Top headlines from today’s Nigerian newspapers, Tuesday, November 2, 2021
Hello Nigeria, welcome to Naija News’ summary of the main headlines in Nigeria for today, Tuesday, November 2, 2021
Nigerians were better off under the military rule of General Sani Abacha, IBB, Obasanjo and others than under the current administration led by Muhammadu Buhari.
Naija News reports that this was announced by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, a fierce critic of the current government.
He said this when speaking to reporters in Makurdi after returning from Abuja where he attended the PDP national convention which produced new cadres for the main opposition party.
According to Governor of Benue, at no time in our history has Nigeria been so divided along religious and ethnic lines.
Inspector General of Police IGP Usman Alkali Baba has ordered detailed investigations into the reported invasion of the Abuja residence of Judge Mary Odili.
Naija News reports that on Friday, October 29, 2021, security agents stormed the Abuja residence of the Supreme Court judge acting on an alleged judicial warrant to search his home.
Reacting in a statement to Naija News signed by Force PRO, DCP Frank Mba, IGP noted that the police leadership was unaware and at no time had ordered their officers to carry out such a mission.
The police chief called the reported violation of the sanctity of the Supreme Court judge’s residence unfortunate and unacceptable.
Progressive Governors Forum, PGF CEO Salihu Lukman has attacked Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed over his recent statement that bandits are not terrorists.
Lukman, who called Mohammed’s position illogical, said he expected better coordination in the public position of senior government officials on these issues.
Naija News recalls that the Minister of Information argued that the fact that bandits impose levies on communities does not mean that they have taken control.
The PGF boss who spoke in a statement on Monday, however, said Defense Minister Bashir Magashi gave a better presentation when he said the process to brand the bandits as terrorists is still ongoing. .
Lukman said Mr. Mohammed should have adopted the same explanation given by the defense minister.
Reports from Plateau State indicate that security agents have arrested the speaker of the State Assembly House who was ousted last Thursday, along with 10 other lawmakers who supported him.
Naija News understands that police arrested the Honorable Abok and the other lawmakers at around 3:15 p.m. after besieging the parliament building for about 8 hours.
Ayuba, when repeatedly asked by reporters if he was under arrest, replied, “I cannot say if I am under arrest at the moment.
Naija News previously reported that a group of young people loyal to the deposed president stormed the assembly this morning, posting signs with various inscriptions protesting the politician’s impeachment.
Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and candidate for governor of Anambra in 2021, Professor Charles Soludo argued that the Outlawed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) deserve to be heard.
According to Soludo, who is the Grand Alliance All Progressives (APGA) candidate for the November 6, 2021 polls, he has never hidden his position on the separatist group.
Soludo made his point of view known on Monday during the debate on the election of the governor of Anambra organized by Arise TV when he was asked by the presenters about his point of view on the activities of the IPOB in the south. is.
The candidate for governor said that even though he believed in one Nigeria, the agitations of IPOB members could not be completely stopped. He added that the government must dialogue with them and reach agreements.
Former Aviation Minister Osita Chidoka argued that governors and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) National Working Committee (NWC) have different roles to play in ensuring the party’s success.
The PDP leader spoke against the background of the roles played by elected governors on the party platform in resolving the recent crisis that threatened to derail the party.
Naija News recalls that governors played a pivotal role in the planning and execution of the October 30-31 PDP national convention, which has now formed a new set of NWC members to run the party’s affairs.
However, Chidoka has now decided to allay fears that the governors will be the ones in control of the party structure and that the members of the NWC will become their “boys”.
Speaking on Monday, as a guest of Sunrise Daily, a Channels TV show, Chidoka said that while governors do play a key role in stabilizing the party and resolving the crisis, the new members of the NWC will have carte blanche to run the affairs of the party.
He added that governors remain full leaders and stakeholders, but will not interfere or entail party management with new NWC members, but would prefer to work together as ongoing partners.
Scores of people were trapped after a 21-story building collapsed on Monday’s Gerald Road in Ikoyi, Lagos state.
Naija News has learned that the collapsed building was under construction and that scores of people were reportedly killed in the incident.
Rescue workers from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), among others, were mobilized to the scene to rescue those trapped.
LASEMA chief executive Femi Oke-Osanyintolu said the emergency response plan was quickly activated following the distress call.
A controversial Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has sparked yet another controversy with his recent claim that labeling the bandits terrorists exacerbates a simple problem.
The cleric, who is popular for his defensive stance on the issue of bandits, said the bandits cannot be compared to established terrorists such as Boko Haram and ISWAP.
He described the bandits as naive criminals who are only looking for a means of survival.
Speaking during the enrollment of the third group of students in the free health care and education program for orphans organized by the Kawo Islamic Foundation in Kaduna, Gumi reiterated his position that the government should not qualify the children. terrorist bandits.
In his view, if the bandits are labeled as terrorists, as many stakeholders are calling on the federal government to do, they could ally themselves with the real terrorists and cause more harm.
Instead, the cleric said the government should engage in dialogue with them.
Progressive Governors Forum, PGF general manager Salihu Lukman called on the new national chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Iyorchia Ayu, to investigate how the former party leaders spent the funds intended for the construction of its national secretariat in Abuja. .
Lukman in a statement on Monday said about 30 billion naira has been raised for the project, while around 16 billion naira has been spent so far, but the 12-story national PDP secretariat located on Muhammadu Buhari Way, Central Business District, Abuja has not been completed, and appears to be abandoned.
Although the PGF boss congratulated the PDP on the successful conduct of its national convention, he said the digging of funds for the party secretariat should be a main task before the party’s newly elected executive body.
He said that before the PDP can claim to be able to fix Nigeria, it must show that it can resolve its internal problems first by showing responsibility.
Due to the reduction in bandit attacks in Zamfara State, Governor Bello Matawalle has reopened some weekly markets that were closed a few months ago.
The governor ordered the immediate reopening of the markets in a statement signed Monday by the Information Commissioner, Ibrahim Magaji Dosara.
The commissioner noted that the markets, which were closed due to the insecure situation in the state, have been reopened due to the improving security situation and a series of demands from members of the public.
Dosara, however, revealed that the ban on selling animals in these markets was still in effect, warning against any act of violating public order in the markets.
He said the reopened markets are Nassarawa Burkullu in Bukkuyum local government, Talata-Mafara market in Talata-Mafara local government, Gusau market in Gusau local government and Shinkafi market in government local of Shinkafi.