Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Tuesday, 16th January, 2024

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Tuesday, 16th January 2024.

1. Supreme Court: How President Tinubu Prevented What Happened In 1983 From Repeating Itself – Marafa

Senator Kabiru Marafa has commended the neutrality of President Bola Tinubu in determining the outcome of the Supreme Court verdict on the 2023 governorship elections in Nigeria.

Naija News recalls the Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the electoral victories of some governors, including those of Abba Kabir Yusuf (Kano), Caleb Mutfwang (Plateau), Bala Mohammed (Bauchi), and Dauda Lawal (Zamfara), who are all of the opposition parties.

Reacting to the development in a statement on Monday, Senator Marafa said President Tinubu’s neutrality ensured what happened in 1983 when the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) grabbed states that were hitherto of the opposition, leading to the eventual collapse of the second republic did not repeat itself in Nigeria’s democracy.

Marafa, who was the Zamfara Coordinator of the Campaign Council of Tinubu/Shettima during the general elections, said the President has saved the country’s democracy and restored hope in the judiciary.

He said the will of Nigerians have prevailed and Tinubu resisted the pressure from some loyalists to intervene in the judicial process.

2. Tinubu, Governors Mark 2024 Armed Forces Remembrance Day

In a solemn and dignified ceremony, President Bola Tinubu, alongside leaders of the National Assembly, the armed forces, and other critical stakeholders, paid tribute to Nigeria’s fallen heroes at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, National Cenotaph in Abuja on Monday.

This event marked the climax of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day activities, which began with the launch of the Remembrance Day Emblem last October.

Prominent attendees included the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru; and the Chief Justice of the Federation, Olukayode Ariwoola, among others.

The ceremony featured Christian and Muslim prayers for the souls of the departed heroes, followed by a minute of silence in their honour.

President Tinubu led the wreath-laying ceremony, a poignant gesture of remembrance and respect.

He was followed by other key figures, including the Senate President, Speaker of the House, CJN, Minister of the FCT, Minister of State for Defence, and the Doyen of the Diplomatic Corps in Nigeria.

Service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police also took turns laying wreaths at the monument.

3. N35,000 Wage Will Continue Till New Minimum Wage Is Agreed On – NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says that the N35,000 wage award agreement with the Federal Government will continue until a new minimum wage is agreed on.

The NLC president, Joe Ajaero, stated this while addressing newsmen in Abuja on Monday.

Recall that Tinubu, on October 1, had approved N35,000 as the provisional wage increment for all Treasury-paid workers for six months.

This was part of an agreement reached with organised labour to cushion the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy.

However, the federal government has only paid two months of the wage award that commenced in September 2023.

Speaking on the situation, Ajaero explained that the payment would run for only six months before the commencement of the national minimum wage.

4. Insecurity: EFCC Chairman Meets IGP

Amid the rising kidnapping attacks in the country, the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, on Monday received the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukayode.

Announcing the development in a statement made available on his official X account, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, detailed that vital security issues and collaborative ideas on how to tackle crimes were discussed.

“IGP Plays Host to Chairman EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, in his office at Force Headquarters, Abuja today. Vital security issues and collaborative ideas were discussed to tackle crimes and criminality in all areas for the betterment of our their country, Nigeria. We will relate with all agencies and the general public to decimate criminal activities in this country,” Adejobi wrote.

Naija News reports that his comment comes amid the wanton security challenges currently bedevilling the nation.

5. ‘Don’t Worry’ – Tinubu Reveals Plans To Tackle ‘Japa’ Syndrome

President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government, in collaboration with sub-nationals, will train more persons to fill the professional gap now conspicuous in health, tech and other sectors due to the ‘Japa’ syndrome.

Naija News reports that Tinubu gave the assurance on Monday at Owerri, the Imo state capital, shortly after Governor Hope Uzodimma took the oath of office for a second term.

Tinubu said Nigerians should not be bothered about the mass exodus of skilled workers from the country, assuring the citizens that more people would be trained.

Speaking further, the President said the education of children and youths is a priority for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.

6. Worsening Poverty, Hunger Fueling Insecurity In The Country – Atiku Laments

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has suggested that the increasing spate of hunger and poverty is fueling insecurity in Nigeria.

