Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Sunday, 4th September, 2022

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Sunday, 4th September 2022.

Tompolo Reveals Plan For Nigeria, Niger Delta After Getting FG Contract For Oil Protection

Former militant leader, Government Ekpemupolo better known as Tompolo has revealed he plans to do the right thing in securing the oil pipelines located in the Niger Delta.

Tompolo promised to ensure peace by carrying every stakeholder along in the efforts to secure the oil pipelines and protect the entire Niger Delta region and its environment.

He vowed to prevent illegal oil activities in the region, ensure peace and protect Nigeria.

Naija News understands he said this at an event with traditional rulers in the Niger Delta where he stressed the need to prevent oil bunkering.

He said, “We are going to move into serious action, where we are going to stop the illegal activities in the Niger Delta region.”

“We will implore the press… we don’t have any place to call our home except Nigeria. We need to do everything within our powers to protect our environment, protect our country and our nation.”

Wike vs Ayu: ‘A Bitter Heart Is Not Capable Of Charity… Atiku Will Be President’

The Special Assistant, Public Communications to Atiku Abubakar, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Candidate, Phrank Shaibu has stated that his principal will be president in 2023.

Naija News reports that Shaibu was reacting to the recent war of words between Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and the national chairman of the PDP, Senator Iyorchia Ayu.

Recall that while responding to a statement credited to the PDP chairman, Wike on Thursday threatened to assist the PDP lose the 2023 presidential election, describing Ayu as a ‘greedy’ man who was only after his interest

In an interview on ARISE TV, Shaibu said: “If money were placed on trees, some people would even marry monkeys. The current issues bedeviling our nation is beyond the petty issues of money. The truth is that, there is a language that befits the office of a governor and office of a president. Most importantly, PDP is our party and Governor Wike is one of our own but whether the cock crows or not, the sun will rise. Atiku will be president in 2023.

“It is simply a matter of interest. PDP is not a pressure group, it is a political party. But you know, a bitter heart is not capable of charity. You don’t expect anyone whose interest is affected one way or the other to be charitable with words. Though I expect some level of decorum. But I won’t question their choice of word”.

They Go About Shouting ‘IT IS MY TURN’ As If Its Entitlement – Peter Obi Mocks Oppositions – [Video]

Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has taken a swipe at his opposition in the forthcoming 2023 presidential election.

The former Anambra State Governor was seen in a viral video on social media mocking the leadership of an unnamed party, saying they were going about saying ‘IT IS THEIR TURN’ to become president of Nigeria.

Naija News heard Obi saying in the video that the 2023 election will be based on the character that the citizens can trust and not as a race of entitlement as some people have clearly stated earlier.

He said: “It’s our turn, but the people that is their turn now, do they have uninterrupted electricity? But it’s their turn, so it is not about turn, it’s about connection.

“There are about 18 of us contesting for president. What I want you to do is not to say this is my man. Listen to the eighteen of us.

“Not through a proxy, nobody should send anybody to come and tell you, they have to come physically, that’s if they are fit enough.

Again, Wike, PDP Governors Meet In London As PDP Crisis Lingers

Some top governors of the People Democratic Party, PDP, such as the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde and Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom reportedly met again in London on Friday to take decisive action towards the lingering crisis rocking the party.

A top-ranking member of the party told Vanguard that Makinde was first to join Wike, while Ortom made a stopover on his way to the United States of America.

The source said, “unless a miracle happens, the reconciliation talks between Atiku and Wike have irretrievably collapsed.

“Wike and his team are currently in London where they met this afternoon and I have it on good authority that the Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu, will be joining them to conclude talks started weeks ago.”

Another party source said, “The die is cast, Wike and his team have been canvassing for a Southern President of Peoples Democratic Party extraction.

“They were prepared to make concessions in the interest of the party but the arrogance of some leaders on the other side has forced them to have a rethink.”

2023: Afenifere Divided Over Tinubu And Obi

The Pan Yoruba Socio-Cultural Organization, Afenifere is divided on the presidential ambition of the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.

The leader of Afenifere, Ayo Adebanjo had openly supported their presidential ambition of Obi.

Adebanjo had claimed that it is the turn of the South-East to take over power, hence the reason for his support for the former Governor of Anambra State.

The immediate past National Secretary of the group, Basorun Sehinde Arogbofa, in an interview with Vanguard had said Adebanjo has the right to support anyone.

