Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Monday, 7th August, 2023

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 7th August 2023.

1. Tinubu: Fashola Speaks On Writing Presidential Election Petition Tribunal Judgment

Former Minister of Works, Babatunde Fashola has reacted to the allegations of writing the judgment set to be delivered by the judges of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal regarding the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.

Fashola in his reaction through a statement released by his media aide described the allegations as baseless and defamatory.

It would be recalled that there had been allegations on social media that the former Minister and some others were drafting the judgment to be read by the tribunal judges in favour of President Bola Tinubu.

However, Fashola said the allegations being spread on social media are purely fake news and called on security agencies to take action against those responsible for spreading such information.

The former Minister added that he has been away from Abuja for a long period of time after leaving office and those behind the allegations are simply agents of destabilization.

The former Lagos State Governor also revealed that he has commenced the process of filing formal petitions against the offensive tweets and online reports with the management of the microblogging site, Twitter, and the National Communications Commission (NCC).

He added that those behind the allegations may be part of a wider campaign to undermine the judiciary for their selfish gains and therefore called on security agents not to take the matter with levity but to fish out the perpetrators.

2. Vwaere Diaso: Lagos Govt Blacklists Hospital Facility Manager, Suspends LASIAMA Boss

The Lagos State government has taken action on some of the stakeholders found to have been guilty in the circumstances surrounding the death of Dr. Vwaere Diaso who died last week in a tragic elevator accident at Lagos Island General Hospital, Odan.

Naija News reports the state government has sacked and blacklisted the facility managers in charge of the hospital.

Also, the general manager of the Lagos State Infrastructure and Asset Management Agency (LASIAMA) has been asked to immediately proceed on suspension while the installation and maintenance contractors have been handed to the police for further investigation and likely prosecution.

The steps taken are part of the recommendations of the panel set up to look into the likely causes of the accident, identify persons who might be culpable, and suggest ways of preventing any future occurrence.

According to a statement on Sunday by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Strategy, Olumide Sogunle, the steps were taken after initial findings.

3. Police Begin 24-Hour Surveillance On Second Niger Bridge

Operatives of the Nigeria Police Force have been deployed on the Second Niger Bridge to commence 24-hour surveillance to protect it from vandals, Naija News reports.

The security action was taken following reports a few weeks ago that vandals stole certain road fittings from the newly inaugurated Second Niger Bridge.

A source had told journalists that the expansion joint walkway from axis 330 of the bridge was the missing item.

In a statement, however, on Sunday, the Anambra Command of the Nigeria Police said 24-hour surveillance has started on the bridge.

Speaking with journalists in Awka on Sunday, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra, CP Aderemi Adeoye, said the surveillance was in collaboration with the police command in Delta.

Adeoye said that no arrest had been made, but that an investigation was still ongoing regarding the recent vandalism of the bridge.

He said that the patrol would be both mobile and static, adding that it had been scheduled among divisions to cover night and day surveillance.

The police commissioner warned criminal elements, who might wish to try their luck again, to perish the idea, as they would be rounded up and made to face the law of the land.

4. Why President Tinubu Removed Maryam Shetty From Ministerial List – Ganduje Speaks

National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, has revealed why President Bola Tinubu removed Kano indigene Maryam ‘Shetty’ Shettima from his ministerial nominee list.

Naija News reported earlier that there were stirs on social media on Friday after Shetty was removed from the second batch of the ministerial nominee list and replaced with Mariya Mahmoud Bunkure, also a Kano indigene.

Shetty’s replacement is said to have served as a commissioner when Ganduje was governor.

Giving more clarification on what led to Shetty’s removal from the ministerial nominee list, the former Governor of Kano State said social media outrage that trailed her appointment was instrumental to the latter action.

He added that the nominee was not well known to them in the APC camp; hence the stakeholders could not appraise her.

