Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Wednesday, 17th March, 2021

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Wednesday, 17th March 2021

1. 2023 Presidency: Atiku In Fresh Trouble, May Be Disqualified From Contesting Election

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is facing a legal hurdle seeking to disqualify him from presenting himself as a candidate for the 2023 presidential election in Nigeria.

A group, identified as the Incorporated Trustees of Egalitarian Mission for Africa has approached the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking an order to stop Atiku from contesting future presidential elections in Nigeria.

The group told the court that it is a non-governmental association registered in 13 African countries.

According to the plaintiff in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/177, Atiku is not a Nigerian by birth and therefore should not be eligible to become the President of the country.

They also joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the Attorney-General of the Federation as other defendants in the suit.

However, Atiku in a counter-affidavit deposed on his behalf by one Nanchang Ndam, wants the court to dismiss the entirety of the suit challenging his eligibility to contest the presidency in Nigeria for lack of merit.

2. Wakili Charged For Murder, Kidnapping, Remanded In Prison

An Iyaganku Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Ibadan, Oyo State has ordered suspected notorious Fulani warlord in Ibarapaland, Iskilu Abdullahi Wakili, be remanded in a correctional facility.
The police charged Wakili alongside his sons Abu, and Samaila, as well as Aliyu Manu, with six counts bordering on conspiracy, murder, kidnapping, and armed robbery

The prosecuting counsel, Adewale Amos, told the court that Wakili and his sons allegedly conspired together to commit the offences.

Amos alleged that on October 20, 2015, Wakili caused the death of a corporal, Akinwale Akande, while he was on duty.

He also said that on August 15, 2020, Wakili and some other suspects kidnapped a woman and robbed her of N100, 000 in the Idi-Emi area of the state.

The presiding judge, Emmanuel Idowu, ordered that the suspects be remanded in Abolongo correctional facility.

3. Bank Customers To Pay N6.98 For Each USSD Transaction

Customers will now pay a flat fee of N6.98 for each transaction on the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) service.
A joint statement released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Tuesday said the Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) agreed to the new charge.

The statement noted that the new charges replace the current billing structure, adding that the new fee takes effect from March 16, 2021.

It added that the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami chaired a meeting of key stakeholders to discuss an amicable resolution in the interest of the general public.

The statement said it was resolved that effective March 16, USSD services for financial transactions conducted at DMBs and all CBN – licensed institutions will be charged at a flat fee of N6.98 per transaction.

4. Enugu Assembly Steps Down Life Pension Bill For Ex-Governors

The Enugu State House of Assembly has dropped the life pension bill granting more benefits to former governors and deputy governors of the state.
The bill was stepped down after protesters stormed the assembly complex on Tuesday morning, asking the lawmakers to withdraw the proposed law.

Naija News reports that the executive bill provides more entitlements for former governors, their deputies and wives, other than what a life pension law in place offers.

Its provisions cover almost any possible major expenses an ex-governor can incur in his/her life, including 900 percent of a governor’s annual salary as allowances and N12 million for the wife yearly.

At the plenary session, Speaker of the House, Edward Ubosi, said the lawmakers will “thoroughly go through the bill to enable them to delete and add necessary sections to it.

5. Pa Fasoranti Steps Down As Afenifere Leader, Names Acting Leader

The National Leader of the Pan Yoruba Socio-Political Group, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti has stepped down from the position.

95-year-old Fasoranti cited old age as the reason for his stepping down, noting that the group needs a vibrant and active person to drive it.

He thereafter named former deputy leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo as the acting national leader of the group while the former financial secretary, Oba Oladipo Olaitan, the Alaago of Kajola Ago, Atakumosa East council area, Ilesa, Osun state was named the group’s deputy leader.

6. EU Drags Nigeria Before WTO As Okonjo-Iweala Meets CBN Governor

The European Union has reported Nigeria to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) over the African nation’s policy on dairy.

Naija News reports that this was made known by the Director-General of the WTO Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala on Tuesday when she visited the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Okonjo-Iweala said the WTO has received a letter from the European Union complaining about Nigeria’s restrictions on milk and dairy products.

She said the WTO will look into the complaint but urged Nigeria to take advantage of the trade remedy initiative in place at the WTO to protect local industries.

7. APC Deceiving Nigerians With Job Creation Claims – PDP

President Muhammadu Buhari-led government has been accused by the Peoples Democratic Party of deceiving Nigerians with claims of job creation in the country.

The main opposition party stated this while reacting to the report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on escalated 33.3 percent unemployment rate in the country.

PDP in a statement released through its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the report of NBS that no fewer than 21.7 million Nigerians have lost their jobs and means of livelihood while many more have become underemployed under the APC…further shows the despairing and despondent situation that APC and its administration has brought our nation.”

8. Again, Reps Say NASS Needs More Money, Want N16bn Maintenance Fee Doubled

A Gombe State federal lawmaker in the House of Representatives, Yunusa Abubakar has declared that the amount of money allocated to the National Assembly is grossly inadequate to run its affairs.

Abubakar who is also a member of the house committee on house services says the amount made available as running cost to the National Assembly management should be doubled.

The House of Rep member made his view known during an interview with Channels Television on Tuesday.

9. 2023: Zoning Not In Our Party’s Constitution – APC Chieftain

The Osun State Caretaker Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adegboyega Famodun, has said that zoning was not part of the party’s constitution.
He disclosed this at a programme tagged “News Point,” organized by Osun Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) on Monday in Osogbo.

The APC chieftain asserted that zoning is just an “administrative arrangement and agreement” within the party.

Famodun, however, said that it would not be a bad idea if the APC decided to zone the 2023 presidential ticket to the South-West.

He said the states in the South-West zone had always delivered substantial votes for APC during presidential elections.

10. Inflation Hits 17.33%, Highest In Four Years – NBS

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has released the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures the rate of increase in the price of goods and services.
According to a report released on Tuesday, the CPI/Inflation index increased to 17.33 percent in February, the highest point since April 2017.

The report added that the food inflation stood at 21.79 percent, the highest point since the 2009 data series began.

Meanwhile, Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, has been ranked third on a list of countries with the highest unemployment rate globally.

The country’s unemployment rate hit a new record high at 33.3 percent in fourth quarter (Q4) 2020 from 27.1 recorded in second quarter (Q2) 2020.

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