Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the news roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Sunday, 20th November 2022.
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has debunked claims that he is withdrawing from the 2023 presidential race.
Naija News reports that Atiku made this known through his media aide, Paul Ibe, while reacting to claims made by a Twitter user, Cousin Ray, on Friday.
Ray had claimed that a source close to Atiku said he was planning to withdraw from the presidential race over his inability to resolve issues with the five aggrieved governors.
The Twitter user also said the PDP candidate was becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of traction in his campaign and the crisis in the party.
He added that the former Vice President disclosed to his allies his reluctance to risk another embarrassing outing at the 2023 general election.
Reacting to the claims in an interview with The Punch, Ibe said there was no truth in the claims made by the Twitter user, who he said was an agent of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He questioned whether those spreading these false claims were taking substances that made them act irrationally at times.
A former Commissioner for Information in Edo state, Prince Kassim Afegbua has said the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, and that of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, will battle for votes in the Southeast.
Afegbua, a former aide to an ex-military ruler, Ibrahim Babangida, claimed that the APC presidential candidate will emerge victorious with over 70% percent votes from the region.
He however stated that the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, will only muster 10 percent votes in the entire South East as he is completely written off in the region.
According to the APC chieftain, the excellent performance of Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State and Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State will guarantee victory for Tinubu.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has vowed to appeal the ruling which cleared the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and five others from the N544 million contract fraud offences levelled against them.
Naija News reports that the EFCC had dragged the former SGF, alongside his younger brother, Hamidu Lawal; Suleiman Abubakar; Apeh Monday, and two companies, Rholavision Engineering Limited and Josmon Technologies Limited, before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The anti-graft agency had slammed 10 charges on them bordering on fraud, relating to the removal of evasive plant species to the tune of N544 million, for which they pleaded not guilty.
The EFCC had on November 30, 2020, re-arraigned Lawal before the court.
Delivering judgement on Friday, Justice Charles Agbaza held that the anti-graft agency failed to establish a prima facie case against the Ex-SGF and the co-defendants.
Ruling on a no-case submission made by Lawal and others, the judge held that no ingredient of any offence was made out by the 11 witnesses who testified for the EFCC.
Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State has insisted that the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, is very corrupt.
Naija News reports that Wike stated this while speaking at the 2022 Rivers State PDP campaign flag-off and unveiling of the party’s governorship candidate, Sim Fubara, at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, on Saturday.
The Rivers State Governor stated that the PDP chairman can not lead the state to campaign for the 2023 elections.
According to Wike, the people of Rivers State are hurt because of the injustice being meted out to the state.
“I repeat it that Ayu is very corrupt. A man that is corrupt cannot lead me and cannot lead my state to campaign,” Wike stated.
The Nigeria President, Muhammadu Buhari on Saturday celebrated his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan on his 65th birthday, today November 20, 2022.
Buhari commended the former president for his contribution to the growth and development of the nation, sacrificing personal ambition for the greater good of the country.
President Buhari on Saturday also lauded Jonathan for successfully winning the hearts of Nigerians and the world as a man of peace by carrying on his legacy of truce and amity to many countries.
The president stated this in a statement released through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu has lashed out at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Ifeanyi Okowa.
Speaking on Saturday during a campaign rally in Delta State, Tinubu said Atiku loves Dubai more than Nigeria and also accused the Delta State Governor, Okowa of making state resources available to fund such a lifestyle.
He said at the Warri Township Stadium that the use of Delta State money for selfish political reasons has resulted in the gross under-development of the state.
Tinubu however promised to turn around the fortunes of the state if Nigerians elect him as their next leader in 2023.
Former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode has revealed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has cleared the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu of all claims linking him to drugs and money laundering.
Naija News reports that Fani-Kayode in a write-up titled “the obsessions of David Hundeyin” on his personal website on Saturday said, “the authorities in the FBI ‘found nothing’ after their investigation.”
The APC spokesman advanced that the seizure of the $460,000 wasn’t in relation to drugs or links to drug trafficking, adding that Tinubu was not indicted for any crime whatsoever.
Naija News recall that Tinubu was slammed with alleged drug involvement and money laundering last week, and it attracted lots of reaction from different quarters.
A said document released by the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, which was making the round alleged that the about 30-year-old case led to Tinubu’s forfeiture of $460,000 to the US government.
A stakeholder in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has revealed why the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike parted ways with the former minister of transportation, Rotimi Amaechi.
According to the PDP chieftain who spoke with The Nation on condition of anonymity, Wike and Amaechi parted ways because his predecessor worked against the former president, Goodluck Jonathan in 2015.
The source said even though Amaechi nominated Wike as a minister under Jonathan, Wike decided to dump Amaechi for Jonathan in 2015.
The PDP chieftain speaking on the rift between Wike and Amaechi said, “In case you didn’t know, Wike parted ways with his friend and predecessor, Rotimi Amaechi because Amaechi decided to work against Jonathan in the run-up to the 2015 election.
“Even though it was Amaechi that nominated him for a ministerial position under Jonathan, Wike chose to stick with Jonathan, ditching Amaechi in the process.
“So, outside their disagreement over local politics in Rivers State at the time, Amaechi’s irreconcilable differences with Jonathan accounted for the sustained animosity between him and Wike till now.”
The Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike has alleged that the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu is building a private university in Benue State.
According to him, Ayu has embarked on such a huge project within one year in office as the PDP national Chairman.
Naija News reports that the governor, made this allegation at the 2022 Rivers State PDP campaign flag-off and unveiling of the party’s governorship candidate, Sim Fubara, at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium in Port Harcourt, the state capital on Saturday.
Wike asked Ayu to sue him if the revelation was false, adding that he is corrupt and lacked the moral rectitude to lead him and the Rivers people to any campaign.
He also accused Ayu of taking one billion naira, N100 million and the money the PDP raised during primaries and wondering what he would do if he entered office.
The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has dared the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to sack him from the party and see what will happen.
According to him, he is not bothered about all the threats by some people requesting the PDP to dismiss him from the party.
Naija News reports that Wike said he would respond appropriately, in case the PDP choose to act out the threat of sacking him.
The governor, who spoke at a banquet in honour of G-5 Governors on Friday night in Port Harcourt, the state capital said he has been looking forward to the day the party would sack him and he will show them what he is made of.
Naija News recall that in the past weeks, people have urged the opposition PDP to dismiss Wike from the party stating that he had caused enough harm to the party.
One of such call on the party was that of the businessman and politician, Ned Nwoko, who asked the PDP to expel Wike from the party, addressing him as a nuisance who has caused the party a lot of havoc.
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