Good morning! Here’s today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers
1. The Upper Chamber of the National Assembly on Tuesday threw out the proposal submitted before it by President Muhammadu Buhari to borrow 29.9 billion dollars foreign loan.
When the matter came up for deliberation and was moved by the Senate Leader, Aliyu Ndume, the Senator representing Kogi West, Senator Dino Melaye indicated to lead a debate on the matter, but was turned down by the Senate President.
It was later subjected to voice votes and the ‘Nays’ had it.
2. The Appeal Court panel of judges on Tuesday pulled out of the case involving the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, factional governorship candidate, for Ondo State, Eyitayo Jegede.
Jegede had gone to the Appeal court to seek redress over a Federal High Court ruling, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to replace him in the upcoming Ondo election but the Head of the panel, Jummai Sankey, during Tuesday’s sitting announced the decision of the judges to pull out of the case, saying Biyi Okporoye, Chairman of the Ali Modu Sheriff faction of the PDP in Ondo State, had written a petition, accusing them of receiving bribe.
3. The Niger Delta stakeholders on Tuesday presented a 16-point request before President Muhammadu Buhari asking, among other things, for the restoration of peace in the region.
Some of the other demands include the need to fast-track interventions on some of the indicative regional infrastructure, the Presidential Amnesty Programme, law and Justice as well as the need to reconsider the planned deployment of more armed forces to the Niger Delta.
4. The Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has declared that the federal government has not announced increase in pump prices of fuel.
The minister, who was apparently reacting to the widespread panic in Abuja on Tuesday that major petrol stations, including the retail outlets of the Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation, NNPC, had jerked up their pump prices from the official N145 to N149 per litre, said he would make official announcement when the need arises.
5. Troops of 8 Task Force Division have rescued 19 women and 19 children held hostages in Dumba village, along Nigeria-Niger borders by the terrorists.
The troops have also cleared pockets of insurgents from their hideouts in Momo and Tunshe villages around Marte general area of Borno State.
6. The National Judicial Council has insisted that it would not hand over judges who are accused of corruption to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for investigation and prosecution.
The NJC in a letter dated October 26, 2016, which it addressed to a human rights organisation, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, however, restated its commitment to purging the judiciary of rot with the support of citizens, by treating all petitions against judges appropriately.
7. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday quized a former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Michael Aondoakaa (SAN), for his alleged role in the $182m Halliburton scandal.
Aondoakaa, who served as AGF under the late President Umaru Yar’adua, arrived the office of the EFCC around 10am and was grilled for about eight hours.
8. Elder statesman and a former presidential candidate of Citizens Popular Party, CPP, Chief Maxi Okwu, has said that the “change promised Nigerians by the All Progressives Congress, APC, had been aborted.”
Okwu, who called for political realignment that would ensure victory for a truly progressive party in 2019, predicted that neither the APC nor the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP would win the 2019 presidential election, pointing out that both parties were now experiencing debilitating crises that will lead to their collpase.
9. A Lagos-based lawyer and activist, Chief Malcom Omirhobo has asked a Federal High Court Lagos, to declare as unlawful, rescheduling of public holidays.
The plaintiff’s suit is brought pursuant to the provisions of order 3 rules six, seven and eight of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure rules of 2009. Omirhobo is seeking an interpretation, as to whether in the face of the Public Holidays Act of 1979, it is legal for the defendants to reschedule public holidays from Saturdays or Sundays to Monday.
10. Troops of Operation LAFIYA DOLE deployed at a checkpoint in Gubio, Gubio Local Government Area of Borno State Tuesday morning foiled a suicide attack on Gubio town by 8 Boko Haram terrorists.
The suicide bombers, who came in a Bedford pick up vehicle primed with Improvised Explosive Devices, including suicide vests, attempted to force their way through the checkpoint but met stiff resistance from troops who insisted that the vehicle be thoroughly checked.
Comments