Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Monday, 20th February, 2023

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 20th February 2023

1. President Buhari Speaks On Naira Crisis, Endorses Tinubu Again

President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday appealed for more patience from Nigerians over the crisis faced by Nigerians over the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) naira policy.

President Buhari on Sunday said he is aware of the hardship faced by Nigerians, adding that the policy is meant to improve Nigeria’s economy.

The President stated this in a video recording from Ethiopia where he attended the just-concluded African Union summit.

He said, “I am appealing to you to exercise further patience as we take appropriate measures to ease these hardships. God willing, there will be light at the end of the tunnel.”

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on media and publicity, Garba Shehu, revealed this in a statement he signed on Sunday titled ‘In a video to sway voters for Tinubu President Buhari vows end to current hardship.’

He also charged Nigerians to vote for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu.

2. EFCC Denies Raiding Bola Tinubu’s Home

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied raiding the home of the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Naija News gathered that reports had emerged earlier claiming that operatives of the anti-graft agency had raided the home of Tinubu and recovered N400 billion.

But in a swift denial in a statement on Sunday, the EFCC described the report as false news.

In a statement signed by the commission Head, Media & Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren said: “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been drawn to a report circulating in the social media, claiming that operatives of the Commission raided the home of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, standard-bearer of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the forthcoming presidential elections and recovered a humongous sum of N400billion.

“The Commission wishes to state that no such operation was carried out by the EFCC. The public is enjoined to disregard the report as fake news.”

3. Naira Scarcity: Details Of Adamu’s Meeting With APC Governors Emerge

The details of the meeting between the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu and governors elected on the platform of the ruling party has emerged.

Naija News learnt that Adamu on Sunday joined the governors to call on President Muhammadu Buhari to obey the Supreme Court order on Naira redesign policy.

The Supreme Court had temporarily restrained the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Government from banning the use of the old naira notes from February 10.

The apex court gave this ruling on an ex parte application filed by the governments of Kaduna, Kogi, and Zamfara.

President Buhari, however, in a nationwide broadcast directed the CBN to make available the old N200 notes for the next 60 days, which elapses on April 10.

APC Governors in their reaction to Buhari’s directives ordered that the old notes remains a legal tender in their states.

This prompted Adamu to summoned the governors of the party to an emergency meeting on Sunday.

Adamu while reading the resolution of the meeting said the naira redesign policy was hurting Nigerians and the country’s economy and called on Buhari to intervene.

4. Soludo Orders Immediate Investigation Into Allegations Against Zone 13 Headquarters RRS Awkuzu

The Governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra has ordered the Attorney General of the State to call for and review all case files with allegations of human rights abuses handled by Police Zone 13 Headquarters, Ukpo, and the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu.

This is coming after various reports of illegal detention, extrajudicial killing and human organ harvesting allegedly perpetrated by officers of both formations.

Speaking via a statement signed by Press Secretary, Christian Aburime, the governor noted that his attention had been drawn to the reports on the alleged criminal activities of some police officers in Zone 13, Ukpo.

Soludo disclosed that the IGP of the police has set up an inquiry to look into the reports.

The governor assured the citizenry that his government is monitoring the situation and that if anyone is found guilty, justice would be served.

5. Banks Receive Fresh Order, To Shut Down From Monday Over Naira Crisis

The Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions (ASSBIFI) has directed all bank workers to stay away from work following attacks until normalcy is restored.

The directive is coming as more bank branches come under attack by hoodlums across the country owing to the current naira scarcity.

In a media briefing in Lagos, the association had on Thursday warned that it might be forced to direct its members to stay away from work if the attacks on banks and their staff were not immediately halted by the government and concerned security authorities.

In a follow-up statement signed by Olusoji Oluwole, ASSBIFI’s national President and dates February 17, the association said it’s National Secretariat has been inundated with reports of threats and attacks on lives and properties of members and bank branches.

The letter with reference ANS/IIR/JA/OP/5018 and addressed to all Unit President and Secretaries was titled, “Stay at home order.”

