Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Thursday, 19th October, 2023

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 19th October 2023.

1. Tinubu Approves ‘Start’ Of Six Universities Established By Buhari

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the staggered takeoff of six out of 14 public universities established in the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

Naija News reports that the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, revealed this to State House Correspondents after briefing Tinubu on Wednesday.

Recall that the Buhari administration approved the establishment of no fewer than 75 universities, encompassing federal, state, and private institutions within seven years.

But Mamman said the Federal Government lacked the funds and qualified staffing to kick start all institutions at once as they are capital intensive.

He said the choice of the universities — two colleges of agriculture, education, and medicine each — was strategic to the skills-empowerment goals of the Tinubu-led administration.

According to the Minister, the present administration will be “conservative” in doling out approvals for establishing new universities.

2. Overrule Tinubu’s Objection On Fresh Evidence — Atiku Tells Supreme Court

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has asked the Supreme Court to jettison technicality and grant his application for leave to tender fresh evidence to support his case against President Bola Tinubu.

Recall that Atiku had filed a notice of plea before the apex court, alleging that President Tinubu submitted a forged document to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to contest the February 25 presidential election.

Atiku predicated his plea on the grounds that presenting forged documents by any candidate, especially by a candidate for the highest office in the land, is a very grave constitutional issue that must not be encouraged.

But President Tinubu asked the apex court to dismiss the plea to grant Atiku leave to present the fresh evidence on grounds of jurisdiction and that the issue of qualification is a pre-election matter, among others, and subsequently prayed the court to deny the grant of the application.

However, in his reply on the point of law, Atiku, while faulting Tinubu for his objection, submitted that issues of merit ought not to be determined or pronounced upon at the interlocutory stage.

Atiku stated that they are only at this stage merely applying for leave of the Supreme Court to receive the fresh evidence, submitted that “to refuse to grant the leave, as the respondents have argued, will amount to undue technicality.

3. ‘They Gave Us Uppercut’ – Bode George Speaks On Why PDP Lost 2023 Presidential Election

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George has said the lack of unity in the party predisposed the party to losing the 2023 presidential election.

According to him, the election was manipulated in favour of the eventual winner but the crisis in the PDP made it easier for the results to be manipulated.

Speaking on Wednesday during an interview with Arise TV, George added that the PDP failed to go into the election with a united house and is now paying the price for the lack of unity.

He argued that if the PDP had respected its constitution and zoned its presidential ticket correctly, the party would have easily won the 2023 election despite the manipulation.

The former PDP Deputy National Chairman also accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, Professor Mahmoud Yakubu of manipulating the results by switching to manual compilation of results after promising to use the electronic system.

4. Senate Confirms Olukoyede As EFCC Chairman

The Senate has confirmed President Bola Tinubu’s nominee, Ola Olukoyede, as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Naija News reported earlier that Olukoyede and Muhammad Hammajoda, whom President Tinubu appointed as Secretary of the anti-graft agency, arrived at the National Assembly complex on Wednesday morning for their respective screening and confirmation proceeding.

Recall President Tinubu, on October 12, 2023, gave an appointment to the duo, seeking the Senate’s confirmation.

Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, had explained in a statement earlier that Olukoyede’s appointment is for a renewable term of four years in the first instance.

He also said the President appointed Hammajoda to serve as the Secretary of the EFCC for a renewable term of five years in the first instance, pending Senate confirmation.

On Wednesday, the Red Chamber subsequently confirmed the appointment of Hammajoda as the Secretary of the anti-graft agency.

The Senate also screened and confirmed the appointment of Halima Shehu as the Chief Executive Officer of the National Social Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA).

5. ‘Tinubu’s Allies Reached Out To Me, So Shut Up’ – Ex-SGF Babachir Lawal Hits APC Spokesman

A former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal, has slammed the All Progressives Congress (APC) spokesman, Felix Morka, over a comment on his statement on Tuesday claiming that Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi, won the 2023 presidential election.

Naija News reported that Morka, on Tuesday night, while responding to Lawal’s outburst, described him as incapable of rational thought.

In a statement on Wednesday, Lawal offered his sympathies to Morka, saying he was doing the job of an enslaved person and desperate to please his masters.

Describing APC as an Islamic party which takes decisions during their prayers where Morka is not present, Lawal insisted that Peter Obi won the last election, stressing that ‘The thief knows who stole the item’.

