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Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 28th October, 2024
1. Presidency Speaks On Nigerians Calling Tinubu ‘T-Pain’
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said on Sunday that his principal is not unfeeling, as described by some Nigerians on social media.
According to Onanuga, President Tinubu feels the pain of Nigerians and has assured them that better days are nearer than before.
The presidential spokesman, who spoke on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, said his principal is not T-pain, as nicknamed on social media.
Onanuga said Tinubu has not come to inflict pain on Nigerians but to “repair the economy.”
He said despite galloping inflation, “we are experiencing economic growth, despite inflation, revenues have increased.”
2. Tinubu Bought Refurbished Jet, Not New One – Bayo Onanuga
The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has clarified that his principal acquired a refurbished jet contrary to popular opinion that it was a new one.
Naija News reports that while the Presidency has continued to defend Tinubu’s action to purchase the refurbished Airbus A330, the move has been criticized by many Nigerians and some of his contenders in the 2023 election, who believed the President was unconcerned about the plight of poor Nigerians grappling under the weight of unprecedented food inflation, and energy prices which have quadrupled in the last one year.
However, Onanuga, in an interview on Channels Television, Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, said some jets in the presidential fleet, like a 19-year-old Boeing B737-700 purchased under ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo are all in bad condition and their maintenance costs were outrageous.
According to the presidential aide, instead of spending a bogus amount of money on aircraft maintenance, Tinubu sought the approval of the National Assembly for a refurbished jet that was still in good condition.
Onanuga said the refurbished Airbus A330 would save Nigeria high maintenance costs in servicing the old aircraft.
While urging Nigerians to prioritize the President’s safety, Onaniga noted that the newly acquired plane is Nigeria’s property and not for Tinubu.
3. Fuel Subsidy: You Are Behind Tinubu Govt Anti-people Economic Policies – NLC Fires IMF
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has slammed the International Monetary Fund (IMF), blaming the organisation for the removal of fuel subsidy and other anti-people economic policies by the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration.
In a statement to journalists, the President of NLC, Joel Ajaero, has insisted that the IMF played a role in Nigeria’s economic woes.
The labour union stated that the IMF and its cousin in economic mischief – the World Bank remain the twin forces that have a longstanding pattern of recommending harsh and unworkable economic policies to developing nations.
According to the NLC, the World Bank and IMF must remove their knees from our necks so that we can breathe as a nation.
The union stated that it is too late to begin to deny complicity because they warned the government about the consequences of implementing IMF and World Bank-driven policies.
4. Why There’s A Delay In Fixing Power Outage In Northern Nigeria – TCN
The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has explained why it is taking several days to restore power supply to many major cities in Northern Nigeria affected by a recent power outage.
The TCN, in a statement on Sunday, said the prevailing security situation in the area has delayed the repair necessary to restore power to affected areas.
The TCN statement, signed by its spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, however, added that it has partnered with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), to secure the area and allow its engineers get to work.
Mbah emphasized that the vandalized Shiroro-Kaduna line led to a reduction of bulk electricity to Kaduna, Kano, and other major cities in the north, but efforts are being made to fix the affected infrastructure.
The statement added that the TCN Executive Director (Independent System Operator), Engr. (Mrs) Nafisatu Ali noted that deploying engineers without security support is not feasible, given the risks in the region.
She, however, allayed any fear that restoration would be indefinite, stressing that TCN is already working round the clock to ensure the quick restoration of power supply.
5. Withheld Salaries: NASU, SSANU Begin Indefinite Strike On Monday
The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of non-teaching staff unions in Nigerian universities, comprising the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) and the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), has declared an indefinite nationwide strike beginning Sunday night, October 27, 2024.
The strike is in response to the non-payment of four months’ withheld salaries, despite earlier resolutions.
The circular sent to all branch chairmen of NASU and SSANU in universities and inter-university centres detailed the decision.
Titled “Latest development in respect of the withheld four (4) months salaries,” it indicates a shift from the initially planned strike date of October 23, due to the Trade Group Council meeting of NASU branches.
Signed by Prince Peters Adeyemi, General Secretary of NASU, and Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, President of SSANU, the notice explained that the rescheduling was necessary for better coordination and to ensure both unions acted in unison.
The move follows what the unions describe as the government’s lack of commitment to resolving their grievances, highlighted by the Minister of Finance’s alleged failure to act on President Bola Tinubu’s authorization to pay 50 percent of the owed salaries.