According to Arogbofa, if the election is held in 2023, the majority of Afenifere members will support Tinubu.

Arogbofa said Tinubu did well as Governor of Lagos State, adding that he can bring that on board as president.

2023: Atiku Holds Strategy Meeting With PDP Governorship Candidates (Photos)

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar on Saturday met with the governorship candidates of the party.

Naija News reports the meeting held at the Abuja residence of Atiku and also had in attendance the Vice Presidential candidate of the PDP, Ifeanyi Okowa.

Speaking on what was discussed at the meeting, Atiku said they strategized on how to mobilize Nigerians to vote out the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the 2023 general elections.

He wrote on Twitter: “Today, I met with the governorship candidates of the @OfficialPDPNig at my residence in Abuja. It was an opportunity for to x-ray the state of the nation and how as one we can mobilise Nigerians for the task of ousting the ruling party and commencing the rebuilding of Nigeria.”

PDP Crisis: ‘Atiku To Meet Wike On Wednesday’

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar is expected to meet with the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike on Wednesday.

The speculated meeting between the Atiku and Governor Wike is coming days after they meet in London to resolve their differences.

A political actor close to Atiku who spoke with New Telegraph said Atiku is meeting with Wike to conclude his demands.

The source noted that Atiku is hoping that the crisis in the party will be resolved ahead of the 2023 general elections.

The source said, “Sir, please brief on the outcome of your meeting with Wike. The only thing he said was that it went well. This was all that he told us. This means that whatever it was discussed (between the two), he didn’t want to share it.

Lagos Mandate Schools To Resume On Monday

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s government of Lagos State has directed all secondary and primary schools in the state to reopen on Monday, September 5, 2022.

Naija News understands that the directive was contained in a statement handed down today by the Director-General, Office of Education Quality Assurance of the state, Abiola Seriki-Ayeni.

Seriki-Ayeni in the memo that the Commissioner for Education in the state, Mrs Folasade Adefisayo has approved the date for commencement of the 2022/2023 academic.

He said the government is concerned with the delivery of quality and sustainable education for the young citizens, hence all school heads must abide by the directive.

The statement read, “All schools below the tertiary level in Lagos State are mandated to resume for First Term on Monday, September 5, 2022, as stated in 2022/2023 Harmonised Academic Calendar as approved by the Honourable Commissioner for Education Mrs Folasade Adefisayo.

“The academic calendar prioritises standardised learning days and schools are to ensure strict compliance for the delivery of quality and sustainable education in Lagos State.

“Students and school-based staff are welcome back to school and are expected to adhere to health and safety protocols toward a productive school year.”

PDP NEC Decides Ayu’s Fate Thursday

The National Executive Committee (NEC) and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are expected to meet on Thursday to decide the fate of the party’s national chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

The board members will decide if Ayu should remain in office or step down following the emergence of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar who is also from the north.

Ayu had reportedly vowed to step down from office if the presidential candidate of the party emerge from the North.

The PDP National Chairman, however, after the emergence of Atiku insisted that he would not step down.

This is despite the call by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike for Ayu to resign from office.

Ayu had stated that he would not allow children (whose names he did not reveal) to destroy the party.

ADC Presidential Candidate, Kachikwu Suspended

The presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, has been suspended from the party, Naija News reports.

The party noted in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday that the presidential hopeful was suspended over gross indiscipline and violations of the party’s constitution which include publications and utterances capable of maligning the ADC national officers.

The statement said the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party had chosen to ignore Kachikwu’s previous offences for peace to reign but it could not shy away from his recent misguided and defamatory video circulating the cyberspace, among other infractions.

ADC’s Deputy National Chairman (Politics), Dr. Bamidele Ajadi stressed in the statement that the decision was taken against Kachikwu following an emergency NWC meeting held on Friday, 2nd September 2022.

He said the party considered Kachikwu’s action as, “smacking of crass irresponsibility, gross indiscipline, disingenuous scandalization and blackmail and completely unfit of someone who wants to be President of Nigeria.”

Ajadi said the NWC viewed with great concern the baseless and defamatory video made, published and circulated by Kachikwu, which was intended to disparage and impugn the integrity and image of a peaceful and transformation-oriented ADC and its national officers.

He stated categorically in the statement that the presidential hopeful’s speech in the said video contravened the principles and values upon which ADC was founded and the specific provision of Article 16 of the ADC Constitution.

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