Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Saturday, 3rd December 2022.
Madam First Lady, Citizen Adamu Mohammed Has Rights
The wife of the President, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari, is in the eyes of the storm for going after a student of Federal University Dutse (FUD), Aminu Adamu Mohammed, who had tweeted her picture with a message in Hausa language which translates to: “Mama has fed fat on poor people’s money”. The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) says operatives of the Federal Capital Territory Police Command, acting on the orders of Aisha Buhari traced Muhammadu to Jigawa where he was picked up and brought to the Presidential Villa.
The First Lady attracted odium to herself by being peevish over what ordinarily resonates with being in the inner sanctum of power. If it’s the supposed body shaming that is her worry, she now has more worries, what with a former minister in her husband’s cabinet, Solomon Dalung, asserting that: “If you look at Aisha now, you would notice that she has added weight. Even the size of the jallabiya she wears now can accommodate three people.” The public opprobrium is stoked by the perceived abuse of power. Her taking up a matter which should have ordinarily been ignored has caused a major national distraction by pushing burning national issues to the back burner. Yet, the issue deserves all the attention because the rights of citizens are at stake.
Since the arrest and prosecution of Mohammed became public knowledge, there have been viral images online comparing the size of the President’s wife in 2015 and how she looks presently. Mohammed, a 500-level student of Environmental Management, posted the tweet in June 2022 but got arrested on November 18. NANS President, Usman Barambu, disclosed that after being whisked to the Presidential Villa, the 25-year-old undergraduate was purportedly brutalized, beaten, maltreated and humiliated by the police “on the orders of Aisha Buhari, after which he was unlawfully detained at a police facility at Wuse Zone II till date. I, alongside our team of lawyers, met with Mohammed at the police facility where he confirmed the incident to me,” the student leader added. 
“He’s The Best” – Dogara, Other Northern Christian Leaders Pick Presidential Candidate To Support After Dumping Tinubu
Former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and other Northern Christian leaders in his camp who rejected the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have revealed the candidate they’ll support for the 2023 presidential election.
The leaders under the aegis of the Northern Leaders Consultative Forum have declared support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Naija News understands they revealed their decision on Friday at a media conference in Abuja.
The adoption follows the presentation of a report by its technical criteria committee which was presented by former Kogi State Deputy Governor, Simon Achuba.
Presidency Releases Details Of Refunds To Niger Delta States
The Federal Government on Friday released the details of oil derivation refunds made to Niger Delta states.
There had been controversy on how some states’ governments handled the fund, following a statement of Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike.
Wike during an inauguration of a project in his statement had accused some governors in the region of misusing the fund.
The Niger Delta comprises Abia, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, Edo, Rivers, Ondo, Imo and Cross River states.
The presidency in the statement released on Friday said the nine oil-producing states received a total of N625.43 billion 13 per cent oil derivation, subsidy and SURE-P refunds from the Federation Account between 2021 and 2022. The refunds date from 1999 to 2021.
The presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu in the statement cited figures from the Accountant General of the Federation’s office.
New Naira Note: How Bank Rejected Decomposing N20m – Presidency
President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief spokesman, Femi Adesina has revealed how a customer visited a commercial bank to deposit N20 million which was already damaged.
Naija News reports that following the move by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to redesign some Naira notes, the presidency has revealed that the development is affecting some billionaires who may have stashed the currency in their various houses.
Adesina while speaking on the effects of the new Naira via an article on Friday stated that efforts by the bank’s staff to salvage the cash failed as it was already damaged beyond repair.
He said that the cash was already decomposing and could not be resurrected hence the need for rejection.
According to him, “Somebody went into a banking hall in Abuja some days ago, and came back to tell of a mighty stink that had pervaded the entire atmosphere in the hall.
“Whodunnit? A mysterious depositor had brought the sum of N20 million from God knows where, but the currency had become gummed together, damp, and odoriferous..
Labour Party Faction Backs Peter Obi, Abure, Doyin Okupe
Some members of the Labour Party (LP) in Ogun State have backed the presidential candidate of the party, Peter Obi and his campaign Director-General, Dr Doyin Okupe.
Naija News reports that this is coming after the Ogun State chapter, which has been engulfed in crisis, had suspended Okupe and accused Obi and the party’s National Chairman, Julius Abure, of being sectional in the selection of the party’s leadership.
In a statement by Jagun Lookman, Deputy State Chairman (Ogun East); Chief Ope Ijaola, Deputy State Chairman; Prince Oluwatosin Meadows, State Organising Secretar; to Naija News on Friday, a faction in Ogun State slammed the State chapter Chairman, Michael Ashade.
According to the group, issues raised by them amounted to infantile tantrums that were never discussed at the state executive meeting of the party before the press conference.
The faction said: “The attention of some of us in the leadership of Labour Party in Ogun State, especially, we members of the State Exco and Leaders of the Party, have been drawn to an orchestrated, reckless and divisive news conference of some Officials of Ogun State Labour Party led by Micheal Ashade, State Chairman and his cohorts against the National Leadership of our Great Party.
