Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Wednesday, 20th December, 2023

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Wednesday, 20th December 2023.

1. 25 Rivers Assembly Lawmakers Who Defected Have Lost Their Seats – PDP Insists, Dares Tinubu

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has insisted that there is no going back on the issue of the 25 Rivers State Assembly lawmakers who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The PDP in a statement released on Tuesday at the end of an emergency meeting of its National Working Committee (NWC) insisted that there is no remedy for the affected lawmakers and told them to prepare for fresh elections.

The PDP statement which was signed by its Acting National Chairman, Umar Iliya Damagum said by virtue of Section 109 (1)(g) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) the legislators vacated and lost their seats by reason of defection from the PDP, the Party platform upon which they were elected into the House of Assembly.

This is coming barely twenty-four hours after President Bola Tinubu presided over a reconciliatory meeting on the political crisis in Rivers State and part of the resolutions reached was to allow the defectors to return to the Assembly.

However, the PDP at the end of its NWC meeting in which issues about the political developments in Rivers State were discussed maintained that the only option available for the defected lawmakers to be able to return to the House is to to seek fresh nomination and re-election on the platform of any political party of their choice.

The PDP further said since the seats of the lawmakers have been declared vacant by the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Ehie O. Edison, they should not allow false hopes from Abuja to make them think they can return to the House through the backdoor.

2. Precious Eze: ‘Your Promise To Uphold Press Freedom Is Hollow’ – Atiku Calls Out Tinubu

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has accused the government of President Bola Tinubu of failure to uphold press freedom and respect public opinion.

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said in a personally signed message released on Tuesday via his account on the X platform, that though Tinubu promised to uphold press freedom and respect public opinion, the reality shows otherwise.

Citing the example of a journalist, Precious Eze, who was whisked away by security operatives from his home in Gbagada, Lagos State without any explanation, Atiku said the actions of state agencies do not match the promise of President Tinubu.

He stated that regardless of what Eze might have done, friends, family and Nigerians deserve to know his whereabouts.

The former Vice President stressed the need to respect freedom of speech and allow newsmen to do their jobs freely without any form of harassment from security operatives.

3. ‘There’s No Amount That Is Too Big To Pay For Peace’ – Gov Fubara Breaks Silence

The Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara has declared that there is no price that is too much to pay for peace.

He added that he would continue to pay the price for peace to reign in Rivers State.

Naija News reports Fubara made the declaration on Tuesday at the 3rd Convocation and 6th Founders Day ceremonies of the PAMO University of Medical Sciences in Iriebe Town, Obio-Akpor Local Government Area of the state.

The statement represents the first time the Governor would be speaking publicly since the resolution of the Rivers State crisis which was brokered on Monday by President Bola Tinubu.

Though some stakeholders believe Fubara got the short end of the stick and the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike got a better deal, the Rivers State Governor declared on Tuesday that he is prepared to pay any price for peace to prevail.

He added that his administration would continue to make the provision of affordable healthcare and quality education a priority.

4. ‘We Will Show Wike He Is Not Above The Party’ – PDP Chairman, Damagum

The acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, has opened up on plans to sanction the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and others for alleged anti-party activities during the 2023 general elections.

Naija News reports that Damagum made this known while responding to questions at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, stating that the former Governor of Rivers State is not above the party and would be sanctioned at the appropriate time.

Damagum said there is a need to stabilise the party and not plunge the party into another crisis due to the ongoing litigations in the party.

He further noted that there was never a time Wike said he is not a member of the PDP, adding that the party’s yet-to-be-inaugurated 2023 review committee will present a report and recommend appropriate sanctions against those involved in anti-party activities.

5. I Am Paid ₦1,200 As Operation Allowance, My Soldiers Get N50,000 Monthly Salary – CDS Musa Reveals

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa has disclosed that he receives ₦1,200 per day as operation allowance.

The CDS added that it is the same amount every Nigerian soldier receives as operation allowance irrespective of their rank.

General Musa made the revelation on Tuesday while speaking on the welfare of military personnel in the country during an interview with Channels TV.

While asking for improved working conditions for the military, the CDS revealed that some soldiers collect less than N50,000 as salary in a month while the available barracks may not be enough to provide accommodation for the troops.

