Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the OsunDaily News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Saturday, 15th April 2023.
It was another impetuous contract bazaar at this week’s Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting where instead of hearing about their debate on policy issues or directions on matters that advance the cause of the common Nigerian, all the nation got was the announcement of a flurry of suspicious contract awards and allocation of funds for projects. It indeed raises eyebrows and doubts that such has become the preoccupation of a government that has less than 50 days to quit the scene! It is apparently not about finishing strong since the timelines for the contract delivery spill into the life of the next administration.
At the cabinet meeting of the Federation on Wednesday, contracts amounting to a staggering N48,996,488,925 were awarded under the ministries of Works and Housing; Finance, Budget and National Planning and Transportation. Contract cost revision by way of augmentation for the old Enugu/Onitsha Road was awarded in the sum of N17,050,000,000, which revised the contract to N48,996,488,925. The completion time for this project was then extended to 42 months. The FEC also approved a fresh contract for the maintenance of the pavement of the Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos to gulp N6,278,063,585.58 for a period of 24 months.
The Council went ahead to approve a total of N18,544,797,176 for the restructuring of the auditorium of the Nigerian Customs Service’s headquarters, as well as the purchase of 337 operational vehicles. Then, there was the approval of N495 million for the supply of eight colour imaging X-ray scanners, eight body scanner metal detectors and 50 hand-held scanners for railway stations in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano states. This is coming less than a month after the same cabinet has approved $984.7 million for the procurement of maintenance equipment for the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC).
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has approved the posting of the recently promoted Deputy Inspector-General of Police, DIG Olukayode Egbetokun Adeolu, the supervising DIG for the South-West Geo-Political Zone, to man the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) Force Headquarters, Abuja.
This was made known in a statement to OsunDaily News on Friday by Force Spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi.
According to the statement, DIG Egbetokun who hails from Yewa South Local Government Area of Ogun State, holds a BSc. (Hons.) Degree in Mathematics Education, an MSc. in Engineering Analysis, and a Master’s of Business Administration degree.
He has attended various courses both home and abroad, and has served in various investigative, operational, and administrative capacities including as Commander Rapid Response Squad (RSS) Lagos; Head Anti-Fraud, FCT Command; CP Kwara State amongst others.
The Police DIG was until his recent promotion the AIG in charge of Zone 7 Abuja comprising the FCT and Niger State.
Similarly, the IGP has approved the posting/redeployment of thirty-six (36) Commissioners of Police to various Commands and Formations.
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the just-concluded elections, Peter Obi, has insisted that nobody can force him to flee Nigeria.
Recall that Obi had accused some unnamed individuals of trying to mount pressure on him to leave the country or face arrest for treason.
Speaking at the Onitsha Holiday Resort, Onitsha, on Thursday, the former Anambra State Governor said the Labour Party is committed to creating a new Nigeria.
According to him, there are too many “thieves” who are inflicting suffering on the masses.
He vowed that his party is committed to purging the country’s political system of such thieves, stressing that he would not give up until they are shown the way out of political offices in the country.
The Director of the Diaspora Directorate of the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council (APC PCC), Prince Ade Omole, has returned N2.4m back into the coffers of the council.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, Omole said the fund was the balance of the initial N10m campaign fund disbursed to the diaspora team in the build-up to the 2023 presidential election.
He stated that his directorate also submitted an eight-page expenditure report showing a breakdown of the expenses incurred as well as a 22-page campaign report to the Deputy Secretary of the Presidential Campaign Council, Christopher Tarka.
Omole added that the documentation detailed their activities during the campaign season and in the build-up to the 2023 general election.
The APC chieftain, therefore, thanked the leadership of the PCC on behalf of the diaspora directorate for the opportunity to serve the ‘party and country.’
The Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina has expressed his feelings days before leaving office when the tenure of his principal expires on May 29, 2023.
Adesina in an article titled ‘the final gallop home’ which was shared on his Facebook page, sent a message to two sets of people.
He said there are those who are gleefully counting down for him to leave office; those ones he said are low. despicable people who are deserving of pity.
According to him, those types of people particularly exist on social media as they use the anonymity of that platform, and their own lack of good upbringing, to spew all sorts of bile.
The presidential media aide pointed out that a second category exists who are those who truly wish him well and have expressed how much they’ll miss him in the public domain.
Adesina however submitted in the article that he is not moved by what people think about him because he is only responsible to President Buhari and only his principal can judge his performance.
