Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Wednesday, 29th March, 2023

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Wednesday, 29th March 2023

1. May 29: FG Speaks On Buhari Spending Extra Day In Office

The federal government has stated that the May 29 handover date is sacrosanct and President Muhammadu Buhari will hand over to the President-elect on the date.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha who gave the assurance on Tuesday maintained that President Buhari will not spend an extra day in office beyond the constitutionally allowed date.

Mustapha who is also the Chairman of the Presidential Transition Council said at a news conference that all plans to hand over to a new government remain on course.

The SGF further stated that the threats by some persons to stop the May 29 handover programme would not come to reality as adequate security measures have been put in place to checkmate all such plans.

Also, he assured that court cases won’t stop the handover from taking place.

2. Ayu Steps Aside As PDP Gets Acting National Chairman

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Iyorchia Ayu has reportedly stepped aside as the chairman of the party.

According to Vanguard, Ayu was replaced by the Deputy National Chairman, (North) Umar Iliya Damagum.

Damagum will assume office as the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, pending the determination of the case in court.

The PDP in a statement wrote: “In-line with the recent Court Order from the Benue State High Court, restraining the National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, from parading himself as Chairman of the party, the Deputy National Chairman, North, Amb Iliya Umar Damagum has assumed office as the Acting National Chairman of the PDP, pending the determination of the case in court.”

Recall that the executive of Ayu’s Igyorov Ward in the Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State suspended the PDP chairman for alleged anti-party activities.

24 hours later, a High Court sitting in Makurdi presided over by Justice Wilfred Kpochin issued an interim order restraining Ayu from parading himself as the PDP chairman.

The order of the court was issued on Monday following an ex-parte application brought before the court by a PDP member, Conrad Utaan.

3. Ihedioha Withdraws From Imo Governorship Race

Former Imo State Governor, Emeka Ihedioha, has withdrawn from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s governorship primary in Imo State.

Naija News learnt that Ihedioha, who was screened and cleared a few days ago by the PDP to contest the party’s primary ahead of the November 11 governorship election in Imo State, informed the leadership of the party, of his decision to step down.

According to Channels TV, the former governor in a letter dated March 27, 2023, said his decision is based on personal sacrifice for a consensus candidate by the party.

4. PSC Appoints Egbetokun DIG, Promotes 24 CPs, 33 DCPs, Others

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has approved the appointment of AIG Egbetokun Olukayode Adeolu as a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) and will be representing the South-West Geopolitical Zone of the Country.

Naija News reports that this was made known on Tuesday in a statement by the PSC Head of Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani.

DIG Egbetokun will be replacing DIG Johnson Babatunde Kokumo who retired on March 15th this year.

The Commission also approved the promotion of twenty-four Commissioners of Police to the next rank of Assistant Inspectors General of Police and Thirty-three Deputy Commissioners of Police to substantive Commissioners of Police.

The appointment and promotions were some of the highlights of the 19th Plenary Meeting of the Commission which held in Abuja on Tuesday, March 28th 2023 and presided over by the Commission’s acting Chairman, Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi JSC rtd, CFR.

The Commission also approved the promotion of thirty-seven Assistant Commissioners of Police to Deputy Commissioners, one hundred and eighteen Chief Superintendents of Police to Assistant Commissioners, three hundred and sixteen Superintendents of Police to Chief Superintendents, eight Assistant Superintendents of Police to Deputy Superintendents and Sixty one Inspectors of Police to Assistant Superintendents 11.

The Commission considered and approved the confirmation and promotion of four thousand, four hundred and forty-nine assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP) 11 to the substantive rank of Assistant Superintendents of Police, ASP 1.

The Commission also approved the promotion of other senior Police Officers for outstanding performance and recognition from community leaders.

5. Tinubu Nominates APC Gov, Former Lagos Commissioner Into Transition Council

The President-elect, Bola Tinubu has nominated two people for the Presidential Transition Council (PTC) President Muhammadu Buhari set up before the elections.

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and Chairman of the PTC, Boss Mustapha, on Tuesday disclosed that the Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu, and a former Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State, Olawale Edun were nominated as members of the council.

Mustapha assured that the transition process was on course and that all efforts were being made to ensure a peaceful transfer of power to the new President.

The SGF while speaking at a press conference said since the inauguration of the transition council, the council has met four times.

He further stated that the meeting held on Tuesday made it the fifth time members of the council would be meeting.

