Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Wednesday, 31st March 2021
1. President Buhari Leaves Nigeria For UK Medical Check-Up
Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday afternoon, departed the shores of Nigeria for London, the United Kingdom through the Abuja International Airport.
The President departed the country in one of the jets available in the presidential fleet, Naija News understands.
Buhari is not expected back in the country until the second week in April according to an earlier statement by his spokesperson, Femi Adesina on Monday when he announced the president’s trip to Nigerians.
2. Osinbajo Reveals What Will Happen To Those Who Want Nigeria To Break Up
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has declared that those praying for Nigeria to break up won’t succeed and will be disappointed.
This is as he noted that those praying and wishing for Nigeria to remain as one are more than those seeking a break up of Nigeria.
Osinbajo made the submission on Tuesday in Gombe State when he paid a courtesy call to the Emir of Gombe Alhaji Shehu Abubakar in his palace.
Naija News reports the Vice President was in Gombe for the 27th edition of the Micro Small Medium Enterprise Clinic which was held in the state.
3. Buhari’s London Medical Trip Insensitive, Sign Of Failure – PDP
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has lashed out at President Muhammadu Buhari over his latest medical trip to London, the United Kingdom for a check-up.
The PDP in a statement on Tuesday signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan lamented that the Buhari administration has wrecked the health sector so much that even the State House clinic can’t be trusted to carry out a routine medical check-up for the President.
It will be recalled that President Buhari departed Nigeria for London on Tuesday via the Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport in Abuja and is not expected back in the country until the second week in April.
Reacting to the development, the PDP said the failure of the current administration to fix the nation’s medical and healthcare system is responsible for the foreign medical trip.
The PDP statement titled ‘Buhari’s Overseas Treatment, A Badge of Failure -PDP…Asks Mr. President to Think of Other Nigerians,’ noting that despite the sorry state of the nation’s healthcare system, not all Nigerians can afford to travel out for medical treatment.
4. Tinubu Withdraws Statement On 50 Million Army Recruits, Says It Is A Slip Of Tongue
The national leader of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has now retracted an earlier statement he made asking the Federal Government to employ 50 million youths to combat insecurity in the Nation.
Tinubu through his spokesperson, Tunde Rahman, on Tuesday, noted that the statement of his principal was a slip of the tongue.
He stressed that he mistakenly asked the government to recruit 50 million instead of 50,000 youths into the Nigerian Army to boost the fight against terrorism, banditry and others.
5. Lawan Speaks On Supporting Tenure Extension For Buhari
Nigeria’s number three citizen, Senator Ahmad Lawan has reacted to a media report that he is supporting a tenure extension for President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Media, Ola Awoniyi, in Abuja, the Senate President denied the report which alleged that he is scheming to help the President stay in power beyond 2023.
Lawan also debunked saying that he won’t mind a constitutional amendment to allow unlimited term of office for President if President Buhari wishes to remain in office beyond 2023.
The senate president said he firmly stands by the constitutional provision for a term limit for elected public officers and would not support any move to amend the section.
He noted that the false report is entirely the handiwork of mischief makers is now being circulated again on social media by purveyors of fake news.
6. Buhari To Service Chiefs: Kill Bandits, Insurgents And Their Sponsors
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the security chiefs to hunt down and kill bandits, Boko Haram insurgents, and their sponsors terrorizing the North and the country as a whole.
Briefing State House correspondents on Tuesday, National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, said the President gave the order during his meeting with the service chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Monguno quoted Buhari as saying that his administration would no longer accept the reign of terror unleashed on parts of the country by bandits, kidnappers, and Boko Haram insurgents.
The NSA added that the President said that the armed forces should be more proactive in tackling insecurity rather than reactionary.
Monguno said President Buhari also insisted that all the decisions approved by the National Security Council in February to ban mining activities in Zamfara and the no-fly order imposed on the state remain enforced.
7. What National Assembly Leaders Discussed With Buhari Before UK Medical Trip
President Muhammadu Buhari has met with the leadership of the National Assembly at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Naija News reports that Senate President Ahmad Lawan and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila later spoke to State House correspondents after Monday’s meeting.
Lawan said they discussed the issue of coming up with a supplementary budget to cater for security and vaccine production.
8. Jonathan vs Buhari: Drama As PDP Reverses Babandiga Suspension
The North Central Zonal Caretaker Committee, overseeing the activities of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State, has dismissed reports that a former governor of the state, Babangida Aliyu, was suspended.
Naija News recalls that the PDP in the Chanchaga Local Government Area of Niger State had suspended the former Governor from the party.
According to a communique issued at the end of a stakeholders’ meeting in Minna on Monday, the decision to suspend the former governor was as a result of six weighty allegations which the party in his LGA reportedly found disturbing and considered to be inimical to the progress of the party.
The party accused Babangida of working for the All Progressive Congress (APC) in 2015 to oust former President Goodluck Jonathan.
But the caretaker panel in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Suleiman Mohammed, late Monday night, described the ex-governor’s suspension as fake news.
9. Insecurity: How I Will Rebuild Nigerian Army – Attahiru
The Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, has listed some plans to rebuild the Nigerian Army in the face of the security challenges facing the country.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Nigerian Army Operations retreat in Abuja on Monday, Attahiru promised to rebuild the army by procuring fighting equipment and rebuilding the fighting skills and capacity of soldiers.
He noted that the army would soon receive equipment and other combat enablers expected to boost its operations in the fight against insurgency.
10. Easter Celebration: FG Declares Friday, Monday Public Holidays
The Federal Government has declared Friday 2nd and Monday 5th April 2021, Public Holidays to mark this year’s Easter Celebration.
Minister of Interior, Ogbeni Rauf Adesoji Aregbesola, made this known in a statement released on behalf of the federal government, on Tuesday in Abuja.
He urged Christians to emulate the attributes of forbearance, forgiveness, kindness, humility, love, peace, and patience, which were demonstrated by Jesus Christ
The minister called on them to use the occasion of this year’s Easter Celebration to pray for the Peace, Unity, and Progress of our country.
Aregbesola assured that the government will leave no stone unturned in dealing decisively with the spate of kidnapping, armed banditry, and other crimes and criminality being perpetrated by enemies of the country in parts of Nigeria.