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Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Saturday, 26th October, 2024.
1. How I Felt After Losing The 2015 Presidential Election — Jonathan
Former President Goodluck Jonathan shared his insights on the experience of losing the 2015 presidential election during a speech on Friday, describing it as one of the most challenging moments of his political career.
Jonathan revealed that upon hearing the election results, he felt a wave of emotion, as though the entire world had turned against him.
He made these remarks at the inaugural Raymond Dokpesi Annual Diamond Lecture, an event organized by Daar Communications in partnership with the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations.
Running under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party, Jonathan was defeated by Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressives Congress, who received 15,424,921 votes compared to Jonathan’s 12,853,162.
This election was significant as it marked the first instance in Nigeria’s history where an incumbent president lost a re-election bid.
With a smile, Jonathan recounted the deep emotional struggle he faced during that period, stating that the pain was difficult to articulate.
He also acknowledged the supportive role played by Raymond Dokpesi, the Chairman of Daar Communications, prior to his transition of power to Buhari.
2. I Left $70 Billion In Nigeria’s Coffers When I Left Office, But It’s All Gone – Obasanjo
Former Nigerian President, Olusegun Obasanjo, has expressed concern over the amount of debt being owned by the country years after he left office in 2007.
He disclosed that he left the nation with about $70 billion, including a $45 billion reserve and $25 billion in a designated “excess crude” account.
He lamented that there is a poor quality of leadership in the country.
The politician boasted that his government met a debt overhang of close to $36 billion but reduced it to about $3.5 to $3.6 billion before leaving office in 2007.
He made the revelation on Thursday in an interview with News Central Television.
Obasanjo said, “I came in 1999 and met $3.7 billion in the reserve. And I have told you, we were spending $3.5 billion to service the debts. That’s what we had.
“By the time we left eight years later, with debt relief, when I came in, we had a debt overhang of close to $36 billion. By the time I left, with the debt relief and clearing what we had to clear, the quantum of debt that I left was about $3.5 to $3.6 billion from over or around $36 billion.
“At the same time, the reserve that was $3.7 billion when I came in went to $45 billion. At the same time, we had what we called “Excess crude,” which is what is in excess of what we budget and what we actually sell the crude. Normally, we are conservative in budgeting; we call it “Excess crude.” So, we had about $25 billion in it. When you add that to the reserve, we are talking about $70 billion.
“Now, the point is that I left in 2007. Today, between 2007 and 2024, all that amount of money has gone; all of it. Not only that, but all the money they made all that period had gone. And today, we owe more than we owe when we came to government in 1999.”
3. Pray For Tinubu – Wike Tells Nigerians
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has called on Nigerians to always pray for President Bola Tinubu so he can fulfil his campaign promises.
According to Wike, President Tinubu means well for the country and its citizens and is focused on restoring the hope of the people through his ‘Renewed Hope Agenda.
The Minister stated this on Friday during the flag-off of the construction of the six-lane Arterial Road N5, also known as Obafemi Awolowo Way, in Life Camp, Abuja.
Wike also praised the President for his approval of projects to be executed in the nation’s capital city and called on Nigerians to continue to support the current administration towards the fulfilment of its promises.
4. Senate Fixes Date To Begin Screening, Confirming Tinubu’s Ministers
The Nigeria Senate will begin the screen of seven individuals nominated by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for ministerial positions next week Tuesday.
Naija News reports that the ministerial nominees for Senate’s consideration and approval are: Dr Nentawe Yilwatda (Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction); Muhammadu Dingyadi (Labour & Employment); Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu (State Foreign Affairs), and Dr Jumoke Oduwole (Industry, Trade and Investment).
Others are: Idi Mukhtar Maiha (Livestock Development); Yusuf Ata (State, Housing and Urban Development), and Dr. Suwaiba Ahmad (State Education).
This will be the first time portfolios are being attached to nominees before their ministerial screening.
Recall that Senate President Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday, read Tinubu’s letter which requested the Red Chamber to consider the nominees for necessary screening and confirmation.
President Tinubu, in the letter, appealed to the Upper Legislative chambers to give expeditious consideration to his request.
Akpabio referred the presidential request to the Committee of the whole for accelerated consideration.
5. Why Tinubu Sacked Mamman, Uju, Others – Sources Reveal
Fresh details have emerged on the reasons behind the dismissal of five ministers by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, shedding light on the specific factors that contributed to their removal.
