Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Sunday, 31st March 2024.
1. I Haven’t Borrowed A Kobo, Despite Inheriting $587 Million, N85 Billion Debts – Gov Sani
The Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, has said despite inheriting a massive $587 million, N85 billion debts and 115 contractual liabilities from the immediate past administration, he has not borrowed any money in the last nine months.
The governor explained that the huge debt burden is eating deep into the state’s Federal Allocation.
He stated this in Kaduna on Saturday while addressing a Town Hall meeting. 
According to Sani, the state is now paying back thrice what it borrowed due to the rise in exchange rate.
He lamented that seven out of the N10 billion Federal Allocation for Kaduna state in March was deducted to service the debt.
The governor also disclosed that the state was left with N3 billion, an amount which is not enough to pay salaries standing at N5.2 billion.
2. INEC Releases Full Details Of Edo Governorship Candidates
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has published the forms and full details of the candidates for the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.
The state INEC Head of Voter Education and Publicity, Timidi Wariowei, made this known in a statement on Saturday.
Wariowei said the particulars were displayed at the INEC office in Aduwawa in Benin City, the state capital, and in all its 18 local government offices in the state.
He said the pasting of the particulars was in line with the electoral law, noting that parties and the public can now view the particulars of the candidates and their running mates.
3. Obidients Are Happy About Naira Crash, Wants Tinubu’s Government To Fail – Bayo Onanuga
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga has alleged that Obidents, the supporters of the Labour Party presidential candidate at the 2023 general election, Peter Obi, desperately want the government of President Bola Tinubu to fail.
Making this allegation during a podcast session with renowned broadcaster Seun Okinbaloye, the presidential spokesman further detailed that Obidients were happy when the country’s currency crashed against the dollar.
Naija News reports that Onanuga wondered why supporters of Peter Obi were suggesting that he won the presidential election after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) revealed that the Labour Party candidate emerged in third place at the poll behind Tinubu and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar.
4. Rivers Assembly Threatens To Impeach Fubara
The Rivers State House of Assembly, on Saturday, accused the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, of dishonesty.
Naija News understands that the lawmakers threatened to resume impeachment proceedings against him if he continues to breach the constitution.
The Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, made this known during a press briefing in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
Amaewhule, who was accompanied by 26 members of the Assembly, read out a 10-point briefing in which they slammed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders who pledged their support to President Bola Tinubu and Governor Fubara.
They accused the governor of refusing to hold up to his end of the Presidential Peace Accord which he wilfully signed without coercion.
Furthermore, they explained that they withdrew their impeachment notice against Governor Fubara out of respect for President Tinubu and a hope that the governor will have a change of heart.
5. Adesina Proposes ‘United States Of Nigeria’ As New Name For Nigeria
The President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has advocated for a significant rebranding of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, suggesting the country be renamed ‘The United States of Nigeria.’
The proposal was made public through a statement by his Special Adviser on Industrialisation, Prof. Banji Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, following a lecture Adesina delivered where he received the 2024 Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership.
In his lecture titled ‘Making a New Nigeria: Welfarist Policies and People-Centred Development,’ Adesina articulated his vision for a transformed national identity that reflects a more decentralized governance structure.
He argued that renaming the country would fundamentally shift the perception of the relationship between Nigeria’s states and the central government in Abuja.
According to Adesina, this new nomenclature would position the states as pivotal entities within the federation, with the central government playing a supportive rather than a domineering role.
6. Edo 2024: Shaibu’s Name Missing As Ighodalo, Akpata, Okpebholo, Others Make INEC List
The name of Edo State Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu, on Saturday, was conspicuously absent from the list of candidates for the upcoming September 21 governorship election, as released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The list, which features candidates from 17 political parties, was publicly displayed at the INEC state office in Benin City and across all 18 local government area offices.
Key figures such as Ighodalo Asuerinme of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Okpebholo Monday of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and Olumide Akpata of the Labour Party (LP) were included in the list of contenders.
Others are Boot Party (BP), Osirame Edeipo; Accord party (AP), Enabulele Bright; African Democratic Congress (ADC), Obazele Paul Agbone, People Redemption Party (PRP), Key Ndidi and Young Progressive Party (YPP),Okungbowa Paul Ovbokhan.
The list also showed that Mr Uwaifo Osaro is the governorship candidate of Action Alliance (AA) while the Social Democratic Party (SDP) had Aner Abdullai Aliu. New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) had Azena Azemhe Friday and the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) had Osifo Isiah as its candidate.
7. Do Not Eat Today And Forget The Generation That Is Coming – Obasanjo Warns Nigerian Leaders
Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo has stated that leadership is an opportunity and privilege.
He called on Nigerian leaders to be selfless and consider their political position an opportunity to serve people.
The erstwhile Nigerian leader stated this on Saturday during a courtesy visit to Governor Godwin Obaseki at the Government House in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
He lamented that the present situation in the country was unfortunate, but expressed hope that things would turn around for good with time.
Obasanjo warned that the current economic realities require that those in authority make sacrifices and not think of themselves alone.
8. Third Mainland Bridge Resumes Full Operations April 4
The Third Mainland Bridge, a crucial artery in Lagos’ traffic network, is slated to fully reopen to traffic on April 4, 2024, following a seven-week partial closure for maintenance.
Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation, Oluwaseun Osiyemi, confirmed the reopening date in a recent announcement, providing relief to commuters and residents who have faced traffic challenges during the closure period.
The decision to reopen the bridge was highlighted by the Minister for Works, David Umahi, on Thursday during an oversight tour of federal projects in the Lagos zone, conducted by the Senate and House of Representatives committees on works.
The tour included a visit to the Oworosoki end of the Third Mainland Bridge, where the minister addressed the media.
Minister Umahi underscored the reopening as a strategic move to alleviate the congestion and hardship experienced by commuters due to the closure.
9. Air Peace Lagos-London Flights Will Ease Pressure On Naira – Keyamo
The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has said the commencement of the Lagos-London flight services by Air Peace will help to reduce the pressure on the Naira as against the Dollar.
Keyamo stated this on Friday night during Air Peace’s inaugural flight ceremony held at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.
The minister said that the Bola Tinubu-led government is going to ensure that they support local operators in accessing aircraft lease arrangements like what Air Peace is doing.
Keyamo also noted that with Air Peace on the London route, there will be no problem with trapped funds to help the airline continue its flight services.
He added that the aviation company is a local company and that the government does not have to repatriate the sale of tickets to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
By doing so, the minister stated that under such a situation, Nigeria would be liquid enough in terms of foreign exchange to repatriate those funds.
10. NCC Extends Deadline For SIM-NIN Linkage To July 31
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has announced an extension for the linkage of telephone lines to National Identification Numbers (NIN), moving the deadline from April 15, 2024, to July 31, 2024.
This development was confirmed by a reliable source within the telecommunications sector to Punch.
The extension, communicated through an official letter to telecommunication companies, comes after thorough deliberation on the prevailing challenges faced by subscribers and operators, as well as multiple requests for more time to ensure compliance.
This move is anticipated to provide subscribers with the necessary additional time to link their telephone lines with their NIN, ensuring uninterrupted service while complying with regulatory requirements.
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, Sunday, 31st March, 2024 appeared first on Naija News.
