Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 1st September, 2025
1. Tinubu Will Come Third In The 2027 Presidential Election – El-Rufai Declares
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has predicted that President Bola Tinubu will not only lose the 2027 presidential race, but will come in a distant third.
According to El-Rufai, he has done the calculations and is sure about the predicted outcome.
Naija News reports that the former Governor made the declaration on Sunday during an interview on Channels Television.
El-Rufai, a member of the coalition-adopted African Democratic Congress (ADC), stated that he had “done my maths” and concluded that Tinubu has no “pathway to win” the election outright on the first ballot.
“Tinubu will be third in the 2027 election. I have done my maths and I can tell you Tinubu has no pathway to win. The worst case scenario is that there will not be any winner in the first ballot,” he said.
He said a critical evaluation would reveal that Nigeria has not gotten better under Tinubu’s watch.
2. APC Wins Big As Full Results Of Rivers Local Govt Election Emerges
The Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) has announced final results from the local government elections conducted in the state on Saturday, 30th August, 2025.
According to the results declared on Sunday by the Chairman of RSIEC, Michael Ekpai Odey, Naija News reports that the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the chairmanship seats in 20 local government areas, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won in three local government areas.
Meanwhile, a source has opened up on why the suspended governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, was conspicuously absent during the Local Government election conducted by the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC).
According to The Daily Post, Fubara’s key supporters, including Chief of Staff Edison Ehie, Secretary to the Government Tammy Danagogo, and other notable loyalists, were absent from their respective polling units during the election.
Similarly, the 23 former local government chairmen whom the Supreme Court sacked also shunned the election.
3. Phyna Confirms Death Of Sister, Ruth Otabor, After Dangote Truck Accident
A graduate of Auchi Polytechnic, Ruth Otabor, the sister of reality TV star, Ijeoma Josephine Otaba, better known as Phyna, has passed away.
Naija News reports that Phyna confirmed the demise in a statement via her Instagram page on Sunday.
The family urged the public to respect their privacy as they mourn the deceased.
Recall that Phyna‘s sister Ruth was involved in a tragic accident, where she lost a leg after being hit by a Dangote truck driven by an allegedly underage and unlicensed driver.
Ruth’s accident occurred on August 13, 2025, near Auchi Polytechnic in Edo State, and Phyna has been seeking justice and accountability from the Dangote Group.
The company initially pledged full support for Ruth’s treatment, including flying her abroad for further care, but Phyna claims they later reneged on their promise.
4. Police Statement On Kaduna Violence More Political Than Professional – ADC
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has faulted the position of the Police on the violence which occurred in Kaduna State during a political gathering over the weekend.
The ADC said the Kaduna State Police Command did not display professionalism in its handling of the weekend’s violent disruption of the party’s inauguration in Kaduna, where armed thugs attacked party members.
Naija News reports that the party, in a statement on Sunday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, submitted that the Police can not criminalize the opposition.
According to Abdullahi, the Kaduna State Police Command can not criminalize legitimate political activity while failing to protect citizens, insisting that the venue had been duly pre-booked and that security agencies must not be used to intimidate the opposition.
The ADC in the statement distanced itself from any form of violence, adding that the party would not be intimidated into silence.
5. 2027: What The PDP Did Was Not Zoning, It Was Deception – Kenneth Okonkwo
Veteran actor and politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, has stated that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) only deceived Nigerians by declaring that it has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the south.
The Labour Party chieftain also added that zoning is among the six geopolitical zones in the country, and not between the North and South.
According to him, rotation is between the North and South and currently, presidential power is in the South, so the issue of rotation is not relevant.
Naija News reports Okonkwo made the submission in a statement on Sunday in which he reacted to the declaration by the PDP that it has zoned its 2027 presidential ticket to the south.
The LP chieftain added that if political parties in the country are serious about zoning the presidential ticket to a particular zone, the southeast should be the one to be picked as it is the only region yet to produce the President for the country.
6. PDP Committed An Original Sin In 2023, Should Avoid Jonathan, Obi As Candidate In 2027 – Keyamo
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has cautioned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against fielding former President Goodluck Jonathan or Peter Obi as its presidential candidate in the 2027 elections.
