Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Friday, 7th July, 2023

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 7th July 2023

1. Tinubu Signs Four Executive Orders To Reduce Multiple Taxation

In a bid to reduce arbitrary taxation policy in Nigeria, President Bola Tinubu signed four Executive Orders into law today, Thursday, July 6, 2023.

The development was confirmed in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser, Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Dele Alake.

The Executive Orders signed into law by Tinubu today include the Finance Act (Effective Date Variation) Order, 2023. This, according to the statement, has now deferred the commencement date of the changes contained in the Act from May 23, 2023, to September 1, 2023.

This, according to Alake, is to ensure adherence to the 90 days’ minimum advance notice for tax changes as contained in the 2017 National Tax Policy.

The second Order involves the Customs, Excise Tariff (Variation) Amendment Order, 2023, Alake revealed in the policy directive unveiled during an interactive session with State House Correspondents on Thursday.

He noted that this had shifted the commencement date of the tax changes from March 27, 2023, to August 1, 2023, and also in line with the National Tax Policy.

He said President Tinubu had given an Order suspending the 5% Excise Tax on telecommunication services as well as the Excise Duties escalation on locally manufactured products.

2. Tinubu’s Aide, Alake Speaks On When President Would Announce Ministerial Nominees

Presidential adviser on special duties, communications, and strategy, Dele Alake, on Thursday, dismissed rumours about a list of ministerial nominees, describing such reports as “mere fabrications.”

There had been speculations that the President would forward the list of nominees to the Senate this week.

Speaking with reporters on Thursday, Alake stated that President Bola Tinubu will disclose the list of ministerial nominees when he deems it appropriate.

Alake said, “About the ministerial list, the simple truth is that you know, this is an executive presidency, we’re not running a parliamentary system.

“So the president, the bucks stops on his table, and he decides when it is fit and proper for him to make his cabinet list public.

“So, we are not unaware of all the speculations, and innuendos and rumours, all kinds of things in the media. Now, as a media man, I chuckled to myself that people just want to sell, so they just fabricate.

“I can tell you all of those things you’ve been reading in the media are mere fabrications. There is no iota of truth in all of those things.

3. INEC Files Six-Count Charge Against Suspended Adamawa REC, Yunusa-Ari

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has brought a six-count charge against the suspended resident electoral commissioner for Adamawa state, Hudu Yunusa-Ari.

These charges were officially filed in Yola’s high court, the capital city of the state.

In a statement released on Thursday, INEC explained that the decision to file charges followed a thorough review of the police case file, which they believe presents a clear-cut case against Yunusa-Ari.

Yunusa-Ari was initially arrested by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) due to allegations over his conduct during the governorship election in Adamawa.

Following the arrest, he was granted an administrative bail under the condition that he report to the NPF headquarters every weekday.

4. Senate To Probe Concession Of Kano, Abuja Airports

The Senate on Thursday declared that it will probe the concession of the Aminu Kano International Airport Kano and the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja and other international airports across the country.

Naija News understands that the move was made following a motion by Senator Sumaila Kawu (NNPP, Kano South) who said from the combined examination of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Act and the ICRC procedures manual, it is evident that the Concessioning was based on a faulty foundation.

The Senate insisted that the probe became important because the process of concessioning the airports was not done transparently.

In the motion, Kawu argued that the Federal Ministry of Aviation does not own or run any airport in Nigeria rather by the dictates of the governing Act of FAAN, ownership and management of all federal government airports are fully vested in FAAN.

He further noted that the Federal Executive Council on May 17th approved the concession of the Aminu Kano International Airport for 30 years to Messrs Corporation America Airports Consortium.

The lawmaker stressed that FEC was misguided in its decision and that action cannot amount to anything but a nullification.

5. President Tinubu To Reschedule Postponed National Census

President Bola Tinubu is set to declare fresh dates for the national population and housing census, an event initially delayed last April.

This information was disclosed by the chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC), Nasir Kwarra on Thursday, following a briefing with the president at the presidential villa in Abuja.

This meeting comes nine weeks after the census was postponed under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The NPC Chairman revealed that the commission has presented its report to President Bola Tinubu, who is now expected to review it and set a new date for the nationwide census exercise.

Kwarra hinted that the commission may need to request additional funding.

He stated that the more the census is delayed, the greater the likelihood that its financial requirements might increase.

6. Tinubu Seeks Reps’ Confirmation Of Newly Appointed Service Chiefs

President Bola Tinubu has written to the House of Representatives to request the confirmation of the newly appointed Service Chiefs.

