Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Tuesday, 6th July 2021
1. 2023: Southern Governors Demand Next President Of Nigeria Must Be From The Region
Governors from the southern region of Nigeria on Monday at the end of their meeting in Lagos State have demanded the region must produce the next President of Nigeria.
The demand was part of the decisions taken by the Governors at their meeting hosted by Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
According to a communique released by the governors at the end of their meeting, they also rejected the 3% clause inserted in the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) recently passed by the National Assembly.
They however commended the lawmakers for passing the bill.
The communique was read by the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu.
2. 2023: Obasanjo Speaks On Alleged Plans To Form New Political Party
Former President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has denied rumours that he is planning to float a new political party ahead of the 2023 general elections.
Obasanjo in a statement on Monday, categorically denied having such plans, stating that he is done with partisan politics.
Some earlier reports had insinuated that Obasanjo is reportedly plotting to establish a new political party ahead of the 2023 general election with plans that the new party would accommodate aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
But Obasanjo has now issued a denial about nursing such plans, describing the report by a national newspaper as a fabricated story.
He added that it is part of the efforts by some people to drag him into their political games.
3. El-Rufai Reacts To Abduction Of 140 Baptist School Students
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai has condemned Monday’s kidnapping of some students from Bethel Baptist High School, Damishi, Chikun Local Government Area.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, the governor described the development as unfortunate and an untold evil to humanity and the cause of education.
The statement disclosed that it would be recalled that distress calls were received in the early hours of Monday detailing an incursion of bandits into the school.
4. Southern Governors Reject Ban On Electronic Transmission Of Votes
The Southern Governors Forum has rejected the removal of electronic transmission of the election result from the electoral act.
Naija News reports that the governors made this known in a communique issued after their meeting on Monday in Lagos, hosted by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
According to the communique issued by Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, the governors also rejected the confirmation of exclusive jurisdiction in pre-election matters on the Federal High Court.
5. Falana Slams DSS, Says It Carried Out ‘Nocturnal Coup’ At Igboho’s Residence
Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) on Monday described the recent invasion of the Ibadan residence of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho by Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) as a nocturnal coup.
Falana condemned the action of the DSS operatives, noting that what they did is totally unbecoming of such a security organization.
Speaking on Monday during an appearance on Channels TV, the lawyer added that at a time when kidnappings and other violent crimes were rampant in the country, the DSS was wrong to have invaded Igboho’s residence in the dead of the night.
Falana on Monday said the DSS would have had a better stand if it obtained a search/arrest warrant for Igboho’s residence and not just invaded the place like common criminals.
6. 2023: There Will Be Crisis If Presidency Is Not Zoned To South – Sagay
The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay, on Monday declared his support for Southern Governors over their position on where Nigeria’s next president must emerge.
Naija News had earlier reported that the governors from Southern states agreed that the next President must come from the region.
Sagay while speaking on the development said zoning the presidency to the South in 2023 is the only way to avoid the country plunging into crisis.
7. Lagos Assembly Stop Police, Others From Parading Suspects
The Lagos House of Assembly has passed an amended version of the Criminal Justice Law of the state barring the police from parading suspects before the media.
Naija News reports that the bill was passed at a sitting presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Wasiu Eshilokun-Sanni, on behalf of the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa.
Section 9(A) of the newly passed bill states: “As from the commencement of this law, the police shall refrain from parading any suspect before the media.”
The bill further stipulates conditions under which a policeman can arrest without warrant.
8. Bandits Abduct Students In Bethel School, Kaduna
Gunmen suspected to be bandits on Monday morning invaded Bethel Secondary School in Maramara Chikun Local Government Area of Kaduna State and abducted scores of students.
The affected secondary school is a boarding school located on the outskirts of Kaduna.
The security guard in the school, Daniel Muhuta, while speaking on the development said, “I escaped narrowly. They came around 1.00 am and started shooting. I was at the back of the school dormitory when I heard shooting and decided to pin down.”
9. Soyinka Accuses Buhari Government Of Kidnapping Nnamdi Kanu
Nobel laureate and Playwright Wole Soyinka has accused the Muhammadu Buhari government of kidnapping the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Naija News earlier reported that the arrested IPOB leader was on Sunday extradited to Nigeria to face trial after he jumped bail and fled the country in 2017.
Speaking in an interview with BBC Pidgin on Monday, Soyinka alleged that Nnamdi Kanu was kidnapped by the federal government.
He added that there would be an uproar in the country if the truth of how Kanu was arrested becomes known.
10. Herdsmen: Buhari’s Apologists Sponsoring Attacks Against Me – Gov Ortom
The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, on Monday accused some apologists of President Muhammadu Buhari of sponsoring media attacks against him.
He noted that he is being attacked because he refused to be silent over the killings perpetrated by armed herders in the state.
Ortom noted that it would be dangerous to be silent while people of the State are being killed, hence he would keep speaking the truth to those in power.
The Benue State Governor who released a statement through his spokesman, Nathaniel Ikyur, vowed never to be silent despite media attacks sponsored against him by enemies of the State.
Ortom lamented that killer herders have seriously attacked, killed and raped people of the State.
That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.
This article was originally published on Nigeria News