R
Richard Ogunsile
Guest
Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Sunday, 24th November 2024.
1. Tinubu Is Being Led Into Committing Political Suicide – APC Chieftain
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Cletus Obun, has warned President Bola Tinubu to retrace his steps, especially regarding appointments.
Naija News reports that Obun, during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today, said that Tinubu is being led into committing political suicide by certain people.
Obun expressed displeasure over the reward system in APC, noting it was worse under the administration of former president Muhammadu Buhari, and Tinubu is acting likewise.
The APC chieftain lamented that members of the party who worked tirelessly during the last election for the emergence of Tinubu as President were not being rewarded accordingly.
2. President Tinubu, Wife Depart Brazil After G20 Summit
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and First Lady, Oluremi have departed Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, after participating in the 2024 G-20 leaders’ summit.
Naija News reports that Tinubu and his entourage took off from Galeao Air Force Base, Rio at 10:30 am (local time), on Saturday.
While in Rio de Janeiro, Tinubu expressed Nigeria’s readiness to represent Africa in the United Nations Security Council.
He called on the council to reflect global diversity by allocating two permanent seats to Africa, as Nigeria “stands ready and willing to serve as a representative of Africa in this capacity.”
At the summit, President Tinubu lauded the global alliance against hunger and poverty and described the Alliance as a significant milestone in eradicating global hunger and poverty.
On the sidelines of the G20 summit, the Nigerian Leader also held bilateral talks with Kristalina Georgieva, the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), who commended the Tinubu administration’s economic reforms and the positive indicators.
3. Reps Order INEC To Move Offices Out Of LGAs
The House of Representative Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on the electoral body to move its offices out of local government areas across the country.
The House resolution followed a motion by Hon. Sunday Nnamchi, who noted that situating INEC offices out of council areas to neutral ground would help to protect the integrity of the electoral process.
Nnamchi’s motion was referred to the Committee on INEC. During a public hearing at the National Assembly Complex, the committee’s chairman, Adebayo Balogun, explained that INEC needed to locate its offices on neutral ground.
“There must be a communication between either INEC or the committee, through members or through the state governors to provide land. Because you have to put this on the front burner. If people are talking about it, it will happen. Because yes, I know Mr. Chairman is a very conservative person when it comes to issues like this, but we need to talk.
“People will only listen to you when you talk and the pressure is on the ground. There is so much demand from every department and every ministry. Sometimes it is when they hear you that action is being taken and I think with this motion, I want to use the opportunity to thank the mover of this motion because I never knew we had this kind of situation until this motion came. Even in Lagos, I never knew we had this situation in Lagos. I mean, Alimosho, Apapa, Oshodi and Eti Osa. And I think we should be able to solve these problems very, very fast,” the Nation quoted him.
4. Northern Elders Reject Tinubu’s Tax Reform Bill, Says It Is Poorly Packaged And Conceived In Bad Faith
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) says the proposed tax reforms by President Bola Tinubu are not in the best interest of the northern region.
The forum said the Tax Reform Bill by President Tinubu, which is currently before the National Assembly, is poorly packaged and was conceived in bad faith.
The position of NEF was made known in a communique signed by its convener, Professor Ango Abdullahi, and released to newsmen on Saturday.
According to him, the position was adopted during the second bi-annual meeting of the NEF Board of Trustees held on Wednesday, November 20th, 2024, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Center, Abuja.
The forum submitted that the bill, in its present form, is a palpable threat to their unity and national cohesion. It added that those promoting the bill have sinister intentions.
It also condemned the silence of the National Assembly lawmakers from the north on the bill, stating that they should have rejected it as well.
5. ‘This Is Worst Political Confession’ – APC Chieftain Fires PDP Over Accusation Of Destabilizing Party
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Cletus Obun, has admitted that destabilizing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is a strategy ahead of the 2027 election.
Naija News reports that the statement comes after a chieftain of the PDP, Segun Sowunmi, blamed the crisis in the party on President Bola Tinubu’s appointment of Nyesom Wike as minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
Sowunmi faulted Tinubu’s decision to appoint Wike as a minister without consulting the party.
While fielding questions on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Friday, Obun, also a former chairman of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties, CNPP, in Cross River State, said it is part of the duty of APC to destabilise the PDP.
He said destabilizing the opposition Party is a good political weapon and permissible as long as it is not disruptively violent.
6. PDP Governors Give Damagum, NWC 3 Months For NEC Meeting
Governors elected on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform have called on the Party’s National Working Committee to organise a meeting of the Party’s National Executive Committee by the first week of February at the latest.
Naija News recalls that the NWC has continued to postpone the NEC, expected to discuss some issues bedevilling the Party and present a substantive National Chairman of the Party who will take over from Umar Damagum and complete the tenure of the suspended Iyorchia Ayu.
The Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, who is also the chairman of the Forum, in a communique read to journalists on Saturday, said the meeting will allow elaborate consultations with critical stakeholders of the Party.
He said, “The Forum notes the concerns of Nigerians, PDP founding fathers, elders and members of our great Party of seeming divisions within the ranks and files.
“The Forum wishes to state categorically that it remains resolute in its determination to ensure unity and cohesion of this great Party that Nigerians have come to trust as the best platform for democratic governance.
“The Forum is constrained to accept the latest postponement of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Party in empathy with our colleague, Governor Umo Eno whose late dear wife will be buried on the same day earlier scheduled for NEC.
“The Forum is strongly advising the NWC to call NEC latest by the first week of February 2025 to allow for elaborate consultations with critical stakeholders of the Party. The period between November and February is to address the existential problems confronting the Party, with a deliberate timeline of activities within the period under review to address issues of leadership and litigations confronting the Party.”
Mohammed also said the Forum empathized with Nigerians who are “groaning under the oppressive economic hardship foisted on the nation by the policies and decisions of the APC-led Federal Government.”
7. Reps To March Against Gender Based Violence On Monday
The House Representatives would on Monday march against gender-based violence as part of activities to commemorate the 2024 International Day for the elimination of violence against women.
The spokesman of the House, Akintunde Rotimi, said the march would take off from the National Assembly and terminate at the police headquarters.
He said the march reflects the resolve of the House to end gender-based violence and demand prosecution of perpetrators.
In a statement, Rotimi disclosed that the march would “bring together over 1,000 participants – including Representatives and members of the public – on a symbolic walk from the National Assembly to the Headquarters of the Nigeria Police Force.”
“This demonstration of solidarity will culminate in the submission of a petition to the Inspector General of Police, demanding decisive action to safeguard vulnerable populations and ensure accountability for perpetrators of GBV.
“This march and the associated activities are not just symbolic gestures, they reflect our resolve and call to action against gender-based violence head-on.
“We stand united in the fight to protect the rights and dignity of all Nigerians, especially the most vulnerable. Together, through collective action and legislative reforms, we can build a society where safety, justice, and equality prevail,” he stated.
8. Wike Vs Fubara: FG Backtracks, Says FAAC Allocation To Rivers State Not Stopped
The Federal Government has denied reports that it stopped the disbursement of funds to Rivers State.
Recall that the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) had earlier on Friday announced that it halted the disbursement of October revenue payment to Rivers State, citing the Federal High Court judgement.
Bawa Mokwa, the spokesperson for the OAGF, who spoke to journalists on Friday, emphasised that the federal government would respect the court order halting allocation with due diligence until a contrary order is issued.
“What I got is that the October 2024 FAAC has not been distributed yet. However, the federal government will obey the court order on the matter of Rivers State’s allocation,” he said.
The OAGF’s spokesperson further noted that due diligence would be followed “as long as there is no contrary order,” adding that “the process of disbursement of the October 2024 monthly allocation is going.”
9. Igbos Should Boycott Arise TV Unless Abati Apologizes – IPOB Lawyer
The Indigenous People of Biafra lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has called on Ndigbo to boycott Arise TV until its anchor, Reuben Abati, apologizes for the alleged anti-Igbo statement.
Naija News reported that the former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Reuben Abati, recounted during a morning programme how a former minister could not buy land for his wife in Igbo land.
Abati’s statement that Ndigbo does not sell land to non-indigenes generated condemnation from the people of the South East region.
Most X users of Igbo extraction accused Abati of committing ethnic bigotry against the group.
In reaction on Friday, on his X handle, Ejiofor alleged that he had taken on the former presidential spokesman at another time for his alleged anti-Igbo statement.
10. ‘I Didn’t Present My Certificate To Ganduje Because I Haven’t Met With Tinubu First’ – Aiyedatiwa
The Governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has clarified that his decision not to present his Certificate of Return to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, was not an act of disrespect.
Aiyedatiwa, who secured his reelection in last Saturday’s governorship poll, received his Certificate of Return on Wednesday at the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.
Following the presentation, the governor led a delegation of Ondo APC leaders to meet with members of the APC National Working Committee (NWC) at the party’s secretariat, where they were warmly received.
However, Aiyedatiwa and his deputy, Adelami Olaide, did not adhere to the usual protocol of presenting their Certificates of Return to the party’s national chairman.
Speaking to Saturday PUNCH, Aiyedatiwa emphasized that the decision was not intended as a slight to Ganduje or the party leadership but as a gesture of respect for President Tinubu’s leadership.
That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.
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