TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY WEDNESDAY 

TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY WEDNESDAY 

1. What Buhari Said At Gulf of Guinea Commission In Accra

President Muhammadu Buhari has called for regular meetings among the countries that make up the Gulf of Guinea Commission as a critical route toward achieving peace and security in the region.

The Nigerian leader made this known on Tuesday at the 3rd Extraordinary Session of the Assembly of Heads of State and Government of the Gulf of Guinea Commission (GGC) in Accra, Ghana’s capital.

Reiterating Nigeria’s commitment and steps towards fighting maritime insecurity in the Gulf of Guinea, President Buhari encouraged member countries to enact laws against piracy and other criminal acts as Nigeria has done.

Buhari stressed that the theme of the session “Building a Safe, Secure and Prosperous Gulf of Guinea Region for Sustainable Development” is quite apt and significant for addressing the challenges in the region.

Buhari listed the steps so far taken by the country to further show its steadfastness to the revitalisation and strengthening of the GGC to achieve set objectives.

2. Former AGF Aondoakaa Reveals Why Tinubu Can’t Be Disqualified For Dual Citizenship

A former minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation (AGF), Michael Aondoakaa has submitted that Asiwaju Bola Tinubu didn’t contradict any law or procedure in contesting for Nigeria’s presidency despite having dual citizenship.

Aondoakaa stated that once a person is first Nigerian by birth such a person can’t be disqualified from contesting elections even if he/she obtains a second citizenship by naturalization or registration.

Speaking during an interview on Tuesday with Arise TV, the former AGF said dual citizenship can only disqualify “a person who obtains such status by naturalization or registration”.

There were issues raised concerning Nigeria’s President-elect, Bola Tinubu regarding reports that he allegedly obtained citizenship of Guinea, a country in West Africa.

Some sections of the people argued that having dual citizenship bars Tinubu from contesting elections in the country as his total allegiance to Nigeria is not guaranteed.

3. Ondo Speaker, Two Others Arraigned Over Alleged N2.4m Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on Tuesday, arraigned the Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Bamidele Oloyelogun, over fraud allegations.

Oloyelogun was arraigned alongside a lawmaker representing the Akoko South West Constituency II, Felemu Bankole, and a staff of the assembly, Segun Bankole.

Recall that a former Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Iroju Ogundeji, had petitioned the EFCC, alleging that the defendants conspired to share N2.4 million meant for a seminar in Lagos that they never attended.

However, the petitioner alleged that no such seminar was organized and that the N2.4 million released by the state ministry of finance went to private pockets.

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge preferred against them.

After the plea, EFCC counsel, Kingsley Kudus, prayed the court to remand the defendants to a correctional facility.

However, counsel to the defendants, Femi Emodamore, opposed the prosecutor’s prayer and urged the court to allow his clients to remain on administrative bail, stating that the speaker is experiencing health challenges and needed urgent medical attention.

Emodamore also asked the court to caution the nominal complainant, Ogundeji, for allegedly sending provocative messages to the speaker.

In his ruling, the presiding judge, Adegboyega Adebusoye, held that the defendants should continue to enjoy their administrative bail till the next hearing.

4. Suspended Members Trying To Stop Obi’s Case Against Tinubu’s Victory – LP

The Labour Party (LP) on Tuesday accused a faction of the party of planning to halt the suit filed by its presidential candidate, Peter Obi against the declaration of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu as President-Elect.

The acting National Publicity Secretary of the party, Pastor Obiora Ifoh made this claim in a statement released in Abuja on Tuesday.

Obi in a suit filed before the Presidential Election Tribunal is seeking to reclaim his ‘mandate’ which he said was stolen at the polls.

The party leadership loyal to Julius Abure equally noted that the appointment of Pastor Ifoh as Acting National Publicity Secretary followed due process as enshrined in the party’s constitution.

5. 2023 Census: NPC Speaks About Its Servers Being Hacked

As the countdown to the 2023 population and housing census continues, the National Population Commission (NPC), has disclosed how attempts have been made by hackers to get into the server.

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According to the commission, over one thousand attempts have been made so far to hack into the commission’s server.

The Kogi State Federal Commissioner of the NPC, Professor Jimoh Habibat Isah made the disclosure on Tuesday while addressing pressmen in the state.

He submitted that despite the attempts, the hackers didn’t succeed because the inbuilt mechanism has made it impossible for the infiltrators to get through.

Isah pointed out that the server was built with imputation of different passwords at every stage of its operation only known to the commission, making it difficult for hackers to cause havoc on the system.

