Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspapers headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 1st October 2021
1. Independence: President Buhari To Hold Nationwide Broadcast
President Muhammadu Buhari will address the country in a nationwide broadcast to mark the 2021 Independence Day celebration.
Naija News reports that Nigeria’s Independence Day is celebrated every October 1st to mark our independence from colonial rule under the British government.
In a statement to newsmen on Thursday, the broadcast is part of activities marking the 61st Independence Anniversary of the country.
President Buhari will broadcast to the nation on Friday, October 1, 2021 at 7am.
2. 2023: PDP Zones National Chairmanship Position To The North
Ahead of its national convention, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has zoned its national chairmanship position to the north.
This development was announced on Thursday in Abuja by the Chairman of the PDP convention zoning committee and Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
He made the announcement at the end of the committee’s meeting.
Speaking on Thursday, Ugwuanyi, however, declared that the mandate of the zoning committee does not include taking any decision on which zone gets the presidential and vice-presidential tickets of the party.
3. Appeal Court Allows Lagos Join Rivers Dispute With FIRS Over VAT
The Appeal Court sitting in Abuja has okayed Lagos State request to be joined in the appeal filed by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
Recall that the FIRS had appealed against an earlier ruling by Justice Steven Pam of the Federal High Court in Port-Harcourt, voiding the Value Added Tax (VAT) Act and holding that the states could collect VAT.
Delivering it’s ruling on Thursday, Justice Haruna Simon stated that Lagos has shown sufficient interest to protect by being made a party in the case.
The court rejected the objections by the FIRS and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and proceeded to join the Attorney General of Lagos State as the third respondent.
4. Independence Day: Nigeria’s Federalism Built On Falsehood – Gani Adams
The Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, Gani Adams has advocated that Nigeria be restructured along regional lines.
Speaking against the backdrop of the country’s 61st independence anniversary celebration, the Yoruba generalissimo said each region should be allowed to operate and develop at its own pace instead of concentrating all power and resources at the centre.
In his view, this will allow the abundant natural resources in the regions to be exploited and developed, leading to the ‘magic’ of more money.
He also lamented the unending borrowings by the federal government, warning that it is setting up future generations for suffering.
Adams submitted that if Nigeria will grow and make progress, the federation must exist on equity, justice, and truth.
5. Airstrike: DHQ Denies Killing 20 People In Borno Community
The Defence Headquarters has denied conducting an airstrike that killed 20 fishermen at Kwatan Daban Masara in Borno State, North-East Nigeria.
The Acting Director, Defence Media Operations, Brig.-Gen. Bernard Onyeuko disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
Onyeuko explained that the air component, acting on credible intelligence on the activities of terrorists in an identified ISWAP camp at the said location, conducted airstrikes on the target on Sept. 26.
He said the air interdiction was conducted after careful Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance missions revealed the activities of ISWAP elements in the location.
According to him, the intelligence gathered was processed and carefully analyzed between the period of Aug. 19 and Sept. 23.
6. Nigeria At 61: APC Govt Has Made Life Difficult For Nigerians – PDP
Ahead of Nigeria’s 61st independence anniversary, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) government of making life difficult for Nigerians in the past six years.
The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, made the accusation while addressing newsmen at the party’s national headquarters on Thursday.
He described the six years of President Buhari administration as the worst in Nigeria’s history as an independent, sovereign state.
Ologbondiyan asked Nigerians not to despair in the midst of economic woes, impunity, nepotism, treasury looting, harsh economic policies and accommodation of terrorism which characterized the Buhari government.
He, however, expressed hope in the ability of the country to bounce back stronger after the APC government exits office in 2023.
7. Declare Bandits As Terrorists – House Of Reps Tells Buhari
Following the Senate directive to President Muhammadu Buhari, the House of Representatives on Thursday has also demanded the proscription of bandits.
Naija News reports that the Upper chamber on Wednesday passed a resolution urging the President to declare bandits as terrorists.
At the plenary, the chairman of the House Committee on Defence, Babajimi Benson moved a motion of urgent public importance on the matter.
Moving the motion, Benson said the declaration of bandits as terrorists can be done through a proscription order, adding that it will serve as an added impetus for the brave security personnel to redouble their efforts at dealing with this menace.
The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, asked if there was any opposition to the motion, the lawmakers chorused, “No!”
The motion was then adopted through a voice vote by the whole House.
8. Nigeria Will Be In More Problems With State Police Because Of Immature Politicians – Zulum
The Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum has stated that Nigeria is not ripe for the introduction of the state police system.
Zulum said state police will only become a tool in the hand of politicians to carry out vengeance against their perceived enemies.
The Governor lamented that unfortunately, he doesn’t believe politicians who will be in control of state police have the maturity to handle such sensitive power, stating that some state governors can go as far as using such powers to wipe out an entire tribe.
The Borno Governor made his mind known on Wednesday when he spoke in Kuru, Plateau State at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) while delivering a lecture titled ‘Ungoverned Space and Insecurity in the Sahelian Region: Implications for Nigeria Domestic Peace and Security.’
He called for a review of the long-term implications of demands for state policing.
9. One Person Killed As Unknown Gunmen Attack PDP Governorship Aspirant Set To Defect To APC
Unknown gunmen have reportedly attacked the convoy of a member representing Nnewi North, Nnewi South, Ekwusigo federal constituency, Hon. Chris Azubogu.
It was gathered that Azubogu, a former governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, was not in any of the vehicles.
The gunmen had attacked the convoy heading to Nnewi after attending a public function, killing a driver of one of the pilot vehicles in the convoy.
Azubogu, according to reports, was set to defect to the All Progressives Congress, APC, before the attack occurred.
10. 2023: PDP Governors Take Decision On Zoning Chairmanship Ticket To The North
Indications have emerged that the governors of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have voted to zone the party’s national chairmanship ticket to the north.
This is coming few weeks to the planned national convention of the party slated for October 30 and 31 in Abuja, the federal capital territory.
The decision to zone the national chairmanship ticket to the north was said to have been taken on Wednesday in Abuja at the Akwa Ibom Governor’s residence according to a report monitored by Naija News on The Cable.
The report added that 9 governors voted in favour of the zoning, 3 voted against while the Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal who is the chairman of the forum didn’t vote as he was the one who presided over the meeting.
Those are the top Nigerian newspapers headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.
This article was originally published on Naija News