TOP NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY,  TUESDAY 

TOP NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY,  TUESDAY 

1. Court Rules On Suit Seeking Peter Obi, Tinubu’s Disqualification From 2023 Election

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has refused to disqualify the candidates of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi and All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, from participating in the 2023 presidential election.

The court, in a judgement that was delivered on Monday by Justice Donatus Okorowo, held that a suit the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) instituted against the two presidential candidates lacked merit and deserved to be dismissed.

The PDP had approached the court, accusing both Peter Obi and Tinubu of acting in breach of the Electoral Act.

The PDP told the court that contrary to provisions of the electoral law, both Obi and Tinubu, failed to nominate their running mates in due time, choosing rather to temporarily hand over their Vice Presidential tickets to placeholders.

PDP told the court that whereas the candidate of the Labour Party, Obi, chose Dr Doyin Okupe as the placeholder for his Vice Presidential post, the other hand, candidate of the APC, Tinubu, submitted the name of Kabiru Masari as his own placeholder.

Delivering ruling on Monday, Justice Okorowo held that the suit was not only incompetent but amounted to gross abuse of the judicial process.

The court held that it lacked the jurisdiction to entertain an incompetent suit and accordingly dismissed it.

2. NDLEA Seizes 1.8 Tonnes Of Cocaine Worth N194bn In Lagos

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has announced the seizure of 1.8 tonnes of cocaine reportedly worth “N194 billion” in Ikorodu, Lagos state.

This  was made known on Monday by NDLEA’s Spokesperson, Femi Babafemi.

The operation which was described as the “biggest singular cocaine seizure” in the agency’s history was carried out at a warehouse in the Ikorodu area of the state.

According to the statement, amongst those arrested by the NDLEA is a Jamaican identified as Kelvin Smith who is part of an international drug syndicate.

This online newspaper reports that four other people were arrested including the warehouse manager.

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3. PDP Crisis: BoT Member Slams Atiku, Others For Placing Tambuwal Above Ayu In Presidential Campaign Council

A Board of Trustee (BoT) member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has faulted the composition of the party’s Presidential Campaign Council.

The PDP and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, had named Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State as the party’s campaign Director-General. They also named Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State as the Chairman of the campaign council.

Faulting the composition of the PDP campaign council in an interview with vanguard, the BoT member, said it is an attempt to undermine the party’s National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu.

The party leader, who spoke on the conditions that his name won’t be disclosed, said: “The responsibility of the National Chairman is to lead the national campaign, as far as I am concerned, they are undermining the national chairman by appointing a governor to supervise the campaign. It is an aberration. When we get to any campaign venue, will the governor be the one to raise the hands of the candidate up?

4. Media, Mischief Makers Misrepresented My Statement On Assaulting Police Operatives – Force PRO

The Police Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi has accused mischief makers of interpreting his tweet out of context.

while reacting on Saturday to a viral video where two men were seen wrestling with an armed officer, Adejobi had said “even if a policeman on uniform slaps a civilian, the civilian has no right to retaliate”.

“More so, if he’s on uniform, it’s an act of disrespect to Nigeria to beat an officer on uniform. The disrespect is not to the policeman but to our nation and it’s a crime as enshrined in our criminal laws,” he added.

Adejobi advised Nigerians who have suffered police brutality to file a complaint with the law enforcement agency instead of taking laws into their hands.

His statement was met with widespread backlash from Nigerians, with human rights lawyer and senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana, calling for his sacking as Force PRO if he fails to apologise.

But in a statement on Monday evening, Muyiwa stated that his tweet warning citizens not to retaliate against an erring police officer was misrepresented in the media.

He stated that the police is committed to protecting the rights of citizens uniformed or not, urging the public to disregard malicious publications that read otherwise.

5. Fuel Subsidy In Nigeria Is Organized Crime – Peter Obi Blows Hot

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi has described the fuel subsidy regime in Nigeria as an organized crime.

He also called on the federal government to find a solution to the challenge by encouraging private sector refining.

Obi made the submission on Monday while speaking as the guest speaker at the Private Sector Economic Forum of Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI).

Taking more swipes at the government, Obi submitted that the government is behind the oil theft challenges plaguing the country as no one can steal fuel without the government’s active participation.

“Subsidy is organised crime,” he said.

