Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Thursday, 17th August, 2023

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 17th August 2023.

1. Wike ‘FCT’, Keyamo ‘Aviation’, Lalong ‘Labour’ – President Tinubu Ministerial Portfolio Emerges

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has released Ministerial portfolio for nominees confirmed by the Senate.

According to the list, President Tinubu appointed former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, as the FCT Minister.

Festus Keyamo was appointed as the Minister of Aviation, while Adebayo Adelabu was appointed as Minister Of Power.

The list also names former Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, as the Minister of Transportation.

2. Fuel Subsidy Removal: President Tinubu Has Best Intention For Nigeria – Ganduje

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje has declared that the hardship being experienced by Nigerians due to the fuel subsidy removal policy by President Bola Tinubu would be short-lived.

Speaking when he played host to the directors and secretaries of various directorates of the defunct APC presidential campaign Council, Ganduje said Tinubu is very truthful to Nigerians as he had revealed his intentions even before he emerged as President.

The delegation was led by Major General Abdulmalik Jibril (rtd).

The APC Chairman urged Nigerians to endure the current pains as the policy would yield results that far outweigh the current hardships.

3. Details Emerge From First Lady Remi Tinubu’s Meeting With Mrs Jonathan

Details have emerged from the meeting between the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Dame Patience, and First Lady Remi Tinubu, the wife of the incumbent President of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu.

Naija News reported earlier that Mrs Jonathan visited Senator Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday (today).

A statement made available to this news platform earlier by the media aide to Mrs Tinubu, Busola Kukoyi, noted that Jonathan was on a solidarity visit to the First Lady.

It was revealed that during the visit, Mrs Jonathan pledged to support the incumbent First Lady to move the country forward, calling on other women to follow suit.

She thanked the first lady for how far she has impacted the lives of Nigerian women. Mrs Jonathan said it was imperative for her, as a former president’s wife, to also support and encourage Mrs Tinubu on things that would move the nation forward.

Jonathan commended women groups for their support for President Bola Tinubu and his wife and pleaded that they should maintain their support for the government to sustain the patriotic efforts.

4. What Wike Told Me He Would Do When He Becomes Minister – Ganduje

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje has opened up on the reason former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike visited him.

Naija News recalls that Wike visited Ganduje at his residence in the federal capital territory (FCT), Abuja on Tuesday

Speaking on the reason for Wike’s visit, Ganduje stated that it was not about his rumoured defection to the ruling party, instead the former governor paid him a congratulatory visit.

He disclosed that Wike promised to work very hard when he becomes minister.

The APC chieftain made the revelation on Wednesday after a closed-door meeting with the former governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong.

The APC chairman, however, admitted that the defection of a politician like Wike to the ruling party would improve the chances of the party in 2027.

5. A Senior Advocate Is Attempting To Bribe Me – Kano Tribunal Judge Opens Up

The chairman of Kano State National and State Houses of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal, Justice Flora Azinge, has opened up over attempts by a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, to bribe her.

The judge who expressed anger while speaking in open court before the commencement of the session on Tuesday in Kano, lamented how senior lawyers particularly engage in the unethical practice.

Although she did not disclose the identity of the senior lawyer, Ms Azinge said the SAN in question has a pending case before the tribunal.

6. ‘Why President Tinubu Is Yet To Swear-in His Ministers’

A former national director of publicity for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lanre Issa-Onilu has explained the reason behind the seeming delay in the inauguration and swearing-in of Ministers by President Bola Tinubu.

According to him, the President is carrying out some restructuring and working out details of job descriptions before inaugurating his Ministers, hence the delay is intentional.

Naija News recalls President Tinubu had sent a list of 48 ministerial nominees for screening and confirmation by the Senate but on August 7, the lawmakers confirmed 45 out of the nominees.

However, since then, the President is yet to inaugurate the cleared Ministers.

Speaking about the delay during an appearance on Channels TV Sunrise Daily programme on Wednesday, Issa-Onilu said there is nothing to worry about as the delay is due to the restructuring going on and the need to lay a solid foundation.

He added that the nomenclature of some ministries would be changed and Nigerians would hear names they are not familiar with for such ministries.

7. We Have Been Taught A Bitter Lesson, PDP Must Wake Up – Osita Chidoka

A former Minister of Aviation, Osita Chidoka, on Wednesday stated that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been taught a bitter lesson, warning that the party may go extinct if reforms are not made at the earliest possible time.

Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Chidoka stated that the party lost some of its strongholds to the Labour Party (LP) in the last election.

While insisting that the party must get its leadership right, he said the PDP must start to act as an opposition party.

8. Forex crisis: NNPCL Secures $3bn Loan To Stabilise Naira

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited has secured a $3 billion crude repayment loan to support the naira and stabilise the foreign exchange market, a terse statement posted on the official account of the company on Twitter said on Wednesday.

The statement noted that the oil company secured the funding from the headquarters of the African Export-Import Bank in Cairo.

“The NNPC Ltd. and AFREXIM bank have jointly signed a commitment letter and Termsheet for an emergency $3 billion crude oil repayment loan,” NNPCL said in a terse statement on Wednesday.

“The signing, which took place today at the bank’s headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, will provide some immediate disbursement that will enable the NNPC Ltd. to support the Federal Government in its ongoing fiscal and monetary policy reforms aimed at stabilising the exchange rate market,” it added.

9. Makinde Proposes Six-Year Single Tenure For President, Govs, Other Political Offices

Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has wished that Nigeria adopt a five or six-year single tenure for President, governors, national assembly and state assembly members.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain said that four is never enough for any public officer holder to do everything that he or she would want to do, but that it is long enough to make one’s impact.

Naija News understands that Makinde stated this today at the retreat of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), held at Maja Avenue, Jericho, Ibadan, Oyo State capital city.

Makinde, who is currently enjoying a second term in office, said adopting a single tenure of five to six years would stop the problems that usually arise from the quest for a second term by politicians.

While admonishing Nigerians, particularly those in leadership positions to brace up for the task of rebuilding the country in line with the vision of the founding fathers, Makinde observed that it has become imperative for Nigerians to come together to rebuild the nation and reposition it on the path of sustainable economic growth and development, adding that the task of rebuilding the country remains the duty of Nigerians and should not be left for external actors.

10. Bad Leadership, Not Market Forces Responsible For High Fuel Price In Nigeria – Kenneth Okonkwo

A chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), Kenneth Okonkwo has blamed bad leadership for the high price of petrol in Nigeria.

According to the politician cum actor, God already gave Nigeria an abundance of crude oil but bad leadership is the reason the country does not enjoy good oil prices.

Speaking further, Okonkwo submitted that leadership forces and not market forces ought to determine the price of fuel in Nigeria, concluding that a new Nigeria with new fuel price is still possible.

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