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Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Tuesday, 5th November, 2024
1. Tinubu Swears In Seven New Ministers
President Bola Tinubu has sworn in the seven new ministers appointed to his cabinet.
Naija News reports that the ministers were sworn in at the Council Chambers in Abuja on Monday.
Recall that the Senate cleared the nominees last week following a screening in Abuja.
The new ministers were appointed after President Tinubu reshuffled the cabinet following calls for a rejig.
The newly sworn-in ministers are Dr Nentawe Yilwatda – Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction; Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi – Minister of Labour & Employment; Bianca Odinaka Odumegwu-Ojukwu – Minister of State Foreign Affairs.
“Others are Dr Jumoke Oduwole – Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment (Trade and Investment), Idi Mukhtar Maiha – Minister of Livestock Development; Yusuf Abdullahi Ata – Minister of State, Housing and Urban Development and Dr Suwaiba Said Ahmad – Minister of State Education.
2. “This Ship Will Not Sink, We Have Blocked The Scavengers” – Tinubu Declares
President Bola Tinubu has made a fresh commitment to leading Nigeria back to prosperity despite the challenges facing the country.
Speaking on Monday at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja during the swearing-n of seven new Ministers, President Tinubu said he won’t shy from the responsibilities of leadership.
According to him, he has taken the bull by the horns, and the ship of Nigeria will not sink.
The President added that his administration has blocked those he described as scavengers and profiteers who had been benefiting from the loopholes in the economy.
3. Your Only Tested Economic Policy Is National Prayer – Atiku Mocks Tinubu
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has mocked the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration over their response to his economy plan to lift Nigeria out of hardship.
Naija News reports that Atiku, had in a statement on Sunday, revealed steps he would have taken if he were President to reduce the hardship Nigerians are currently facing.
His statement did not go down well with the present administration, who rebuke the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), asserting that the nation would be in a deeper economic crisis had he won the last election.
The Presidency further alleged that Atiku and his former boss, Olusegun Obasanjo lacked commitment to the nation’s education sector, choosing instead to establish their own private universities while public institutions struggled.
Reacting in a post on his X handle on Monday, Atiku mocked the presidency’s response to his economic plan.
According to him, the only tested plan of the Tinubu administration is to hold a national prayer led by First Lady, Remi Tinubu and Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser.
He said it is uncharitable for Tinubu’s team to claim his proposals remain untested, stressing that what remains unproven is the erratic, trial-and-error nature of the policies so far implemented by this administration.
4. FG Confirms Tinubu’s Directive To Release All Minors, Investigate Security Agents
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has revealed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the immediate release of all minors who were apprehended and detained during the #EndBadGovernance protests.
Naija News reports that the Minister made this known while speaking to State House Correspondents on Monday.
He stated that President Tinubu also ordered a thorough investigation into the actions of all law enforcement officials involved in the case, ensuring that anyone found at fault will face appropriate consequences.
Also confirming the directive, Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs has also been directed to ensure the safe return of all the minors to their families.
5. EFCC Confirms Arrest Of Ex-Delta Gov Okowa For Alleged Fraud
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed the arrest of a former Governor of Delta State, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa.
Naija News reports that Okowa, a former Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was arrested for alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion 13% derivation fund from the federation account between 2015 and 2023.
Okowa’s arrest was confirmed to Channels Television on Monday by the Spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale.
He stated that the PDP chieftain was arrested on Monday, November 4, 2024, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, when he reported at the Port Harcourt Directorate of the EFCC on the invitation of investigators handling his matter.
The former governor was alleged to have failed to render accounts of the funds as well as another N40 billion he allegedly claimed he used to acquire shares in UTM Floating Liquefied Natural Gas.
Specifically, Okowa allegedly bought shares worth N40 billion in one of the major banks in the country representing 8% equity to float the offshore LNG. The funds were alleged to be used for other purposes.
Investigators are also investigating the diversion of funds by the former governor to acquire estates in Abuja and Asaba in Delta state.
6. Cost Of Living Has Gone Up, We Have Started Paying Minimum Wage – Tinubu
The President of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has acknowledged the hardship among citizens, caused by the rising cost of living in the country.
Speaking on Monday at the Aso Rock Villa during the swearing-in of seven new Ministers, President Tinubu, however, assured that his administration is committed to alleviating the sufferings of the people.
He described the hardship as necessary sacrifices that must be paid to stabilize and revitalize the economy.
The President noted that as part of measures to alleviate the suffering of the people, the government has started paying the new minimum wage of ₦70,000 to workers.
He pointed at the fact that the economic challenges are not peculiar to Nigeria, saying it’s a global phenomenon which has impacted countries worldwide, including those in Europe and the United States.
Tinubu, however, said his administration is committed to overcoming the challenges.
7. Leave Them To God, Stop Castigating Nigerian Leaders – Sultan Of Sokoto
The Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar II, has urged Nigerians to refrain from criticizing their leaders.
The revered Muslim leader made this call during the Regional Conference on Climate Change-Induced Conflicts in Northern Nigeria, organized by the Kaduna State Bureau of Interfaith in partnership with International Alert, on Monday.
He urged Nigerians to intensify their worship of God instead and trust in divine judgment upon the leaders.
Sultan of Sokoto highlighted that both positive and negative circumstances are transient and encouraged the populace to persist in their prayers for their leaders and the nation as a whole.
He reminded those in leadership positions that the Almighty would hold them accountable on the Day of Resurrection, with no one available to intercede on their behalf before their Creator.
8. ‘All Will Be Well, We Are On A Threshold Of A New Dawn’ – Edun Speaks On Tinubu’s Economic Reforms
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has declared that the Nigerian economy is on the right path with the reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu.
Speaking on Monday while welcoming the Minister of State for Finance, Dr. Doris Uzoka-Anite, who just assumed office at the Ministry, in Abuja, Edun said the economy is now at a new dawn in terms of the ability to attract investments.
The Minister also commended President Tinubu for implementing the fuel subsidy and foreign exchange rate floating policies, which several past leaders had shied away from from.
According to him, the reforms are already showing signs of success and all hands must be on deck to ensure the reforms are completed for the good of the economy.
9. Emilokan: I Can Not Hate Peter Obi, But I Have To Speak The Truth – Okupe
A former presidential spokesperson, Doyin Okupe, has said he can never denigrate the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.
Speaking on Monday as a guest on Channels TV Politics Today, Okupe said he is sentimentally attached to Obi, having been a part of his political rise, hence he can’t bring down what he laboured to build.
Speaking against his recent comment on a statement made by Peter Obi regarding the popular ’emi lokan’ slogan of President Bola Tinubu, Okupe denied attacking Obi, but said he has a responsibility to speak the truth on such matters.
He maintained that Obi got it wrong regarding his comment about Yoruba people as touching the emilokan slogan, adding that Tinubu made the statement as an appeal to members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ogun State to vote for him in the party convention.
10. Atiku Would Have Done More Of The Same Old, Failed Polices – APC
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, wants to bring back the policies that failed to solve Nigeria’s problems.
The National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Felix Morka, stated this in a statement, on Monday while responding to Atiku’s alternative policies on what he would have done to improve the conditions of the citizens if he were elected as president in 2023.
Morka said the continued attack on President Bola Tinubu’s policies by the former Vice president showed he had not recovered from his 2023 election loss.
APC spokesman explained that the suggestions Atiku made was responsible for the current economic challenges the party’s government inherited from other PDP administrations.
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