Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Tuesday, 16th August, 2022

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Tuesday, 16th August 2022

1. Magu Failed To Remit N48bn Loot – Salami Panel

The former acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu has been accused of abandoning 14 fraud cases involving N118 billion and $309 million.

The presidential panel set up to investigate Magu revealed this in the final report submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2020.

According to TheCable, Magu was also accused of not remitting another N48 billion loot recovered in foreign and local currencies.

Recall that President Buhari set up a panel headed by former president of the Court of Appeal, Ayo Salami to probe Magu.

Naija News learnt that the final report has now been forwarded to the office of the secretary to the government of the federation.

The report reviewed both written and oral testimonies of over 100 witnesses, having overtaken nationwide physical verification of recovered forfeited assets, comprising real estate, automobiles, vessels and other non-cash as well as cash assets.

The review of the report of the Presidential Committee on Audit of Recovered Assets (PCARA) appeared to show that the anti-graft commission gave contradictory figures on the total number of recovered real estate.

2. Wike Reveals Those Who Encouraged Him To Contest 2023 Presidency But Now Working Against Him

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has disclosed that some people have now turned back to work against him after initially pushing and encouraging him to run for the 2023 presidency.

Wike on Monday revealed that the affected persons are some elders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State who have now deserted him and have relocated to Abuja to plot against him.

He said the development back home is why he is not surprised by the outcome of the PDP presidential primaries in Abuja.

He stated that the highlighted persons are angry they didn’t get the Rivers State PDP governorship ticket for the 2023 election, hence the decision to work against him.

According to the Governor, they were the ones who approached him during his birthday in 2021 and told him to run for the presidency.

The Governor added that all of them except Senator Bari Mpigi disclosed their interest in becoming the Rivers State Governor after him and they all agreed to abide by whatever he comes up with concerning who should emerge as the eventual PDP candidate.

3. PDP Responsible For Lingering ASUU Strike – Keyamo

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, has blamed the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the ongoing industrial action of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

According to Keyamo, ASUU is on strike because of the agreement the PDP-led government signed with the union in 2009.

Keyamo further stated that between 1999 and 2015, when the All Progressives Congress took over power, ASUU has gone on strike 12 times, amounting to 900 days.

The minister stated this on Monday during an interview with Trust Tv.

4. Buhari Sends Message To William Ruto, Uhuru Kenyatta After Kenya Election

President Muhammadu Buhari has congratulated the President-elect of Kenya, William Ruto, on his victory in the General Elections on August 9, 2022.

Naija News reports that this was made known in a statement on Monday by the President Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

According to the statement, Buhari also commended the people of Kenya for the peaceful and transparent outcome of the elections, “which once again demonstrates that the democratic process, values and principles remain the best way for the people to select their leaders and hold them accountable.”

The President stated that Nigeria values Kenya as a strategic partner in the fight against terrorism and violence extremism, “buoyed by a long history of friendship, economic and trade ties, and effective collaboration through international organisations such as the African Union, the United Nations and the Commonwealth.”

While wishing Deputy President Ruto a successful inauguration and tenure in office, Buhari noted that he is looking forward to a more fruitful and robust engagements between the two countries on “shared priorities such as enhancing peace and security on the continent, democracy, and greater economic prosperity and social development.”

He saluted President Uhuru Kenyatta for his statesmanship and exemplary leadership to the people of Kenya in the past nine years and the profound legacies of his administration on infrastructure, education, healthcare reforms and tourism as well as strong influence and support on regional security.

5. Nigeria’s Inflation Rate Rises To 19.64%, Highest Figure Since 2005

The inflation rate in Nigeria hit 19.64 percent in July 2022, soaring higher from 18.60 percent recorded in the previous month.

This was disclosed on Monday in a report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its consumer price index (CPI) report for July 2022.

Naija News understands the inflation figure reported on Monday is the highest since September 2005 and has effectively pushed more Nigerians below the poverty line.

