Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Thursday 20th October 2022

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 20th October 2022

1. Second Niger Bridge Completed – Fashola

The Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola on Wednesday confirmed the completion of the 2nd Niger bridge.

According to Fashola, the 2nd Niger bridge which is now completed will soon be opened for Nigerians’ use.

Fashola disclosed this while speaking at the press briefing to present the scorecard of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The former Governor of Lagos State noted that the commissioning of the project is delayed by the link road which the recent surge of flooding has impeded.

He noted that the recent surge of flood has slowed down the construction of the 7kilometer road that links the bridge and the Onitsha-Owerri interchange.

2. Court Nullifies Two APC Primaries In Yobe

Two primary elections of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the House of Assembly in Yobe State have been nullified by the Federal High Court sitting in Damaturu.

Naija News gathered that the constituencies affected are Fika/Ngalfa and Jaskusko constituencies.

The presiding judge, Justice Fadima Murtala Aminu in the ruling directed the APC to conduct fresh primaries for the positions within 14 days.

Justice Murtala also warned the party not to temper with the list of the authentic delegates sent to INEC.

3. Ayu: How Ortom, Ikpeazu Suffered For Their Loyalty To Me – Wike Reveals

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike on Wednesday revealed how Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and his Abia State counterpart, Okezie Ikpeazu suffered for their loyalty to him in the demand for the resignation of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu.

Wike claimed the Governors were denied loans from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) meant for their states because of their loyalty to him.

He stated this in Umuobiakwa community of Abia State during his speech in celebration of the 58th birthday of Governor Ikpeazu on Tuesday where he was the special guest of honour.

Naija News reports former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose was also in attendance.

The Rivers State Governor threatened to reveal the individuals who think they own Nigeria and are responsible for the harsh treatment of the two Governors at a later date.

According to him, in a statement issued on Wednesday by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri, and made available to newsmen in Port Harcourt every state including Rivers got their share of the CBN money but that of Benue and Abia were blocked because of the Governors’ loyalty to him.

4. FG Provides N470bn For Upward Adjustment Of Lecturers’ Salaries

President Muhammadu Buhari-led government on Wednesday disclosed that it has provided N470 billion Special Fund in the 2023 budget for university revitalisation and upward adjustment of lecturers’ salaries.

The development was announced by the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed during a press briefing in Abuja.

Ahmed disclosed that N470bn was provided in the allocation to education for upward adjustment of salaries for university lecturers and revitalization of universities.

According to the minister, the sum of N300bn is for university revitalisation and N170bn for upward adjustments of the university lecturers’ salaries.

Ahmed noted that the draft 2023 budget was been prepared on the background of international challenges such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the COVID-19 pandemic. She added that revenue generation has been a major challenge to national development in the country.

5. ‘I Have Been Sidelined, Undermined Totally’ – PDP Woman Leader Raises Alarm In Leaked Letter

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been plunged into another crisis following the emergence of a controversial letter allegedly written by the party’s National Woman Leader, Professor Stella Effah-Attoe, to the National Working Committee (NWC).

Naija News reports that the crisis rocking the leading opposition party started following the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate and his choice of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State as his running mate.

Following the development, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers and his allies have called for the immediate resignation of the PDP chairman.

In a leaked memo sent to the party leadership, Effah-Attoe claimed that there had been attempts to sideline her and undermine her office.

She made this known in the memo titled: “Deliberate attempts to undermine my office, office of the national woman leader and to sideline my humble person: An unacceptable hindrance.”

Effah-Attoe said her office was undermined during the flag-off ceremony of the PDP campaign in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State and at the rally in Kaduna on Monday.

She said there are some distracting elements within the party who are determined to frustrate her in the performance of her statutory duties as the PDP National Woman Leader.

Effah-Attoe, however, promised to continue to perform her duties to the best of her ability and to the benefit of the opposition party and its presidential candidate.