The former ministers—Prof. Tahir Mamman (SAN), Uju Kennedy Ohanenye, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, Lola Ade-John, and Abdullahi Muhammad Gwarzo—were dismissed on Wednesday in what the presidency described as a move to enhance the administration’s efficiency.
A key factor in the decision was public dissatisfaction with the performance of these ministers.
According to Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, the president acted on both public feedback and concrete data gathered through a performance review process led by Hadiza Bala Usman, the Special Adviser on Policy and Coordination.
He said Usman’s team employed technology to gauge public perceptions of the ministers, and the results played a significant role in the president’s decision.
6. Tinubu Ready To Supply Everything To End Insecurity In Nigeria – Defence Minister
The Minister of Defence, Badaru Abubakar, has stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was ready to provide all necessary resources to put an end to the growing insecurity in Nigeria.
The Minister stated this while instructing the troops of the 17 Brigade Katsina to address the persistent insecurity affecting Katsina State.
The minister issued this directive while speaking to journalists at the border town of Gurbin Baure, located in the Jibia Local Government area of Katsina State, during a Friday visit to the 17 Brigade.
Naija News reports at the defence minister was in the region to assess the situation and receive updates on the ongoing military operations against banditry.
Earlier, Abubakar informed the troops that President Bola Tinubu expressed satisfaction with recent advancements in the fight against banditry.
He noted that the president has acknowledged the progress achieved in the military operations targeting banditry within the state thus far.
7. Reps Knocks CBN Over Old ₦200, ₦500, ₦1000 Validity
The Labour Party Caucus Leader in the House of Representatives, Afam Ogene, has criticized the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for its lack of clarity regarding the use of both old and new Naira notes.
Ogene’s statement, released in Abuja on Friday, follows a recent clarification from the CBN after the Supreme Court modified its earlier ruling.
The CBN pointed out that the court’s latest decision did not specify a date when the old N200, N500, and N1000 notes would cease to be legal tender.
Earlier, on October 24, the House of Representatives had passed a motion, initiated by Ogene, urging the CBN to address the overlapping circulation of the old and new currency notes.
The motion, titled “Need for Central Bank of Nigeria to Sensitize Nigerians about the Non-Legal Status of Old Naira Notes from January 1, 2025,” sought to clear up confusion regarding the validity of both sets of notes.
Ogene acknowledged that there had been an “unintended factual error” in the motion, attributing it to the CBN’s lack of a clear policy direction.
He emphasized the House’s intervention was meant to provide clarity and directed its Committee on Banking Regulations to engage with the CBN on the matter, with a report expected within 21 days.
8. Nigeria Has Not Requested Funding From Us — IMF Reacts To Speculations
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has revealed that Nigeria has not made any funding request from them.
The director of the African department at the (IMF), Abebe Aemro Selassie, stated this during a press briefing in Washington DC.
Selassie was responding to a question on speculations within Nigeria’s business circle that the government is considering going to the fund for financing.
“No, there has not been a request for funding from the IMF in Nigeria.
“To just be very clear, this is also a question that has come up in the context of some other countries. If and when countries turn to us, we hope that they do so having a very clear plan of how they want all kinds of economic reforms they want to pursue.
“And turning to us would be a way to help reduce the funding costs that they face,” Selassie said.
The IMF director said it is the right of every country that is in good standing with the organisation to borrow and have access to the “concessional financing that we provide. But there is no request for funding from Nigeria at the moment”.
9. Politics Should Be Devoid Of Bitterness – Presidency Speaks On Tinubu, Atiku’s Meeting
A Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu, Tunde Rahman, has stated that politics should be devoid of bitterness.
The president’s aide stated this while reacting to Tinubu’s meeting with the 2023 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Recall that Tinubu and Atiku had met at the National Mosque in company with the All Progressives Congress, APC, National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje and Chairman of PDP’s governors Forum, Mohammed Bala.
Also present were Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume, and former APC National Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff.
10. It Is Depressing PDP Crisis Is Focused On Wike, Atiku – Ologbondiyan
A former national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Kola Ologbondiyan, has expressed displeasure that former vice president, Atiku Abubakar and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, are considered the focus in the ongoing crisis in the party.
Naija News reports that Ologbondiyan, in an interview on ARISE TV, stated that PDP is bigger than Atiku and Wike, noting that the focus on the individuals is disheartening.
According to him, the focus should be on making the PDP a viable opposition and restoring peace to the party.
He added that beyond Wike and Atiku, there are people still in the party who can restore peace and make it strong.
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