6. Lawyer Discloses Nnamdi Kanu’s Latest Medical Condition

The embattled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has been reportedly diagnosed with a gastrointestinal disorder.

The Biafra agitator’s legal counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, confirmed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Monday.

The legal counsel noted in the statement that Kanu has suffered persistent heartburn and his health condition has worsened in recent times.

Ejiofor expressed fear that his client’s health is deteriorating, berating the Department of State Services (DSS) for refusing to act on the order of Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court in Abuja that the IPOB leader should be given serious medical attention,

Recall that Kanu has been detained in DSS custody for about 14 months as he is facing trial in court over alleged treason against Nigeria.

7. 2023: Any Presidential Candidate Coming To Me Have Some Explanations To Make – Bishop Kukah

The Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Kukah said on Monday that anyone coming to meet him as a presidential candidate would have some explanations to make regarding how he or she intends to deal with the challenges facing the nation.

The renowned Christian cleric said Nigeria is no longer what it used to be and therefore whoever wants to become the next president of the country must show his track record of achievements from his previous office.

Kukah noted that citizens are asking many questions and that it is the responsibility of those who govern to deal frontally with the issue.

The Catholic Bishop raised the observations today while speaking at an event organised by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, with the collaboration of The Kukah Centre.

The event was said to be organised to prepare those aspiring for public offices ahead of the 2023 election campaigns.

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8. Evans Sentenced To 21-year Imprisonment

Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Ikeja Special Offences Court has on Monday sentenced Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike, also known as Evans, and his accomplice, Victor Aduba, to 21 years imprisonment for kidnapping one Sylvanus Hafia.

The suspects were accused of conspiring and kidnapping Sylvanus Ahanonu Hafia at about 5:30 pm on June 23, 2014, at Kara Street, Amuwo Odofin in Lagos.

After kidnapping the victim, they demanded a ransom of N2m.

However, they pleaded not guilty to the four charges.

The judge held that the sentence would serve as a deterrent to other aspiring kidnappers.

9. Imo Assembly Removes Kennedy Ibe As Speaker, Elects New Replacement

The Imo State House of Assembly has removed Kennedy Ibe as its Speaker and elected Emeka Nduka as his replacement.

Nduka, who represents the Ehime Mbano State Constituency, was immediately sworn in by the Clerk of the Assembly, Chinelo Emeghara.

Recall that Ibe, who represents the Obowo State constituency was elected as speaker in November 2021, after Paul Emezim was impeached as the speaker. He was on suspension when he was elected as the speaker of the legislature.

Following Ibe’s removal, Nduka becomes the fourth speaker of the Imo assembly in three years.

However, Ibe has denied reports that he was removed as the speaker, stating that he resigned on Monday during an emergency plenary session.

10. Students Block Lagos Airport Road Over ASUU Strike

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) have blocked roads leading to the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, to protest the lingering strike action by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

NANS had on Sunday threatened to ground activities at both local and international airports across the country beginning on Monday, September 19, to express their displeasure over the ASUU strike.

The Chairman, NANS National Task Force on ‘End ASUU Strike Now,’ Comrade Ojo Raymond Olumide, made this known while speaking with reporters in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

In fulfilling their threat, the students, who defied the heavy downpour, blocked the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway to protest the indefinite ASUU strike which has lingered for seven months.

The students, who gathered amid heavy security presence, caused gridlock on the road leading to the airport leaving many travellers stranded.

11. Air Force Attacks Turji’s Enclave Again

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Monday launched a fresh attack on the enclave of notorious Zamfara bandit terrorist kingpin, Bello Turji.

It had earlier reported that a fighter jet of the NAF on Saturday bombed the hideouts of Turji located at Fakai in Shinkafi Local Government Area, Zamfara State.

The terrorists, however, escaped the aerial bombings carried out by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) fighter jets.

The enclave was attacked on Saturday during a naming ceremony for a baby born to Turji’s family.

The attack carried out by troops of Operation Forest Sanity led to the death of bandits.

However, Turji and most of his close associates reportedly escaped the attack, having left the spot to observe the afternoon prayer (zuhr) just before the strikes.

A source that spoke with Daily Trust, noted that the fighter jet on Monday around 9 am returned to the area and dropped at least two bombs.