TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY SUNDAY 

TOP 10 NEWS MAKING THE ROUNDS IN NIGERIA TODAY SUNDAY 

1. Senate Speaks On Alleged Plot To Impeach Akpabio

The Senate has denied a media report that some Senators were planning to impeach Senate President Godswill Akpabio, for allegedly playing the role of a lap dog for President Bola Tinubu.

A media report on Saturday claimed that some senators are reportedly plotting to impeach Akpabio when lawmakers resume from their two-month annual leave on September 26.

The media report claimed that some senators had already met in Saudi Arabia to conclude the moves, adding that Akpabio had not paid full attention to his colleagues and met the expectations of Nigerians.

But reacting to the report in a statement on Saturday, the Senate Spokesman, Yemi Adaramodu, described the alleged plot to impeach Akpabio as a ruse and an illusion.

The Senate spokesman stated that the Red Chamber is one united and fraternal family, stressing that the Senate under Akpabio has carried out its legislative and constitutional duties diligently.

2. UAE Deal Controversy: Tinubu Embarrassed, Orders Investigation

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reportedly been embarrassed over reports of the deal to normalise relations between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The presidential spokesperson, Ajuri Ngelale, had earlier this week said that the UAE had lifted its visa ban on Nigerian travellers.

He said the decision was reached on Monday after Tinubu met with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi.

Ngelale said, “By this historic agreement, both Etihad Airlines and Emirates Airlines are to immediately resume flight schedules into and out of Nigeria without any further delay.”

But the Emiratis later issued a counter-statement, which read like a disclaimer, forcing Nigeria to dial back. Diplomatic sources used the words “furious,” “deeply upset,” and “shocked” to describe the reaction that trailed the Nigerian statement in Abu Dhabi.

3. Tribunal Judgment: CJN Yet To Constitute Supreme Court Panel As LP, PDP Set To File Appeal

The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, is set to constitute the Supreme Court panel that will hear the appeal arising from the judgment of the Presidential Election Petitions Court (PEPC).

Recall that PEPC had on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, delivered judgment upholding the election of President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress at the February 25th presidential election.

The presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, respectively, rejected the court’s judgment, vowing to approach the Supreme Court.

The constitutionally mandated 14 days to file their appeal at the apex court ends on Wednesday.

According to The PUNCH, the CJN will constitute the panel at the latest on Wednesday when the timeline for the filing of the appeals will end.

4. Plot Thickens Against Akpabio As Forces Move To Float Hybrid Political Party

Top politicians strongly opposed to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, are reportedly plotting to impeach the leader of the National Assembly when lawmakers resume from their two-month annual leave on September 26.

According to Vanguard, the politicians accuse the former Akwa Ibom State Governor of playing the role of a lap dog for President Bola Tinubu and not paying full attention to his colleagues and working hard enough to meet the expectations of Nigerians despite the challenges in the country.

Reliable sources confirmed that some of the aggrieved Senators, led by two former North West governors, want to use the recent slip made by Akpabio that ‘prayers’ had been sent to their mailboxes for celebrations to punish him.

A top source in the National Assembly said that the anti-Akpabio group had already held several meetings in Saudi Arabia and Ilorin to perfect plans to impeach him upon Senate resumption.

5. Insecurity: Military Rejigs Operations Across Formations, Theatres

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has rejigged its various operations across all the formations and theatres set up to restore peace and order, as well as get rid of criminals in the country.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa, made the announcement on Friday at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja at a conference convened for Joint Task Force commanders.

Musa explained that the development became imperative due to the evolvement of the security landscape.

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Speaking before the conference went into a closed-door, Musa said the theme underscores the vital importance of collaboration and synergy among the various branches of the armed forces.

In attendance were the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja; the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Emmanuel Ogalla and the Chief of Defence Intelligence, Maj-Gen. Emmanuel Undiandeye, while the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hassan Abubakar was absent.

6. Oluremi Tinubu Arrives New York Ahead Of UN General Assembly (Video)

The First Lady, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, has arrived in New York ahead of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA 78).

