Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the The Herald roundup of top Nigerian newspaper headlines today, Friday 23rd February 2024.
Governors have denied a claim by Senate President Godswill Akpabio that the Federal Government disbursed a total of N1.08tn (N30bn each) to states to address the food crisis in the country.
Speaking during the inauguration of the renovated central mosque in the Iseyin area of Oyo State on Thursday, the state Governor, Seyi Makinde, said as the Vice-Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, he could attest to the fact that state governors did not receive N30bn each as claimed by the Senate President.
Also, officials of Lagos, Zamfara, Benue, Osun, Katsina, and Enugu states told The PUNCH that their state governments did not receive N30bn as announced by Akpabio.
The Herald recalls that State governments had in September 2023 received N2bn each out of the N5bn loan offered to them by the Federal Government as a palliative to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has revealed how Nigeria can overcome it current economic challenges, The Herald reports.
Speaking during the 139th meeting of the Council held virtually which he chaired, Shettima said with collective efforts in developing a clear and actionable roadmap through short-term, medium, and long-term strategies. Nigeria will overcome its economic challenges
Shettima said, “We must either redirect the economy towards a place of boom and competitiveness or brace for an impact we are unlikely to survive. So, beyond the heritage of our financial and monetary fiascos, we must compare notes to understand the interconnectedness of the dysfunctions in each sector of the economy,” he stated.
The Vice President expressed hope that with collective efforts in developing a clear and actionable roadmap through short-term, medium, and long-term strategies, Nigeria will overcome its current economic challenges.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the appointment of 10 executive heads in agencies in the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, including the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigerian Communications Satellite Limited (NIGCOMSAT), and Galaxy Backbone (BB) Limited.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale disclosed this in a Thursday statement.
At NCC, the president named Abraham Oshadami as Executive Commissioner of Technical Services, Rimini Makama as Executive Commissioner of Stakeholder Management, and Opeyemi Dele-Ajayi as President and CEO of the Digital Bridge Institute.
At NIGCOMSAT, Tinubu named Abiodun Attah as Executive Director of Technical Services; Aisha Abdullahi as Executive Director, Finance & Administration; and Jaiyeola Awokoya as Executive Director, Marketing & Business Development.
No fewer than 115 suspected currency racketeers have been arrested in Enugu State.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed this in a Thursday statement.
The EFCC said operatives of its Enugu Zonal Command made the arrests in conjunction with a Joint Task Force comprising five teams from the Nigeria Police Force and three teams from the Nigeria Customs Service on Wednesday, February 21.
The suspects comprising 113 males and two females were arrested in a sting operation at Owerri Road, Ogui, Enugu State, following credible intelligence about some bureau de change operators, currency speculators and street hawkers operating illegal foreign exchange markets in that environment.
The National Chairman of Labour Party (LP), Barr. Julius Abure, has been arrested in Edo State.
Vanguard reported that Abure was arrested on Wednesday following a petition filed by the National Youth Leader of LP, Comrade Eragbe Anselm Aphimia on allegations of attempted murder.
The embattled Abure is also facing allegations of embezzlement of N3 billion belonging to the party, which was laid by the suspended National Treasurer of the party, Oluchi Opara.
It was learnt that Eragbe petitioned the Edo State Commissioner of Police in a letter dated February 13, 2024.
Labour Party has officially reacted to the arrest of its National Chairman, Julius Abure by heavily armed Security Personnel in Edo state yesterday.
In a statement sighted by The Herald, the national publicity secretary of the party, Obiora Ifoh said the arrest was an attempt to disrupt the Party’s Gubernatorial primaries in the state.
The Statement read; “Heavy crowd of protesters on Wednesday besieged the Zone 5 headquarters of the Police Command in Benin City over the arrest of the National Chairman of the Labour Party, Barrister Julius Abure. Also arrested was the state chairman of the party, Kelly Ogbaloi.
“The Labour Party on Tuesday had a very successful delegate election in Benin ahead of the Party Primaries scheduled to hold on Friday. The party chairman only this morning along with party governorship aspirants also kept a scheduled security briefing with the Department of the State Security. Abure was however arrested after the meeting by a combined team of DSS and Police officers. Abure, Ogbaloi and their aides were also manhandled.”
Young entrepreneur, Eyitayo Ogunmola, popularly known as EyiEko, on Tuesday, visited students at Somori High School, urging them to become role models, leaders, and sources of inspiration in their community.
In his speech, Eyitayo outlined the path to success for the young audience, emphasizing the importance of education, ethical principles, and entrepreneurship. Drawing from his own experience as a technology entrepreneur, he encouraged students to excel academically and pursue careers that align with their passions.
Governor Hope Uzodinma has been removed as the chairmanof the Edo state Governorship Primary election committee, The Herald reports.
This development is coming in the aftermath of a crisis currently rocking the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state after several individuals emerged as Candidates in the just-concluded primaries superintended over by Uzodinma.
In an amended list released by the party’s National Organizing Secretary, H.E Sulaiman Muhammad Argungu, OFR, the committee will now be chaired by the Governor of Cross Rivers state Bassey Otu, while Alh. Rabiu Suleiman will serve as Secretary.
The Tinubu-led Federal Government has blocked Binance, OctaFX, Coinbase and other cryptocurrency platforms in Nigeria.
According to reports, the decision was targeted at averting what the government considers continuous manipulation of the forex market and illicit movement of funds.
Sources within the telecom industry confirmed on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) instructed the telcos to restrict access to all cryptocurrency websites in the country, per Premium Times.
The sources also claimed that telcos had started acting on the NCC directive, and Pulse can confirm this.
The development comes nearly two months after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) lifted the embargo placed on cryptocurrency assets in the country and asked banks to ignore its February 2021 pronouncement banning crypto transactions.
That’s The Herald roundup of top Nigerian newspaper headlines. Read more Nigerian news on The Herald . See you again tomorrow.
