Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Monday, 22nd August, 2022

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 22nd August 2022

1. 2023: INEC Clears Air On Electronic Transmission Of Election Results

The Independent National Electoral (INEC), on Sunday, denied the plan to manually transmit results during the 2023 general elections.

The National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, while speaking speculations that results would be transmitted manually, said, the electronic transmission of results remained the same.

According to Okoye, electronic transmission has come to stay, stating that it adds to the credibility and transparency of the electoral process.

Okoye stated this in a statement titled, ‘Clarification On Electronic Transmission Of Election Result’

2. Doctors Set To Go On Strike, Issue Ultimatum To Government

Medical doctors in Nigeria under the aegis of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) are set to go on strike if the government fails to meet their demands.

This was made known on Sunday by the president of the association, Dr Godiya Ishaya at the end of their Extraordinary National Executive Council (E-NEC) Meeting on Sunday in Ilorin.

Addressing a press conference to that effect, Ishaya pointed out that they are giving the federal and concerned state governments a two-week ultimatum to resolve the issues before declaring a strike action.

Some of the complaints by NARD include the demand for the payment of the 2022 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF) in full to members using the old template, while the shortfalls, using the reviewed template, be computed and incorporated into the 2023 budget and paid in arrears.

He also added that the government should implement and pay the new hazard allowance to all affected healthcare workers.

3. Bandit Kingpin Bello Turji Has Embraced Peace In Zamfara – Deputy Governor

The Deputy Governor of Zamfara State, Hassan Nasiha, on Saturday revealed that bandit kingpin, Bello Turji has embraced peace in the state.

According to Nasiha, Turji embraced the peace initiative of the Zamfara State Government as part of efforts to end banditry.

Nasiha revealed the development during a conference organized by the Students Union Of Medina University.

He further stated that the decision of Turji to embrace peace has brought about peace in the three local government areas affected by banditry.

The Deputy Governor noted that there has not been a clash between the Fulanis and Hausas in Birnin Magaji, Shinkafi and Zurmi Local Government Areas of the State in the last five weeks.

4. Soludo Gives New Directive, Bans Movement Of Cattle On Foot

Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has prohibited the movement of cattle on foot in every part of the state.

Soludo, who made that announcement while meeting with members of the Anambra State Cattle Menace Committee at the Government House, Awka, at the weekend, said the ban complied with the 2021 anti-open grazing law of the State.

He said: “Now that we have a law banning open grazing, the law enforcement agents have been directed to implement it.

“Though the law has been in existence since almost one year ago, cattle rearers keep parading certain areas in the State in contravention to the law.”

Naija News reports that the former governor of the state, Willie Obiano had assented to the Cattle and Other Livestock Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Bill of Anambra State in 2021, but failed to enforce the ban.

Soludo has, however, stated that his administration would make sure the law is implemented by September.

5. Many Bandits Have Farmlands In Kaduna State – Kasai

The chairman of the Birnin-Gwari Emirate Progressives Union (BEPU), Ishaq Usman Kasai has alleged that many bandits and their leaders have farmlands in some communities of Kaduna State.

According to him, the notorious warlord, Dogo Kachalla Gide, is one of the bandit leaders that have farms, stating that his own is located in Mashigi area.

The community leader added that many farmers in other communities of Kaduna have been forced to cough out huge sums of money running into several millions of naira to be able to have access to their own farmlands.

He lamented that without paying the ransom to the bandits as demanded, the farmers risk attacks and kidnaps whenever they go to the farm but for communities that have negotiated with the bandits, they are safe while the bandits in exchange freely come to such places to access healthcare, buy, sell and do other normal activities.

Kasai observed that farmers in Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State have agreed to pay the ransom to the bandits so they can access their farmlands as they (farmers) are already helpless.

6. No Plan To Impeach Gov El-Rufai – Speaker

The Speaker of Kaduna‎ House of Assembly, Yusuf Zailani on Sunday cleared the air on a plan to impeach the state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

According to Zailani, the alleged impeach move is the handiwork of the opposition and people who are not pleased with the relationship of El-Rufai with the lawmakers.

An alleged plan to impeach El-Rufai had trended on Sunday.

He further stated that the opposition plans to deny the people of dividends of democracy.

The speaker in a statement released through his Special Assistant on Media ‎ and Publicity, Ibrahim Dahiru Danfulani called on the public to disregard the report.

7. Two Soldiers Arrested For Killing Islamic Cleric, Stealing His Car

The Nigerian Police has arrested two soldiers for killing an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Goni Aisami.

Sheikh Aisami was killed on Friday night near Jaji Maji in Karasuwa local government in Yobe state Naija News learned.

The Public Relations Officer of the Yobe State Police, Dungus Abdulkareem, who confirmed the incident, said that in a few days the full report on the soldiers will be released.

He said that the two soldiers confessed to their crime but the investigation is still ongoing, Naija News understands that the names of those arrested is yet to be disclosed.

8. Gunmen Abduct Catholic Reverend Sisters In Imo

Unknown gunmen have kidnapped four reverend sisters in the Okigwe-Umulolo axis of Okigwe LGA of Imo State.

Naija News gathered that the reverend sisters were abducted by the gunmen while on their way to a thanksgiving mass in the LGA.

The victims are identified as: Sisters Johannes Nwodo, Christabel Echemazu, Liberata Mbamalu and Benita Agu.

The abduction was confirmed in a statement on Sunday by the secretary-general of The Sisters of Jesus The Saviour Generalate, Zita Ihedoro.

9. Atiku’s Presidency Is Threatened Because Of Breach Of Power Rotation – Okechukwu

A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Osita Okechukwu has said that the refusal to honour the power rotation principle is destroying Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar‘s chances at the 2023 election.

Okechukwu, while speaking to journalists on Sunday in Abuja, referred to the APC Northern Governors’ letter to President Muhammadu Buhari dated June 4, 2022, as evidence that the rotation of the presidency between the North and South is intended to unite the country.

He quoted the governors saying, “After careful deliberation, we wish to state our firm conviction that after eight years in the office of President Muhammadu Buhari, the presidential candidate of the APC for 2023 election should be one of our teeming members from the southern states of Nigeria.

“It is a question of honour for the APC, an obligation that is not in any way affected by the decisions taken by another political party. We affirm that upholding this principle is in the interest of building a stronger, more united.”

10. Osun: Tribunal Fixes Monday For Hearing Oyetola’s Application Against Adeleke, PDP

The Electoral Tribunal for the Osun State governorship election has fixed Monday for the hearing of an ex-parte application filed by the state Governor and the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gboyega Oyetola.

The Tribunal fixed the hearing for Monday after failing to serve the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Ademola Adeleke court process on the case challenging his victory.

The secretary of the election tribunal, David Umar while addressing newsmen on the issue said Adeleke could not make himself available to receive the service.

According to Umar, the counsels to the Incumbent Governor of Osun State filed an ex-parte application for substituted service on Adeleke.

He further stated that if the application sails through, the tribunal would have been empowered to effect service of the court process on Adeleke using other means such as pasting it on Adeleke’s residence.

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