Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Tuesday, 6th February 2024.
1. “These People Can Go To Jail; After All, Many Of Them Did Not Support You” – Father Mbaka Tells Tinubu
Outspoken clergyman and Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Revd Father Ejike Mbaka, has called on President Bola Tinubu to go all out and deal with cabals in the nation’s petroleum sector.
According to Mbaka, Nigerians are suffering untold levels of hardship, and the President needs to exhibit the political will and readiness towards solving the country’s problems.
Speaking further during his homily at the Adoration ground on Sunday, the catholic priest said the corruption in the petroleum sector calls for grave concern, and the President needs to beam his searchlight on what’s going on in the sector.
According to him, fixing the refineries and getting the cabals in the petroleum sector out of the way shouldn’t be a problem if President Tinubu has the political will to do the needful.
The priest added that most of the cabals reaping Nigeria off in the petroleum sector didn’t support Tinubu’s election bid, so it should be easy for the President to go after them and put them in prison for economic sabotage.
2. NAFDAC Begins Strict Enforcement Of Ban On Sachet Alcoholic Drinks
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has began the enforcement of the ban on the importation, manufacture, distribution, sale, and use of alcoholic beverages in sachets, PET, and glass bottles of 200ml and below.
The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof Mojisola Adeyeye, announced the development in a press conference in Abuja.
She noted that the agency gave manufacturers till January 31, 2024, to sell off all alcoholic drinks.
Adeyeye warned that the grace period had elapsed and the agency had begun the strict enforcement of the policy.
She added that during enforcement actions, it was discovered that some manufacturers of the banned products were still producing the products, and still had stacks of both finished products and packaging materials of the products in their possession.
3. Edo 2024: APC Prunes 29 Governorship Aspirants To Four
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has narrowed down its governorship aspirants to four out of the initial twenty-nine contenders for the upcoming February 17 primary election.
Peter Uwadia-Igbinigie, the state’s APC publicity secretary, announced the final shortlist, which includes notable figures such as Lucky Imasuen, a former deputy governor of Edo State; Dennis Idahosa, representing Ovia constituency in the House of Representatives; Col. David Imuse (rtd.), the immediate past chairman of Edo APC; and Senator Monday Okpekholo, representing Edo Central Senatorial District.
This selection process brings forward two candidates from Edo South senatorial district—Imasuen and Idahosa—and two from Edo Central senatorial district—Imuse and Okpekholo—setting the stage for a competitive primary ahead of the state governorship election.
4. Gunshots As Niger Residents Troop To Streets Over Hardship
In an effort to quell a protest against the escalating cost of living, police officers discharged firearms to disperse demonstrators in Minna, the capital of Niger State.
Early on Monday morning, a group primarily composed of women took to the Minna-Bida Road at the Kpakungu roundabout, voicing their frustrations over the soaring prices of food items.
The situation intensified as men joined the demonstration, effectively halting vehicular movement along the road.
Attempts by the police to manage the swelling crowd nearly led to a confrontation, with protesters demanding the officers vacate the location.
This tension prompted the police to fire shots into the air as a means to disperse the gathering.
According to Ibrahim Gana, a participant in the protest, who spoke with Daily Trust, the cost of basic staples has skyrocketed, with rice now priced at N2,000 per mudu and maize at N1,000 per measure in Minna markets.
5. President Tinubu To Flag Off Lagos Red Line Rail Project End Of February
President Bola Tinubu will flag off the Lagos Red Line Rail project in the last week of February 2024.
This development was disclosed by the State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, according to his Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Jubril Gawat, in a post via the X platform on Monday.
The aide said Sanwo-Olu, yesterday visited the headquarters of China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation in Dalian, China, to conclude the conversations with the top management of the company on the purchase of new rolling stock for the Blue and Red rail lines in Lagos State.
He quoted the Governor to have affirmed the commitment of his administration to reducing the traffic congestion in Lagos, which is the first ‘T’ in the THEMES+ Agenda which stands for Traffic Management and Transportation.
