Top Nigerian Newspapers Headlines For Today, Tuesday, 5th October, 2021

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspapers headlines in Nigeria for today, Tuesday, 5th October 2021

1. 2023: Power Won’t Just Be Handed To You – Osinbajo Tells Youth

The Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo on Monday challenged young Nigerians to contest for elective positions in the 2023 elections if they want to assume power.

He stated that the aim of the not-too-young-to-run movement would be defeated if the youth failed to contest for elective positions.

Osinbajo, who spoke through the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Babajide Omoworare, said power is never given on a platter.

Naija News reports that he stated this during a two-day retreat for young legislators in Lagos.

Osinbajo said the government had been preparing and equipping the capacity of youths as future leaders, stressing that youths who are ready to hold elective positions in 2023 should join a political party or form new ones.

2. VAT/NDDC: What South-South Governors Discussed At Crucial Meeting

Governors of the South-South have resolved to join Rivers State in its battle with the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, over the collection of Value Added Tax, VAT.

Naija News reports that this was made known by Delta State Governor and Chairman of the forum, Ifeanyi Okowa, while briefing newsmen at the end of a closed-door meeting.

Recall that Southsouth governors had on Monday held a meeting at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

Also part of its resolutions at the meeting is the setting of a regional security outfit to help in tackling security challenges in the region.

This is following the footsteps of the southwest which has established Amotekun and the southeast which also set up Ebube Agu.

The South-South Governors forum called on the National Assembly to immediately review and amend sections of the recently enacted Petroleum Industrial Act.

3. Presidency: Northern Coalition Vows Not To Let Go Of Power In 2023, Gives Reason

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has vowed that a northern presidential candidate will be put forward to take over power from President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

The group, a coalition of 52 groups made this known on Monday despite the agitations for power rotation which will allow the presidency to go to the southern region in 2023.

Disagreeing with the idea of a 2023 southern presidency, CNG in a statement by its spokesperson Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, says rotation is not constitutional hence can’t be forced on anyone.

It vowed to expose some northern politicians which it claimed have been paid to promote a southern presidential candidate.

According to him, whatever agreements the political parties or politicians have between themselves is not binding on others.

Suleiman alleged that the southern region is attempting to blackmail the north into conceding the 2023 presidential ticket but said the group won’t succumb to any political antics targeted at blocking northerners from seeking elective political offices in Nigeria.

4. Insecurity: Army Launches ‘Exercise Golden Dawn’ Against IPOB/ESN, Others In Anambra

The Nigerian Army has launched an exercise code-named ‘Golden Dawn’ in Anambra State targeted at flushing out criminal elements in the southeast state.

The exercise, which will be a joint operation with other security agencies was launched on Monday at Igbariam, Anambra East Local Government Area by the Commander 302 Artillery Regiment (General Support) Col. Abdulkarim Usman.

The exercise according to Army authorities will target members of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB); the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the Eastern Security Network (ESN), kidnappers, gunmen, and other criminal elements who have recently turned Anambra State into a troubled zone.

Naija News reports that the exercise will last from October 4 to December 23, 2021 and will also serve as a training exercise for troops of the Nigerian Army that will be involved in the exercise.

5. Parts Of Lagos State To Be Cut Off From Electricity For 8 Weeks As Ikeja Electric Announces Upgrade Plan

Residents of some areas in Lagos State will be without normal power supply for eight weeks, the Ikeja Electricity Company has announced.

This is to allow the electricity distribution company carry out an upgrade to the 132KVA conductors from Ogba to Ikeja which will be undertaken by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).

The power outage will begin from October 11 and will be within the hours of 8am to 6 pm daily, Naija News understands.

This was disclosed on Monday by the Chief Technical Officer, Ikeja Electric (IE), Jide Kumapayi.

He listed areas that will be affected by the planned upgrade to include Oregun axis; Police Training College axis; Anifowoshe; Ojodu; Oba Akran; Magodo; Omole Phase 1 and Oke-Ira, among others.

