TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY,  SATURDAY 

TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY,  SATURDAY 

No, Nigerian Polytechnics Shouldn’t Become Universities

Two days ago, an unsung report announced that the Federal Government has directed polytechnics, mono-technic, and other allied institutions to stop awarding degrees. This was as the Federal Ministry of Education expressed dismay over the increasing number of tertiary institutions in the country offering programmes for which they were not originally designed. It gets more absurd as some of these poly and mono technics were found to be awarding Nigerian Certificates in Education which is ordinarily within the purview of Colleges of Education. Regrettably, this critical report was drowned by dominant political discourse in the country, including the DSS/CBN governor face-off.

The directive from the Federal Government, as desirable as it is, comes with a troubling note in that the same government had six years earlier approved some polytechnics and colleges of education as degree-awarding institutions. At the end of its August 2016 Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, the federal government said polytechnics would become campuses of proximate universities. It added that the vice-chancellors of those universities appointing provosts for the polytechnics, subject to the ratification of the universities’ councils.

At the time, the federal government also said the polytechnics would be limited to the award of the National Diploma, while those desirous of further education would be awarded the Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech) by the proximate university. The sitting Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, told newsmen after that FEC: “There will be no more award of HND. After we have exhausted the current students under the programme, there will be no more award of HND. This means that there will be no fresh admission for HND programmes. And in addition, any programme that is not technical will be out of the polytechnics.”

Jonathan, Peter Obi Meet Behind Closed Doors In Bayelsa 

Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi on Friday held a closed-door meeting.

The meeting was held at the residence of the former president in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State.

Obi, a former member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the party to which Jonathan belongs.

Jonathan while speaking at the meeting said the country is extremely divided.

He called on the former Governor of Anambra State to unite Nigeria if he takes over from President Muhammadu Buhari at the end of his tenure in 2023.

2023: ANAP Reacts As APC, PDP Criticise Fresh Poll Favouring Peter Obi

Anap Foundation has reacted to the criticisms trailing its fresh poll which projected the flagbearer of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, as the likely winner of the 2023 presidential election.

During a programme on Channels Television on Wednesday, Anap President, Atedo Peterside said in the poll conducted by NOI Polls Limited showed that Obi led the other three presidential candidates.

Peterside said the poll conducted in December showed that 23% of respondents declared their intention to vote for Obi at the February 25 poll.

He disclosed that only 13% planned to vote for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) got 10%.

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The North Doesn’t Trust You, You Can’t Get Buhari’s Votes – Okechukwu Knocks Atiku

The Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu has ruled out any chance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar getting the bloc northern votes of President Muhammadu Buhari who is not on the ballot for the 2023 election.

According to Okechukwu, the voters in the north are sophisticated and can’t be moved by the stomach infrastructure that politicians throw around.

He added that Atiku does not command the kind of respect or followership that gave President Buhari bloc votes in the north when he was contesting elections.

The VON DG submitted that most northern voters can easily distinguish between the truth and political propaganda.

It would be recalled that a spokesperson for the Atiku Abubakar presidential campaign, Daniel Bwala, had said that the support shown to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate from the North has indicated that he would be inheriting President Muhammadu Buhari’s 12 million voters.

Apologise For Not ‘Verifying’ Okupe’s Character – Tinubu, Atiku Roast Peter Obi

The spokespersons of Tinubu-Shettima and Atiku-Okowa Presidential Campaign Councils have attacked the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, for asking older flagbearers to retire and drop out of the 2023 presidential race.

While speaking at his presidential rally in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, the former Anambra State governor stated that weak and aging presidential candidates should have no business running for an important office like the presidency.

According to the LP flagbearer, rescuing Nigeria from total collapse requires the physical energy of a vibrant candidate who can get the job done seamlessly.

Apologise To Obidients

Reacting to Peter Obi’s statement while speaking to The PUNCH, the spokesperson of the Atiku-Okowa presidential campaign, Phrank Shaibu, said age does not represent capacity, adding that the LP candidate is 61 years.

He added, “He should use this period to apologise to his followers and Nigerians for not ‘verifying’ the character of his campaign DG or performing any form of due diligence before appointing the same person to market his credentials as well as his anti-corruption stance.”

Loan Apps In Big Trouble As Reps Probe Illegal Fintech

The House of Representatives has ordered an investigation into the activities of illegal financial technology (fintech) companies and mobile application lenders who threaten debtors for failing to repay loans.

The House of Representatives on Thursday mandated the House Committee on Banking and Currency; Financial Crimes; and Telecommunications to “investigate the alleged sharp practices and abuses by FinTech and online mobile digital loan apps and companies in Nigeria and report within four weeks.”

The Green chamber arrived at the resolution following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by a member of the House, Ahmed Satomi, titled ‘Urgent Need to Investigate Sharp Practices by Unregulated Online Fintech Lending Companies and Abuse of Mobile Digital Loan Apps in Nigeria.’

The lawmaker lamented the large number of online loan apps across Nigeria by some fraudulent and unscrupulous profiteers affecting many low-income Nigerians, who are coerced to borrow and get trapped in the web of sham loan apps hosted on Google Play Store by individuals and companies to swindle the low-income earners.

Peter Obi Dumps PDP For LP, Abaribe Joins APGA, Kwankwaso Moves To NNPP – Major Defections Of 2022

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, several significant defections happened across various political parties in the course of the year.

Some notable politicians decamped from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to various opposition parties to pursue their political ambitions.

While some chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defected to the Labour Party (LP), and the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) to achieve their political aspirations.

In this article, we will be looking at some of the standout defections.

Emmanuel Bwacha Dumps PDP For APC

Senator Emmanuel Bwacha, on February 3rd, defected from the PDP to the APC. He was the Senate Deputy Minority Leader until his defection to the ruling party.

Bwacha is the Senator representing Taraba South in the red chamber of the National Assembly.

2023: Wike Seals Off Atiku’s Campaign Office In Rivers

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has sealed off the campaign office of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

The office which is located in GRA Port Harcourt was sealed off in the early hours of Friday based on the order of the Rivers State Government.

Recall that Nyesom Wike had a few weeks ago signed Executive Order 22 which prohibits the citing of campaign offices by political parties in residential areas without government approval.

However, the Rivers State PDP presidential campaign council claimed that its media team had requested the state government authorization but has not received a response for several weeks.

The PDP PCC condemned the action of the state Government stating it rubs off on their fundamental right to free expression of interest.

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Max Air CEO, Bishir Mangal Is Dead

Max Air, Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Bishir Barau Mangal is dead.

The development was confirmed by the younger brother of the business mogul and Chairman of Max Air, Dahiru Bara’u Mangal.

According to Mangal, Bishir died in the early hours of Friday, in Abuja after a brief illness.

A family source that spoke with Daily Trust on Friday disclosed that the funeral prayer for the deceased would take place in Katsina by 5.00 pm today.

The media consultant to the airline in a statement also confirmed that Bashir died on Friday.

Tinubu Survives Another Bid To Disqualify Him From Contesting In 2023

A suit filed in court to challenge the eligibility of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Bola Tinubu in contesting the 2023 presidential election has been dismissed by the court.

The suit was dismissed on Friday by the Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Zainab Abubakar.

The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1114/2022 was instituted by a former Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba.

He sought a court order invalidating the nomination of Tinubu as the valid APC presidential candidate for the 2023 election.

However, the suit which had Tinubu and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants was thrown out by Justice Abubakar who ruled that the case was statute-barred as it was filed outside the 14 days allowed under Section 285(9) of the Constitution.

She added that her court lacks the jurisdiction to hear the suit and therefore threw out the case.

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