassination attempt as distasteful, stating that it goes beyond the pale of democratic norms.
Tinubu also commiserated with the family of the deceased and those injured during the incident.
4. PDP Has Not Abandoned Fubara – Party Chieftain
The Deputy Legal Advisor for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okechukwu Osuoha, has stated that the party is relating fine with the Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, just as other governors elected on the party’s platform.
The PDP chieftain criticized the party’s past National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, for asserting that the PDP had deserted Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
Naturenex reports that Governor Fubara is currently embroiled in a struggle to stay in office after 25 members of the legislature, who are supporters of his predecessor and former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, initiated an impeachment process against him.
The PDP’s former spokesperson, in a recent interview with the media, suggested that Governor Fubara was not to be blamed for feeling abandoned by the PDP, noting that even the party’s 2023 presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, had not considered it appropriate to visit Governor Fubara during his campaign.
However, Osuoha, who spoke with Vanguard, criticized Ologbondiyan for believing that the PDP had deserted Governor Fubara, stating that such allegations could not be proven.
5. NNPC No Longer Owns 20% Stake In The Dangote Refinery
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited no longer owns a 20% stake in Dangote Refinery.
This was announced on Sunday by the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dangote Refinery, Aliko Dangote during a press briefing at the refinery on Sunday.
According to him, the NNPCL only owns 7.2% of the refinery due to the NNPC’s failure to pay the balance of their share, which was due last month in June.
“NNPC no longer owns 20% stake in the Dangote refinery. They were met to pay their balance in June, but have yet to fulfill the obligations. Now, they only own a 7.2% stake in the refinery,” Dangote said.
6. PDP Wins All 21 LG Seats In Adamawa
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) emerged as the winner of all 21 council seats in the just-concluded Local Government (LG) election in Adamawa State.
Naturenex reports that the Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission, Mohammed Umar, made this known in the results released on Sunday evening at the commission’s headquarters in Yola, the state capital.
Umar said the ruling PDP also won all the councillorship seats in the 226 wards in the North-East state except the Demsa Ward of the Demsa Local Government Area, where the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) won one councillorship seat.
He added that out of the 19 registered political parties in the state, 12 participated in the exercise.
7. Kwankwaso Explains Why Gov Yusuf Reinstated Sanusi As Emir Of Kano
The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Rabiu Kwankwaso, has explained why the Kano State Governor, Abba Yusuf, reinstated Muhammad Sanusi as Emir of Kano.
Naturenex recalls that Yusuf reinstated Sanusi of Emir of Kano after dethroning Aminu Ado Bayero as the 15th Emir.
His action followed the repeal of the 2019 Kano Emirate Law by the state House of Assembly.
Featuring on Arise News Prime Time, Kwankwaso stated that Governor Yusuf reinstated Sanusi as Emir in fulfilment of his campaign promises to the people of the state.
Kwankwaso said they have no regrets about Yusuf’s decision to reinstate Sanusi.
8. LG Autonomy: Your Statement Shows You Are Selfish, Clueless, Anti-People – Oyo APC Knocks Makinde
The Oyo state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has berated Governor Seyi Makinde for condemning the Supreme Court’s judgement on local government autonomy.
Recall that Makinde, while reacting to the verdict of the court, had stated that the country should be focused on what matters, adding that granting local government financial autonomy is a mere distraction.
However, speaking via a statement, the Oyo APC Publicity Secretary, Olawale Sadare, advised the governor to desist from actions and utterances capable of portraying the state in a bad light.
The opposition insisted that Makinde’s submission has shown that he is selfish, clueless and anti-people.
9. Many Terrorists Killed As NAF Raids Hideouts In Kaduna
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has killed many terrorists in airstrikes conducted in Giwa and Igabi LGAs of Kaduna State.
Naija News reports that the NAF spokesperson, Edward Gabkwet, made this known in a statement on Sunday, saying that the air component of Operation Whirl Punch conducted the air raids.
Gabkwet said several terrorists were hit while their thatched roof huts were destroyed during the operation in the Giwa LGA on July 12.
Gabkwet also disclosed that several terrorists who were operating freely in the bush were killed during the airstrike conducted in the Malum forest in Igabi LGA on July 13.
According to the NAF spokesperson, the airstrikes were initiated following thorough and credible human intelligence alongside intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance operations.
10. Five Trapped As Building Collapses In Osun
Panic ensued in the Sabo area of Osogbo, Osun State, when an abandoned building, reportedly used as a hideout by hoodlums, collapsed on Sunday morning, trapping five individuals.
According to The Nation, the incident occurred around 7:30 am, sparking immediate concern among local residents.
Eyewitnesses disclosed that the dilapidated two-story structure had been uncompleted and deserted, serving as a makeshift shelter for cultists and other miscreants.
A local resident, Tunde, noted that the building was well-known to the community and law enforcement as a hotspot for illicit activities, with several police raids conducted there prior to its collapse.
The spokesperson of the Nigerian Security Civil Defense Corps(NSCDC), Osun State Command, Kehinde Adeleke, confirmed the collapse.
