Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Friday, 18th November 2022

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 18th November 2022

1. Buhari Reveals Poorest State In Nigeria, Says 133m Citizens Are Poor

President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has confirmed Sokoto State as the poorest of all states in Nigeria.

The federal government on Thursday (today) noted that the Northwest state currently has a 91 percent poverty record level while Ondo has the lowest with 27 percent.

This is as it confirms that 133 million Nigerians are currently living in poverty.

Naija News understands that the figure was presented during the launch of Nigeria’s Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) Survey in Abuja on Thursday, November 17, 2022.

The event was organized by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the National Social Safety-Nets Coordinating Office (NASSCO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI).

The figures, according to reports, are measured based on the Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) with five components: health, living standard, education, security, and unemployment.

2. Naira Re-design: EFCC Increases Number Of Governors Being Monitored For Stashed Cash

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has declared that more Governors are now under its watch for suspected stashing of cash.

The EFCC Chairman, Abdulrasheed Bawa gave the update on Thursday at the Aso Rock Villa in Abuja shortly after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.

He disclosed to newsmen that the number has increased from the three earlier announced by the commission but failed to give the specific new number of Governors the anti-graft agency is monitoring.

Explaining why he didn’t give a specific number, Bawa said he doesn’t want to be misquoted.

Naija News recalls about two weeks ago, the EFCC boss confirmed that the commission is monitoring three governors over suspected stashed money.

According to Bawa, the serving governors are planning to launder stashed billions of Naira through table payment of salaries to workers.

The development is coming a few days after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced that the country’s currency would be redesigned to address many issues.

3. Peter Obi Left PDP Because He Was Humiliated But I Will Stay And Fight The Armed Robbers – Wike

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has justified the decision of Peter Obi to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the Labour Party (LP).

Speaking on Thursday during the commissioning of the Ikoku flyover by Obi in Rivers State, Wike revealed that the former Anambra State Governor was humiliated in the PDP.

Naija News recalls few days before the conduct of the PDP presidential primaries, Obi dumped the party for Labour Party where he eventually emerged as a presidential candidate.

He suffered some backlash for the decision but Wike explained on Thursday that the move is justifiable and most people would not have been able to bear what Obi went through in the party.

The Rivers State Governor on his own however vowed that he won’t leave the PDP but will stay and fight some people he referred to as vandals, tigers, hyenas, and armed robbers.

4. INEC Finally Reacts To Underage, Multiple Registrations Reports

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has finally reacted to the discrepancies in data across its voters’ register.

Naija News reports that the commission published on its website the preliminary register of voters’ polling units for the 2023 elections.

Following the register’s release, some Nigerians on social media have displayed snapshots of voters who appeared to have been registered multiple times. In some cases, a couple of names had no pictures.

Others had shared screenshots of underage persons and multiple registrations, amongst others, found on the register, accusing the commission of showing bias in favour of the North in the cleanup of the register following the conclusion of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.

Speaking about the development, Festus Okoye, the INEC Commissioner for Voter Education, said the electoral umpire was collecting details of ineligible persons identified through objections raised by members of the public and would review and expunge same from the register.

Okoye further maintained that INEC’s display of the register was to enable Nigerians to scrutinize it and make claims about misspellings of names, personal details, or missing names and to also “raise objections about the presence of ineligible persons, for example, those below the age of 18 years, dead persons, foreigners, or those making false claims so that they can be deleted from the register in line with the Commission’s established rules.”

5. IGP Says 52 Cases Of Politically-Motivated Attacks Recorded Since Start Of Campaign, Suspects Some Governors

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Usman Baba Alkali has revealed that 52 cases of politically-motivated intra and inter-party violence have been recorded since the start of the campaign for the 2023 general elections on September 28.

According to him, the recorded cases of political violence happened across 22 states of the federation since the official commencement of the campaign.

Naija News reports that the IGP at the meeting with chairmen of all the 18 political parties and heads of security operatives in Abuja said most of the recorded violent incidents or threats, were often result from political extremism, misinformation, intolerance, wrong political orientation, hate speeches, incitement among others.

The Police boss however alleged that some governors were fuelling violence ahead of the 2023 polls.

The IGP, who did not mention the governors involved in the act submitted that “We have been receiving reports of some State Governors who encourage political thugs and sub-national security outfits under their control to disrupt seamless and statutorily guaranteed campaign activities of parties or candidates with whom they hold opposing political views.