Naija News recalls that the president sacked the former service chiefs and immediately appointed their replacement when both chambers of the National were on recess.

The service chiefs to be confirmed are: Maj. Gen. C.G Musa, Chief of Defence Staff; Maj. T. A Lagbaja, Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admirral E. A Ogalla Chief of Naval Staff and AVM H.B Abubakar, Chief of Air Staff.

In a letter addressed to the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, and read at plenary on Thursday, the president asked the lawmakers to expeditiously confirm the appointment of the service chiefs.

The president in the letter said that the request was in compliance with the provisions of Section 18(1) of the Armed Forces Act. Cap A20 Laws the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

7. Court Grants Abba Kyari Bail

A federal high court sitting in Abuja and presided over by Justice James Omotosho has granted bail to the suspended former head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General of Police, Abba Kyari.

The embattled Kyari was granted bail on Thursday after about 18 months in prison custody.

According to the Judge, Kyari and his team refused to escape when they had the chance to do so during the Kuje Prison attack on July 5, 2022. He ruled that Kyari’s refusal to escape when about 90 percent of the inmates escaped, “has proven that Kyari is ready to face any allegations against him.”

The judge added that all the “allegations are all bailable” and he is not “a flight risk”.

Justice Omotosho granted conditional bail to Abba Kyari at the sum of N50m with two sureties in like sum. He added that the sureties must have property worth N250m within the jurisdiction of the court, among other conditions.

Furthermore, the Judge ruled that when Abba Kyari meets the bail conditions, the endorsement of his release warrant is subject to developments in a sister case in which he is being tried with four others on alleged involvement in dealing in illicit drugs.

8. Fayose Speaks On Joining APC After Meeting Tinubu

Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has said he has no intention of dumping the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Naija News reports that Fayose made this known in a chat with State House correspondents, minutes after meeting President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

The former Ekiti governor said he is still a PDP member and he will never leave the opposition party for anything, stressing that he is not a “small boy” in politics.

Fayose added that he came to see the president to commend him for the giant strides he has taken so far, and has shown a clear vision for the country.

He, however, called on Nigerians to support him to achieve these lofty dreams, stressing that the development and sustaining of Nigeria should not be left in the hands of one man or party.

9. Ganduje Reacts As Kano Govt Summons Him Over Dollar Videos

The camp of the immediate past Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje has reacted to the fresh summon extended to him by the state Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission (PCACC).

Ganduje in his reaction via the state’s former Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Muhammad Garba who spoke on his behalf said the invitation is politically motivated and targetted at blocking his possibility of getting a federal appointment.

As earlier reported by Naija News, the Kano PCACC has summoned the former governor over a series of controversial videos released in 2017.

The videos, which were published by an online news outlet Daily Nigerian, allegedly showed Abdullahi accepting kickbacks from contractors.

The former governor, however, denied the accusations and claimed that the videos had been manipulated.

According to the chairman of the PCACC, Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado, a thorough forensic examination of the videos has verified their authenticity.

He announced at a public dialogue on ‘Anti-Corruption Crusade in Kano’ on Wednesday that the examination indicated the videos were indeed genuine.

Rimingado further disclosed on Channels TV on Thursday that Abdullahi has been invited for questioning over the matter.

Reacting, Ganduje’s spokesperson in a chat with Daily Trust said the fresh move from the Kano State government is part of efforts to prevent the former Governor from receiving an appointment from President Bola Tinubu.

Garba said the allegations are nothing but trumped-up charges against Ganduje to dent his image.

10. Anyim, Metuh Met Tinubu To Secure Nnamdi Kanu, Ekweremadu’s Release – Presidency Sources Claim

Some sources from the presidency have reportedly exposed the main reason why former Senate President, Anyim Pius, and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, visited President Bola Tinubu in Aso Rock on Wednesday, July 5.

Naija News reported earlier that Anyim and Metuh arrived at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday to reportedly congratulate the President on his inauguration and the successes he has achieved to date, among other frank discussions.

Anyim had said earlier that they had a whole lot of heart-to-heart discussions with Tinubu but that their primary aim of visiting the Nigerian leader was to congratulate him.

Sources, however, told SaharaReporters on Thursday that Anyim and Metuh visited Tinubu in a bid to see how two incarcerated prominent Igbo sons would regain their freedom.

According to the sources, the duo met Tinubu to discuss how former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, who was convicted in the UK for an organ harvesting plot and the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, would be freed.

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