Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Saturday, 8th July, 2023

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Saturday, 8th July 2023.

As Zulum Points Tinubu, Governors To Palliatives Post Subsidy Removal

There has been palpable evidence of the huge decline in Nigerians’ standard of living since May 29, 2023. This was the day when President Bola Tinubu declared in his inaugural address that the petrol subsidy is gone. This reverberating assertion was made even when no palliative measures have been instituted or thought out. No sooner had the President finished talking before the price of premium motor spirit in fuel stations across the country hit the roof. In time, the prices of goods and services went haywire, plunging even well-to-do Nigerians into poverty.

The dire situation was further worsened by the floating of the Naira towards the unification of the official and parallel market rates. Beyond what hitherto passed for the middle class, even the rich have been made poorer, no thanks to the steep reduction in the value of their disposable income. Six weeks down the line, the austerity is biting so hard that resident doctors are requesting a 550 per cent raise in their salaries to cushion the negative impact of fuel subsidy removal because “Our members now find it difficult to transport themselves to work and carry out other responsibilities required of them as medical doctors”.

While relaying recent policies of the federal government have affected Nigerians, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Federal Capital Territory (NUJ-FCT), Abuja, noted that “Not a few workers in the public and private sectors are challenged commuting daily to their workplaces, while others have abandoned their places of meagre earning due to their inability to finance their transportation”. The body of newsmen added that “Intra-city transportation has recorded as much as 150% rise in some cases, thereby eating deep into the earnings of most Nigerians”.

Tinubu Off To Guinea-Bissau For ECOWAS Summit

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will leave Abuja for Guinea-Bissau on Saturday, July 8, to attend the 63rd Ordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), taking place in Bissau, the capital of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau.

According to Presidential spokesman Dele Alake, the summit, scheduled for Sunday, July 9, will address several important regional topics.

These include a report from the 50th Ordinary Session of the Mediation and Security Council (MSC) concerning security challenges within member nations; a report from the 90th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Council of Ministers about the group’s financial situation and implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA); and a report on the state of political transition in the Republics of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea.

The summit agenda also features discussions on the ECOWAS Single Currency Programme and a report on the obstacles to the free movement of goods along the Abidjan-Lagos corridor.

Tinubu Approves Establishment Of Presidential Committee On Tax Reforms

President Bola Tinubu has approved the establishment of a Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms.

The Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake, made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the establishment of the committee is in consonance with his promise to remove all barriers impeding business growth in the country.

The statement noted that the committee will be chaired by Fiscal Policy Partner and Africa Tax Leader at PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC), Taiwo Oyedele.

It will comprise experts from both the private and public sectors and have responsibility for the various aspects of tax law reform, fiscal policy design and coordination, harmonization of taxes, and revenue administration.

IGP Deploys AIG Sikiru As Head Of Interpol NCB, FCID

The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Olukayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has ordered the posting of Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG Bankole Lanre Sikiru to head the INTERPOL National Crime Bureau (NCB), Force Criminal Investigations Department, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

The posting follows his recent promotion to the rank of AIG.

This was made known in a statement on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi who added that the deployment is with immediate effect.

Bulkachuwa Asks Court To Stop ICPC From Probing Him For ‘Influencing Wife’s Decisions’

A former senator, Adamu Bulkachuwa has turned to the federal high court in Abuja, looking to halt an investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) into his actions.

On June 10, during the 9th senate valedictory session, Bulkachuwa claimed his wife, Zainab Bulkachuwa, used her influence as a judge to aid his colleagues in the Senate. As the former president of the court of appeal and the first woman to hold this position, Zainab’s involvement drew significant attention.

This led to a public outcry for an investigation into the former senator’s claim.

However, Zainab has since denied these allegations, asserting that she never allowed partisan interests to compromise her judicial duties.

Supreme Court Nullifies Senator Nwaoboshi’s Conviction

The Supreme Court on Friday nullified the conviction of Senator Peter Nwaoboshi and his sentencing to seven years imprisonment for offences of fraud and money laundering.

Naija News reports that the apex court ordered his immediate release from Ikoyi prisons in Lagos where he is being held.

The Supreme Court also freed the two companies – Golden Touch Construction Project Ltd and Suiming Electrical Ltd – tried with him on a two-count charge brought against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Naija News gathered that the judgement was given in a split decision of four-to-one.

The apex court set aside the July 1, 2022 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Lagos, which reversed their discharge and acquittal by a Federal High Court in Lagos.

Ogun: Gbenga Daniel Writes Gov Abiodun To Suspend Payment Of Allowance And Pension

A former Ogun State Governor, Gbenga Daniel, has requested that going forward, his monthly allowances and pension should be suspended.

According to him, the suspension of his monthly allowance and pension complied with his conscience, moral principle and ethical code against double emoluments that a serving Senator, who hitherto was a former State governor, shall not be entitled to the payment of pension and allowances from such a state.

Naija News reports that Daniel, who is now the new Senator representing Ogun East, made the request in a letter titled, ‘Request To Suspend My Monthly Pension and Allowances’, and addressed to the incumbent governor of the state, Dapo Abiodun.

The former Ogun governor asked that the N676,376.95 pension/allowances he is entitled to as a former governor be suspended.

Cold War As Lawmakers Jostle For Chairmanship, Reps Mulls Standing Committee Increase

There is currently intense lobbying and jostling for juicy committees among members of the House of Representatives, just as the Green Chambers is reportedly planning to increase the number of standing committees.

Following the emergence of the presiding and principal officers of the 10th House, the ‘Selection Committee’ headed by the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas, and his Deputy, Benjamin Kalu as Deputy Chairman have to allocate committee chairmanship and membership to lawmakers.

The House of Representatives during the immediate past 9th Assembly had 105 standing committees.

But following the high intensity of jostling and scrambling for committee slots, Daily Trust learned that the leadership of the House is already considering the possibility of increasing the number of committees.

Hot Lobbying For Juicy Position As Senators Scramble For Committees

Members of the Senate have intensified lobbying for the chairmanship of committees following the announcement of principal officers of the 10th National Assembly.

Recall that the Senate Leader, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti) had on Tuesday told journalists that the Red Chamber would constitute special and standing committees before the end of July.

He said: “The first task ahead of us is to constitute special committees of the 10th Senate. Our rules make provision for six special committees.

“This is so that every senator can get busy based on their own professional background and can properly fit into the sector where they can add value.”

Naija News reports that the most sought-after committees of the Senate include: Appropriation, Finance, Judiciary, Public Accounts, Petroleum Resources (Upstream), Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Works and Niger Delta Development Commission.

Harvesting From PDP Internal Crisis – Presidency Speaks On Tinubu And Wike’s Alliance

The Presidency has stated that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s alliance with former Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, was a matter of harvesting from the internal crisis of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

Addressing State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday, the Special Adviser to Tinubu on Special Duties, Communications and Strategy, Dele Alake said Tinubu’s meetings with opposition figures had nothing to do with the formation of his cabinet.

He noted that it was in line with the president’s decision to run an open government.

Alake also stated that Wednesday’s visit to the President by the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) under President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, Senator Anyim Pius Ayim, and former PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, was to commend Tinubu for the steps he had taken so far.

That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.