Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Monday, 19th April 2021
1. You’re A Pathetic Liar, Not To Be Taken Seriously – Jonathan Camp Replies Babangida
The camp of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan has lambasted the ex-governor o Niger state, Babangida Aliyu, for claiming he had an agreement with northern Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors not to run in 2015.
Jonathan challenged the former Niger governor to name witnesses that witnessed the said agreement.
It will be recalled as earlier reported by Naija News that Aliyu while reacting to his suspension by the PDP in Chachanga Local Government Area of Niger, said the North would have lost out completely if Jonathan got reelected.
Aliyu who was the chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum said after northern governors supported Jonathan to complete the tenure of late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, the former president was still allowed to contest in 2011.
He said PDP governors in northern states opposed Jonathan’s bid for a second term because he reneged on their agreement not to seek another tenure.
“Since this was against the grain of our earlier agreement in the party, and which we the governors in the north felt the North would have been shortchanged if Jonathan had succeeded, we rose stoutly to insist on the agreement we all had,” he had said.
But reacting in a statement on behalf of Jonathan sent to THISDAY, Reno Omokri, said there was no agreement whether oral or written between Jonathan and PDP northern governors.
2. Buhari Tolerating Rubbish From Some Nigerians – Bello Masari
Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State has said President Muhammadu Buhari has been tolerating rubbish from some people.
In an interview with Television Continental (TVC), Masari said while some other leaders could not stand harsh criticisms, Buhari has been tolerant.
However, Masari, who is the governor of Buhari’s home state of Katsina, did not name the people the president is tolerating their ‘rubbish’.
While insisting that Buhari has not reneged on his campaign promises, the Katsina governor stated that the All Progressives Congress (APC) remains Nigeria’s most reliable party.
3. Drama As PDP NWC Rejects Musa Kwankwaso’s Suspension
The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the suspension of a former governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.
Naija News had earlier reported that a faction of the Kano PDP loyal to a former foreign affairs minister, Aminu Wali, had suspended Kwankwaso for allegedly disrupting the party’s recent northwest congress.
But in a statement on Sunday, PDP national spokesman, Kola Ologbodiyan, dismissed the suspension which he described as “mere fabrication.”
4. 774,000 Jobs: FG Begins Payment Of Stipends
The Federal Government has begun the partial payment of the N20,000 monthly stipend to the 774,000 beneficiaries of the Special Public Works programme.
The Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN), disclosed this in a statement on Sunday titled, ‘NDE commences partial payment of SPW stipends.’
Recall that workers had complained about the delayed payment of their stipends which the government attributed to the mismatch of Bank Verification Numbers (BVN) and other details supplied by the beneficiaries.
But in his Twitter handle, Festus Keyamo said Access Bank has verified accounts for payment while the National Directorate of Employment has commenced payment into accounts with the bank.
According to him, the government was waiting for Zenith, UBA, FCMB, Fidelity, Heritage, and Yobe Micro-finance Banks to settle their issues.
5. EFCC Warns Nigerians Over Fake Bawa’s Twitter Handles
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has warned the public of the emergence of fake Twitter accounts, linked to its chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa by criminal elements.
The EFCC disclosed this in a statement signed by the commission’s head of media and publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, on Sunday.
According to the anti-graft agency, some of the fake Twitter accounts include @AbdurasheedBawa, @AbdulrBawa, @AbdulRashidBaw1 and @AbdulRashidBawa1.
The EFCC pointed out that the @AbdulRashidBaw1 handle has witnessed a steady stream of followers, an indication that many have been hoodwinked into believing they were dealing with the EFCC chair.
6. Army Arrests Boko Haram Informant That Helped Terrorists Attack Military Base
The Nigerian Army has confirmed the arrest of a Boko Haram informant that gave out information to terrorists which assisted them in attacking a military base in Yobe State.
The spokesperson of the Army, Brigadier General Mohammed Yerima in a statement made available to Naija News on Sunday gave the name of the informant as Modu Ari.
The statement added that Ari was arrested by troops of 27 Task Force Brigade attached to Operation Lafiya Dole.
The Army statement confirmed an earlier report by this online news platform that ISWAP/Boko Haram terrorists attacked Kumuya military base in Yobe State.
The terrorists attacked when some special forces of the 27 Task Force Brigade, deployed at Buni Gari had gone out on clearing Patrol in the axis.
7. Wike Reveals Why Obaseki Is Right That FG Printed N60bn
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has declared that his Edo State counterpart, Godwin Obaseki knows what he’s saying about the alleged printing of N60 billion by the federal government to augment the March allocation to states.
Wike while declaring his position on the matter, called on the federal government and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to tell Nigerians the truth about what happened.
He accused the CBN of failing to address the allegation made by Obaseki, but rather beating around the bush to confuse Nigerians.
Wike noted that Obaseki was an insider within the All Progressives Congress (APC) who understands how the party operates and therefore couldn’t have gone public with his allegations without having facts.
The Rivers State Governor made his views known on Sunday at the dedication of Senator Rochas Okorocha’s grandson.
8. BBOG Release Names Of 112 Chibok Schoolgirls Still In Boko Haram Captivity
112 Chibok schoolgirls still remain in the captivity of the dreaded Boko Haram insurgents after their school was attacked on April 14, 2014.
Recall that Boko Haram insurgents invaded Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno state and abducted 276 schoolgirls preparing for their final year examination.
Among them, 164 have either escaped, been released or found — but seven years down the line, 112 girls still remain in the custody of the insurgents.
On Saturday, the Lagos arm of Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) which has been at the forefront of the campaign for the return of the abducted students held a sit-out in the Ikoyi area of the state to mark the seventh anniversary of the abduction.
During the sit-out, the group provided the names of the 112 Chibok girls still in Boko Haram custody.
9. Boko Haram: UN Suspends Operations In Dikwa, Damasak
The United Nations (UN) has announced that it will temporarily suspend its humanitarian operations in Dikwa and Damasak in Borno state following consistent Boko Haram attacks in those areas.
Naija News reports that this was made known in a statement to newsmen on Saturday by the UN resident and humanitarian coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon.
Giving reasons for the suspension, Kallon stated that the UN wants to safely relocate its humanitarian staff to other locations.
10. Oil Companies Can’t Relocate Headquarters To Niger Delta Because….. – FG Declares
The federal government of Nigeria has declared that multinational oil companies can’t move their headquarters to the Niger Delta except peace can be guaranteed in the area.
This position was declared on Sunday by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva who noted that the oil companies need assurance that their investments would be safe before they can be compelled to move their headquarters as been demanded by the oil-producing states.
Sylva was reported to have said this in his speech obtained by journalists on Sunday in Abuja delivered after his induction as patron and conferment of the peace ambassadors award on him by the Niger Delta Non-Violence Agitators Forum.
The Minister, therefore, enjoined all stakeholders to work towards achieving and sustaining peace in the oil-producing Niger-Delta areas.