TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY,  FRIDAY 

TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY,  FRIDAY 

1. Buhari Receives $538.05M For Agricultural Development Programme

The total sum of $538.05 million has been received by President Muhammadu Buhari for the development of the first phase of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) for Nigeria programme.

The amount was jointly given for the programme by the African Development Bank, the Islamic Development Bank, and the International Fund for Agricultural Development.

President Buhari, in a statement on Wednesday, lauded the efforts of these three institutions for the provision of support in Senegal.

The president at the Feed Africa Summit of Heads of State and Government in Dakar urged other African leaders to at least allocate 10% of their nations’ budgets to agriculture as agreed in the Malabo Declaration of the African Heads of State and Government.

2. Obasanjo’s Statement After Meeting Wike In Rivers Emerge

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday met with the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

Governor Wike received Obasanjo and the former Governor of Ekiti State, Kayode Fayemi at his country home in Rumuepirikom, Obio Akpor local government area of the State.

Obasanjo was in the state to speak at the 2023 Port Harcourt International Conference in Port Harcourt which was held at the Dr Obi Wali International Conference Center in Port Harcourt.

The conference was titled, “Deepening Democratic Culture And Institutions For Sustainable Development And Security in Nigeria”.

The former president while speaking at the event condemned the style of political campaigns in the country ahead of the 2023 general election, he called for a change in orientation.

Obasanjo while addressing attendees at the event laments how Nigerians are dragged into the directionless, meaningless and opportunistic personal or narrow ambitions of leaders.

3. FG Budgets N1.2tn To Service CBN Loans

The Federal Government plans to spend N1.2tn on servicing the loans it got from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through the Ways and Means Advances.

Ways and Means Advances is a loan facility used by the central bank to finance the government in periods of temporary budget shortfalls subject to limits imposed by law.

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According to The Punch, the 2023 fiscal framework document showed that the Federal Government allocated N6.31tn to service its total debts.

A breakdown showed that the Federal Government allocated approximately N3.3tn to service domestic debts, N1.81tn for foreign debts and N1.2tn for ways and means.

The document also showed that this was the first time the Federal Government was making a budgetary allocation for ways and means.

However, the CBN has said on its website that the Federal Government’s borrowing from it through the Ways and Means Advances could have adverse effects on the bank’s monetary policy to the detriment of domestic prices and exchange rates.

4. APC VP: How Shettima Housed Notorious Terrorist, Kabiru Sokoto – Naja’atu

A former director in the presidential campaign council of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Naja’atu Muhammad, has recalled how a notorious terrorist kingpin, Kabiru Sokoto, was arrested at the house of former Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima.

Recall that Naja’atu dumped the APC last weekend after resigning from her position as the Director of the Civil Society directorate of the party.

The Kano State-based politician declared her allegiance with the opposition Peoples Democratic (PDP) and has since been pointing accusing fingers at her former party.

Speaking during her session with Arise News morning show, Naja’atu said Nigerians must not forget so soon how Sokoto was arrested about a decade ago at the Borno State Governor’s Lodge by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Shettima was a sitting Governor in Borno State at the time Sokoto was apprehended.

Speaking today about the forthcoming 2023 elections, Naja’atu said it is worrisome that someone who a terrorist was found in his care is picked to run a Muslim-Muslim ticket alongside former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

She lamented the spate of insecurity under the APC administration which she had just left.

5. Why We Re-arrested Ex-JAMB, NECO Registrar, Dibu Ojerinde – ICPC

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has revealed why it re-arrested a former registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Dibu Ojerinde.

The anti-corruption commission had re-arrested Ojerinde

An ex-deputy director at JAMB, Jimoh Olabisi on Wednesday had alleged in court that Ojerinde used him to divert federal government funds.

Olabisi who is a witness of the ICPC stated this while speaking at the federal high Court in Abuja.

Ojerinde was arraigned by ICPC on July 6, 2021, on an 18-count charge bordering on alleged misappropriation of funds to the tune of N5.2 billion.

The commission alleged that the former registrar committed multiple frauds while heading JAMB and the National Examination Council (NECO).

In a statement to newsmen on Thursday, ICPC spokesperson, Azuka Ogugua, disclosed that the agency’s investigators wants to question the former NECO boss on new evidence uncovered in relation to his ongoing trial over alleged diversion of funds.