According to the NBS report, increases were recorded in all classifications of individual consumption according to purpose (COICOP) divisions that yielded the headline index.

6. Wike: Ayu Reveals Stand On Resigning As PDP National Chairman

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Senator Iyiochia Ayu has declared he has no intention of resigning from his position over the current crisis which has engulfed the party.

Ayu in a statement on Monday through his special assistant on communication and strategy, Simon Imobo-Tswam said that he intends to see out the four-year mandate given to him by the PDP.

He made the declaration amidst reports that the camp of Rivers State Governor, Nyseom Wike has demanded his resignation as part of the solutions to the crisis affecting the PDP.

The current crisis facing the PDP stems from the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the party’s 2023 presidential candidate and the subsequent emergence of Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa as his running mate.

Amidst ongoing efforts to resolve the matters arising, Wike is alleged to have demanded Ayu’s resignation so the PDP national chairman and its presidential candidate would not be from the same region.

But Ayu’s media aide on Monday tweeted that his principal intends to see out his mandate and has no intention of resigning.

7. Kidnap Kingpin, Wadume Sentenced To Seven Years Imprisonment

Suspected kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala, popularly known as Wadume, has been sentenced to seven years imprisonment.

The judgement was passed by Justice Binta Nyako after the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami on behalf of the Federal Government filed 13-count charges against him.

Justice Nyako sentenced Wadume to prison after convicting him of counts two and 10 out of the charges levelled against him.

Wadume was convicted of escaping from lawful custody and unlawfully dealing in prohibited firearms.

Other defendants in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/30/2020 are: Aliyu Dadje (a police inspector), Auwalu Bala (aka omo razor), Uba Bala (aka Uba Delu), Bashir Waziri (aka baba runs), Zubairu Abdullahi (aka Basho) and Rayyanu Abdul.

Justice Nyako in the judgement delivered on the 22nd of July, 2022, but spotted on Sunday, upheld the case of the prosecution team, which included Labaran Magaji and Mrs Yetunde Cole, as it relates to five out of the seven defendants.

8. PDP Crisis: Atiku/Wike Reconciliation Talks Fails To Hold

The reconciliation meeting between the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and Rivers Governor Nyesom Wike reportedly failed to hold as scheduled.

The source, however, said the two teams, which comprise loyalists of Atiku and Wike, would decide on a new date for the reconciliation meeting.

Naija News understands that the talks, originally scheduled to hold on Monday, could not take place because of some engagements of Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State, who is leading Atiku’s team in the reconciliation committee.

Fintiri was engaged in a political event in Yola, the Adamawa State capital, on Monday.

9. ASUU Speaks On When Strike Will End As Union Meets FG Today

The national president of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof. Emmanuel Osodeke on Monday stated that the union would meet with the Federal Government today (Tuesday).

According to Osodeke, the union and the Federal Government are meeting to address its demands which led to the ongoing strike.

The ASUU President speaking on when the union would end its strike said the decision of the Federal Government would determine the next step.

Osodeke while speaking during an interview on Channels TV said ASUU will call off the strike if the Federal Government agreed to its demands at the meeting.

10. Peter Obi: Speak For Yourself When You Say You Can’t Vote For Him – Fulani Group Slams Miyetti Allah

The Coalition of Fulbe Professionals in Africa, COFPIA, has dissociated itself from a Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore’s statement, claiming not to vote for the labour party, LP, presidential candidate Peter Obi in the upcoming 2023 elections.

Naija News recalls that the National Secretary of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Alhaji Alhasan Salah, had earlier stated that they would not be voting for Obi because he represents Biafran interests.

Al-Hassan had described Obi as a tribal bigot who hates the North and the Fulani tribe.

Reacting, the Fulbe professional group in a statement on Monday, signed by Prof. Mohammed Gidado, National President and Hajiya Mairo Modibo, National Secretary, respectively said that while they acknowledge the group’s right to freedom of speech they would like to remind them that they do not speak for all the Fulanis in Nigeria.

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