“Our thorough review of the issues raised at this unprovoked press conference reveals to us that the news conference was a sinister move of some disgruntled elements to de-market and discredit the growing popularity of the Party in Nigeria, as all the issues raised by them amounted to infantile tantrums that were never discussed at the state executive meeting of the party before the press conference.”
They Are Making Noise But I Don’t Care – Wike Slams Okowa, Other Niger Delta Governors
The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has knocked some Niger Delta Governors challenging him for speaking openly about the 13 percent derivation arrears paid by the Federal Government.
Wike said instead of attacking him, they should just show their people what they have done with the money.
He added that he has done nothing wrong by appreciating President Muhammadu Buhari for paying the money to them though he is not a fan of the President but the truth must be told at all times.
The Rivers State Governor who spoke on Friday while inaugurating the road to Rumuodogo communities in Emohua Local Government Area, said some of his critics spend as much as four years to execute one project but he doesn’t spend more than one and half years on any project.
Wike also challenged those using ‘unknown faces and groups’ to attack him to stop such and face him directly.
Wike, Ortom, Umahi React As Buhari Accuses Govs Of Stealing LG Funds
Some Governors have rejected the accusation by President Muhammadu Buhari that they steal funds meant for the administration of local governments.
The governors who have reacted to the President’s allegation include Governors Nyesom Wike (Rivers State), Samuel Ortom (Benue), and Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), among others.
Naija News reported that President Buhari, on Thursday, slammed the governors over the corrupt practices surrounding the local council funds.
The Nigerian leader described the treatment of the administration at the local government level by governors as unfair, adding that the funds meant for the councils are being diverted.
Buhari said this at an event hosted for members of the Senior Executive Course 44 (2022) of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Rivers Govt Reacts
Reacting to the allegation, Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Chris Finebone, said the President’s accusation does not apply to the state.
The commissioner said instead of governor Wike taking from the funds, he rather augments the finances of the local councils to keep them solvent.
It Is Now Null And Void – Labour Party Gives Update On Doyin Okupe’s Suspension
The National Secretariat of the Labour Party (LP) has nullified the suspension of the Director General of its Presidential Campaign, Dr. Doyin Okupe, by the Ogun State chapter of the party.
It also announced that the suspension of the other 10 members was null and void.
The National Secretary of the party, Alhaji Umar Farouk, announced the development at a media briefing in Abuja on Friday.
Farouk insisted that the Ogun State faction had acted outside it’s jurisdiction, adding that there are internal conflict resolutions used in solving disputes.
He said “It has come to the attention of the National Leadership of the Labour Party, LP that the Ogun State chapter of the party has purportedly suspended one of the party member who happens to be the Director General of the Presidential Campaign Committee.
“The Ogun state chapter has acted outside its constitutional Jurisdiction. The party has internal conflict resolution mechanism of handling cases against party members as enshrined in the party’s Constitution.”
The National secretary noted that Okupe still remains a card-carrying member of the LP and the DG of the PCC.
The party scribe explained that the national leadership was aware of attempts by members of the opposition in some political parties to infiltrate LP’s rank and file at all levels in order to cause disaffection.
2023: We Are Working With INEC To Enforce Electoral Act – EFCC
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has disclosed that it’s working with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enforce the Electoral Act 2022 ahead of the 2023 general election.
According to the anti-graft agency, it is collaborating with the e; electoral body and other relevant stakeholders to preserve the integrity of the electoral process at the polls.
Naija News gathered that the EFCC Chairman, Abdulrashid Bawa, made this revelation while delivering a goodwill message at the opening of a workshop on Financial Crimes Reporting organised by the commission.
He said EFCC would make sure the Electoral Act is fully enforced, noting that the commission would work towards bringing to justice those who seek to influence voters through financial inducement.
Bawa said “On our part, we are working in close collaboration with the Independent National Electoral Commission, and other stakeholders to preserve the integrity of the electoral process.
“We will ensure that the Electoral Act is fully enforced and those who seek to influence voters through financial inducement are brought to justice.”
IGP Approach Court To Set Aside Jail Term Over Contempt
A Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, sentenced the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba to three months in prison for disobeying a court order.
The ruling was passed by Justice Mobalaji Olajuwon following a suit filed by a police officer, Patrick Okoli, who was unlawfully and compulsorily retired from the Nigerian Police Force.
Baba in his reaction to the court ruling approached the court to file a motion to set aside the contempt proceeding and committal order.
The spokesman for the force, Olumiyiwa Adejobi in a statement released on Thursday said the IGP filed the motion before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
According to Adejobi, the IGP extensively highlighted grounds why the orders should be set aside.
He noted that the IGP pointed to the fact that he had not been appointed into office as Inspector-General of Police when the case was instituted and the reinstatement order in question granted.
That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.
The post Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Saturday, 3rd December, 2022 appeared first on Naija News.
