Victor EzejaHere are the top 10 stories from Nigerian daily newspapers for today, 27th April 2023 on Politics, business, entertainment and economy.
1. I’ve No Drug Case, Dual Citizenship Scandal, Atiku Replies Tinubu
Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in the 2023 general election, Atiku Abubakar, has said that President-elect, Bola Tinubu, is not qualified to lead Nigeria because of controversies over an alleged drug case and dual citizenship scandals, surrounding him.
Atiku stated this in his further reply to Tinubu’s preliminary objection to his petition challenging the outcome of the February 25 poll before the Presidential Elections Petitions Tribunal.
Atiku maintained that unlike Tinubu, his true identity, age, state of origin and educational qualifications have never been a subject of controversy since he started running for public office.
He alleged that Tinubu is unfit to lead Nigeria having been indicted for drug-related offences in the United States of America (USA) and made to forfeit a sum of $460,000 as a compromise agreement.
2. Sudan conflict: Nigerian Students Lament Slow Evacuation, As FG Pays $1.2m
Reports indicate that the evacuation of students and other Nigerians trapped by the ongoing conflict in Sudan took off on a slow start on Wednesday as only 15 out of the 40 buses required for the exercise were provided.
The Federal Government hired 40 buses that would convey the citizens from Khartoum and other cities to Cairo in Egypt. The plan is to fly them from Egypt to Nigeria.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama said the Government had been charged $1.2 million for the evacuation of Nigerian nationals out of Sudan, citing high insecurity in Sudan for the high cost of the exercise. Read more
3. Appeal Court President Relocates Ebonyi, Election Petition Tribunal To Abuja
President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, has issued an order that the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Ebony State be relocated to Abuja immediately.
This was made known by Secretary of the tribunal, Nyior, in Abakaliki on Wednesday.
Sekulla said the tribunal office at the Ebonyi Judiciary Headquarters in Abakaliki has been shut down, following the directive. Read more
4. NANS Gives Multichoice 7 Days Ultimatum To Reverse New Rates Hike
The National Association of Nigerian Students, South-west Zone, has given MultiChoice Nigeria, a seven-day ultimatum to reverse its planned hike on DSTV and GOTV subscription rates.
The student body made this known on Tuesday, in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Adejuwon Olatunji, Deputy Coordinator, Alao John, and Public Relations Officer, Opeoluwa Awoyinfa.
MultiChoice had on Tuesday sent text messages to its subscribers, announcing an increase of prices on its DSTV and GOTV packages by 17 per cent. Read more
5. LP Crisis: Apapa Denies Withdrawing Obi’s Petition from Tribunal
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Labour Party loyal to the Lamidi Apapa faction, has denied writing to the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal to withdraw the petition filed by the party’s Presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Earlier reports indicated that the embattled Julius Abure faction had on Tuesday raised the alarm that Apapa and his team had gone to the tribunal in Abuja to withdraw Obi’s petition challenging the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, in the 2023 presidential election.
6. EFCC Appeals Ruling On 14 Properties, N400m Linked To Kogi Gov Yahaya Bello
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has filed an appeal, challenging the ruling of the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos that struck out its suit seeking the forfeiture of 14 properties as well as the sum of N400 million linked to the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello.
Justice Nicholas Oweibo of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on Wednesday, 26th April 2023 ruled the matter in favour of Governor Bello, citing his immunity from prosecution under the 1999 constitution.
According to a statement by the EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren, the Commission in a notice of appeal filed on Wednesday, averred that Justice Oweibo erred in law when he struck out the suit. Read more
7. Nigeria Has Highest Number of Collapsed Buildings in Africa – SON DG
Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Farouk Salim, on Wednesday, said statistics have shown that there are over 221 cases of building collapse in Nigeria, making it the country in Africa with the highest number of building collapse.
Salim, who spoke at the opening of the fourth edition of builders’ breakfast workshop, tagged: “Building Surveying Practice and Procedure: Charting a New Course in Building Post-Construction Services in Lagos,” added that Lagos State alone constitutes 60 per cent of the cases.
8. Buhari Swears In 6 Permanent Secretaries
President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday in Abuja swore in six new permanent secretaries in the State House, Abuja.
The President administered the oaths of office to Mahmud Kambari, Nko Esuabana, Adamu Lamuwa, Yakubu Kofarmata, Olufemi Oloruntola and Richard Pheelangwah as permanent secretaries in the Federal Civil Service.
Buhari did it before presiding over the meeting of the Federal Executive Council at the Council Chamber of the State House
Since the inception of the administration on May 29, 2015, President Buhari has sworn-in 92 Federal permanent secretaries.
9. Transcorp Group’s Revenue Hits N135bn, Profit Grows To N30.2bn
Transnational Corporation (Transcorp) Plc’s revenue rose to N135 billion in the 2022 financial year. Transcorp, Nigeria’s largest listed conglomerate held its 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM) where it declared a dividend of 5k per share, a 150 per cent increase over the previous year’s dividend.
10. 10th NASS: Coalition Makes Case For S’South Deputy Speakership
A coalition of Civil Society Organisations under the aegis of Progressive Parliamentary Support Alliance (PPSA) on Thursday urged all Members-elect in the 10th National Assembly to unanimously elect a Christian lawmaker from the South-South region for the position of deputy Speaker.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with six years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Masters degree in Mass Communication.
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