Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Sunday, 2nd February, 2025.
1. No Magic Will Stop Tinubu’s Re-Election In 2027 – North Central Forum Vows
The North-Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum has announced that it will not go into any coalition with the North-East and the North-West.
The Chairman of the group, Saleh Zazzaga disclosed this in a statement made available to Naija News on Saturday.
He stated that the Forum has no interest in forming a coalition that would remove President Bola Tinubu from power in 2027.
Zazzaga, a member of the APC presidential campaign council in the 2023 election, said the North-Central does not want a repeat of what happened after it played a major role in the coalition that led to the formation of the APC and the emergence of the government of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.
The statement noted that the North Central was relegated to the background by the North East and the North West during Buhari’s administration despite playing a major role in the coalition that formed the government.
2. Your Presence In Atiku Camp Makes Me Want To Vomit – Igbokwe Tells Kwankwaso, Amaechi, Aregbesola, Fayemi
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Joe Igbokwe, has expressed disgust over the presence of some politicians in the camp of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar.
He urged former ministers of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, Solid Minerals, Kayode Fayemi, and Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, and former governor of Kano State, Rabiu Kwankwaso, to return to the APC.
Speaking via a post on his X account, the APC chieftain stated that seeing these men in the camp of Atiku makes him want to “vomit”.
According to Igbokwe: “Good morning, everyone, especially our APC faithful supporters across Nigeria. I want HE Amaechi, HE Fayemi, HE Aregbeshola, HE Kwankwaso and others to move back to APC. Seeing them in Atiku’s camp makes me to want to vomit.”
Meanwhile, Igbokwe, has defended former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, recalling his legal challenge against Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) ex-Governor, Godwin Emefiele, over allegedly fraudulent monetary policies aimed at President Bola Tinubu.
Igbokwe highlighted that during the run-up to the 2023 presidential election, El-Rufai took legal action against Emefiele, accusing him of implementing financial policies designed to obstruct Tinubu’s victory.
3. Ohanaeze Ndigbo Slams Amaechi Over Call For Nigerians To Snatch Power From Tinubu
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has berated the former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, over the remark against President Bola Tinubu.
Naija News reported that Amaechi while speaking in Abuja at a national conference on strengthening democracy in Nigeria, organised by the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, said Nigerian politicians often resort to stealing and killing to win elections and remain in power.
According to the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, those thinking that President Tinubu will hand over power to them in the 2027 election are wasting their time.
However, Ohanaeze, in a statement issued by the Deputy President General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, in Kaduna on Saturday, denounced Amaechi’s rhetoric as a threat to democracy, peace, and civility.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo stated that Amaechi’s calls for brutal force to snatch power from Tinubu in 2027 were deemed alarming and divisive, emphasizing that the Igbo people would never endorse any political conspiracy to undermine the legitimacy of an elected President.
Furthermore, Ohanaeze Ndigbo backed the stance of the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, who urged Amaechi to cease inciting the populace.
4. Revival Of Port Harcourt, Warri Refineries Will Lead To A Drop In Petrol Prices – PETROAN
The Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has announced that the revival of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries will significantly decrease petrol prices nationwide.
In a statement issued on Saturday, PETROAN’s National Public Relations Officer, Dr. Joseph Obele, confirmed that the refineries are now fully operational, with members of PETROAN actively loading petroleum products such as DPK, AGO, and PMS.
Obele explained that the reactivation of the refineries has sparked fierce competition, which is expected to reduce fuel prices.
He emphasized that as Nigerians call for lower PMS prices, competition is proving to be a key driver of price cuts.
“The resurgence of these refineries has sparked intense competition, which is expected to drive down petroleum prices. As Nigerians advocate for lower PMS prices, it is clear that competition is a crucial factor in triggering price reductions,” the statement partly read.
The revitalization, Obele said, brings several advantages, including the elimination of counterfeit diesel and kerosene from the market.
He regretted that the lack of functioning refineries in previous years had led to the spread of fake petroleum products, which put consumers at significant risk.
5. I Don’t Know How To Pretend, Being A Nollywood Actor In Governance Is For Others – El-Rufai
Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has stated that he cannot hide his stance on issues.
He said this while reacting to an X user, @irahabib, who commended him for a book he authored titled ‘Accidental Public Servant’.
The netizen explained that after reading the book, he was convinced that only a politician who intends to develop the country truly would have El-Rufai in his cabinet.
The user wrote: “The day I read El-Rufai’s book titled Accidental Public Servant, I concluded that no politician would want @elrufai in their cabinet unless they genuinely intend to develop this country. He doesn’t know how to pretend.”
Reacting, El-Rufai posted: “Thanks for your kind words, @irahabib. Truly, I don’t know how to pretend. Being a Nollywood actor in governance is for some others, not some of us. Have a nice day. – @elrufai”
The former governor has been in the news lately for criticizing President Bola Tinubu-led administration and the All Progressives Congress, APC.
El-Rufai noted that the APC no longer has internal democracy, stressing that no organ of the party has met in the last two years.