He therefore urged the government to look into the welfare of the soldiers so they can be paid what would encourage them to do more.

6. Tinubu’s Govt Vows To End Insecurity In 2024

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government has vowed to see Nigeria’s insecurity end by 2024.

The incumbent government stated this on Tuesday through the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, who declared that the federal government acknowledged the security challenges confronting the nation and is working tirelessly to resolve them.

Naija News understands that Matawalle gave the assurance while speaking at an interview with BBC Hausa today.

According to Matawalle, actions taken by the Tinubu administration on insecurity would aid in solving the incessant attacks by gunmen.

7. House Of Reps Fix Dec 30 For 2024 Budget Passage

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on Tuesday announced the planned passage of the 2024 budget proposal on December 30, 2023.

The declaration was made during a plenary session in the House of Representatives.

Abbas took the opportunity to charge Committee Chairmen to finalise and submit their budget defence reports by December 19, 2023.

This comes hours after the Joint National Assembly Committee on Appropriations gave a 48-hour deadline to all sub-committees to submit their reports on the 2024 budget.

Naija News recalls that President Bola Tinubu had last month, presented to the joint session of the National Assembly N27.503trillion as total projected expenditure for the 2024 fiscal year, out of which N18.324trillion is set as targeted revenue while N9.18trillion is deficit to be financed by internal and external borrowings as well as proceeds from privatisation.

8. Foundation Of Nigeria’s Problems Lies In 1999 Constitution – Robert Clarke

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Robert Clarke, has characterized the 1999 Constitution as the fundamental cause of the nation’s challenges.

Clarke made this observation on Tuesday in response to the recent resolution achieved when President Bola Tinubu once again played a mediating role in addressing the crisis in Rivers State.

“The 1999 constitution is the cornerstone of our problems. In every area of political line, especially in the area of election, when the constitution restricts those who can come and be voted for or who can vote for, something must be wrong with that constitution. The problem today is not what the President says,” he said while answering Arise TV’s Good Morning Show questions.

He criticized Governor Siminalayi Fubara for demolishing the State House of Assembly complex.

“Why should a governor bring a caterpillar and bring down the state House of Assembly? Does that show sanity, and you voted for such a person?” he questioned.

When asked if the President has a constitutional role in solving sub-national matters, the SAN disclosed that Tinubu has no constitutional role in the matter.

9. Lalong Officially Resigns As Minister

Former Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong has officially resigned his appointment as the Minister of Labour and Employment in the cabinet of President Bola Tinubu.

Lalong with the decision, is set to resume in the National Assembly as the Senator representing Plateau South Senatorial District.

The Special Adviser to the outgoing Minister on Media, Makut Simon Macham in a statement on Tuesday, confirmed the decision of Lalong to drop the Ministerial slot and take up the Senate seat.

He revealed that Lalong submitted his resignation letter to the President on Tuesday, 19th December 2023.

Macham said in the statement that Lalong in his letter, reminded President Tinubu that after exhaustive legal processes, the Court of Appeal declared him as the duly elected Senator representing Plateau South Senatorial District and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue him the Certificate of Return.

He highlighted that the decision to resign as a Minister was not made lightly because of the trust and confidence that President Bola Tinubu placed in him having also served as the Director General of the Tinubu/Shettima Campaign Council which delivered victory for the APC.

10. ‘We Are Ready To Face Any Consequences’ – Edwin Clark Rejects Tinubu’s Resolution On Rivers State Crisis

Prominent Ijaw leader, Edwin Clark has described the resolution reached on the political crisis in Rivers State as undemocratic, dictatorial, and one-sided.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Clark said the resolution brokered by President Bola Tinubu is not fair and only a fresh attempt to compensate the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike for the role played in his 2023 election victory.

The elder statesman added however that the Ijaw nation would not accept any arrangement that would make the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara a servant to Wike as they are ready to deal with any consequence of the political crisis.

Clark while appealing to the youths to remain calm, threatened that the entire Ijaw nation is ready to go to court to resist any act of oppression which is targeted at turning Fubara, who is a democratically elected Governor into a political stooge of Wike.

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