He, therefore, denied reports about the commission’s server being hacked into, saying the report is not true.

Using the opportunity to educate the citizens, the NPC commissioner said the importance of population census on national planning and development can not be overemphasized.

6. Avoid Going To The Borders – FG Warns Nigerians In Sudan

The federal government has warned Nigerians stranded in Sudan to avoid the temptation of embarking on the dangerous trip to the country’s borders in a bid to escape the ongoing war.

The advisory was issued in a joint statement on Tuesday signed by Janet Olisa, a director in the Ministry of foreign affairs, and Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, a permanent secretary in the Ministry of humanitarian affairs, disaster management, and social development.

The government said while efforts were ongoing to evacuate the affected Nigerians back to the country, there is a need to avoid the dangerous journey to the borders.

The Nigerian government warned its citizens against undertaking the treacherous journey to the borders on their own, in view of the dangers involved.

Emergency numbers were also released for those who may need to establish contact with the government.

7. Lagos PDP Suspends Chairman, Deputy Chairman

The Lagos State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Philip Olabode Aivoji and Deputy Chairman, Benedict Felix Tai have been suspended by the party.

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The party leaders were suspended pending the ruling of a court on the suit instituted by some party members against the executive of the Lagos PDP challenging their continued stay in office.

The party announced the Vice Chairman of West Senatorial District, Sunday Olaifa, as Acting Chairman.

The spokesperson of the party, Hakeem Amode in a statement released on Tuesday said, the measures approved at the party’s State Working Committee meeting on Monday, April 25 are part of the Lagos PDP’s post-2023 review and efforts “on saving the soul of our great party, PDP in Lagos State.

The State Working Committee (SWC) meeting was attended by five members of the SWC including the new acting chairman, Chief Sunday Olaifa; Agboola Akinpelu, Youth Leader; Hakeem Amode, State Publicity Secretary; Ismail Olatunji, State Auditor; and, Adio Salami State, Organising Secretary.

Amode noted that Aivoji and Tai were required to step aside because they are part of the executive dragged to court and therefore cannot adjudicate in their own case.

8. FG Offers Lands In Abuja, Lagos To Woo Indian Investors

The federal government of Nigeria on Tuesday declared that it is willing to welcome investors from India to invest in the country’s creative industry.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, stated this in Abuja when he received the Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr Shri Balasubramanian.

According to Mohammed, the Nigerian government is ready to offer land in both Abuja and Lagos for the investors to build film cities which will in turn boost the economy of the country.

The Minister added that Nigeria is open to collaborations with India in developing its creative industry.

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9. Appeal Court Petitioned To Stop Tinubu’s May 29 Inauguration

A fresh petition has been filed before the Court of Appeal, seeking to stop the May 29 inauguration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Nigeria’s next president.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had weeks ago declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate as the February 25th presidential election winner.

Tinubu is billed to be sworn in on May 29, 2023.

However, a suit marked CA/CV/259/2023 has been instituted by a Presidential candidate in the 2019 Presidential election and constitutional lawyer, Chief Ambrose Albert Owuru, and his political party, Hope Democratic Party (HDP), asking the Court of Appeal in Abuja to halt the anticipated swearing-in event.

Owuru and his party are seeking the court’s order to prohibit President Muhammadu Buhari, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and INEC, from inaugurating the 2023 President-elect on May 29.

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The politician who participated in the 2019 presidential poll on the platform HDP wants Buhari, the AGF, and the INEC to stop taking any further steps on the 2023 presidential election that produced Tinubu as the winner.

10. ‘I Have Seen The Petition’ – Aondoakaa Makes Fresh Revelation On Petitions Against Tinubu By Atiku, Peter Obi

A former minister of justice and attorney-general of the federation (AGF), Michael Aondoakaa has revealed that both the Labour Party (LP) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidates didn’t include issues of dual citizenship against Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in their petitions against his electoral victory.

It would be recalled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Tinubu as the winner of the February 25 presidential elections in Nigeria.

However, Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar of the Labour Party and PDP respectively rejected the outcome of the election and challenged the results in court.

It has been widely reported that one of the grounds for their petition before the tribunal is the alleged dual citizenship of Tinubu.

However, Aondoakaa during an interview with Arise TV on Tuesday said he has seen the petition by both parties contesting the outcome of the polls and the dual citizenship allegation was not included.

He added that the dual citizenship allegation is more of an academic exercise and it’s too late for them to amend their appeals at this stage.