Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Tuesday, 17th October 2023.
1. Tinubu Govt Proposes N26 Trillion As 2024 Budget
The Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government has proposed N26 trillion as the 2024 budget to be submitted to the National Assembly before December 31, 2023.
The Minister of Planning and Budget, Atiku Bagudu, made the budget proposal known at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting held on Monday, at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
President Bola Tinubu presided over the FEC meeting, which is the second of its kind held since the inauguration of the cabinet.
2. Senator Abbo Accuses Akpabio Of Being Responsible For His Removal, Reveals Other Senators Targeted
The lawmaker representing Adamawa North Senatorial District, Elisha Abbo, on Monday, accused the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio of being responsible for his removal from office.
Naija News had earlier reported that the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday voided the election of Abbo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Abbo the winner of the February 25, 2023 parliamentary election, but Amos Yohanna, his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) rival, rejected the result and headed for the court.
The tribunal, in its judgement, dismissed Yohanna’s petition for lacking in merit.
The PDP’s candidate, through his counsel Johnson Usman (SAN), approached the Appeal Court.
The Court of Appeal, after hearing arguments from parties, agreed with Usman that based on Section 137 of the Electoral Act, 2022, the results tendered clearly showed that there was no compliance with the Electoral Act.
The court, thereafter, deducted the invalid votes from the parties and found that Yohanna and PDP won the election by a majority of lawful votes.
The three-member panel presided over by Justice C.E. Nwosu-Iheme, in a judgement, ordered INEC to issue a Certificate of Return to Yohanna as validly elected lawmaker for the senatorial district.
Abbo in his reaction to the court judgment said four other senators who worked against the emergence of Akpabio as Senate President had been targeted for removal from the Red Chamber through the court.
The lawmaker while addressing newsmen specifically mentioned the Senator representing Abia North, Orji Uzor Kalu as the next target for removal from the Senate.
3. Details Of Tinubu’s Second FEC Meeting Emerge
The second Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting under the administration of President Bola Tinubu was held on Monday at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Naija News gathered that during the meeting, issues of the economy and the agreement reached between the government and the labour unions early this month to avert an industrial action were discussed.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris revealed this while addressing State House Correspondents after the FEC meeting.
He said that the issues were significant to the current realities and expectations of Nigerians on the Tinubu-led administration, adding that it was also hinged on the Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, said that the meeting approved the application for financing from the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA).
He said that the country was able to access $1.5 billion from the IDA, which is the virtually free or zero-interest lending arm or financing arm of the World Bank.
4. Court Of Appeal President Transfers All 2023 Election Petition Cases From The 36 States To Abuja And Lagos
The president of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem has ordered that all pending petitions from the 36 states of the federation regarding the outcome of the 2023 elections be transferred to the Lagos and Abuja divisions of the appellate court.
Naija News understands that based on the directive, all such pending cases resulting from the verdict of the various state petition election petition tribunals would now be heard and decided by judges in Lagos and Abuja divisions only.
The order affects gubernatorial, national and state assemblies’ elections.
The directive by Dongban-Mensem for only two of the 20 divisions of the court to determine all appellate cases arising from tribunal disputes is said to have been informed by the plethora of petitions and protests by political parties and their candidates, who allege that the judges of the tribunals were heavily compromised by the governors during the trial stage in their respective states.
The Court of Appeal President was said to have carried out discreet investigations into the allegations against the governors and the judges of the trial tribunal and established the existence of some ‘unholy alliances’ which might have led to a miscarriage of justice at the tribunals.
Some judges of the tribunals were reportedly indicted and might face trial by the National Judicial Council (NJC).
5. New NIPOST CEO, Odeyemi Dares Aggrieved Workers, Resumes Duty Amid Protest
There was mild drama on Monday at the headquarters of the Nigeria Postal Service (NIPOST), as the newly appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Tola Odeyemi, resumed duty amid opposition.
Earlier today, some workers of the service shut down the head office in Abuja, expressing their disagreement with the new CEO’s appointment by President Bola Tinubu.
Recall that President Tinubu’s spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, announced last week that his principal has sacked Adeyemi Adepoju as CEO/Post Master General of the agency and appointed Odeyemi to replace him.
