TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY TUESDAY 

TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY TUESDAY 

1. Senate Approves 45 Of President Tinubu’s 48 Ministerial Nominations

The Nigerian Senate on Monday concluded the screening of all the 48 ministerial nominees forwarded to it by President Bola Tinubu.

The Senate during Monday’s sitting, approved the nomination of 45 of the ministerial nominees presented by President Tinubu.

President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio presided over the sitting of the lawmakers.

It was gathered Nasir El-Rufai, Stella Okotete, and Abubakar Sani Danladi were not confirmed by the Senate as Ministers due to issues with their security clearance.

2. Govt Official Openly Admits Collecting Bribe For Jobs And Paying To FCC Chairman

A former Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) desk officer, Haruna Kolo has openly admitted to collecting bribes in exchange for promises of jobs on behalf of the embattled Federal Character Commission (FCC) chairman, Farida Dankaka.

Kolo made the revelation on Monday when he appeared before the House of Representative ad-Hoc committee investigating federal ministries, departments and agencies, parastatals, and tertiary institutions on mismanagement of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel information system (IPPIS) over the allegation of collecting money from job seekers.

The IPPIS official revealed that he collected over N75 million through his personal Eco Bank account and paid it in cash to the FCC Chairman in several installments based on the instruction from her.

The FCC chairman who was also on seat during the hearing however refuted the allegations against her. She said never in her life had she given such an order.

In response, the chairman of the House of Reps committee Yusuf Gagdi said all stakeholders would be allowed to have their say, the matter would be investigated without bias and the guilty would face the wrath of the law.

3. ECOWAS Fixes Fresh Meeting On Niger Republic As Deadline Elapses

The Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) has scheduled another summit for Thursday, August 10, to discuss the political development in Niger Republic.

President Bola Tinubu, who is chairman of ECOWAS, made this known on Monday in a statement issued by the regional body.

The statement said the ECOWAS Chairman sent a notice of the meeting to all Heads of Government to attend the crucial meeting scheduled to hold in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

Recall that the regional body had met in Abuja in August and issued a 7-day deadline for the Niger junta to reinstate ousted President Mohamed Bazoum or risk sanctions, including possible military intervention.

But rather than reinstate Bazoum, the junta severed ties with Nigeria and some other countries sympathetic to Bazoum’s cause.

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It also warned against foreign intervention, vowing to defend the territorial integrity of Niger.

4. Protest: FG Withdraws Suit Against NLC, TUC

The federal government has made a U-turn and withdrawn the suit filed against the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over the protest embarked upon on August 2.

The government’s letter addressed to the labour unions on the new development through their counsel, Femi Falana said the suit was withdrawn because it had been overtaken by events.

The letter dated August 7 and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Justice, Beatrice Jeddy-Agba said the ministry filed the contempt proceedings before the interventions of President Bola Tinubu, and the National Assembly in the dispute.

The labour unions had threatened to embark on a fresh strike if the government proceeded with the court case since the workers had suspended their own nationwide protest.

NLC had last week Thursday said it would commence a nationwide strike on August 14, 2023, should the Federal Ministry of Justice fail to withdraw the lawsuit filed against the organised labour.

5. Reason El-Rufai, Other Ministerial Nominees Were Not Confirmed By Senate

The Nigerian Senate on Monday concluded the screening of all the 48 ministerial nominees forwarded to it by President Bola Tinubu.

However that 45 out of the 48 nominees were confirmed by the lawmakers while three were not confirmed.

Those not confirmed were the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, Stella Okotete, and Abubakar Sani Danladi.

El-Rufai, a former Governor of Kaduna State, and others were not confirmed as the Senate was yet to receive their security clearance.

6. Obaseki Speaks On Plot To Impeach Deputy Gov, Says Shaibu Planning To Join APC

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has revealed that there is no plan to impeach his deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu.

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The governor noted that the move by Shaibu seeking a court order to stop his purported impeachment is preemptive ahead of his defection to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

This is as leaders of Edo North Senatorial District, the senatorial zone of the Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, distanced themselves from his governorship ambition, warning the deputy governor against fueling the crisis in the State.

The governor, while briefing journalists in Benin City during a visit by the Edo North leaders, said the deputy governor has been actively engaging with senior actors both at the national and state level of the APC.

He stated that Shaibu is negotiating his way into their party, adding that he is at the verge of finalizing moves to defect to the APC.

7. President Tinubu Files Motion To Stop U.S. Court From Releasing Academic Records To Atiku

President Bola Tinubu has filed a motion seeking to prevent a United States Federal Court from releasing his university academic records to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

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Atiku, on August 2, approached the States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois to issue a subpoena for Chicago State University to release Tinubu’s school records, citing longstanding controversies around the Nigerian president’s background.

In his subpoena, Atiku told the court he was seeking the documents as part of discovery to strengthen his legal challenge against the declaration of Tinubu as Nigeria’s president.

Atiku had previously filed a suit before a county court in Chicago, Illinois, but withdrew it in order to file a more comprehensive case at the federal court, which prompted a county judge to dismiss the earlier case from the docket and cleared the path for Abubakar’s federal complaint.

However, according to Peoples Gazette, Tinubu has asked that he should be added as an interested party in the suit, alleging that Chicago State University might be unable to fully protect his interest as the owner of the records being sought.

8. Gov Yusuf Swears In First Female Substantive Chief Judge In Kano State

The Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf on Monday presided over the oath-taking ceremony of Justice Dije Abdu Aboki as the substantive Chief Judge of Kano State.

Justice Aboki is the first female substantive Chief Judge of Kano State.

Speaking on the development, Gov Yusuf said he is glad to have presided over the oath-taking ceremony. He added that history has been made and he is proud to be part of it.

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He charged the new CJ to discharge the duties and responsibilities of her office without fear or favour.

9. WAEC Releases Candidates’ WASSCE Results, Certificate

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) on Monday revealed that candidates who sat for the 2023 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) can now access their results alongside their certificate.

The examination body revealed this through the National Officer, Patrick Areghan at Press Briefing Hall, WAEC National Office, Yaba, Lagos, on Monday.

According to WAEC, out of a total of 1,613,733 candidates that sat the examination, the results of 262,803 candidates are being withheld “due to reports of cases of examination malpractice.”

Areghan noted that there is an improvement in pass rate by candidates as a total of 1,361,608 candidates, representing 84.38 per cent, obtained credit and above in a minimum of five subjects with or without English Language or Mathematics.

Also, 1,287,920 candidates, representing 79.81 per cent of the total candidates, obtained credits and above in a minimum of five subjects including English Language and Mathematics.

10. Keyamo Apologises As Senate Resumes Screening

The former Minister of State for Labour and Employment under the administration of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Festus Keyamo has apologised to lawmakers in the Senate.

Keyamo who appeared before the Senate for screening on Monday faced a tough moment following a motion demanding that the screening of Keyamo be suspended.

There was drama in the Senate as lawmakers disagreed over the screening of Keyamo as a ministerial nominee.

Some lawmakers during the screening challenged Keyamo for refusing to honour invites by various committees in the 9th Senate and 9th House of Representatives led by Ahmed Lawan and Femi Gbajabiamila respectively.

Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe in his petition charged the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, to suspend Keyamo’s screening until he acknowledged that the Senate can summon and question any Minister and his/her Ministry.

The development eventually saw lawmakers in the Senate proceed into closed-door plenary.

Upon resumption of the screening, Keyamo apologised to lawmakers for his actions during the administration of ex-president, Buhari.

He explained that the list of the beneficiaries of the N52bn Public Works scheme which was requested by the 9th Senate is available for scrutiny.