6. PANDEF Makes Move To Resolve Wike, Fubara’s Crisis, Setup Reconciliation Reconciliation Committee
The Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), under the leadership of South-South elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark, has established a High Level Peace and Reconciliation Committee aimed at resolving the ongoing tensions between the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), Nyesom Wike, and Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers State.
This decision was announced in a communiqué after a special general assembly meeting in Port Harcourt over the weekend.
The committee is tasked with addressing the dispute between the two political figures and mitigating any further conflicts within the region.
The Communique was signed by King Alfred Diette-Spiff, the Amayanabo of Twon Brass and first Military Governor of Rivers State as Co-Chairman, Board of Trustees; former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah, Co-Chairman, Board of Trustees; former Nigeria Ambassador to Scandinavian countries( Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Norway), Dr. Godknows B. Igali, National Chairman; Hon Godwin Okotie, Ag. National Secretary and Dr. Obiuwevbi Ominimini, National Spokesman.
Though the political impasse between former Rivers State governor Wike and Fubara was not added in the Communique, when PANDEF’s Spokesman was asked if it was part of the mandate, he said in a text that “Wike and fubara are not members of the cttee, but the mandate of the cttee includes reconciling their conflict.”
7. Hardship: Give Food Vouchers To Nigerians, It Makes More Sense Than Some Palliatives – Jimoh Ibrahim Tells FG
The Senator representing Ondo South in the National Assembly, Jimoh Ibrahim, has urged the federal government to give food vouchers to Nigerians as a way of curbing the hardship and hunger in the country.
According to him, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Ministry of Finance also need to harmonize their policies.
Naija News reports Senator Ibrahim made the suggestion during a press conference held in Washington DC, which also had the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Olayemi Cardoso and the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, in attendance.
The lawmaker submitted that giving out food vouchers would impact about 20 million Nigerians directly, reduce inflation, and stabilize the naira.
The Ogun federal lawmaker stated that when the problem of food and hunger is not solved, the nation is headed for a crisis.
8. EFCC: Why Police Cannot Arrest Yahaya Bello – Presidency
The Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga has said that security agencies have not been able to arrest embattled former Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello because of the “complicated” nature of the case.
Recall that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared Bello, who was Kogi governor from May 2015 to May 2023, wanted for alleged financial crime to the tune of N80.2 billion.
The EFCC had at various times, stormed Bello’s residence in an attempt to arrest the former governor but his successor, Usman Ododo, had come to his rescue, whisking him away to his lodge.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Inside Sources with Laolu Akande on Sunday, Onanuga stated that it is difficult to arrest Yahaya Bello because of the immunity enjoyed by Governor Usman Ododo, his successor, who is believed to be shielding the former governor.
9. NDLEA Rejects ₦10 Million Bribe, Arrest Suspected Drug Dealers In Lagos
The Lagos State command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has reportedly rejected a bribe of ₦10 million that was offered to secure the release of one Tsolaye Eburajolo.
Naija News understands that the event was recorded recently even as the agency seized 26,250,000 tramadol pills and 508,400 bottles of codeine-based syrup valued at ₦16,683,800,000 from a drug dealer.
These items were intercepted during a thorough joint examination of watch-listed containers conducted in collaboration with personnel from the Customs Service and other security agencies at Tincan Port in Lagos and Port Harcourt Port, Onne, Rivers State, on October 22 and 23.
Eburajolo, a 40-year-old individual, was apprehended in the Ago Palace area of Okota, Lagos, in connection with the drugs seized by the officials.
A statement released on Sunday by the agency’s spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, indicated that the bribe offered for Eburajolo’s release had been included among the evidence collected from him.
The statement further detailed that additional illicit shipments intercepted during the joint inspection included 10 million tablets of Toradol Benzhexol and 28 plastic drums of methamphetamine weighing 700 kg at Tincan and Onne, respectively.
Furthermore, 56 parcels of Loud, a synthetic strain of cannabis weighing 28 kg, were also recovered from a container that had arrived at the Lagos Port from Canada.
10. It Is Heartbreaking – Peter Obi Reacts To Power Outage In The North
The 2023 Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has lamented the lingering power outage in many parts of northern Nigeria caused by the vandalization of some infrastructure.
Obi, in a personally signed statement on Sunday, said the fact that many cities have been thrown into a blackout for several days is heartbreaking.
He lamented the negative impact of the situation on businesses in the region, noting that solving Nigeria’s power problem is not rocket science.
The former Anambra State Governor appealed to the government to ensure a lasting solution to the issue of perennial power outages in the country.
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