Fresh details have emerged concerning the suspension of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, from his Igyoruv Ward.
OsunDaily News recalls that Ayu was suspended on March 26th by his Igyorov Ward in the Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.
Ayu was subsequently forced to step aside and replaced in an acting capacity by the party’s Deputy National Chairman (North), Ambassador Umar Damagum, following an order of a Benue High Court restraining him from parading himself as PDP National Chairman.
The Benue High Court had also fixed April 17 for a hearing in the case against Ayu.
Speaking to The Guardian a member of Ayu’s Igyoruv ward Executive Council of the party disclosed how the Philip Msughve-led exco was allegedly lured into bringing him down from the lofty position.
He stated that the exco was invited to the state secretariat of the party in Makurdi for post election report of the ward during the governorship and state Assembly elections.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan has submitted that the fact that many experienced lawmakers didn’t win their re-election bid in the 2023 election will mean the National Assembly will need more money for capacity building.
He said this becomes necessary because many experienced hands won’t be returning as legislators for the 10th National Assembly, hence the need to spend on capacity building so the new lawmakers can hit the ground running.
OsunDaily News reports Lawan made the submission on Thursday when he received the 2020, 2021 and 2022 annual reports of the activities of the National Assembly Service Commission in Abuja.
The Senate President stated that the high turnover of experienced lawmakers at every session of the parliament is very costly for the legislature and the nation.
It is understood that of the 426 members-elect, 306 are new lawmakers; while 120 were re-elected. Winners are yet to be declared for the remaining 43 seats.
A further breakdown shows that only 28 of the 109 senators were re-elected; while 73 are new members. Eight seats are still vacant.
After nine years of a historic attack and abduction in northern Nigeria, over ninety students whisked away from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, are still with the deadly Boko Haram terrorists.
With pity, Nigerians and the world at large watch as another anniversary of the Chibok girls’ abduction pass. Recall that the abduction was carried out on April 14, 2014.
The Nigerian military has recovered some abducted students in recent years, of which the federal government had decided to take care of their welfare and education.
However, amid lost hope for the recovery of the remaining students, President Muhammadu Buhari’s led government said it would not give up until its last day in office.
A new administration will be sworn in on May 29, 2023, OsunDaily News reports.
Time Magazine on Thursday named President-elect Bola Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress (APC) as one of the world’s most influential people of 2023, following the outcome of the general elections in Nigeria.
There are only 96 names ranked, not 100, something that may be expanded in the future.
“From pioneers of technology, political leaders and titans of industry all the way through to artists, innovators and influencers, these are the most influential people of 2023,” explained the magazine.
According to TIME, Tinubu spent about 20 years preparing to be Nigeria’s president.
“Winning an election in Africa’s most populous country is no easy feat. But Nigeria’s newly elected President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has had nearly two decades to prepare. Called Jagaban, or “leader of the warriors,” by his supporters, the now 71-year-old ran in a presidential election for the first time this March. His campaign slogan, “It’s my turn,” was a nod to his role as a longtime political power broker. Tinubu helped restore the country’s democracy in 1999 after fighting military rule and then served two consecutive terms as governor of Lagos,” TIME stated.
Time added that the election that produced Tinubu is being challenged in court over alleged vote rigging but advised him to lead the nation forward.
The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II has been given a gazette for the recognition of ownership and custody of the repatriated Benin artefacts by the Federal Government.
The Federal Government decided the dispute between the Edo State Government and the monarch over the rightful custodian of the artefacts.
A Government Notice No. 25 in Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette No. 57, Volume 110 dated March 28, 2023, and titled, “Notice of Presidential Declaration – on the Recognition of Ownership, and an order vesting custody and Management of Repatriated looted Benin Artefacts in the Oba of Benin kingdom,” ordered that the “ownership of artefacts looted from the ancient Palace of the Oba and other parts of Benin Kingdom be and is vested in the Oba.”
It also ordered that the custody of the repatriated artefacts, shall, from wherever and whenever they are brought into Nigeria, be handed over to the Oba as the original owner and custodian of the culture, heritage and tradition of the people of Benin Kingdom in the Edo State.
The gazette also mentioned that the “repatriated artefacts may be kept within the Palace of the Oba or such other locations within Benin City, or another place that the Oba and the Federal Government of Nigeria may consider secure and safe.”
It further ordered that the “Oba shall be responsible for the management of all places where the repatriated artefacts are domiciled or located.”
