Good morning, Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Sunday, 1st September 2024.
1. People In PDP Are Working For Tinubu, APC – Lamido Alleges
A former governor of Jigawa State and erstwhile Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sule Lamido, has asserted that some persons in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are working for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Naija News reports that Lamido asserted this during a recent interview with The Tribune.
Lamido, one of the founding fathers of the PDP, explained the internal crisis rocking the party and how the former ruling party plans to win in the next general election.
Lamido believes that the PDP can regain its former position as a ruling party. However, he expressed regret that there are ‘moles’ in the now-opposition party.
“It is a huge challenge. Are the Nigerian people willing? The issues of insecurity, of the economy, of poverty are all there. It is not about the PDP; what is the opinion of the Nigerian people? People have been hired to destroy the PDP, but we are making every effort because right now, we have people who are anti-PDP. Imagine people like Ortom (former Benue State governor) saying, ‘our leader, Wike, has said we will vote Tinubu in 2027’. Imagine someone in the PDP saying he is going to take a cue from Wike to vote for Tinubu in 2027. People who are in the PDP are also working for the APC and Tinubu. So, it is a very difficult thing. We are working hard to find people who share a similar concern because those in the party who are now in government are not on the same frequency as us.
Speaking further on the possibility of the PDP returning to power, Lamido acknowledged with a resounding yes, saying: “If you have those in government who share the same frequency with us, we can confidently say yes, but it depends on who you can you identify and we are doing that. We are working hard, but it is a huge task. It is going to be difficult with Tinubu, with his hold on the country, on the economy, and his audacity to say this is where I stand against Nigeria’s interest. It is something else,” Lamido noted.
2. Presidency Releases Details, Facts About Nigeria’s Debts Under Tinubu
The presidency has given more details about Nigeria’s debt condition under the administration of President Bola Tinubu.
The presidency explained that contrary to some reports that Nigeria’s debt stock increased, the nation’s debt stock decreased by 15% in dollar terms in Q1 2024.
It added that the government is able and committed to repaying its debt.
The explanation was given on Saturday, 31st August, by the Special Assistant to President Tinubu on Social Media, Dada Olusegun, in response to a report by StatiSense, which quoted the debt profile of Nigeria under the nation’s presidents starting from the time of Shehu Shagari to the current administration of President Tinubu.
The presidential media aide explained that the current administration’s public debt increase is largely due to economic factors, not increased borrowing.
He argued that the Tinubu government is reducing the nation’s debt profile.
Olusegun said President Tinubu’s administration is committed to transparency and responsible economic management.
3. FG Spent ₦14 Billion On 16 Foreign Missions Without Envoys — Report
Amid significant delays in appointing new ambassadors to oversee Nigeria’s diplomatic missions, the Federal Government has disbursed approximately ₦14 billion to at least 16 foreign missions in July 2024.
Nigeria, with 109 missions spread across the globe, including 76 embassies, 22 high commissions, and 11 consulates, has been without official diplomatic representatives since September 2023.
This comes after President Bola Tinubu’s directive on September 2, 2023, recalling all career and non-career ambassadors appointed by his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari.
The recall affected 83 ambassadors—41 non-career and 42 career—who were instructed to return to Nigeria by October 31, 2023.
Since then, the country has faced mounting public concerns regarding its diplomatic representation and the operational effectiveness of its foreign missions.
The delay in appointing new ambassadors has been attributed to financial and economic challenges, as explained by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, during a ministerial sectoral briefing in Abuja in May.
Tuggar stated that the ministry has not received the necessary funding to operate effectively, highlighting that the government’s focus has shifted from subsidizing consumption to subsidizing production.
Tuggar also pointed out the complications posed by emerging financial platforms like Binance and the rise of cryptocurrencies, which have further undermined the economic reforms that were beginning to show benefits.
4. Victor Osimhen Kicked Out Of Napoli’s Squad, Loses Shirt Number To Lukaku
Super Eagles of Nigeria forward, Victor Osimhen has suffered a series of setbacks at Italian Serie A club, Napoli over his decision to leave the club.
Reports claimed that Victor Osimhen has been excluded from Napoli’s squad, and his number nine shirt has been taken away from him.
Recall that Victor Osimhen, who scored 26 goals and provided five assists in 32 league games which helped Napoli to win the 2022-2023 Italian Serie A title, reportedly requested to leave the club ahead of this season.
Unfortunately, the 130 million Euros release clause added to the contract he signed in December 2023 affected his chances of leaving the club. Recall that clubs like Paris Saint Germain, Chelsea, and even Arsenal attempted to sign him this summer but they were scared away due to the clause.
Chelsea were very close to signing him. They dragged their push for his signature until the last day of the transfer window but Osimhen’s demands in terms of his wages reportedly frustrated the deal.
Saudi Pro League club, Al Ahli reportedly agreed on a deal with Napoli and Osimhen’s representatives but the deal collapsed in the last minute.
Amid that, transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano shared earlier today that the shirt number nine which used to belong to Osimhen has now been assigned to the club’s new signing, Remelu Lukaku.
5. There Is No Constitutional Provision Stopping Tinubu From Swearing-in Kekere-Ekun As CJN – Robert Clarke
A Senior Advocate Of Nigeria (SAN), Robert Clarke, has said that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has every right to swear in Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun as the acting Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) without being screened by the Senate.
The elder statesman argued that Tinubu has not gone against the constitution in any way, adding that it is the president’s duty to appoint a new CJN.
Clarke stated this in an interview with Arise TV on Saturday.
He also praised Kekere-Ekun’s character, saying that he has, in his 50 years in the judiciary, not seen any character like hers, and that she will bring reforms to the Supreme Court.