Governor Sanwo-Olu declared that he is expecting the new rolling stock to arrive in December this year, while the company also reassured the Lagos State Governor that the additional rolling stock will be delivered by the end of the year.
6. Why I Approved Transfer Of CBN Staff Members To Lagos – Cardoso
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, has said he approved the relocation of some bank units to Lagos State because the headquarters in Abuja is overpopulated.
The CBN governor noted that the development remains part of the reason the bank is relocating some of its staff members from Abuja to Lagos.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television aired on Monday, Cardoso said the overpopulation at the head office was the reason for the movement of staff to Lagos.
The apex bank’s governor claimed that there is an attempt to sensationalise what is a normal process for any vibrant entity like the central bank.
Cardoso said the bank anticipates the move will address the concern at the bank’s headquarters in Abuja.
7. Court Dismisses Fubara’s Loyalists’ Bail Appeal
The bail applications filed by the loyalists of the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, who were linked with the state assembly explosion, have been dismissed by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
Naija News reports that the defendants, namely Chime Eguma Ezebalike, Prince Lukman Oladele, Kenneth Goodluck Kpasa, Osiga Donald, and Ochueja Thankgod, were facing terrorism-related charges for their alleged involvement in the bombing of the Rivers State House of Assembly in October 2023.
They were also accused of killing police officers.
It could be recalled that the explosion occurred on October 30, 2023, amidst reports of attempts to impeach Governor Fubara by certain lawmakers.
It was reported that suspected arsonists threw an explosive into the assembly complex, causing a fire incident.
However, despite the first to third defendants’ plea for bail due to health conditions, Justice Bolaji Olajuwon, in a ruling on Monday, rejected their applications.
The judge emphasized that the defendants were charged with a capital offense, involving terrorism and alleged murder.
Olajuwon further stated that there was no substantiated proof indicating that the correctional center’s facilities are inadequate to address the health requirements of the defendants.
8. Edo Guber: Why Gov. Makinde Rejected PDP’s Appointment
Details of why the Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, declined his appointment as the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) committee for ward congresses in Edo State has emerged.
According to a letter addressed to the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) through the National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature, Makinde said the notification of appointment came late, and he had already lined up some other state engagements.
According to the Oyo Governor, he received PDP’s letter on Friday, February 2, 2024, for a congress scheduled for February 3 and 4, 2024.
Apart from his initial state engagements, Makinde also added that the fact that the letter came late, means he could not properly review any actions taken by the Directorate of Organisation before my appointment.
9. $2.4 Billion Forex Claims Not Valid, Fraudulent – Cardoso
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, has refuted claims that the federal government is still owing foreign exchange amounting to $2.4 billion.
In an interview with Arise Television, Cardoso said the bank had settled verified forex requests, which amounted to $2.3 billion out of the reported $7 billion outstanding foreign exchange liabilities of the government.
The apex bank chief added that the current total outstanding FX obligations stood at $2.2 billion, expressing confidence that the outstanding forex liabilities would be addressed shortly.
Cardoso further indicated that of the headline $7 billion outstanding FX claims, about $2.4 billion were fraudulent, citing the outcome of a forensic audit by Deloitte Management Consultant, which was commissioned by the apex bank.
He maintained that CBN would not pay for FX requests that were not validly constituted, adding that the bank has written to authorised dealers to explain the disparities identified.
10. Current Hardship Is Temporary, Will Soon Fade Away – Remi Tinubu Tells Nigerians
The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has assured Nigerians that the hard times being faced is temporary and will soon be over.
She gave the assurance during a meeting with the wives of 36 State Governors at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday.
Mrs Tinubu said times like this call for sober reflection, saying that all hands must be on deck to ensure that the country overcomes its challenges.
She said: “Times like this calls for sober reflection, hence, all hands must be on deck. Moreover, the hardship situation is temporary, it will soon fade away.
“The mission of the RHI is driven by my office to complement the Renewed Hope Agenda of the administration of President Tinubu.”
That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.
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