According to Keyamo, the PDP committed an error in 2023 when it failed to zone its 2023 presidential ticket to the south and now wants to correct the mistake by picking a candidate from the south in 2027.
The Minister stated that the PDP deliberately zoned its 2027 ticket to the south in order to win back the region.
He, however, cautioned that the party may end up without a presidential candidate if it decides to pick Jonathan, as the Supreme Court may rule him ineligible, and the apex court’s decision may come at a time when the PDP may not be able to pick another candidate for the election.
Similarly, Keyamo submitted that if the PDP gives its 2027 ticket to Peter Obi, Nigerians may not want to vote for a candidate from the south who is likely to be interested in a second term and thereby disrupt the zoning arrangement in the country.
Furthermore, the Aviation Minister said any PDP candidate from the Southwest must be ready to face the existing structures of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the region.
7. Odumodublvck Calls Out Headies Over Undelivered Car Gift
Nigerian rapper Tochukwu Gbubemi Ojogwu popularly known as Odumodublvck has called out the organizers of the Headies Awards over the car gift.
Naija News reports that gift was promised to him after winning the Next Rated category at the 2025 edition.
In a tweet, he reminded the award body that the prize has not been delivered.
He wrote, “I DON FORGET SAY I WIN CAR 
HEADIES WEY MY CAR?”
Odumodublvck won the Next Rated category earlier this year, a category that traditionally comes with a car gift.
However, months after the ceremony, he insists that the award body has yet to provide the vehicle.
8. Mo Bimpe Fires Back At Troll Who Mocked Her For Being Childless
Actress Mo Bimpe has called out a social media user who mocked her for not having children while she promoted her new movie My Miracle.
Naija News reports that the Nollywood star premiered the film on her YouTube channel, MobimpeTV, on Sunday, but a troll used the opportunity to attack her with harsh comments about her womb and childbearing.
The user left a series of offensive remarks on Instagram, accusing her of being barren and questioning her womanhood.
Mo Bimpe later revealed that the same person who insulted her openly had gone into her private messages to beg for financial assistance.
She shared screenshots to illustrate the contradiction, highlighting how the troll transitioned from insults to pleading for help.
The actress told her followers that such individuals are not worth their energy, describing them as unhappy people who seek attention through negativity.
She urged her fans to ignore the comments.
9. NDLEA Arrests Grandpa, Kingpin, Others In Nationwide Illegal Drug Busts
Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 75-year-old grandpa, Uchelue Ikechukwu, alongside five suspects arrested with illicit substances in raids in parts of Anambra State.
Naija News reports that 30-year-old Alfa Andrew was also taken into custody following the destruction of 178, 750 kilograms of skunk on his 71.5 hectares of cannabis farm in Mayodoga forest, Sardauna local council area of Taraba state.
This was disclosed in a statement on Sunday by the NDLEA Director, Media & Advocacy, Femi Babafemi.
The statement revealed that while Uchelue was nabbed at Umudioka, Dunukofia local government area of Anambra with 26.7kg skunk on Thursday 28th August 2025, Eneh Makuo; Emmanuel Chiemeli; Uwakwe Matthew; Chukwujekwu Ehirim; Ifeanyichukwu Olisa and Odoh Chukwuma, were arrested with various quantities of opioids and skunk at Nkwelle and Amichi areas of the state.
10. Ruth Would Still Be Alive If Dangote Embraced Her As Family – Mercy Eke Mourns Phyna’s Sister
Reality TV star Mercy Eke has reacted to the death of Ruth Otabor, the younger sister of Big Brother Naija Season 7 winner Phyna.
Naija News reports that she died after sustaining severe injuries in a road accident involving a truck linked to the Dangote Group near Auchi Polytechnic in Edo State.
The accident, which occurred on August 13, 2025, led to the amputation of her left leg at Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, but she later succumbed to the complications.
Mercy expressed sadness over the tragic loss, stressing that the situation could have been different if timely intervention had been provided.
That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.
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