Addressing the controversies surrounding Kekere-Ekun’s swearing-in as acting CJN by the President, Clarke said, “What you are suggesting now is that what people are saying- that they should have asked her to wait until the Supreme Court confirms before she was being administered under oath to take over the post. If that did not happen, she will still be the acting as the most senior judge on the bench. She will still be acting as the acting Chief Justice of the Federation. All these are semantics as far as I’m concerned.
“There is no impediment of any constitutional provisions that says a CJ cannot be sworn in by the president. After all, the president is the appointing- under the constitution, the president is the appointing officer.
“The Senate is only to confirm or reject, and if they reject, it will still take another term, she will be brought back. So, I don’t see any fundamental infringement of the constitution.”
6. Abuse And Insult Me By All Means, Nothing Will Change – El-Rufai Tells Critics
Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has said that he does not care if people misinterpret his posts on social media.
He insisted that passing judgements on his post out of ignorance will not stop what is supposed to happen from happening.
El-Rufai said, “What will be will be”, despite insults, abuses, and misinterpretations of his posts.
Posting on X , he wrote: “POLITICS & PUBLIC SERVICE?” the former governor wrote: “veni, vidi, vici” – Julius Caesar.
“Interpret, mis-interpret or re-interpret any posts, by me or any others, as you wish. I frankly don’t give a damn.
“Abuse and insult with no basis. By all means, pass your judgment in ignorance and bigotry. Nothing will change. What will be, will be, in sha Allah.”
7. ‘I Will Put Fire In Your States’ – Wike Warns Govs Over Control Of Rivers PDP Structure
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, on Saturday, vowed to cause political crisis in the state of any governor who tries to interfere in the affairs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State.
Wike made this threat at the PDP secretariat in Port Harcourt, during the party’s state congress.
He said, “Let me assure all of you, not while we live will anybody take away the structure of PDP from us. But let me tell people, I hear some governors who say they will take over the structure and give back to somebody, I pity those governors because I will put fire in their states.
“When God has given you peace, you say you don’t want peace – anything you see you take.”
The former governor of Rivers State, who singled out Bauchi governor, Bala Mohammed, promised sleepless nights to governors who leave their states to challenge him in Rivers State.
8. We Need To Tell Ourselves The Bitter Truth – Peter Obi Reacts As Gov Otti Calls For Labour Party Stakeholders Meeting
The 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has expressed his readiness to resolve the crisis rocking the party.
Obi made this known via a statement by his campaign publicist, Yunusa Tanko.
This was just as he supported the stakeholders’ meeting summoned by Abia State Governor, Alex Otti.
Otti’s initial call for a meeting of the National Executive Committee was rebuffed by the National Chairman of the party, Julius Abure, who warned him to stick to governance and stop attempting to pilot the party affairs.
Abure’s reaction stemmed from a recent meeting he had with Otti where the Abia Governor stated his intention to convene an NEC meeting on August 31 to dissolve the executives at the ward, local government, state and national levels on the purported ground that their tenures had expired.
But Abure kicked, saying it was not the position of its governor to consider taking such a decision.
However, Otti ignored the threat and rechristened the NEC as a ‘Stakeholders’ Meeting’, insisting it would take place on September 4 at the Government House in Umuahia, Abia State.
Regarding the development, Obi insisted that the stakeholders meeting was a welcome development.
He opined that such convergence with relevant stakeholders in attendance would be the ideal place to resolve differences and address the crisis rocking the party’s leadership.
9. Ganduje: Your Betrayal Has Shown That You Are Not After The Progress Of The North-Central – APC Forum Slams Gov Sule
The North Central All Progressive Congress (APC) Forum has condemned the endorsement of the national chairman of the party, Abdullahi Ganduje, by the Governor of Nasarawa State, Abdullahi Sule.
The Chairman of the Forum, Saleh Zazzaga, while speaking to journalists in Jos, the Plateau State Capital on Saturday, argued that such endorsement when the party stakeholders from the region are pushing for the return of the National Chairmanship position to the North Central is not only “insensitive and mischievous”, but also an act of “betrayal” of the entire region.
He also said that the courtesy visit Sule paid to the party secretariat in Abuja on Friday to pledge his support for Ganduje was for selfish and personal interest and not the interest of the North Central region, the APC or President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Zazzaga, a member of the Presidential Campaign Council, fumed that Sule’s action had shown that he was not a man of equity and peace.
He claimed that Sule did not support Tinubu from the onset and did everything to halt his emergence as the APC presidential candidate because he was nursing a vice presidential ambition with another APC presidential candidate.
10. CBN Sacks NIRSAL Executive Directors
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has terminated the appointments of all executive directors at the Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agriculture Lending (NIRSAL), as part of an ongoing restructuring process at the apex bank.
The decision, approved by CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso on Friday, represents the latest in a series of significant layoffs since he assumed office last year.
The executive directors affected by the decision include Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Abbas Umar Masanawa, Executive Director of Operations Kennedy Nwaruh, and Executive Director of Technical Services Olatunde Akande.
A NIRSAL official, who confirmed the development to TheNation, noted that the remaining staff are awaiting further clarification on the circumstances surrounding the dismissals.
In the termination letters issued to the affected directors, the CBN cited a “major organisational and human capital restructuring process” as the reason for the dismissals.
The move is part of broader efforts to reshape the CBN’s structure and operations under Governor Cardoso’s leadership.
NIRSAL, a non-bank financial institution wholly owned by the CBN, was established in 2013 with the goal of stimulating agricultural finance and investments in Nigeria.
That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.
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