Good morning Nigeria, welcome to NaijaTabloid roundup of top newspapers headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 8th October 2021
1. 2022 Budget:
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday presented the 2022 Appropriation Bill (2022 budget) to a joint session of the National Assembly.
NaijaTabloid reports that Buhari was accompanied to the legislature by Governors, Ministers, and other aides.
A total expenditure of sixteen point three-nine (16.39) trillion Naira is proposed for the Federal Government in 2022.
2. Purported Anambra “State of Emergency”:
President Muhammadu Buhari has not sanctioned, neither is he in support of any plan to declare a state of emergency in Anambra State.
This was disclosed by the Anambra State Governor, Willie Obiano after his meeting with the President at the Aso Rock Villa on Thursday.
As earlier reported by Naija News, the two leaders met on Thursday morning and chief among their discussions was the threat made by the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami that a state of emergency may be declared on Anambra by the federal government.
But addressing state house correspondents after his meeting with President Buhari, Governor Obiano said Malami was on his own regarding the planned state of emergency.
Obiano said he reported the Minister to the President during their meeting and Buhari distanced himself from any such plan or idea.
The Governor also described the threat as unfortunate, promising to have a chat with the Justice Minister over his statement.
3. Atiku Abubakar on Zoning:
With the lingering tussle between southern and northern governors on where the next President of the Republic should come from as per zoning or power rotation, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has declared that the President of Nigeria can come from any part of the country.
NaijaTabloid had reported that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s convention zoning committee zoned the party’s chairmanship to the North, a move that has been interpreted by political watchers to mean that the main opposition party will be looking to the South for its standard-bearer in the 2023 polls.
Abubakar, while speaking at the National Executive Committee meeting of PDP in Abuja on Thursday, pointed out that the geopolitical zone of the President is not the solution to the problems of the country.
4. Anambra Governorship List:
Ahead of the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released the final list of qualified candidates.
NaijaTabloid reports that the electoral body also released the final register of voters for the election at the headquarters of the commission in Awka, the capital on Thursday.
In a statement by its spokesman, Festus Okoye, the commission has uploaded the list of the candidates to the Commission’s website and social media platforms.
Okoye noted that the list has also been presented to the 18 Registered Political Parties participating in the election for verification.
He revealed the commission leadership will on Friday, 8th October 2021 hold an emergency consultative meeting with the leadership of all the registered political parties in Nigeria at the Commission’s Headquarters in Abuja.
The Commission assures the people of Anambra State of its commitment to conduct a free and fair election, adding that their right to vote in a safe and secure environment will be guaranteed.
5. Maina’s Son Sentenced to 14Yrs:
Faisal Maina, the son of the former Chairman of the defunct Pension Reformed Taskforce Team, Abdulrasheed Maina, has been sentenced to 14 years in prison.
Naija News reports that the Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced Faisal to fourteen years in prison for pension fraud on Thursday.
Justice Okon Abang delivered the ruling in the suit filed by the Federal Governor against Faisal Abdulrasheed Maina on money laundering charges.
Recall that Faisal had refused to attend his trial since November 24, 2020, after jumping bail and allegedly fleeing to the United States through Niger Republic.
Ruling on Thursday on count one, Justice Abang jailed Faisal for five years. In count two, he was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment with effect from today.
Faisal was also ordered to return to the Federal Government, the sum of N58.1m and the company used, to wind up.
While sentencing him to five years for count three, Justice Abang stated that the terms would run concurrently.
6. FG Denies (SIM) Restrictions:
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has described as misleading and inaccurate reports that it is developing a regulation to disqualify Nigerians below 18 years of age from getting Subscriber Identity Module (SIM).
Reports had emerged on Tuesday claiming that Nigerian citizens below the age of 18 would not be allowed to own SIM cards.
According to the draft copy of the modified registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations purportedly released by the NCC, only subscribers above the age of 18 are entitled to SIMs. The commission was reported to have said the new regulation was in line with the powers conferred upon the commission by section 70 of the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003.
Reacting to the report in a statement sent to Naija News on Thursday, NCC spokesperson, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, described the report as a deliberate misinformation and mischaracterization of the proceedings of the Public Inquiry on the Reviewed/Draft Registration of Telephone Subscribers Regulations, which took place on Tuesday, October 6, 2021.
He stated that the NCC considers it necessary to set the record straight for the purpose of serving existing and potential telecom subscribers, investors, and other stakeholders in the industry accurate information for making informed decisions.
7. SARS Is Not Back – IGP:
The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba has debunked rumours that he has restored the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Police Force.
The IGP added that there is no plan to bring back SARS under any form or guise as the unit has been disbanded for good.
IGP Baba made the clarification in a statement on Thursday signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, CP Frank Mba and made available to Naija News.
The clarification follows some earlier reports that the IGP had brought back the notorious SARS unit and released new terms and conditions on the operation of SARS officials.
But Mba in the statement said another special unit has already taken over the responsibilities of SARS and with the reforms going on in the force, it will be wrong to go back to a unit that has been disbanded for allegations of brutality, extrajudicial killings, and human rights abuses.
He urged members of the public to ignore and disregard the rumours that SARS has been restored.
8. Chiwetalu Agu Arrested:
Popular Nollywood actor, Chinwetalu Agu, was reportedly harassed by soldiers for wearing an outfit with colours of the Biafran flag.
NaijaTabloid gathered that the incident occurred at the Upper Iweka area of Anambra state.
It was gathered that the Nigerian soldiers had stopped the Nollywood actor, bringing him out of his vehicle for interrogation.
Recall that Chinwetalu Agu had recently rocked the Biafra flag attire in a post on social media.
The photos of the 65-year-old actor in half of a yellow sun outfit stirred reactions as fans expressed fear for his safety, warning the authorities that nothing should happen to him for expressing his right.
The Federal Government had banned the flying of the Biafra flag in the southeast following the now-violent agitations by the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
9. PDP NEC Approves Zoning:
Ahead of its National Convention scheduled for October 30 and 31, the National Executive Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has approved the zoning of the position of national chairman to the North.
NaijaTabloid recalls that the PDP convention zoning committee had earlier recommended the zoning the position to the Northern part of the country.
The chairman of the committee and Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi had said the mandate of the zoning committee does not include taking any decision on which zone gets the presidential and vice-presidential tickets of the party.
Briefing newsmen on Thursday after the NEC meeting, National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the organ took the decision after careful deliberation.
He stated that based on the decision, all positions in the party currently occupied by people from the South will go to the North and those occupied by people from the North will go to the South.
Ologbondiyan added that the NEC also retained the scheduled date for the party’s convention.
10. Ekweremadu Speaks on The Rumored EFCC Arrest:
Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has debunked trending reports in some quarters that he was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The lawmaker stated on Thursday that the report is entirely fake and the figment of the imagination of some people and those sponsoring them.
He called on members of the public, particularly those that have been reaching out to him since the report went viral to ignore the reports and be rest assured that he is doing fine.
It will be recalled that trending reports earlier in the day claimed the EFCC questioned and grilled Ekweremadu for several hours over alleged fraud and failing to explain how he came to own 22 properties in Nigeria, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the United Arab Emirates.
But in reaction, Ekweremadu was quoted by his media aide, Uche Anichukwu to have said on his Facebook page that nothing about his purported arrest is true.
Source – NaijaTabloid
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