5. What Tinubu, ECOWAS Must Do Before Going To War Against Niger – Falana

n order to be able to go to war with Nigerian soldiers against Niger Republic, both the Senate and the House of Representatives must give approval to President Bola Tinubu.

Naija News reports this was highlighted in a statement on Sunday by renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN).

According to Falana, President Tinubu can’t unilaterally deploy Nigeria’s military despite the resolution of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the probable use of force to flush the military junta in Niger and restore ousted President Mohamed Bazoum.

Tinubu must therefore fulfil the legal requirement before he can declare war on Niger Republic.

The human rights lawyer added that ECOWAS is also required to seek and obtain the authorization of the United Nations security council before war can be declared on Niger Republic.

He noted that the only time ECOWAS would not need a UN authorization is if the move is in self-defence which is obviously not the case currently.

6. NDLEA Nabs ‘Couple’ Who Excretes 184 Wraps Of Cocaine After Arrest At Lagos Airport

A fake couple, Kingsley and Roseline Ilonzeh have been nabbed by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) for ingesting 184 wraps of cocaine.

The Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja where he disclosed that the drugs ingested by the couples weighed 3.322Kg, while another 100 grams of the drug was concealed in the woman’s private part.

He said that the suspected drug traffickers were purportedly going for medical treatment in India.

He said that the two suspects were intercepted at Screening Point 1, Terminal 1 of the international wing of the Lagos airport on Aug. 1, while attempting to board an Ethiopian airline flight to India.

Babafemi further said that though their travel documents showed consistency in their names and depicted them as a couple, an NDLEA officer however, decided to subject them to body scan.

7. Ministerial Nominee: Ganduje Speaks On Kwankwaso Decamping To APC

The immediate past Governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has wished that his former boss, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, decamp to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ganduje, who spoke during a chat with some media organizations in Kano yesterday, said it was ripe for Kwankwaso to return to APC now that he is in charge of the party affairs.

Naija News reports that the APC named Ganduje as the new National Chairman of the party last week.

His election was confirmed at the 12th APC National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held last Thursday at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton in Abuja.

8. Family Accuses Ex-APC Chair, Adamu Of Illegally Hijacking Property

A property in Lafia, now occupied by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, was allegedly seized unlawfully by the former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Senator Abdullahi Adamu.

The Nasarawa State government reportedly donated the property to the agency.

Mohammed Sabo, the eldest son of the former chairman of the defunct National Party of Nigeria in Plateau State, Alhaji Yahaya Sabo, revealed this on Sunday while addressing newsmen.

He stated that before Adamu’s governorship, the property served as an office for the Peoples Democratic Party.

Sabo alleges that Adamu, as the state’s governor, sold the property to the state government. Since the passing of their father, the family’s attempts to reclaim the property have been unsuccessful.

9. “It Was A Voluntary Resignation,” – Ex-APC Legal Adviser, El-Marzuq Breaks Silence, Party Reacts

The former National Legal Adviser of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmad El-Marzuq, has reacted to reports that he was forced to resign.

El-Marzuq had tendered his resignation on the eve of the APC National Caucus meeting held at the banquet hall of the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Following his resignation, reports circulated on social media that he was forced to do so, Naija News gathered.

However, the APC former National Legal Adviser has said his resignation was voluntary and nothing more.

Even though he refused to give further comment on the issue, he told The Punch that “It was a voluntary resignation,”

10. Adamawa: Female Soldier Guns Down Captain

In Yola, the capital of Adamawa state, a female soldier identified as Lance Corporal Nkiru shot and killed a captain.

The deceased was reported to be intervening in her altercation with civilians during a curfew when he was shot.

Naija News understands that the curfew was imposed by Governor Ahmadu Fintiri after looters targeted government warehouses, taking several items including those intended to ease the impact of fuel subsidy removal.

Sources that spoke with Daily Trust on the development said the female soldier was insistent that motorists returning home during the curfew must turn back, despite claims of essential duty.

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