Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Monday, 13th February, 2023

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 13th February 2023

1. Naira Swap: Nigeria At Risk Of CBN-Induced Recession – NGF

The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) on Saturday said Nigeria is at risk of recession due to the redesigned naira policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Naija News learnt that the governors stated this in a statement released on Saturday at the end of their meeting.

The Chairman of the forum, Aminu Tambuwal condemned the apex bank over the handling of the naira redesign.

The governors’ forum further stated that the cash scarcity is causing hardship.

The statement reads, “The argument by the CBN for what it describes as the astronomical increase in the currency in circulation as the basis for this policy is not supported by its own data.

“According to the CBN, the currency in circulation increased from N1.4 trillion in 2015 to N3.23 trillion in October 2022. The Bank appears not to have taken into consideration the increase in the size of the country’s nominal GDP over this period, the doubling of consumer prices, the rising population and the impact of the humongous Ways & Means advances to the federal government by the Central Bank of Nigeria over this period.

“In the circumstances, it is safe to draw either of two conclusions – the CBN data may be incomplete or in fact, Nigerians may have done exceptionally well in the transition to a cashless economy.

2. Naira Redesign: Again, APC Governor Drags Buhari Govt, CBN To Supreme Court

The Governor Biodun Oyebanji-led Ekiti State Government has officially applied to join as co-plaintiff in a suit against the Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government at the Supreme Court on the Naira redesign policy and the deadline set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Naija News reports that this was made known in a statement on Sunday by the Special Adviser to Oyebanji, Yinka Oyebode.

The application for joinder was filed in the suit, with the number SC/CV/162/2023, on Friday at the Supreme Court by the Ekiti Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Dayo Apata (SAN) seeking three reliefs.

The statement had Attorneys General of Kaduna State, Kogi State and Zamfara State as Plaintiffs, while the Attorney General of the Federation as the defendant.

The reliefs being sought by the Attorney General of Ekiti included leave of the court to join the applicants as a co-plaintiff.

Naming grounds to join the suit, the Ekiti State Government stated the acute shortage in the supply of Naira notes in the state since the announcement of the policy by the Federal Government through the CBN.

3. 2023: There Is No G5, What We Have Now Is One G – Rivers Presidential Campaign Council Mocks Wike

The Presidential Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State says the G5 group has collapsed and Governor Nyesom Wike is now on his own.

The spokesperson of the council, Leloonu Nwibubasa stated this in a recent interview monitored by Naija News.

According to Nwibubasa, there is nothing like G5 again and Wike is only playing mind games by insisting there is an existence of any G5 or integrity group.

It would be recalled that the G5, also known as the Integrity Group, includes Governor Nyesom Wike (Rivers), Governor Samuel Ortom (Benue), Governor Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Governor Seyi Makinde (Oyo), and Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu).

The aggrieved governors have been at loggerheads with the PDP national leadership and have vowed to boycott the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar except Iyorchia Ayu resigns his position as the party’s National Chairman and is replaced by a southerner.

But the Rivers State PDP presidential campaign spokesperson in a recent interview with Punch said the other Governors have all dumped Wike and the Rivers Governor is now alone.

Nwibubasa maintained that the Governors and other leaders of the integrity group are now back in the PDP mainstream and campaigning for Atiku.

4. INEC Chairman, Yakubu Speaks On Adopting A Presidential Candidate

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu has denied the report that the electoral body has preferred candidates in the 2023 general election.

Naija News learnt that Yakubu, stated this when he addressed Supervisory Presiding Officers (SPOs) in Abuja.

The INEC Chairman called on them to be committed to their oath of neutrality and allegiance to Nigeria.

Yakubu in his word advised them not to see their job as a service to the electoral body but to the country as a whole in which they were equal stakeholders.

The INEC Chairman noted that the work of the SPOs is critical to the success of the forthcoming election, urging them to uphold the integrity of the process.

5. ‘Who Is He?’ – Ango Abdullahi Questions El-Rufai For Saying North Will Support Tinubu

The convener of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Ango Abdullahi has reacted to the statement of the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai that the All Progressives Congress (APC) will win in the North in the February 25th, 2023 presidential election.

