Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Thursday, 28th December, 2023

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 28th December 2023.

1. We Are Re-engineering Nigeria For The Good Of Everyone – Tinubu

President Bola Tinubu says his administration will not stop working tirelessly to revamp the nation’s economy and create viable opportunities for young people to meaningfully participate in an inclusive, labour-intensive economy where businesses can thrive.

President Tinubu made the declaration at the State House in Marina, Lagos State, on Wednesday, during a town hall meeting with traditional rulers, chairpersons of Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) and other political office holders in the state.

The President said Nigeria, under his Renewed Hope Administration, is undergoing a process of financial re-engineering and appealed to citizens to be patient and supportive of the ongoing reforms which are bound to transform the economy for the better.

2. Bandits Are Steps Ahead Of Govt, Sultan Reacts To Plateau Killings

The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, has condemned the Christmas Eve massacres in 20 communities in Mangu, Bokkos, Mangu, and Barkin Ladi local government areas of Plateau State.

Naija News reports that the sultan blamed security agencies for failing to obtain intelligence, which resulted in the horrible atrocity that killed over 100 people.

Abubakar, in a goodwill message delivered on Wednesday at the 80th National Islamic Vacation Course, which took place at the Air Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Stadium in Bauchi, urged the government and security agencies to be more aggressive in acquiring intelligence since “bandits and terrorists are always one step ahead.”

Additionally, Abubakar cautioned against politicizing the nation’s security issues, stating that doing so was risky and the worst course of action.

3. Ondo Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu Is Dead

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has been reported dead after a prolonged battle with Leukaemia.

According to a family source, Governor Akeredolu died at the age of 67.

According to Premium Times, the late governor died around 2 am on Wednesday in a German hospital where he was receiving treatment.

The news platform said the Ondo governor died of leukaemia and prostate cancer that had made him incapacitated for several months.

4. Yusuf vs Gawuna: Shekarau Speaks On Who Supreme Court Should Choose As Kano State Governor

A former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, has advised Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and his opponent, Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to accept whatever is the final verdict of the Supreme Court on the Kano State governorship tussle in good faith.

According to Shekarau, the two men should accept that power belongs to God and he gives it to whosoever pleases him.

The former Governor also urged both Yusuf and Gawuna to pray to God to give Kano State the best leader from the Supreme Court verdict.

Naija News recalls the Supreme Court had last week Thursday, after listening to all parties in the Kano governorship tussle, reserved its judgement. The five-man panel of the apex court led by Justice Inyang Okoro said the date for the final judgement would be communicated to the parties involved in the matter.

Speaking on the development, Shekarau said the contestants should be ready to accept the outcome of the court ruling and the judges should also have it at the back of their minds that they would be rewarded by God for whatever judgement they deliver.

While hoping the court will do right, the former Kano governor said members of the public should realize judges are humans too.

5. Lucky Aiyedatiwa Sworn In As New Ondo State Governor

Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa has officially been sworn in as the new Governor of Ondo State.

Aiyedatiwa was sworn in on Wednesday by the state Chief Judge, Justice Olusegun Odusola, in Akure, the state capital, at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the governor’s office.

His swearing-in follows the death of former Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, who died in the early hours of Wednesday after a protracted battle with Prostate Cancer and Leukemia.

As earlier reported by Naija News, Aiyedatiwa had to cut short his holiday and return to Akure for the swearing-in ceremony.

While taking his oath of office, Aiyedatiwa promised to always put the interest of the state above his personal interests.

He vowed that his actions in office would be guided by the provisions of the Nigerian constitution and promised to work in the best interest of the people of Ondo.

6. INEC Retires 4 Directors From Service Based On Fresh FG Directive

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has ordered four of its directors to proceed on terminal leave as they retire from service.

INEC, in a statement on Wednesday, said two of the directors served as Heads of Departments at the National Headquarters, while the other two are deployed as Administrative Secretaries in the State offices.

According to the INEC statement signed by its National Commissioner & Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, the directive is in compliance with the federal government policy directive, which mandates all Directors with eight years or more of service to retire from the public sector.

The statement added that only clinical officers in the medical cadre are exempted from the directive.

INEC therefore wished the affected directors the best as they bow out of service.

7. Plateau State: Culprits That Were Identified Were Treated Like Sacred Cows – Femi Falana

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) has condemned the Plateau State massacre.

The senior advocate urged the Nigerian government to put measures in place to stop the wanton killing.

The Chairman Alliance on Surviving Covid 19, and Beyond (ASCAB) made this known in a statement he personally signed on Wednesday.

He listed casualties recorded in Plateau State in the last 20 months.

Falana lamented that killings have continued because the culprits identified were treated like sacred cows.

8. Kano Govt Speaks On Planning To Embezzle N8 Billion LG Funds

The Kano State Government has denied a claim that it was planning to spend N8 billion meant for the upkeep of its Local Government Areas.

Recall that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had claimed that the Kano government plans to spend N8 billion in local government areas funds without justification.

The state APC chairman, Abdullahi Abbas, made the allegation in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

He claimed that the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) government is set to take over the functions of local government councils in order to misappropriate their funds, amounting to over N8 billion.

But in a statement on Wednesday, the Kano State Commissioner for Information, Baba Halilu Dantiye, said the claim by the APC is baseless, mischievous, and should be ignored by all Kano residents and the general public.

He said it is a well-known fact that the Abba Yussuf-led government has built a reputation for accountability and judicious deployment of resources within the last seven months.

The commissioner said Governor Yusuf will not be distracted by people who are bitter because they lost elections and have also lost their sources of pilfering government resources.

9. Your Funds Are Safe In Nigerian Banks – CBN Assures Depositors

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has assured depositors of the safety of their monies in all the Nigerian banks.

Naija News reports that the apex bank said this in a statement released on Wednesday by its acting Director of Corporate Communications, Sidi-Ali Hakama.

The CBN gave the assurance following media reports that the federal government has been asked to take over some financial institutions it supervises.

According to the statement, the CBN said Nigerian banks are safe and sound, adding that depositors and the public can continue their regular banking activities without fear.

10. Former House Of Reps Speaker, Ghali Na’abba Is Dead

A former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Ghali Umar Na” Abba, is reportedly dead.

Naija News learnt that Ghali, the 7th speaker of the House of Representatives, died in the early hours of Wednesday in Abuja.

A family source who spoke with DAILY NIGERIAN said the former lawmaker died in an Abuja hospital following a brief illness.

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