Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:
1. Nobel laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka, at the weekend, said that the Muhammadu Buhari administration has attained an unprecedented level of paranoia following the charges of treason filed against the publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore. In a statement on Saturday, Soyinka said the nation had failed to learn from past experiences.
2. The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal for Imo State, sitting in Abuja, at the weekend, affirmed the election of Gov. Emeka Ihedioha. Delivering judgment, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Mallami Umar Dogondagi, dismissed the petition of the candidate of the Action Alliance Party, Mr Uche Nwosu, for incompetence. In a unanimous decision, the three-member panel, also struck out the petition of the All Progressive Congress, APC, candidate, Sen. Hope Uzodinma and that of Ifeanyi Ararume of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA. The tribunal held that the three petitions challenging the declaration of Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), lacked merit.
3. Four staff of the Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology, Igbo Ora and one other person who were kidnapped on Thursday have been released. They are Chairman of the Academic Staff of Polytechnics (ASUP), Opadijo Oluyide, Secretary of the union, Gbenga Alayande, and two other staff of the institution and wife of one of the victims. They were released Saturday, though it was not clear whether ransom was paid.
4. The Nigerian Army Theatre Command of Operation Lafiya Dole (OPLD) on Sunday launched “Operation Positive Identification” against the fleeing Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists in the North East. The army urged the public to always carry a valid means of identification when moving or passing through Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states. It said the operation was aimed at searching for and arresting all suspected terrorists that currently roam some parts of the North East. It said this has become necessary following credible information that some of the fleeing criminals are hibernating in some towns and villages of Borno and Yobe States in particular and North East in general. The army advised people to always carry National Identification Card, Voters Registration Card, Drivers’ License and International Passports, or other valid official identification.
5. Former military leader, Gen. Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB), at the weekend urged Igbos to ensure that Nigerians continue to feel their positive impact. He said this was due to their tenacity in business enterprises which spans the length and breadth of the country and beyond. Babangida made the remark in Minna, when the Igbo Delegates Assembly (IDA), from the 19 Northern states and Abuja, visited him for his recent 78th birthday The delegation was led by the IDA president, Chief Chikezie Okezie and the Eze Igbo of Minna, Eze Pampas Wahiwe.
6. The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, on Sunday dismissed speculation that he was working against Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, over 2023 presidency. He said this in reaction to the latest actions taken by President Muhammadu Buhari allegedly targeted at his deputy. Tinubu denied rift between him and Osinbajo. He said there is no truth in the allegation that he is against the Vice President, adding that there is nothing stopping the Vice President from nursing a presidential ambition. If he wants to run.
7. The Federal High Court of Nigeria under the Acting Chief Judge, the Hon. Justice John Terhemba Tsoho on Sunday disassociated itself from the Coalition of United Political Parties public statements concerning succession to the leadership of the Federal High Court of Nigeria. The court said that the procedure(s) for succession in the leadership of the court, so far had not been breached. It said that there are well established policies and procedures guiding the issue of succession, not only in the Federal High Court, but for all the hierarchy of courts in Nigeria.
8. Leader of Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF), Prof Ango Abdullahi, at the weekend declared that there was nothing wrong with the Presidency remaining in the North beyond 2023. He noted that critical evaluation of positions of different ethnic groups in the country showed that the North has been short-changed as key positions were not with them. Abdullahi added that the much noise on lopsidedness that favoured the North was not true. According to him, there was nothing wrong with the appointment of more Service Chiefs from the region.
9. Pastor Ken Akinmade of Christ Church, London, UK on Sunday said there is a concerted effort by some people in power to bring down Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. He said that some of the people who were working frantically to drag the name and integrity of the Vice President in the mud were even people from his geo-political region, the Southwest. Pastor Akinmade explained that they were deploying resources to fight the Vice President, stressing that, Nigerians must pray for the well being of the number two man. He said he saw in a vision, some politicians gathering and in their midst were some journalists too.
10. A senior Officer in the Nigerian Navy and Commandant of Command Secondary School of the Armed Forces Command and Staff College (AFCSC), Jaji, was found dead at the weekend. The Officer identified as Commander Oluwayemisi Ogundana with service number NN/ 2367, was found dead in a well in a village close to the Jaji military cantonment, Kaduna State after he was declared missing last Friday. It was learnt that the corpse of the murdered Naval officer was dismembered and put in a big sack before being dumped in the shallow well. She is, however, suspected to have been murdered by some known persons. Two suspects, including a teacher at the Command Secondary School, Jaji and one other have already been arrested in connection to her murder.
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