The announcement, however, did not go down well with staff of the commission whose loyalty is with the former CEO.
Speaking during a protest at the NIPOST headquarters in Abuja today, the President of the National Union of Postal and Telecommunication Employees, Mr Buba Nehemiah, said the new appointment was against the interest of the workers.
He said Adepoju introduced major reforms just under a year and should be encouraged to continue with his “good work.”
However, Odeyemi reportedly arrived at the NIPOST headquarters around 1 p.m. and walked into her office to hold a meeting with top Directors.
Naija News learnt that she refused the chair that was offered to her and opted to sit elsewhere. Odeyemi is the first female to be appointed NIPOST CEO.
6. Nigeria’s Inflation Rate Rises To 26.7% Amid Rising Food Prices
The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has said the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose to 26.72 per cent in September 2023 from 25.80 per cent in August.
The Bureau made this known in its CPI report for September, released on Monday via its official X account.
Naija News understands that CPI measures the rate of change in prices of goods and services in a country.
The NBS said the upsurge in inflation is mainly linked to the removal of petrol subsidies and the devaluation of the official exchange rate, both exerting substantial impacts on consumer prices.
7. PDP Vows To Continue Protest Over Akeredolu’s Absence
The Ondo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has vowed to continue its street protest against the absence of the state governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, from the state.
The Ondo State PDP has called Akeredolu, who since his return from his medical trip to Germany has remained in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to return to resume his official duties in Akure, the Ondo State capital.
Earlier, Naija News reported that operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on Monday stormed the Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State.
It was gathered that the security operatives stationed their vehicles outside the secretariat of the state opposition party.
Confirming the presence of security operatives, the Ondo PDP spokesperson, Kennedy Peretei, said the security operatives were there to prevent a planned peaceful protest by youths of the party.
Peretei said the protest was for the youths to demand the whereabouts of Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu after being absent from the State since April 2023, adding that staff were not allowed into the secretariat.
8. Tinubu Govt Fixes FEC Meetings For Mondays
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting is set to hold on Mondays, Naija News has learnt.
Recall that the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari held its FEC meetings every Wednesday.
The change of date was made known by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, while briefing State House correspondents shortly after the FEC meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Minister of Information noted that FEC meetings may not hold regularly especially if there is nothing very pressing to be discussed.
President Tinubu has only held two FEC meetings since inaugurating his cabinet in August.
The second FEC meeting held on Monday also witnessed the swearing-in of three additional ministers who were recently screened by the National Assembly.
9. Why EFCC, ICPC Chairmen Can Not Come From Same Zone – Falana
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) on Monday, said it is against the federal character principle for the chairmen of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to come from the same geopolitical zone.
According to Falana, if the chairman of EFCC is from the northern region, the southern region should produce the chairman of ICPC.
Speaking on Channels TV on Monday he said, “If you are going to have the EFCC and the ICPC, the heads cannot come from same zone.”
Falana further stated that the new Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, is “eminently qualified” to head the anti-graft agency having previously served as Chief of Staff to the EFCC Chairman (2016-2018) and Secretary to the Commission (2018-2023) as well as having 22 years cognate experience.
10. ‘There Is Real Problem’ – Moghalu Reacts To New World Bank Loan, Vehicles For Lawmakers
A former presidential candidate of the African Democratic Party (ADP), Professor Kingsley Moghalu has condemned the plans by the federal government of Nigeria to obtain fresh loans from the World Bank.
He also berated the plans to purchase exotic vehicles for the lawmakers of the 10th National Assembly.
According to him via a message posted on his account on the X platform on Monday, both moves are a sign of a real problem in Nigeria and further demonstration that the leaders of the country are not serious.
Naija News reports the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun has confirmed that Nigeria is expecting a $1.5 billion loan from the World Bank as budget support while the House of Representatives has also concluded plans to share brand new official vehicles to members amidst the hardship going on in the country.
Reacting to the development, Moghalu expressed worries about both developments. He wrote: “There is a real problem when Nigeria is set to borrow another $1.5 billion from
@WorldBank for budget support, and SUVs worth N160 million each are reportedly to be bought for 360 members of the House of Representatives. We are not yet serious as a country.
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