6. ‘Point To What Government Has Done That Is Yahoo-Related’ – APC Tells Peter Obi
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has fired back at the Labour Party (LP) 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, over his recent comments accusing the Tinubu-led government of harbouring more ‘Yahoo boys’ than those being arrested for fraud.
Obi made the statement last week Saturday while delivering a keynote address at the fourth graduation ceremony of Nexford University, where he alleged that Nigeria was at the mercy of corrupt government officials.
Reacting to Obi’s remarks, the APC National Publicity Director, Bala Ibrahim, described his statements as wild and unsubstantiated, adding that they reflect the conduct of an irresponsible opposition figure.
The APC chieftain, in an interview with Punch, criticized Obi for what he called a desperate attempt to remain relevant, arguing that true opposition leaders engage in constructive criticism, not reckless statements.
7. Nigerians Decry Corruption Yet Defend Corrupt Leaders – EFCC Chair
Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, has expressed concern over Nigerians’ contradictory stance on corruption, noting that while many condemn the issue, they also rally behind corrupt leaders when they face prosecution.
Olukoyede made these remarks on Friday in Abuja during a visit by officials of the Centre for Crisis Communication (CCC), led by the director of its board of trustees, Chris Olukolade.
The EFCC Boss emphasised that corruption and financial crimes remain significant obstacles to Nigeria’s development and that tackling them requires collective responsibility.
“One of the major problems in Nigeria, which, when tackled, will make under-development a thing of the past, is corruption and financial crimes,” Olukoyede stated.
He stressed that progress is not solely the government’s responsibility but also the citizens. According to him, the country will move forward if Nigerians collectively resolve to uphold integrity.
8. ‘Obasanjo Was More Interested In His Stability Than Bola Ige’s Death’ – Bisi Akande
A former interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Bisi Akande, has disclosed that ex-president, Olusegun Obasanjo, was not keen on the death of Nigeria’s former Attorney General of the Federation, Bola Ige.
Naija News reports that Akande, during an interview on Edmund Obilo’s podcast, ‘State Affairs’, insisted that Ige did not make a mistake by joining Obasanjo’s administration because he had the blessing of Afenifere and the defunct Alliance for Democracy, AD.
The former Governor of Osun State said a friend, Oluwole Rotimi, warned that Ige might die if he resigned from Obasanjo’s administration.
He said, “One evening, he called me and said he was going to resign from this government tomorrow. It was sudden, and I said, ‘Please sir, I will come back to you.’ I called Oluwole Rotimi, and this is what your friend told me: that he was going to resign from Obasanjo’s government tomorrow.
“He asked me to advise him not to resign because if he does, he is likely going to die—he said that to me on the phone. I called Uncle (Ige) and begged him not to resign.
“He said he had talked to Wole Soyinka and Bola Tinubu, and both of them said he should resign. But I said, ‘Don’t. You can go to Obasanjo, tell him what you are angry about, and if he doesn’t want you anymore, here is your letter.’
“Since he was resigning from his government, I think he stopped trusting him.”
When asked who killed Bola Ige, Akande asserted that the government was responsible for the death.
9. ‘We Will Welcome Him Into Our Party’ – PDP, LP Woos Obasa
The impeachment of former Lagos State House of Assembly Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, has continued to fuel division within the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, with key party stakeholders at odds over his removal.
Since Obasa was impeached on January 13, 2025, over alleged misconduct and financial misappropriation, tensions have escalated within the Governance Advisory Council (GAC)—the APC’s highest decision-making body in the state.
The rift became more apparent when two GAC members, Senator Anthony Adefuye and Muraina Taiwo, publicly criticized the impeachment process, only to be rebuked by another senior APC leader, Musiliu Obanikoro, who dismissed their objections as “childish and inconsequential.”
In an interview with Punch, Adefuye questioned the legitimacy of Obasa’s removal, describing the process as flawed and politically motivated.
“The lawmakers’ action is illegal. It shows total disregard and clear disrespect for leadership. The GAC is split over the matter, but we will all defer to our leader, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to resolve the crisis,” Taiwo stated in a WhatsApp message.
However, Obanikoro fired back at the dissenting voices, urging party leaders to avoid making hasty statements.
10. EFCC Uncovers How Former AGF Opened Multiple Accounts To Divert Public Funds
A witness in the trial of former Acting Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Chukwunyere Anamekwe Nwabuoku, has disclosed how the ex-AGF opened multiple bank accounts to divert public funds.
Naija News reports that Anamekwe is facing trial on a nine-count amended charge of money laundering to the tune of ₦868,465,000 brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Speaking at Friday proceedings, the witness, Eucharia Ezeobi, a Zenith Bank staff member, told Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, that she opened four company accounts for contractors with the Federal Ministry of Defence.
Ezeobi, the EFCC’s first witness (PW1), stated that the four companies are Temeeo Synergy Concept Limited, Turge Global Investment Limited, Laptev Bridge Limited, and Arafura Transnational Afro Limited.
That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.
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