Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Sunday, 26th May, 2024

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Sunday, 26th May 2024

1. What President Tinubu Did About My Reinstatement – Emir Sanusi Opens Up

The new Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, has disclosed that President Bola Tinubu did not stand in the way of his reinstatement by the Kano State government.

According to Sanusi, the President resisted the pressure of using federal might to stand in the way of his reinstatement and instead, chose to ensure law and order was maintained in Kano State.

Naija News recalls Sanusi was reinstated on Friday as the Emir of Kano by Governor Abba Yusuf after signing the new Kano Emirate Council Law 2024 following the repeal of the Emirate Council Law put in place by former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje by the State House of Assembly.

Speaking on what transpired in Kano State, which led to his reinstatement, Sanusi said President Tinubu recognised that the Kano saga was a local matter and resisted all pressure to interfere or use federal might.

2. Dethroned Kano Emir, Ado Bayero Set For Main Palace’s Return (Photos)

There is palpable tension in Kano State as the deposed Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero, is set to return to the main palace located in the city.

Naija News reports that the 16th Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi II, currently resides in the main palace and held the first palace court sitting on Saturday morning.

The former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) appeared on a horse with a royal umbrella, which signifies his status as the Emir.

However, according to Daily Trust, the deposed monarch’s motorcade is being readied to move him to the main palace and ascend the throne with the help of security agents.

Recall that the Emir who was deposed alongside emirs of Rano, Bichi, Karaye and Gaya by the Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, after the repeal of Emirates Council Law, returned to the city in the early hours of Saturday.

Governor Abba Yusuf had earlier ordered the deposed emirs to vacate official residences and hand over properties to the Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Despite the directive, Ado Bayero returned to Kano and moved into a mini palace in Nasarawa, a development that led to the governor calling for his arrest.

3. Ribadu Speaks On Aiding Dethroned Emir’s Return To Kano

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has denied an allegation that he helped the dethroned Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado-Bayero, to return to the State.

Recall that the state Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo, had accused Ribadu of assisting in the return of the deposed Emir to the city at 4:30 a.m. on Saturday.

Gwarzo, in a brief video interview at the Emir’s palace in Gidan Rumfa, claimed that the NSA arranged for two aircraft to transport the sacked monarch to the state.

In an interview with Premium Times on Saturday, the spokesperson of the NSA’s office, Zakari Mijinyawa, responded to the allegations, saying they were untrue.

Mijinyawa said Ribadu did not provide the aircraft that returned Ado-Bayero to Kano.

Therefore, he urged politicians to be mindful of their utterances, as they may jeopardise security agencies’ efforts to maintain peace in the state.

4. ‘May Peace Reign In Kano’ – Dethroned Emir, Ado Bayero Breaks Silence

The 15th Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, has prayed for peace in Kano State amid the ongoing Emirship tussle in the state.

He stressed the principle of equality before the law and urged the public to maintain composure.

Naija News reports that Ado Bayero stated this while addressing the gathering at the temporary residence where he has been staying since his removal from the throne.

He expressed confidence in the triumph of justice, pledging to abide by the dictates of the law, highlighting the significance of Kano as a vital state in Nigeria.

Speaking in Hausa language, the dethroned monarch appealed to the people to uphold the law and patiently await the resolution of this dispute through the legal process.

5. Heavy Security At Kano Govt House As Gov Yusuf Remains At Palace

Currently, there is a significant security presence at the Government House in Kano due to the ongoing dispute over the royal position.

Naija News understands that the security personnel are strategically positioned, but they are not restricting movement in and out of the facility.

According to Daily Trust, journalists at the government house observed that the Chief Security Officer to the governor appeared visibly unsettled as he moved around, choosing not to make any comments.

Amid these events, the top security operatives, who previously met with the 15th Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, are holding another meeting inside the government house.

However, Governor Abba Yusuf, who accompanied Emir Muhammadu Sanusi to the palace earlier on Saturday, is still present there. The Governor’s convoy was spotted inside the palace.

Earlier, Yusuf had requested the police to arrest Ado Bayero for “creating tension,” but the police pledged to comply with the court order against Sanusi’s reinstatement.

Recall that on Thursday, a Federal High Court in Kano issued an ex-parte order restraining Governor Abba Yusuf from reinstating Emir Muhammadu Sanusi II. The order, issued by Justice Mohammed Liman, also halted the implementation of the new law that abolished the four emirates of Bichi, Gaya, Karaye, and Rano.

However, Governor Yusuf criticized the order when he issued a reappointment letter to Sanusi on Friday, claiming that the judge issued it from the United States.