According to the ICPC, its operatives uncovered two accounts opened in the names of Trillium Learning Centre Ltd and Sapati International Schools Ltd, into which funds were diverted using fictitious names of students.

6. House Of Reps Threatens Warrant Of Arrest On Emefiele

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele on Wednesday failed to appear before the House of Representatives.

The development prompted the lawmakers to invite him to appear before the house on Thursday.

The legislators on Tuesday set up an ad-hoc committee to meet with the CBN and Managing Directors of Banks on the scarcity of the redesigned naira notes and cashless policy.

The House of Representatives had asked the apex bank to extend the deadline for the deposit of the old notes by six months.

Following Emefiele’s failure to appear before the house on Thursday, the speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila threatened to invoke the provisions of section 89(D) of the 1999 Constitution as amended to compel Emiefele to appear before the House.

Section 89 gives the parliament power to issue a warrant of arrest on anybody who refuses to honour an invitation from them.

A letter read on the floor of the House on Thursday by the Speaker and signed by CBN’s Deputy Governor, Corporate Services said Emefiele will not honour the invitation because he was part of President Muhammadu Buhari’s delegation to Dakar, Senegal.

7. 2023: Makinde’s Alliance With Wike, PDP G-5 Will Cost Him 2nd Term – Ex-Minister

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, may have bid farewell to a second term in office for refusing to support the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, says a former Minister of Power and Steel, Wole Oyelese.

Oyelese said this in Ibadan, the state capital, on Thursday while addressing journalists, Naija News reports.

The former minister said over 90% of political appointees under Makinde are supporting the candidacy of Atiku; hence the governor should consider his alliance with the five aggrieved PDP governors ahead of February 25th.

Recall that Makinde is part of the G-5 governors headed by his Rivers state counterpart, Nyesom Wike. The PDP chieftains have openly rejected the party’s presidential candidate for not siding with them on the national chairmanship position of the party.

The G-5 governors are asking PDP national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, to resign and let a Southerner occupy the office, this among others was their precondition to support Atiku’s candidacy.

Oyelese, however, said on Thursday that Makinde needed Atiku most in the forthcoming election, saying his re-election into office lies in the victory of the PDP presidential candidate.

8. I Never Blamed Buhari For Petrol, Naira Notes Scarcity – Tinubu Replies Atiku, PDP

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, has said he did not blame President Muhammadu Buhari for the scarcity of petrol and new naira notes.

Speaking on Wednesday during the APC presidential campaign in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Tinubu claimed that there was plans to sabotage the 2023 elections and his success in the forthcoming polls.

Tinubu cited the lingering fuel crisis and naira redesign by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as part of the plot to scuttle the poll and his expected victory.

Reacting, the flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar; and the spokesman for the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Kola Ologbondiyan, said Tinubu was using the problems as an excuse for his imminent defeat.

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But in a statement on Thursday, Tinubu, through the Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, said he was only drawing Buhari’s attention to saboteurs possibly working in cahoots with the PDP.

Onanuga stated that no political blackmail and attempt by the PDP campaign to create a conflict between Tinubu and Buhari, his long-term ally, can succeed.

9. CBN Bans Dollar Charges On Domestic Transactions

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Thursday morning launched the Nigerian National Domestic Card Scheme, Afrigo.

According to the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, transaction charges on all cards would be paid in naira.

He, however, stated that in the case of international transactions, charges can be paid in dollars.

According to him, AfriGo would be cheaper and would be a matter of national pride, with potential to boost financial inclusion.

10. Bullion Vans That Entered Tinubu’s House In 2019 Missed Their Way – APC Chieftain Declares On National TV

The organizing secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Ayodele Adewale on Thursday declared that the bullion vans spotted on the eve of a 2019 election at the residence of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu actually missed their way.

The APC chieftain submitted that the vans had no business at the Bourdillion residence of the former Lagos State Governor on that day.

Defending the 2023 presidential candidate of the APC further, Adewale said Tinubu didn’t invite the vans neither did anyone in the house invite them.

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He added that he was at the Lagos Bourdillion residence of Bola Tinubu on the day of the bullion van saga and there was no money in the bullion vans.

He made the submission during a live interview on Arise TV’s morning show.