6. 2023: If You Offer Me Your Support I Promise To Give You Something In Return – Peter Obi ‘Goes On His Knees’ To Woo Wike

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi has offered to make a trade with the Governor of Rivers state, Nyesom Wike in return for his support ahead of the 2023 election.

The LP flag bearer promised not to contest for power in Rivers state if Wike shows his support for his presidential bid.

Obi made the appeal during the commissioning of Nkpolu Oroworukwo flyover on Thursday in Port Harcourt.

Obi told Wike that he would not challenge the governor over the Governorship seat in his state but Wike in return would do him the favour of leaving the federal election for him.

Obi promised that the interest of Rivers State will be adequately protected when he becomes president.

7. ‘Two Presidential Candidates Are Planning To Sell Federal Universities’ – ASUU President

The President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Professor Emmanuel Osodeke, has alleged that two presidential candidates are planning to sell the federal universities in Nigeria.

Naija News reports that Osodeke disclosed the latest development on Wednesday while speaking in Makurdi during the special congress of ASUU, in honour of Professor Richard Kimbir, the outgoing Vice Chancellor of Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University, Makurdi, (JOSTUM) held at the Science lecture theatre.

The ASUU president said two presidential candidates, whose names were withheld, have plans of privatizing the universities or initiating student loans.

According to Tribune, Osodeke said the presidential candidates will soon unveil the agenda to privatize federal universities through Public Private Partnership, PPP, or settle for the option of student loan with five percent interest.

8. New Naira Notes: CBN Directs Banks To Work On Saturdays Till January 2023

As part of efforts to ensure Nigerians return the old naira notes, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed all commercial banks in the country to work on Saturdays till January 31, 2023.

Naija News reports that the apex bank gave the instruction at the CBN fair in Ilorin the Kwara State capital, on Thursday.

Recall that the CBN announced plans to redesign the N200, N500, and ₦1,000 banknotes about three weeks ago, stating that the new naira notes will be rolled out by December 15, 2022.

At the CBN fair themed, “Promoting financial stability and economic development,” the CBN Director, Corporate Communications Department, Osita Nwasinobi said the new and old notes shall remain legal tender until January 31, 2023, when the old notes will cease to be legal tender.

According to him, banks have also been directed to immediately start returning the existing currencies to the CBN.

Nwasinobi, who was represented by the CBN Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Akpama Uket, noted that “They have also been instructed to receive the existing banknotes beyond the threshold stipulated by the Cashless Policy without charges to customers.

9. 2023 Presidency: Wike Declares Support For Peter Obi’s Campaign

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has promised to provide logistics support for the campaign of the presidential candidate of the Labor Party (LP), Peter Obi.

Speaking on Thursday during the commissioning of the Ikoku flyover by the former Governor of Anambra State in Port Harcourt, Wike said Obi has shown that he is a trustworthy politician.

The Rivers governor opined that the LP presidential candidate has all the attributes of being the next President of Nigeria in 2023.

“Each time you want to campaign in the state, let me know, all the logistics support, we will give to you.

“I know you as a person, you have all the criteria, you have all the characteristics to lead this country, you have it. Nobody can deny that,” Wike told Obi.

Speaking further, Wike appreciated Obi for his performance during his tenure as the Anambra governor.

He slammed the incumbent governor of Anambra State, Professor Charles Soludo, over his recent verbal attacks on the LP candidate.

Wike, however, advised Obi to ignore such attacks, stressing that Nigerians don’t like leaders who are upright.

The governor who believed that some of the attacks on Obi were due to envy, asked Soludo and those attacking the LP presidential candidate to face governance.

10. Security Alert: Ghana Denies Warning Citizens Against Travelling To Abuja

The Ghanaian government has denied warning its citizens in Nigeria against travelling to the nation’s capital Abuja over security concerns.

The government disclosed that the travel advisory making the round since yesterday evening that bears the name and logo of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration was unauthorized.

The reaction follows a purported statement released on Wednesday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration warning Ghanaians in Nigeria in a circulated travel advisory not to take non-essential trips to Abuja.

Naija News however learnt that the Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a rejoinder tweeted Thursday morning, said it is unaware of any security threat targeted at its citizens who have been living in harmony with Nigerians.

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