Emir Sanusi subsequently led Friday prayers at Government House and then proceeded to the palace. Shortly after Sanusi’s arrival, Ado Bayero made his way to the state and settled in a smaller palace.

He was later provided with military protection.

6. Sanusi Vs Bayero: Security Agents To Obey Court Order On Kano Emir Tussle

The Kano State Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel has denied receiving any directive from Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to arrest the dethroned Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero.

He stated this while speaking to journalists on Saturday after a meeting at the Command Headquarters with the Nigerian Army Brigade Commander, as well as representatives from the Navy, Airforce, and other security agencies.

Recall that Governor Kabir Yusuf had earlier ordered the immediate arrest of the deposed Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero.

The governor gave the order in a statement on Saturday morning issued by his spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa.

According to the statement, Yusuf accused Ado Bayero of disturbing public peace and attempting to destroy the relative peace the state enjoys following his return on Saturday morning.

7. Presidency Lists Projects To Be Commissioned By Tinubu To Mark One Year In Office

Ahead of the first anniversary of his administration on 29 May, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu arrived in Lagos to begin a commissioning spree of projects completed under his administration.

The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made this known in a press statement on Saturday.

The presidency said in Lagos on Sunday, the President will inaugurate the concrete-paved road to the nation’s major ports in Apapa and Tin Can Island.

It stated that the reconstructed road which began under the Muhammadu Buhari Administration was financed by the Dangote Group, using its tax credits.

On the same day, President Tinubu will formally inaugurate, by virtual means, the refurbished Third Mainland Bridge, which has drawn public acclaim for its excellent finishing and aesthetic furnishing. He will also commission, virtually, the rehabilitation of 330 roads and bridges across the country.

The highpoint of the President’s enengagements on Sunday will be the inauguration of the iconic Lagos-Calabar Superhighway, estimated to cost about N15 trillion.

Work has begun on the legacy project that will connect nine coastal states, with Section Two already awarded to Hitech Construction Limited.

President Tinubu will return to Abuja on Tuesday to begin another round of commissioning. He will first inaugurate the Southern Parkway, which the Nyesom Wike-led FCT Administration named after him.

8. Odili To Fubara: ‘No Man Can Shake You’ [Video]

Former Rivers State Governor, Peter Odili has thrown his weight behind the administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Naija News reports that Odili urged the governor to remain focused on his people-centered objectives.

Odili made this declaration at the inauguration of the Omoku-Egbema Road in the state on Saturday.

He encouraged Fubara to stay the course, assuring him that the people of Rivers State are solidly behind him.

Odili, who governed the state from 1999 to 2007, praised Fubara’s achievements, stating that the projects undertaken by the current administration are enough to secure the people’s support for the 2027 election.

9. Abure’s Suspension From Party Invalid – LP NWC Declares

The Labour Party’s National Working Committee (NWC) has declared the Edo State chapter’s suspension of its National Chairman, Julius Abure, is “illegal” and “unconstitutional.”

Naija News reports that the clarification comes amid internal disputes within the party that reached a boiling point with Abure’s suspension by his local ward in Esan North-East Local Government, Edo State.

The controversy traces back to a letter dated May 14, 2024, followed by a ratification on May 15, 2024, in which Abure was suspended with immediate effect for alleged highhandedness and anti-party activities.

These decisions were reportedly endorsed by the state executive committee, led by Kelly Ogbaloi, during a meeting on Friday night in Benin.

Addressing the controversy in a statement in Abuja on Saturday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Obiora Ifoh, stated that the Edo State chapter acted without proper authority.

According to Ifoh, the party’s constitution stipulates in Article 17 Subsection 1 of the 2019 revision that only a national convention convened specifically for this purpose and achieving a two-thirds majority can suspend or remove the national chairman.

10. Sanusi Vs Bayero: Atiku Breaks Silence, Blames Tinubu For Escalating Kano Emir Crisis

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has slammed the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led Federal Government’s decision to deploy soldiers in Kano to resolve the dispute over the Emirate throne.

In a statement to Naija News by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku accused Tinubu of unconstitutional interference in the state’s affairs.

He noted that the Kano State House of Assembly and Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf followed due process in repealing the 2019 Emirate Council law and reappointing Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as Emir.

Atiku, a former PDP presidential candidate,  stated that the Federal Government’s actions violate the principles of true federalism and the Constitution’s exclusive and residual list dichotomy.

He also warned that the deployment of soldiers in extra-constitutional matters undermines the integrity of the Nigerian military and risks destabilizing Kano’s harmony, potentially leading to anarchy.

The PDP chieftain urged the Federal Government to respect Kano’s autonomy and refrain from interfering in the state’s internal affairs.

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