Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Monday, 29th March 2021
1. Buhari Needs Help And I Am Ready To Help Him – Atiku
Former Vice President of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has declared that it is time for those who truly believe in the country to help the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Atiku noted that it has become obvious that the current administration lacks the capacity to help the nation and the citizens but anyone who has the interest of Nigerians at heart must rise up and help in whichever way they can.
He added that the Buhari administration has a habit of rejecting ideas from other quarters but the indices continue to show Nigeria is not heading in the right direction under the current administration, hence the need for stakeholders to continue talking.
The former Vice President lamented that all the gains accrued to the nation by previous democratic leaders particularly during the administration of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo have been eroded due to wrong government policies.
At present, he observed that Nigeria has become the world headquarters for extreme poverty, the world capital for out of school children, and the nation with the highest unemployment rate on Earth, adding that if urgent steps are not taken to correct the trend, Nigeria may soon become a failed state.
2. Presidency Speaks On Buhari Promising To Make One Naira Equal To One Dollar
The Presidency has debunked trending reports that President Muhammadu Buhari during his campaigns in 2015, promised to make one naira equivalent to one US dollar.
According to the president’s special adviser on media and publicity, Femi Adesina, reports that Buhari promised Nigerians to make one naira equal to one dollar is totally false.
Adesina made the rebuttal on Sunday when he featured as a guest on Channels TV Sunday politics.
“It does not exist, it is fake, it is false, it is apocryphal, it doesn’t,” he declared.
3. Ortom: IGP Sends Kyari, Other Crack Detectives To Benue State
The Nigeria Police on Sunday, disclosed that it has deployed a special investigation task force to Benue State in continuation of investigations on the murder attempt on the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom.
The team is led by DCP Abba Kyari and consists of operatives from the Tactical Investigation Units of the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) and other experienced, crack detectives with specialized competencies in crime scene investigation and reconstruction, ballistics, fingerprint analysis, and other core areas of forensics.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CP Frank Mba in a statement to the effect disclosed that the Inspector-General, Mohammed Adamu charged the team to be professional and thorough.
The statement noted further that Kyari and other team members have arrived Makurdi, the Benue State capital.
4. Police Arrest Pastor That Allegedly Provides Spiritual Help For IPOB, ESN
The Police have confirmed the arrest of a man, Cletus Nwachukwu Egole aka Alewa understood to be a pastor with the Holy Blessed Trinity Sabbath Church, Orlu, Imo State.
He was arrested for working as a spiritual cover provider for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Eastern Security Network (ESN).
Egole’s house was used by the gang members to plan their different operations and he also provided a farmland that belongs to his late brother for the groups to use as a hideout and training camp.
The Police have blamed the two organizations for some recent attacks on security operatives and security formations across the south-east.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba in a statement on Sunday, noted that another person arrested alongside Egole was Michael Uba, a prophet with the Association of Jewish Faith, who confessed to working with two of the masterminds of the various attacks who had previously confessed to being active members of IPOB and ESN.
5. Biafra/Oduduwa: Reps Meet Army Over Nnamdi Kanu, Sunday Igboho, Others
Members of the House of Representatives on Saturday met behind closed-doors with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, at the Nigerian Army Headquarters in Abuja.
It was gathered that the meeting was held by the lawmakers and the army chief to discuss the secessions and agitations threats going on in the country.
Naija News reports that there have been growing calls for the secession of Nigeria by various individuals and groups which include the Nnamdi Kanu led IPOB, Yoruba activist Sunday Igboho, former militant leader Asari Dokubo and many others.
These groups are pushing for separate states known as Biafra, Oduduwa, amongst others.
Although the lawmakers and the military refused to disclose the details to the press, sources told SaharaReporters that the rising agitations in the South-West led by Sunday Igboho, IPOB, and other agitations in the South-East and South-West topped the discussion.
The lawmakers’ committee led by its Chairman, Abdul-Razaq Namdas, raised concerns over the agitations of individuals and groups to divide the country and rising insecurity.
6. 2023: PDP May Waive Nomination Fees For Youth Aspirants
Aspirants below the age of 35, seeking elective positions on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2023 elections may not need to pay nomination fees.
This is part of the recommendation by the National Reconciliation and Strategy Committee (NRSC) of the party led by Dr. Bukola Saraki in a letter addressed to the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus.
However, such persons would still have to pay for the Expression of Interest form which is much cheaper than the nomination fees.
The measure is believed to be aimed at easing the burden of participation in the political process on the youths and encourage them to purposefully and positively utilize the new constitutional provisions on the age requirements for political office holders, otherwise called the Not Too Young to Run Bill.
7. Why Buhari, Governors Can’t Stop Nigeria’s Break-up – Nnamdi Kanu
The leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has stated that President Muhammadu Buhari and state governors cannot decide who stays or leaves Nigeria.
Naija News reports that the pro-Biafra activist made this known in a post on his Twitter handle on Saturday.
The IPOB leader stated that only a referendum by the people could determine if they will remain in Nigeria or not.
He added that whether the country would disintegrate or remain integrated should be determined by the people via a referendum.
8. Buhari Alone Can’t Solve All Of Nigeria’s Problems – Chief Of Staff
The Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Ibrahim Gambari has declared that Nigerians should not expect the President to solve all of Nigeria’s problems alone.
Gambari made the submission on Saturday when he represented the President at the 2021 edition of the Sardauna Memorial Lecture (the 11th in the series) held at the Arewa House Banquet Hall, Kaduna State.
According to the President’s chief of staff, all hands must be on deck to ensure Nigeria works and overcomes all the challenges it is facing in order to reach its potentials.
He, however, noted that Buhari will lead by example but expects the corporation and assistance of every other stakeholder.