El-Rufai a few weeks ago had said the North will support the presidential candidate of the APC, Bola Tinubu and power shift to the South.

Abdullahi during an interview with Tribune said APC having more Governors in the north does not translate to more votes for the ruling party.

6. Segun Showunmi Calls For Bode George’s Arrest Over ‘Weighty Allegations’ Against Atiku

A former spokesperson to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, Segun Showunmi has accused a former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Chief Bode George of making weighty and unsubstantiated allegations against Atiku.

According to him, George was barking up the wrong tree and should rather focus his anger and frustrations on the right quarters.

Sowounmi, therefore, called for the arrest of George by security agencies over his submissions against the PDP candidate.

Naija News reports Showunmi made the call against the backdrop of George lambasting Atiku and the party’s National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, over their alleged silence on the plights of Nigerians following the naira scarcity and fuel shortage caused by the ill-thought policies of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

George also berated the silence maintained by Atiku’s Campaign Director-General, Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal.

But Sowunmi in his reaction has accused Chief George of playing dangerous politics with his submission, challenging the PDP chieftain to produce evidence for his claims.

The former aide to Atiku blamed the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the administration of President Muhammdu Buhari for the predicament facing Nigeria.

7. Chrisland Schools Speaks On Death Of 12-Year-Old Student

The management of Chrisland schools has broken silence following the death of a 12-year-old student, Whitney Adeniran, who died on Thursday, during the school’s inter-house sports activities at Agege Stadium, Lagos State.

Naija News reports that Michael Adeniran, the father of the deceased took to social media on Saturday night, to call on the Lagos State Government and Police to probe the incident resulting in the death of his daughter.

According to him, his daughter had no health condition or sickness as of the time the school bus picked her up for the sporting event.

This is not the first time the school has been involved in controversial issues regarding the well-being of students and many people have demanded that justice be served on the matter.

In a statement on Sunday, Chrisland Schools expressed sadness over the incident, describing the death as painful and the institution is heartbroken and depressed.

The school refuted the claims that Whitney participated in sports activities during the inter-house sports, stressing she did not give any reason for her refusal.

They recalled that Whitney complained of health issues in January and the parents were contacted before her father came to the school to take her home.

The school said the deceased slumped in public view and not under any hidden circumstances and was rushed to the nearest medical facility for first aid.

Chrisland, however, appealed to the Adeniran family to establish a scientific verification of the underlying cause of their daughter’s death before her burial.

8. North Has Chosen Its Preferred Presidential Candidate — Ango Abdulahi

The convener of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), Ango Abdullahi in a recent interview spoke on important areas about the 2023 presidential election.

Abdullahi speaking ahead of the February 25th, 2023 presidential election said the forum has chosen its preferred presidential candidate.

He, however, did not reveal the identity of the presidential candidate, adding that NEF and Ohanaeze are meeting on the candidate to support in the forthcoming election.

Abdullahi in an interview with Tribune said after the meeting with Ohanaeze and other stakeholders that are interested in the election, the preferred candidate would be revealed.

9. A Governor In Northwest Has 22 Billion Old Naira Notes Stacked In His House – Buba Galadima

A chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Buba Galadima has alleged that a serving governor in the Northwest stashed N22 billion old naira notes in his home.

The former National Secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, made this known during an interview on Trust TV’s Daily Politics.

Galadima while answering a question on the controversial Naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN stated that the Naira redesign deadline should be done within six months.

The statesman further explained that the government approved the policy because many individuals had amassed the currency in their houses.

Galadima said the agencies might be looking the other way because “maybe they belong to the same club or they are protecting him”.

The politician added that the trap is for the governor to go change the cash “accumulated through corruption”.

10. AIG Jimeta Is Dead

The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 5, comprising Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states, AIG Lawan Jimeta, is dead.

Naija News reports that he died Sunday morning at the Benin Teaching Hospital, Edo State after a brief illness.

Jimeta’s death was confirmed in a WhatsApp message on Sunday by the Police Public Relations Officer, Bauchi State Command, SP Ahmed Wakil.

AIG Jimeta, who was appointed AIG Zone 5, on January 13, 2022, is a graduate of English Language from the University of Maiduguri and also a Masters holder in Peace and Conflict Studies from the National Open University.

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