6. Election Tribunal: Ortom Withdraws Petition, Begs For Forgiveness

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has disclosed his intention to withdraw his petition challenging the victory of the winner of the February 25 Benue North-West senatorial election.

Naija News reports that the governor said his decision to discontinue the petition at the tribunal was in the interest of peace and without prejudice to the suits filed by other candidates of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The governor made this disclosure at a press briefing after he met with stakeholders from his constituency and members of his campaign council at the government house, Makurdi on Tuesday.

Ortom said he is aware the election was marred with malpractices and his reason for filing the petition was due to the inability of INEC to transmit the results.

He however pleaded with all those he might have offended knowingly or unknowingly in the course of serving the people of the state to forgive and forget the past.

While assuring the Benue people of his commitment till the end of his tenure, Ortom said he will continue to provide selfless service in all sectors of May 29, 2023.

7. President Buhari Inaugurates Oil Exploration In Nasarawa

President Muhammadu Buhari has inaugurated the first oil drilling of the Ebenyi-A Exploration Well in the Middle Benue Trough in the Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, and Group CEO, of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPCL), Mallam Mele Kyari, among others performed the virtual spud-in ceremony of the Well on Tuesday on behalf of President Buhari.

In his message to the NNPCL and its partners, President Buhari urged the organizations in charge of the exploration activities to take due care of the environment while engaging in the activities to prevent any negative effects.

The president said the commencement of oil exploration in the Middle Benue Trough is in line with the ongoing campaigns for the exploration of crude oil and gas in Chad Basin, Dahomey Basin, Anambra Platform, the Calabar Embankment, Sokoto Basin, Bida Basin, Benue Trough as well as the Ultra-Deepwater Niger Delta.

8. NLC Gives CBN Two Weeks To Circulate Naira Across Nigeria

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday suspended its strike scheduled for Wednesday over the Naira scarcity rocking the nation.

Naija News had earlier reported that NLC threatened to begin an indefinite strike tomorrow (Wednesday).

The labour group further stated that it would picket branches of the Central Bank of Nigeria across the country.

Presidents of NLC, Joe Ajaero and Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo said this during a joint press conference on Tuesday in Abuja at the end of their National Executive Council meetings.

Ajaero said after receiving briefings from its State councils in the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory, the NLC decided to defer the planned stay-at-home directive issued to workers last week.

The two Labour bodies said they would monitor the availability of cash in commercial banks for two weeks before deciding on the next line of action.

He said the NLC would resume the planned protest if naira notes become unavailable to Nigerians by the end of the two weeks.

NLC also issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to end the petrol and cash scarcity being experienced in the country.

9. We Thought The ‘Obidient’ And Peter Obi Wave Was A Joke – Maku

Former Minister of information, Labaran Maku has revealed that both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) assumed Peter Obi would not make much progress in the 2023 presidential election.

He however stated that the achievements of Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP), and the obidient movement shocked the two leading parties in Nigeria.

Speaking on Channels TV Sunrise Daily, Maku on Tuesday submitted that they thought Peter Obi doesn’t have the structure to win elections but the outcome of the 2023 presidential election cleared their doubts as the youths showed initiative and took advantage of the situation.

The former Minister spoke against the backdrop of the defeat suffered by both the PDP and APC in the hands of the Labour Party in Nasarawa State during the February 25 presidential election.

He said truly the PDP was defeated in Nasarawa but the APC was even more defeated given the fact that the party’s national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu is from the state and the party also has an incumbent Governor in power.

Maku, who is a PDP chieftain submitted that both parties underestimated the Labour Party but the APC performed more woefully in Nasarawa State given the advantages that should have worked in its favour.

10. MC Oluomo Should Pay For It If He Broke The Law – Lagos Deputy Gov

The Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Babafemi Hamzat, has called for the arrest of the State Parks Management Committee Chairman, Musiliu Akinsanya, also known as MC Oluomo, if it can be proven that he broke the law.

Naija News reports that the Deputy Governor made the call during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday.

While condemning violence and ethnic slurs, the number two citizen of the state said anybody, including MC Oluomo, who is proven to be responsible for violence, should be made to face the law.

He stated that he cannot direct the arrest of MC Oluomo as he was not the head of any security agency or the police.

However, Hamzat noted MC Oluomo had clarified a video that went viral online where he was caught asking Igbos not to come out to vote during the gubernatorial election if they won’t vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

According to the Deputy Governor, he is not in a position to get the facts behind the viral video.

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

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