Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Sunday, 24th September, 2023

Good morning Nigeria, Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Sunday, 24th, September 2023.

Benue: Tribunal Dismisses PDP’s Petition, Upholds Alia’s Election

The Benue State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Makurdi, the state capital, has affirmed the election of Governor Hyacinth Alia.

Naija News reports that the tribunal, on Saturday, dismissed the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Titus Uba.

The Chairman of the three-man panel of justices, Justice Ibrahim Karaye, in his judgement, held that the tribunal had no jurisdiction to entertain the petition as the matters raised before the tribunal were pre-election issues as captured in section 285 of the Electoral Act.

The PDP and Uba challenged Alia’s victory in the 2023 governorship election, after Alia, a former Catholic priest, was declared the winner of the March 18th governorship election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Alia, who contested on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), polled 473,933 votes to defeat his closest opponent, Uba of the PDP, who scored 223,913 votes.

Tinubu’s Chicago Academic Records Heats Up As Atiku, NNPP, LP Knocks President

Nigerians, this coming week, will be faced with an unprecedented legal battle over the academic records of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the Chicago State University (CSU).

Recall that US District Judge Nancy Maldonado had on Thursday agreed to stay an order directing Chicago State University to make Tinubu’s academic document available to the legal team of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Earlier, a magistrate, Jeffrey Gilbert, had on Tuesday ordered Tinubu’s alma mater to provide all relevant and non-privileged documents to the applicant, Atiku, within two days.

But Tinubu’s lawyers approached Maldonado, arguing that the earlier decision by Gilbert needed to be reviewed by a district judge.

PDP Rejects Benue GovshipTribunal Judgment, Heads To Appeal Court

The Benue State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has rejected the judgment of the Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal affirming the election of Governor Hyacinth Alia of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The PDP made this known hours after the tribunal sitting in Makurdi, the state capital, upheld Alia’s election and dismissed its petition for lack of merit.

In a statement Saturday by its state Publicity Secretary, Bemgba Iortyom, the party said it would seek legal redress at the Court of Appeal.

The PDP said a review with its team of lawyers indicated that the judgment did not meet the requirements of substantive justice.

It further argued that the verdict was not in alignment with extant electoral laws, guidelines and regulations

TUC Threatens Strike In Lagos Over RTEAN Ban

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has threatened to ground economic activities in Lagos State as part of its protest against the ban on the operations of its affiliate union, the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN).

Naija News reports that the Lagos State Government had reportedly suspended the activities of RTEAN in the state, which led to the taking over its motor parks and offices.

Speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, TUC National President, Festus Osifo, said the union will begin with a mass protest in the state on Monday in preparation for withdrawal of service.

He said all affiliate unions of TUC, including the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Association of Senior Staff of Banks, Insurance and Financial Institutions, among others, are expected to join the action.

Former Governors Plot Akpabio’s Removal Over Senate Leadership, ‘Juicy’ Committees

Former governors who are now members of the Senate are reportedly leading the group of lawmakers plotting to remove Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Despite efforts to calm frayed nerves at the Senate, lawmakers are working hard to effect a leadership change in the Upper Legislative Chambers.

Speaking to Saturday Sun, one of the former governors said that the current disquiet in the Senate came about because the leadership failed to unite the legislative arm.

He accused Akpabio of moving against lawmakers who didn’t support him when he ran for office, adding that the Senate president ignored existing practices in selecting principal officers, chairmen of ranking committees, and contributions during plenary.

Amosun’s Loyalists Dump APC Faction, Rejoin Abiodun’s Camp

There was a twist in an event on Friday in Ogun State when loyalists of former Governor Ibikunle Amosun from the 20 local government areas of the state dumped his camp to rejoin the All Progressives Congress (APC) faction of the incumbent governor, Dapo Abiodun.

Naija News reports that the returnees were led by the factional Chairman of the Amosun-led party executive to meet Abiodun at the Presidential Lodge, Abeokuta, on Friday.

The governor, while receiving them back into his camp, appreciated their loyalty and applauded their confidence to make such a bold step, noting that it is a culture to be emulated because it promoted peace.

Zamfara: Shoot Illegal Miners, Bandits On Sight, Lawal Tells Security Operatives

Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State has directed security operatives to shoot illegal miners and bandits on sight perpetrating crimes in the state.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the governor’s spokesman, Sulaiman Bala Idris, said over the years, illegal mining in Zamfara has fuelled banditry and other criminal activities.

The governor said it is time to end the activity and implement strict measures against people carrying out illegal mining to protect the safety and well-being of the people.

WAEC To Introduce CBT For WASSCE

The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) is set to introduce the Computer Based Test (CBT) mode in the administration of its examinations are at an advanced stage.

The Head of National Office, Patrick Areghan, made this known in an interview with reporters on Saturday in Lagos, Naija News reports.

Areghan said that introducing the CBT mode of administrating some of the council’s examinations had been part of his vision for the body in the near future.

He said: “We have already started something in terms of CBT examination. We have gone far with our planning and all of that, even in the sub-region, the registrar to the council is also doing something.

“But this is not as easy as some people will think. This is because we ask ourselves, how do we conduct CBT for practicals and essay papers?”

I Prefer Impactful Single Term In Office To Wasteful Eight Years – Eno

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has said he would rather prefer to serve a single term decorated with laudable feats than serve for eight years with nothing to show for it.

The governor stated this on Saturday at a press conference being part of the activities to commemorate the 36th anniversary of the creation of the State christened the ‘Land of Promise.’

Eno insisted that he would rather invest in life-changing projects and programmes for the teeming 7.9 million residents of the state than allow a few influential people to hold him captive.

He promised to invest massively in infrastructural facilities stressing rural development, adding that his administration is working with the local government chairmen to acquire 50 hectares of land in each council for agricultural purposes.

Yahaya Bello Slams N5 Billion Defamation Suit Against Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan

The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has slammed a five billion naira defamation suit against the senatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the Kogi Central Senatorial District, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Naija News understands that Bello, in the suit filed at the Kogi State High Court last week, is requesting the sum of N5 billion from the PDP chieftain as damages.

Among other prayers, the governor is praying for the court to give Akpoti-Uduaghan a restraining order from making further statements about him and slam her the sum of N5 billion as damages.

This development is coming after the election petition tribunal sitting in Lokoja declared Akpoti-Uduaghan as the winner of the February 25 Kogi Central Senatorial election.

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