The former SGF further described Morka as a remote outsider in APC, adding that some key allies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration have contacted him regarding his statement on the 2023 election.

6. Senate Appoints New Deputy Leader, Deputy Chief Whip

The Senate, on Wednesday, appointed the All Progressives Congress (APC) Senator representing Kwara South, Oyelola Yisa Ashiru, as the new Deputy Leader of the Red Chamber.

Naija News reports that the Upper Legislature also appointed the Senator representing Ebonyi North Senatorial District, Nwebonyi Peter Onyeka, as the new Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate. Senator Onyeka is a member of the ruling APC.

Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the new appointments during Wednesday’s plenary on the floor of the Senate.

Ashiru, who was the former Deputy Chief Whip, was elevated to the position of Deputy Senate Leader, which became vacant following the appointment of Senator Dave Umahi as the Minister of Works by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

7. Abbo Apologises To Akpabio Over Accusation Of Being Behind His Sack

The sacked Adamawa North Senator, Elisha Abbo, has tendered an apology to Senate President Godswill Akpabio for accusing him of being behind his sack from the Senate.

Naija News reported that the Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Monday, voided the election of Abbo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and declared Amos Yohanna of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the National Assembly election.

Reacting to the development in an interview with reporters in Abuja, Abbo alleged Akpabio was behind his removal from the Red Chamber for campaigning and working against his Senate Presidency ambition.

In response to the allegation, the media aide to the Senate President, Eseme Eyiboh, said Abbo is just looking for someone to blame for his sack from the Senate because his principal was not responsible for the court judgement.

However, in an interview on Arise News on Tuesday night, Abbo said Senator Akpabio was not responsible for his sack from the Red Chamber, adding that the press conference and release he put out were premature.

He said the allegations against the Senate President were based on the available information at his disposal on Monday, saying that he has apologised to Akpabio for accusing him wrongly.

Abbo stated that he is deeply convinced that Akpabio is not involved in his sack after swearing on his mother’s grave. The sacked lawmaker noted that his apology to Akpabio was not because he wanted to return to the Senate.

8. Don’t Use Me As Example In Your Anti-Corruption Fight – Akpabio Tells EFCC Chair

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio on Wednesday told the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, not to use him as an example in the anti-corruption fight.

Olukoyede, who appeared before the Senate for screening on Wednesday, had cited Akpabio’s name as an example in his presentation on investigating a graft case.

The chairman of the anti-graft agency, however, stopped when he realised the mood of lawmakers in the Chamber.

Olukoyede said, “If we are investigating the Senate President for example,” prompting lawmakers to burst into laughter.

The laughter became louder when Akpabio told the EFCC nominee not to cite his name as an example in the investigation of a corruption case.

9. Wike Denies Promoting Policies Against Islamic Religion In Abuja

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has debunked reports of purportedly promoting policies against Islamic religious alignments in Abuja.

Naija News learnt that Wike, on Wednesday, October 18, reiterated his support for all religions when he received a courtesy visit from members of the Abuja National Mosque Management Committee, led by its chairman, the Etsu of Nupe, Yahaya Abubakar.

The former Rivers State governor said those trying to whip religious sentiment were mischievously doing so to score cheap political points.

The Minister stressed that he has no reason to instigate hate speech against religious groups but to support any that has a genuine cause, either Christians or Muslims.

He further assured that the government would not hesitate to support the maintenance of the National Mosque or the National Ecumenical Centre, which was declared a national monument and urged all religious leaders to preach National unity and peaceful coexistence.

10. Why I Left The Chamber After Akpabio Stopped Me From Speaking – Ndume

Chief Whip of the Senate, Ali Ndume has opened up on the reason he stormed out of the chamber after a clash with the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, on Tuesday.

Naija News recalls that during plenary, Ndume brought the Senate’s attention to what he felt were violations.

The Chief Whip had invoked a point of order to alert Akpabio of “procedural infringements” in the chamber, which went against established parliamentary protocol.

However, Akpabio refused to allow Ndume to complete his speech and the lawmaker exited the chamber afterwards.

Addressing the situation during an interview with BBC Hausa, Ndume explained he left the chamber because it was time to pray.

According to the Senator, it all began when Senator Kawu Sumaila proposed a motion which he said was urgent on closing the border between Nigeria and Niger.

He explained that at first, it was argued that the motion was not urgent, but the president of the Senate let him finish what he wanted to say.

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