Reacting to the recent increase in insecurity across the country, the former vice president, in a tweet via his official X account on Monday, lamented that he was distressed by the escalating violence and lawlessness in the nation.

Naija News reports that he called on the President Bola Tinubu led government to urgently address the dire security situation to regain the trust of Nigerians.

7. North Yet To Recover From 1966 Military Coup – ACF

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), a prominent socio-cultural group in Northern Nigeria, has joined the nation in commemorating the heroes of the 15th January 1966 military coup, honouring those who paid the supreme price during this pivotal event in Nigerian history.

In a statement released by its National Publicity Secretary, Professor Tukur Muhammad-Baba, the ACF took the opportunity to express its stance on the historical narrative of the coup.

The Forum strongly condemned any attempts to rewrite the history of this period, emphasizing that the North had not fully recovered from the impact of the war that ensued following the coup.

He said, for ACF, 15th January 1966 remains most poignantly significant because Northern Nigeria lost its most illustrious sons to the guns of the coup plotters, ending their brilliant political and military careers.

He said the 1966 coup sign-posted the death of Nigeria’s nascent democracy, which event still reverberates most negatively in the national political history.

7. CCB Invites Tinubu’s Minister, Tunji-Ojo Over Alleged N438 Million Contract Scam

The Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) has summoned the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, to address allegations linking his company to the N438 million contract scam in the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation.

This development signifies a significant move in the Bureau’s investigation into potential breaches of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers by the Minister.

According to exclusive information obtained by Punch on Monday, a company reportedly associated with the Minister, New Planet Projects, is said to have benefited from the alleged contract irregularities within the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs.

The CCB has scheduled the Minister’s appearance for Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at the CCB Headquarters located in the Federal Secretariat Complex, Abuja.

The invitation, signed by CCB Director of Investigation and Monitoring, Gwimi S.P, on behalf of CCB Chairman Murtala Aliyu, cites the Bureau’s mandate and powers as outlined in the Third Schedule, Part 1, 3 (e) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

8. Nigeria’s Inflation Surges Further, Hits 28.92%

The latest inflation report by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed Nigeria’s headline inflation rose to 28.92 per cent in December from the 28.20 per cent recorded in November 2023.

The report, released by the statistics bureau on Monday, detailed that food inflation also rose to 33.93 per cent from the 32.84 per cent recorded in November 2023.

Naija News reports that the bureau further detailed that on a year on year basis, the country’s inflation rose by 7.58 per cent from the 21.34 per cent recorded in December 2022 to 28.92 per cent in December 2023.

9. Wike Not Properly Briefed, Should Declare A State Of Emergency In Abuja – Public Complaints Commissioner

The Commissioner for Public Complaints Commission (PCC) representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hon Ezekiel Musa Dalhatu, has lamented the rising spate of killings, kidnappings and general insecurity in Abuja.

The Commissioner, during a press conference on Monday, said the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, had not received a proper briefing on the state of insecurity in the nation’s capital.

According to Dalhatu, the insecurity in the FCT has assumed worrying dimensions and it is time for Wike to declare a state of emergency regarding the situation.

He lamented that criminals and miscreants are taking full advantage of the situation while residents now live in constant fear.

The Commissioner said his office had received an avalanche of complaints from both individuals and groups, over incessant cases of killings and abduction by bandits.

He said residents of communities in Abaji, Kwali, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Bwari area councils in Abuja south were living in fear due to incessant cases of banditry and kidnapping while 176 people were reportedly abducted by bandits across Kuje, Kwali and Bwari area councils of the FCT under two months.

10. Tinubu, Obasanjo Present As Uzodimma Takes Oath Of Office For Second Term

Governor Hope Uzodimma has been sworn in for a second term as the governor of Imo State, months after he was re-elected as the state’s leader.

Naija News reports that the governor took the oath of office at around 3:24 pm at the Dan Ayiam Stadium in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

His inauguration came just minutes after Lady Chinyere Ekomaru took her oath of office as the deputy governor of Imo State.

President Bola Tinubu; ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo; the Senate President Godswill Akpabio; the Speaker of the House of Representative Tajudeen Abbas, the AnambraGovernor Charles Soludo was represented by his deputy Onyekachi Ibezim, and other All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftains were among those in attendance.

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