The wife of the president was received on arrival on Saturday morning by the Permanent Representative of Nigeria to the UN, Prof. Tijjani Bande.

Mrs Tinubu will be speaking at the Nigeria Economic Trade Summit, Africa First Ladies Peace Mission side meeting on Gender Actions for Peace, and DUSUSU Foundation, among other high-level meetings where she will be participating actively.

Earlier, the first lady made a brief stopover in Portugal on her way to New York for the UNGA.

She was received at the Madeira International Airport in Lisbon by the Nigerian Ambassador to Portugal, Alex Kefas.

7. Obasanjo Speaks On Meeting Tinubu At Alake’s Birthday

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has denied a social media report that he met with President Bola Tinubu at the 80th birthday reception of the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo. on Thursday.

A video clip on a TikTok with the handle @asiwajuwoldwidef had claimed that Tinubu and Obasanjo met on Thursday.

But in a statement on Saturday by his Special Assistant on Media, Kehinde Akinyemi, Obasanjo condemned the fake post, which also lifted a banter conversation that took place between the two last year.

Akinyemi said the conversation happened when the former president played host to the former Lagos State governor last year before the general elections in February.

He said the architect of the fake disjointed and sicken post should rather look elsewhere for the work and not through his principal.

8. Tinubu Appoints Tope Fasua Special Adviser On Economic Matters

The Chief Executive Officer of Global Analytics Consulting, Tope Fasua, has been appointed by President Bola Tinubu as the Special Adviser on Economic Affairs in the office of the Vice President.

The development was disclosed in a post shared by Fasua on his X account on Friday night.

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Fasua wrote, “So, yours truly has been appointed Special Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs in the VP’s office. Just what I wanted for national impact. We thank God Almighty and those who remembered me and insisted. For God and country.”

Fasua, a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria ICAN, studied economics at the Ondo State University, where he finished as the best graduating student in 1991.

He secured his second degree in Financial Markets & Derivatives, from the London Metropolitan University, United Kingdom. He started his career in 1992 with the defunct Citizens Bank.

9. Sex Scandal: UNICAL VC Knocks Tinubu’s Minister For ‘Threatening’ Female Students Testifying Against Embattled Professor

Vice Chancellor of the University of Calabar (UNICAL), Professor Florence Bisong, has slammed the Minister of Women Affairs, Uju Ohaneye, for allegedly threatening female students of the institution who were testifying before the panel investigating allegations of sexual harassment against the Dean of the university’s Faculty of Law, Professor Cyril Ndifon.

Recall that students of the Faculty of Law had carried out a peaceful protest alleging that Prof Cyril Ndifon was sexually molesting them, while over 15 victims of the said allegations said they were willing to testify against the suspended Dean in court.

Following the female students’ allegations, the Management of the University of Calabar suspended Prof Ndifon for alleged violation of the provisions of the extant laws and policies of the institution.

But a leaked audio message has gone viral where the Minister of Women Affairs was caught threatening one of the female students with jail, asking her to keep off the case.

10. Oyo Monarchs: Your Display Was An Affront, Intentional Desecration On Yoruba – Oluwo Blasts Obasanjo

The Oluwo of Iwo land, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has called out the former President Olusegun Obasanjo, over his remarks towards Oyo monarchs at the inauguration of the 34.85km Oyo-Iseyin road in Oyo State.

The former president had ordered the monarchs to get up to greet Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, during the commissioning of the Iseyin Campus of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Iseyin.

Obasanjo, who was a special guest of honour at the event, expressed dismay over the behaviour of the kings, describing it as ‘disrespectful’ toward the office of the governor and himself when they were being introduced and the monarchs were seated.

Reacting to Obasanjo’s remarks, the Oluwo, through his Chief Press Secretary, Alli Ibraheem, criticized the former president for what he saw as a desecration of the traditional institution in Yoruba land.

He faulted the monarchs who showed obeisance to Obasanjo’s directive, considering it an insult to the traditional institutions.