6. Immigration Announces Major Shakeup Ahead Of 2023 Elections

The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has announced a major shakeup less than six days before the presidential and national assembly elections.
On Sunday, the NIS announced the redeployment of 11 Assistant Comptroller-Generals (ACG) and 30 Comptrollers.

A statement that announced the redeployment of the 41 senior officials, said the Comptroller General of Immigration, Isah Jere Idris, had to carry out the redeployment in preparation for Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.

The statement by the Immigration Service spokesperson, Tony Akuneme, a Comptroller of Immigration, revealed that the move affected eleven Assistant Comptrollers General in charge of the various zones across the country.

Also, 30 Comptrollers had been dispatched to new administrations, notably those that bordered African countries.

Usman Babangida, the Deputy Comptroller General in charge of Human Resources, signed the posting order on the Comptroller General’s behalf, according to the NIS spokesperson.

Akuneme noted that the majority of the states whose comptrollers have been redeployed, including Yobe, Adamawa, Sokoto, Katsina, Zamfara, Oyo, Lagos (Seme Border), and Cross River, shared a boundary with at least one African country.

7. “A Leader Does Not Have To Come From Our Tribe” – ACF Speaks On Candidate To Support For 2023 Election

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has urged Nigerians not to vote along tribal, religious, or other sentimental lines in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.

The forum in a statement on Sunday said what Nigeria needs is a leader that can take care of the country and not just a particular group or region.

The ACF made its position known in a statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna by the Secretary General of the forum, Murtala Aliyu.

According to the ACF, voters should also shun candidates who are handpicked by President or governors as their successors because such a person’s loyalty will not be to the people.

The statement called on all relevant stakeholders to ensure a peaceful, free, and fair election as Nigerians head to the polls to elect a new President, 31 State Governors, 469 Members of the National Assembly, and 990 Members of the 36 State Houses of Assembly.

The ACF urged Nigerians, the government, security agencies, and all other stakeholders to play their parts in actualizing a successful 2023 election.

The ACF called the attention of Nigerians to the kind of leader Nigeria needs, saying in choosing at the polls, the people of the country must consider a party with a clear objective and candidates with character and track records.

8. 2023: Reason Electoral Officers Will Be Unable To Change Election Result This Year – Keyamo

The spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign council (PCC), Festus Keyamo has said that it would be difficult for election officers and security agencies to manipulate the 2023 election result because of Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) introduced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

According to Keyamo, the BVAS would help to eliminate money politics from Nigeria’s election.

The APC stalwart stated this while speaking at a forum with newsmen in Abuja on Sunday.

The Minister commended INEC for introducing the new and advanced technology adding that gone were the days that electoral officers were being bribed to change the election result.

Keyamo described BVAS as a blessing to the Nigeria electoral System.

9. Bishop Oyedepo Warns Nigerians Against Voting For A Particular Candidate Few Days To Election

The General Overseer of Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo, has warned Nigerians against voting for a particular candidate due to loyalty to a tribe.

Naija News reports that Oyedepo while speaking to his church members on the 2023 elections on Sunday, said the country has witnessed a wide range of security challenges in the last eight years which is an indication that power must change hands in 2023.

According to the clergyman, one of the candidates neglected the killing of citizens and still insists he would change the narratives.

Oyedepo dared the ‘unnamed’ candidate to tell Nigerians what his party has done instead of making new promises.

Oyedepo went further to warn Nigerians against blind loyalty to political parties and tribes at the expense of the future of Nigeria.

He said Nigerians should vote wisely, their conscience and the future of the coming generation, adding the presidency is not a traditional stool.

10. El-Rufai Insists On Old Naira

The Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai has insisted on old N500 and N1000 being legal tender in the state.

Naija News reports that El-Rufai directed its Ministries, Departments and Agencies not to reject old naira notes.

El-Rufai stated this in a statement released on Sunday through the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye.

According to the Kaduna State Governor, the old and new naira notes should keep circulating in the state.

He said the directive is in line with the subsisting order of the Supreme Court on the naira notes.

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