Kumapayi explained that the upgrade will increase the capacity of the transmission lines to wheel more power from the generation companies.

6. Northern Groups Threaten Igbo Traders Who Comply With IPOB Sit-At-Home Order

The Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) on Monday warned the Igbo residing in the North against observing the one-month sit-at-home protest called by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), threatening to revoke their businesses if they complied with the order.

IPOB is reported to have threatened to direct Igbo living in different parts of Nigeria to observe a one-month sit-at-home order if the Nigerian government failed to produce its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, in court for trial on October 21st.

Responding to this threat while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Monday, CNG spokesman, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman said northerners have no problem with Igbo doing their businesses peacefully in the North, but won’t tolerate them complying with IPOB’s directive while they live in the North.

While describing recent development in the South-East as very unfortunate, CNG said, “We have foreseen this, we alerted the nation, we alerted the international community that decisive action has to be taken over the way IPOB is going about its agitations, now we are been vindicated”.

7. 2023: Presidency Should Go To South – Shekarau Tells Northern Govs

Former Governor of Kano State, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, has backed the call for the Presidency to move to the South in 2023.

Naija News reports that the South Governors had on two occasions demanded that the 2023 presidency should go to the Southern region of the country.

But the Northern Governors at a meeting in Kaduna last month rejected the idea of a southern presidency in 2023, claiming the demand is unconstitutional.

In an interview with Channels Television on Monday, Shekarau stated that it would be unfair for another Northern to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

The Senator representing Kano Central in the National Assembly stated that zoning the 2023 Presidency to the South is the best thing to do in the interest of justice and fairness and to give “a sense of belonging” to the region.

Shekarau, however, condemned the South Governors for demanding that the presidency must come to the South, saying that the governors have no right to make such a demand.

8. Kukah To Buhari: Be Bold To Release Names Of Boko Haram Sponsors

Foremost Clergyman, Bishop Mathew Kukah has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to summon the courage and release the names of terrorism sponsors and financiers in the country.

Naija News reports that the Federal Government had said that it has identified the sponsors of Boko Haram in the North East region and would not name and shame them.

The government added that it would soon begin the prosecution of these highly placed Nigerians suspected to be financing terrorism.

Speaking in a sermon on Sunday, Kukah accused the Muhammadu Buhari administration of being insincere with the fight against Boko Haram in the country.

The Archbishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese claimed that the Buhari government is not interested in dealing with terrorists killing Nigerians on a daily basis.

Kukah, however, wondered why it is difficult for the government to release names of sponsors of Boko Haram terrorists in the country.

9. Resident Doctors Suspend Indefinite Strike

The National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its almost two months old industrial action.

Naija News reports that resident doctors had in August embarked on an indefinite strike following a disagreement with the federal government over the non-availability of medical equipment at public tertiary hospitals.

Efforts by the federal government or courts to end the strike had been met with a brick wall.

But in a communique signed by the Nigerian Medical Association, Secretary-General Ekpe Philips Uche, after the meeting held among delegates of NMA and NARD on Sunday in Abuja, the NMA advised NARD to suspend the strike.

NMA asked the National Officers Committee, NOC, to ensure the implementation of the memorandum of understanding signed with the federal government on August 21.

According to NARD president, Godiya Ishaya, the association has officially called off the strike and will resume work on Wednesday.

10. Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, All Back Online

International social media companies, Facebook, Facebook Messenger, Whatsapp, and Instagram, are now back online.

Naija News reports that the widely patronized messaging and media sharing apps founded by Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, left its users in a nerve-wracking situation on Monday after services provided by the apps could not be accessed.

WhatsApp which is the third of the three apps owned by the same company also became functional a few minutes after the others. Naija News can authoritatively confirm that the social apps are fully active as at the time this report is given.

Meanwhile, just a few hours after the shutting down of the social media platforms, reports emerged that Silicon Valley Techpreneur Mark Zuckerberg’s personal wealth has fallen by nearly $7 billion.

Those are the top Nigerian newspapers headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.