Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:
1. President Muhammadu Buhari has been elected the new chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), at the just concluded ECOWAS Summit in Lome, Togo. The announcement was made shortly after a closed session of Heads of State of the Commission.
2. The Senate President, Bukola Saraki Tuesday dumped the All Progressives Congress, APC. In a statement he personally signed, Saraki said the decision became important after he had tried all avenues available for peace. He said he was joining the PDP which will respect his membership.
3. The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has announced his defection to the People’s Democratic Party(PDP). He made the announcement Tuesday evening. In a statement issued by Dr. Muyideen Akorede, his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, the Kwara State Governor said his decision followed due consultations with the people and in response to calls by major stakeholders in the state.
4. Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar while reacting to the defection of the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has blamed the APC for poor handling of things in the country. He said what the APC did to Senator Saraki is what they have also done to Nigeria as a nation. He said they have degraded the nation’s democracy as well as the economy.
5. The National Working Committee (NWC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has queried the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, asking him to respond within 48 hours why disciplinary action ought not to be taken against him, for breaching article 21 of the party’s constitution. This was contained in a resolution signed by the National Secretary of the party, Mai Maila Buni. Buni said Saraki had allegedly flouted the laws of the party with his activities.
6. Youths in Benue State have raised the alarm over planned protests in the state against Governor Samuel Ortom. Terrence Kuanum, President, Benue Youth Forum, in a statement on Tuesday, accused “enemies of Benue” of embarking on plan B, which is mass demonstration against ortom. Kuanum said the development was hatched after powerful forces failed to impeach the governor.
7. The chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay, has described the exit of Senate president, Bukola Saraki from the All Progressives Congress (APC) as good for the party. He said Saraki had worked against the party since he became Senate president and had been the source of the problem the party had faced. According to him, the APC would be stronger with Saraki’s exit.
8. The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who was on Tuesday morning interrogated by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, in Abuja has been released. Ekweremadu reported himself at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja earlier on Tuesday for questioning. He was released on administrative bail in the evening after being grilled for hours by operatives over allegations bordering on fraud and money laundering.
9. Armed bandits have struck in another community in Southern Birnin-Gwari local government area of Kaduna State, killing five people. Report says seven others were injured, while three of them are in critical condition.
10. Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari not to feign ignorance of persecution of political opponents in the country. Frank also said unless the president brings to order the Nigerian police and other agencies of government, he might risk Nigerians rising to defend the country and democracy from annihilation. He said this in an open letter to the President.
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