Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Friday, 9th October, 2020

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Friday, 9th October 2020

1. President Buhari Presents 2021 Budget To The National Assembly

President Muhammadu Buhari has on Thursday, 8th October 2020 presented the N13.08 tr 2021 Appropriation Bill to a Joint session of the National Assembly.

Buhari arrived the National Assembly premises at about 11.01am and was received by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Arc Ojo Olatunde Amos, who led him through the basement door into the House of Representatives Chambers.

Compared to budget presentations done in previous years, the President was only accompanied by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and a few ministers, while the others participated virtually.

According to Senate President Ahmed Lawan, the new arrangement became necessary in order to maintain social distancing during the presentation, as a result of the COVID-19.

2. Court Summons Bola Tinubu Over Multi-Billion Naira Alpha Beta Fraud

The National Leader of the All Progressive Congress, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has been summoned to appear before a Lagos State high court over Alpha Beta fraud.

According to the report, the APC chieftain was given 42 days grace to appear before the court as claimant Dapo Apara, ex CEO of Alpha Beta vowed to pursue the case up to the Supreme Court.

Naija News recalls that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said in 2018 that it was treating a petition written against Alpha Beta Consulting.

Mr. Dapo Apara, a former Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the company, had earlier urged the EFCC to investigate the firm for tax fraud to the tune of N100bn through his petition.

Alpha Beta which is understood to be a firm given exclusive rights to monitor and collect Internally Generated Revenue on behalf of the Lagos Government “has become an avenue for official corruption of government officials, a conduit pipe for the massive money-laundering scheme, tax evasion, among other vices,” Mr Apara noted in the petition.

3. EFCC Grills Lagos Speaker Obasa Over Multi-Million Naira Fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has grilled the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, over allegations of fraud.

Naija News reports that Wilson Uwujaren,, the spokesman for the EFCC, disclosed in an interview with PUNCH that the Lagos Speaker was invited and he honoured the invitation at the Lagos zone office of the commission on Thursday.

“He was invited, not arrested. He is responding to questions,” the EFCC spokesman said.

This online news platform understands that the two-time Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, has been facing several allegations of corruption.

4. Boko Haram Logistics Suppliers Arrested In Borno

Four persons suspected to be logistics suppliers to the dread Boko Haram terrorists group have been arrested by operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Borno State.

This was made known on Thursday by the Borno State Commandant of the NSCDC, Ibrahim Abdullahi, while parading the suspects.

Abdullahi disclosed that the four suspected logistics suppliers were arrested with 34 jerrycans of fuel.

According to the NSCDC boss, one of the suspects, Usman Bapetel is the manager of a filling station in Husara village of Askira/Uba Local Government of Borno.

The rest comprising Alphonsus John, Nicholas Benjamin, and Isaac Clement were arrested on Sept. 12, at Wastilla village in Michika Local Government Area in neighbouring Adamawa, NAN reports.

5. ASUU: Only Lecturers On IPPIS Would Get Salaries – Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari while speaking at the National Assembly on Thursday noted that members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities will be paid their salaries.

Buhari made this claim during his speech to the joint session of the two Chambers of the National Assembly.

The President during 2021 Appropriation budget presentation stated that every sector of the economy will be attended to in the 2021 budget.

Buhari while speaking on salaries of lecturers insisted that lecturers captured in the IPPIS will get their salaries.

He charged the leadership of the union to work with the Federal Government to remove fraud from the educational institutions.

6. We Will Pass 2021 Budget Before End Of 2020 – Senate President Assures

Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan has given assurances that the National Assembly is ready to pass the 2021 national budget estimates before the end of 2020.

Lawan said this in his opening remarks on Thursday, shortly before President Muhammadu Buhari laid the N13.08 trillion 2021 Appropriation Bill before the lawmakers.

The Senate President recalled that the legislators had done something similar in the past as he noted that they promised to pass the 2020 budget before the year ended which they did.

“The National Assembly is ready to pass the 2021 budget before the end of the year, by the grace of God,” Lawan said.

7. WTO Confirms Okonjo-Iweala As One Of The Two Finalists For DG Job

The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has confirmed that Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has emerged as one of the two final candidates for the position of Director-General in the organization.

Yoo Myung-hee of the Republic of Korea was also confirmed as the second candidate for the top job after a shortlist of five candidates hoping for the job were further reduced to two candidates.

Naija News recalls a total of eight candidates were in the running for the job before they were screened down to five and now the final two candidates have emerged.

David Walker, the ambassador from New Zealand who is the general council chair for the selection committee, confirmed the latest development, adding that the ultimate objective of the selection process is to secure a consensus decision by members on the next director-general.

8. 2021 Budget: National Assembly Gets N128bn

President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday during budget Presentation at the National Assembly, noted that NASS will be funded with N128 billion in 2021.

Buhari while speaking admitted that the Nigeria Government spends more on recurrent expenditure.

He further stated during the budget presentation that personnel cost is still the largest component of budget expenditure.

Buhari added that ghost workers and unauthorised allowances introduced by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies are to be blamed for the expenditure.

He took the opportunity to call on MDAs to get approval before any recruitment.

9. IPOB Threatens To Establish Radio Biafra In Buhari’s Daura

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has threatened to establish Radio Biafra in Daura Katsina, the hometown of President Muhammadu Buhari.

He made this known while speaking through IPOB’s spokesperson Emma Powerful.

According to the wanted pro-Biafra activist, the radio would be launched within six weeks.

In a dig at President Buhari, Nnamdi Kanu stated that First Lady Aisha Buhari would soon start listening to the pro-Biafra radion station in six weeks.

The statement reads: “The attention of the global movement of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has been drawn to the approval of N654m by the Federal Government of Nigeria to monitor and crash Radio Biafra frequencies in the country particularly in South-East and South-South geopolitical zones.

“This wicked but futile decision was taken during their Federal Executive Council meeting held Wednesday, 7th of October 2020.

“In fact to prove to them how formidable we are, within six weeks from now, IPOB will launch Radio Biafra in Daura, the home town of Buhari who presided over the FEC that took this foolish decision.

“Any time Aisha visits Daura she will receive Radio Biafra frequency and listen to the gospel of freedom by our Leader, Nnamdi Kanu.”

10. Ondo 2020: Remove Prof Ogunbodede As Chief Returning Officer – PDP Tells INEC

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the choice of the Vice-Chancellor (VC) of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Prof Eyitope Ogungbenro Ogunbodede, as the Chief Returning Officer of the Ondo State election.

The chairman of the National Campaign Council of the party, and the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, who raised the alarm on Thursday, expressed concern over getting free and fair elections if the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) insists on the choice of Ogunbodede as the Returning Officer for the election.

Makinde, while addressing newsmen on Akure, Ondo State capital, said the party totally rejected the choice of Ogunbodede, calling for the replacement of Ogunbodede, adding that he cannot be a fair party in the proceedings by virtue of their association.

According to him, Ogunbodede is a known crony of Rotimi Akeredolu, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress and hails from Owo, the same hometown as the candidate. He cannot be a fair party in the proceedings by virtue of their association.”

That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.