6. IPOB: Do We Need Nnamdi Kanu To Tell Us There Is Marginalization Of Igbos? Ikpeazu Knocks FG

The Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu has lamented that the southeast region is being marginalized in the scheme of things in Nigeria.

The Governor berated the federal government over lopsided appointments in critical places such as the nation’s military and paramilitary organizations.

While submitting that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) led by Nnamdi Kanu is not responsible for attacks and violence in Umunneochi, Ikpeazu said issues must be properly diagnosed so as not to be barking up the wrong tree in trying to provide solutions.

He however stopped short of absolving IPOB of all blame but submitted that people should be allowed to speak their minds.

The Governor also denied paying IPOB with the security vote of his state, stating that he is not in contact with the proscribed group.

7. Lagos Police Reacts, Gives Update On Alaba International Market Clash

The Lagos State Police Command says calm has been restored at the Alaba International market after a clash between hoodlums and traders earlier on Wednesday.

The spokesperson of the Lagos Police Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin in a short statement on Wednesday afternoon said police operatives have been deployed to the area.

Specifically, he noted that men of the Ojo Division as well as the Lagos Rapid Response Squad are on ground to maintain law and order.

Hundeyin noted however that monitoring of the situation continues.

8. Boko Haram Killed 100,000 In Nigeria, Displaced Over 2 Million – Irabor Confirms

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, on Tuesday, said that Nigeria has lost no fewer than one hundred thousand lives to incessant attacks by Boko Haram terrorists since the dreaded group was formed.
According to him, the disturbing tension created by the terrorists has resulted in the displacement of over two million others.

Naija News reports that Irabor disclosed this in Abuja at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Ministerial Performance Review Retreat yesterday.

While boasting that the terrorists have now been restricted to a corner of the country, the Defence Chief said damages caused by the insurgency in Nigeria are estimated to be $9 billion (N3.24 trillion).

Irabor acknowledged that the terrorists have made some inroads into the North West.

He explained further that the Armed Forces had received N2.5 trillion in seven years in budgetary provisions and had been able to tremendously increased internal security operations.

Irabor, however, regretted that the amount received was just 35 per cent of the Armed Forces’ requirements and below 0.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

9. Australia Warns Citizens Against Visiting 20 Nigerian States

The Australian government has declared twenty Nigerian states including the federal capital territory, Abuja as red zones, warning its citizens to avoid them for cogent reasons.

In a statement released on Wednesday on the country’s travel advisory website, the Australian government sighted insecurity, and natural disasters including floods among others as reasons why the citizens should avoid visiting Nigeria, better still the listed states for the time being.

The states declared as red zones by the Australian government include Adamawa, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Borno, Cross Rivers, Delta, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara States.

The world’s sixth-largest country maintained that terrorism, kidnapping and other criminal activities, as well as the recent floods which have ravaged parts of the country, were the reasons its citizens should reconsider making trips to the most African populous country.

It, however, advised its people that they must make a thorough study about the routes to use and get professional security advice if their trips to Nigeria are important.

10. 2023: Why Keyamo, Others Should Resign As Ministers – PDP Chieftain

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Musa Sarkin Adar, has advised the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, and others involved in campaigns to resign their appointment in line with the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Naija News reports that Adar, the lawmaker representing Gada Goronye Federal Constituency in Sokoto, stated this in an interview on Arise Television on Wednesday.He was reacting to the directive issued by President Buhari to Ministers, Permanent Secretaries, and Heads of Government Agencies that they should not abandon their official duties for political campaigns.

The President gave the directive on Tuesday at the closing ceremony of the 2022 Ministerial Performance Review Retreat, saying that any infraction will be viewed seriously.

Speaking on the matter, Adar said Keyamo and other government appointees actively involved in campaigns should immediately resign or get sacked.

The lawmaker said no minister or any other government official should take advantage of their office to run for office without tendering his or her resignation letter.

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