Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Thursday, 26th October, 2023

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 26th October 2023.

1. Tinubu Launches 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day Emblem

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Wednesday presided over the emblem appeal launch for the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

Naija News reports that the emblem launch was held at the state house, Abuja.

Speaking at the launch, Tinubu commended troops of the Nigerian armed forces for security “this great nation.”

He said: “Our foremost objective is to provide a conducive environment free from threats and criminality to enable all who reside within our borders to thrive and live in peace.

“For this reason, we owe a debt of gratitude to our gallant troops who have risen to the challenge of securing this great nation.”

He stated that the armed forces remembrance day embalm remains a symbol of remembrance and a beacon of hope for a peaceful future.

2. FG Denies Extending Stay Of Recalled Ambassadors, Envoys By Three Months

President Bola Tinubu-led government has denied extending the stay of recalled ambassadors across the world.

Naija News recalls that President Tinubu on the 2 of September, 2023 recalled all Nigeria’s ambassadors, both career and non-career.

They were asked to return to the country on or before October 31, 2023. The recall was communicated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar.

There was, however, a report on Tuesday (Not Naija News) that the Federal Government extended the stay of the envoys and ambassadors by three months.

The Special Adviser to the Foreign Affairs Minister, Alkasim Abdulkadir, who spoke to Punch on Wednesday, however, stated that the recall by President Tinubu still stands, adding that all envoys are expected to return by October 31.

3. Court Sacks Ghandi As Soun, Gives Directives To Makinde-Led Government

The appointment of the new Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Ghandi Olaoye has been upturned by the Oyo State High Court sitting in Ogbomoso.
Naija News recalls that the Oyo State Government on the 8th of September, 2023, announced Pastor Ghandi Olaoye as the new Soun and made him king.

Before this time, one of the contestants, Kabir Laoye had sued Ghandi Olaoye, noting that he was not eligible to take Soun’s position.

The Oyo state High Court in Ogbomoso at the time had reportedly restrained Governor Seyi Makinde, the Attorney General of the State and Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters or anyone else from presenting any instrument of office in any form of ceremony or issuing certificate of installation to Olaoye until the final determination of the mandatory injunction already filed before the court.

The Areago High Chief, Sobalaje Otolorin, however, disclosed that the kingmakers were not aware of a restraining order by any court.

4. ‘President Tinubu To Present 2024 Budget To NASS In November’

President Bola Tinubu will present the 2024 national budget estimate to a joint sitting of the National Assembly in November.

The hint was given on Wednesday by the chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Solomon Adeola during an interaction with newsmen.

Senator Adeola noted that the lawmakers are expecting the 2024 appropriation bill by next week.

Ahead of the expected presentation, the Senate Committee on Appropriation has invited the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, for a meeting on Wednesday next week.

Adeola who promised that the Senate would do a thorough job before passing the budget, added that the lawmakers plan to sustain the January to December budget cycle, which the 9th National Assembly started.

5. INEC Removes APC Candidate, Sylva’s Name From List Of Candidates For Bayelsa Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has delisted the name of the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Timipre Sylva from the list of candidates for the November 11 governorship election in Bayelsa State.

According to the updated list uploaded on the INEC website on Tuesday, the name of Sylva’s running mate, Joshua Maciver was also removed.

The updated list which also included the candidates for the Imo election had the column for the names of the APC candidate and his ruining mate left blank with “court order” remarks on it.

The updated list was signed by the Secretary to the Commission, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

Naija News recalls the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Oct. 10, disqualified Sylva from participating in the November 11 Bayelsa state governorship election.

Justice Donatus Okorowo, in the judgment, ruled that Sylva having been sworn in twice and ruled for five years as governor of Bayelsa would breach the 1999 constitution as amended if allowed to contest again as he would have inadvertently spent more than eight years in office as governor of the state if he wins the 2023 election.

Also for Imo, INEC included the names of Uchechukwu Ishiodu as the governorship candidate and Ahumbe Chiazor as the running mate, for the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).

6. Boko Haram Is Lesser Than Kidnapping, IPOB, Cultists, Bandits – Ndume

The senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume, has said the menace of Boko Haram in the North East is lesser than the banditry, kidnapping, IPOB and cultism happening in other zones across the country.

Naija News reports that the lawmaker stated this on Wednesday while shedding light on his earlier motion on the need to upgrade the Maiduguri airport to an international airport by the Federal Government.

Ndume said the North East zone should not be stigmatised over the insecurity of the past, stressing that Maiduguri is strategic for lifting passengers who embark on international flights.

The senator noted that some people would express concerns over security due to Boko Haram, but the menace has ended.

7. Tinubu Launches 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Fund

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Wednesday, launched the 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Fund, commending the gallant troops in Nigeria for their selfless service to the country.

The Nigerian leader, while speaking at the event held at the council chamber in Abuja, said the country owes a debt of gratitude to her gallant troops who have risen to the challenge of securing the country.

Tinubu went on to underscore the government’s commitment of 18 billion naira that has been approved for the payments of the group Life Assurance benefits for the families of fallen heroes of the Nigerian armed forces.

8. Supreme Court To Rule On Atiku, Obi’s Petitions Oct 26

The Supreme Court has fixed Thursday, October 26, to deliver final judgements in petitions filed by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, and his counterpart in the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi.

Naija News understands that the presidential candidates are challenging the declaration of President Bola Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential election.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the keenly contested election.

His victory was also affirmed by the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC).

Atiku is seeking the removal of President Tinubu from office over alleged forging of his Chicago State University certificate.

The Supreme Court’s Director of the Press and Information, Dr Awemeri Festus Akande, on Wednesday confirmed the date for the ruling on the petitions.

He said adequate security arrangements have been put in place to prevent security breaches both within and outside the court premises.

9. IPPIS: Federal Government Reveals Civil Servants Who Will Stop Receiving Salary Starting From Friday

The Federal Government, on Wednesday, revealed civil servants who will be removed from payroll starting from Friday.

Naija News gathered that the Federal Government warned that any worker who could not be verified on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) would be delisted on Friday.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, gave this warning in a statement released on Wednesday.

The statement signed by the Director of Communications in her office, Mohammed Ahmed said the two-week exercise which will end on Friday, October 27, 2023, was put in place as an act of magnanimity for officers who did not take part in the earlier verifications.

He recalled that the Federal Government commenced the implementation of the IPPIS in 2007 to attain transparency, accuracy, safety and reliability in the management of Personnel Records, while also curtailing avoidable excesses in personnel costs.

10. Organised Labour Threatens Fresh Strike, Says FG Can Do Better And Faster Over MoU

The organised labour unions have again threatened to down their tools by 30 October, over what they called a slow pace of implementation of their demands from the federal government.

According to them, the federal government can do better and faster concerning the implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) it signed with the government.

Recall that the national leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) reached an agreement with the federal government on October 1 to pay N35,000 to all federal workers beginning in September, pending when a new national minimum wage would be signed into law.

The resolution provided that the wage award would be paid to the federal workers for six months while states were encouraged to extend the same benefit to their workers.

Since signing the MoU, the federal government has directed that the payment of the N35,000 wage award and provision be made for 55,000 Compressed Natural Gas conversion kits to kick-start the autogas conversion programme.

However, the organised labour said it is not impressed with the snail pace of the implementation of the agreements in the MoU and threatened to down its tools by month’s end if nothing significant is implemented.

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