TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY,  SATURDAY 

TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY,  SATURDAY 

2023: Shushing Nigerians Who Want Change Of Government Is Ominous

Telling the citizenry to shut up over an issue as important as how they are governed or who governs them is clearly an abbreviation of their rights, and is as insensitive as it is cold-hearted. In the circumstance, it can be argued that it isn’t just their right to freedom of expression that is being tampered with but their right to dignity, Personal Liberty as well as their right to Freedom of Thought and Conscience. It even further takes away their entitlement to good governance. Naija News is therefore constrained to comment on ongoing electioneering not to favour a party or candidate but to demand civility and respect for Nigerians from politicians.

The presidential candidate of the ruling APC, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, used the language that government spokespersons are careful to use on critics when he called for the hushing of persons who want another party in power by 2023. While speaking during the launch of the women’s team of the APC presidential campaign on Monday, Tinubu said, “If they say they want a change of government, just tell them, we will like to be polite, but shut up your mouth”.

Isn’t it hypocritical for this to come from the same politician who led the charge for a change of government in the build-up to the 2015 presidential election? Rather than telling his foot soldiers to shush Nigerians who desire another government to take over the reins in 2023, the candidate would have been right if he armed his supporters with reasons why the party in power should be retained.

‘Why Buhari Govt Can Not Refuse To Release Or Try Nnamdi Kanu Again’

The special counsel to the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, Aloy Ejimakor has reacted to a statement credited to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), over the discharge and acquittal of his client.

A Court of Appeal in Abuja on Thursday struck out charges levelled against Nnamdi Kanu by the Federal Government.

The Court of Appeal ruled that the Federal Government breached all local and international laws in the forceful rendition of Kanu to Nigeria, thereby making the terrorism charges against him incompetent and unlawful.

Justice Oludotun Adebola, in his ruling on Thursday, voided and set aside the charges by the Federal Government against Kanu

The court held that the failure of Nigeria to follow due process by way of Extradition was fatal to the charges against Kanu.

Reacting to the court ruling, Malami had stated that the court only discharged Nnamdi Kanu and did not acquit him of the charges.

The AGF stated that the Muhammadu Buhari-led administration would explore other options in the case against the IPOB leader.

But in a statement sent to Naija News on Friday, Ejimakor described Malami’s position on the Court of Appeal judgment as flatly wrong and “perverse to boot.”

He stated that if the federal government refuses or stalls on releasing Kanu solely because it desires to levy further or new charges, it will amount to a burgeoning holding charge impermissible in Nigeria’s jurisprudence.

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Peter Obi Reacts To Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council List, Reveals Next Line Of Action

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) for the 2023 election, Peter Obi has spoken on the controversies surrounding the campaign council list released by the party.

Obi in a personally signed statement on Friday said he has received many calls of concerns after the list was released on Wednesday.

The former Anambra State Governor admitted that there were errors and omissions in the list but the Labour Party chairman and other party leaders were already working to correct them.

He appealed for patience and understanding from his supporters and followers promising that an updated list will be released soon.

The statement from Obi reads; “I’ve received several calls of concern following the release of the Labour Party’s Presidential Campaign Council list.

“Admittedly, there were some omissions and erroneous entries in the list, hence the concerns expressed.

In response, the Labour Party Chairman in the presence of members of the NWC addressed the issues during a press conference.

“In keeping with our commitment to accountability, responsiveness and transparency, an updated list will be issued in due course. I plead for patience. -PO”

Court Nullifies Adamawa APC Governorship Primaries, Bans Party From Fielding Candidate For 2023 Election

A Federal High Court sitting in Yola, Adamawa State capital has nullified the governorship primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that was conducted in the state in May 2022.

The May 26 polls had produced Sen. Aihatu Dahiru Binani as the flag-bearer of the party. The politician emerged winner of the APC ticket after pulling 430 votes to defeat her closest contender, Nuhu Ribadu, who scored 280 votes.

However, Justice Abdul-Aziz Anka of the federal high court in the state on Friday declared as null and void the election. He as well annulled the purported victory of Binani as the winner of the election.

Justice Anka held that 51 (1 to 4) of the Electoral Act was violated seeing there was ‘overvoting’ during the May 27, 2022 declaration of the results of the APC governorship primary election in Adamawa state.

Anka also held that 50 delegates from Lamurde Local Government Area who ought not to have voted during the primary election were allowed to vote. He held that there was no evidence that the party had conducted a Special Adhoc Delegates election there.

PDP Can’t Win Presidential Election Without Me – Wike

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has declared that the Peoples Democratic Party can not win the 2023 presidential election without his input.

Governor Wike noted that if he and the other four Governors in his camp decide to leave PDP, the party will lose.

The Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, Seyi Makinde (Oyo State), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia State), and Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu State) are in the camp of Governor Wike.

The camp of the Rivers State Governor has been calling for the resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu.

Governor Wike during a media chat on Friday at the Government House, Port Harcourt noted that he and his allies are committed to making an impact in the party.

The PDP governor boasted that some states won by the main opposition party were achieved through his financial support.

He warned that PDP would not continue acting the way they are if they want to win the 2023 election.

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National Honour: It Is Unfortunate, He Doesn’t Want Peace – Wike Tackles Atiku

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has submitted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar is not showing signs he wants the crisis rocking the party to be resolved.

Speaking on Friday, Wike said the behaviour and attitude coming from Atiku and his loyalists can be described as unfortunate.

The National Honour of Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON), conferred on his running mate, Governor of Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, Atiku had said the development vindicated his preference for the Governor over other choices he had to emerge as running mate for the 2023 election.

Atiku in a terse statement via his social media page, congratulated the PDP governor on his national honour which according to him was another piece of evidence that he was right to pick him as his running mate amongst other choices.

Atiku’s message to Okowa read: “Today’s conferment of the National Honour on Governor Ifeanyi A. Okowa by President Muhammadu Buhari is a testimonial that I made the right decision in tapping an achiever as my Vice Presidential candidate for the 2023 election. On behalf of my family, our team and our supporters, I say congratulations.”

The submission of the former Vice President is seen as a veiled attack on Governor Wike who was also in reckoning to emerge as the PDP Vice Presidential candidate for 2023 until things went against him.

However, reacting to the statement credited to Atiku during his media chat on Friday, Wike said it shows the PDP presidential candidate is not ready for peace.

The Rivers State Governor added that the infrastructure award set to be awarded to him by President Muhammadu Buhari is more important than the national honours.

Our Issues Not Fully Addressed But Members Should Resume – ASUU 

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Friday called off its eight-month-old strike.

The industrial action was put to an end after the National Executive Council of ASUU held an emergency meeting in Abuja.

The meeting was held at Comrade Festus Iyayi National Secretariat, University of Abuja, Abuja, on Thursday night.

ASUU, however, in a press statement disclosed that the issues placed before the Federal Government have not been fully addressed.

The National President of the union, Emmanuel Osodeke in the statement commended the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila for his intervention.

Ayu’s Children Will Disown Him If I Spill All His ‘Crimes’ – Wike

Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike said on Friday that the children of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, will disown him if all the happenings in the party involving their father are made public.

The PDP chieftain made the assertion while speaking during a live chat with journalists at the government house in Port Harcourt today.

Wike said there are a lot of events that have happened in the nation’s main opposition party but for the love of PDP will choose to remain mute. He stressed that Ayu’s child will go to their father and say ‘you are not our father’ if he should disclose his activities in the PDP.

This is as Wike who had earlier alleged that Ayu collected N1 billion from a politician in Lagos, stated further that the party leader also collected N100million from a state governor in the build-up to the 2023 general elections.

The Rivers State governor who had also with his allies maintained their stand that Ayu must resign his position for someone from the Southern part of the country, said on Friday that the party chairman is not a man of integrity.

Wike said he sees no reason why PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, will come from the North and yet the party national chairman is a northerner.

Ayu Replies Wike, Reveals Why He Collected N100m From PDP Governor

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Iyorchia Ayu, has reacted to an allegation against him by the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

Recall that Governor Wike on Friday accused the PDP leader of collecting the sum of N100 million from a state governor of the party.

Wike made the allegation during a media chat with journalists at the State House in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

In a swift response to the Governor’s claims, Ayu said the allegation was untrue, stating that he never collected any money as an individual.

He, however, explained that monies that were received on behalf of the party were duly remitted to the PDP treasury.

Ayu furthered the argument by noting that a Governor of the party donated N100m for the renovation of the PDP’s Democratic Institute, and the money has not even been exhausted as the renovation is ongoing.

Ayu according to Channels TV said the institute will be commissioned in the weeks ahead.

I Never Collected N1 billion From Anybody – Ayu Replies Wike

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, has denied collecting the sum of N1 billion from an unnamed politician in Lagos.

Wike had in a media chat last month accused the PDP national chairman of collecting the sum of N1 billion from an unnamed politician in Lagos.

He, however, threatened to reveal the identity of the person who gave Ayu the money if the PDP chairman dare to deny the allegation.

In a chat with journalists on Friday, Ayu refuted the claim made by Wike that he collected any money from a politician, asking the Rivers governor to name the person.

The PDP chairman also promised that the statement of the party account will be made available to party members soon.