Top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 7th November 2022
1. There Will Be Enough Food For Nigerians Before I Handover – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has assured that his government is working hard to ensure adequate food for all Nigerians before he vacates office in 2023.
More importantly, the number one citizen said Nigeria would be more united, prosperous, and secure than he met it when he took over the government in 2015.
Truetells Nigeria understands that Buhari made the declaration on Sunday when he was represented by his Chief of Staff (CoS), Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, during a working visit to Nasarawa State.
The CoS visited the state to inspect the level of work at the Agriculture Machinery and Equipment Development Institute (AMEDI) in Lafia, the state capital.
To ensure food availability in the country, the president said his administration was committed to developing the agriculture sector to raise agriculture production and its value chain.
The president said that enormous steps had been taken to realize an increase in agriculture production as one of the key priorities of his administration was to transform the sector from subsistence to a very sophisticated machine driven.
He said this would bring about food sufficiency and food security in the country and also provide for the exportation of agricultural products.
Buhari commended the leadership of the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI) for the commitment and progress made on the project.
2. PDP Crisis: Don’t Sink With Ayu By Playing Lotto With Your Governorship Ambition – Ugochinyere Slams Adebutu
The spokesperson of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Ikenga Ugochinyere has warned the factional governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu against sacrificing his political career for something he knows little about.
Speaking against the recent statement by Adebutu on the crisis rocking the PDP, Ugochinyere in a statement on Sunday cautioned that the factional PDP candidate is openly displaying ignorance.
Truetells Nigeria recalls Adebutu, had called on the five aggrieved PDP Governors who are against the national chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, to resign from the party.
However, giving his opinion on the matter, while speaking to non-indigene residents in Ogun at a gathering in Abeokuta, Adebutu said those unwilling to abide by the decision of a party are free to leave or form their own party.
But the CUPP spokesperson has now cautioned him against sinking with Ayu but rather focus on his shaking governorship ambition and how to revive it.
Ugochinyere, who is also the PDP House of Representatives candidate for Ideato Federal Constituency in Imo State, warned that Adebutu can’t get the vote or confidence of the people by abusing others ahead of him.
3. Discriminatory, Illegal – Falana Asks Buhari To Ignore Ngige, Pay ASUU Full Salary
Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Femi Falana has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to pay members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), their full salaries.
This is as he called on the President to overrule the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige over the decision to pay the ASUU members half of their expected monthly salaries for October.
The senior lawyer said the decision taken by the federal government is not only discriminatory but illegal.
It will be recalled that the ASUU members called off their strike which had been on since February 14 on October 14, 2022.
However, the lecturers were paid for only half of the month of October, sparking various reactions and threats of another strike.
Explaining the decision behind the payment, the federal government through the Ministry of Labour said the lecturers can’t be paid for the period they didn’t work, adding that their salaries were pro-rated based on the period worked in the month of October.
ASUU has scheduled a meeting to decide on the official next line of action.
Reacting to the development, Falana who is the legal representative for ASUU said the action of the government is illegal and discriminatory.
He argued that the government in a similar situation had paid members of the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) for the period not worked after the Doctors called off their strike.
He, therefore, said what is good for the goose, should be good for the gander as well and urged President Buhari to intervene and ensure the full payment of the ASUU members.
Falana added that the lecturers have already mapped out strategies to ensure the period and activities missed due to the strike are covered.
4. IPOB: South-East APC PCC Explains Why Tinubu’s Campaign Was Shifted From Monday
The South-East Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has explained why it shifted the campaign schedules in the region for its candidate, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Truetells Nigeria recalls that the ruling party had earlier scheduled campaigns in Anambra and Imo States for Mondays but subsequently announced a reschedule of the events.
There were submissions that Tinubu’s PCC adjusted the dates of campaign programmes in the region because it was running away from the Sit-at Home practice in the areas.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the campaign council explained that the events were rescheduled because it was avoiding getting into loggerheads with any group or persons whose choices, according to them are meant to be respected.
APC explained further that it adjusted its timetable in recognition of the preparation for the coming yuletide season, which the people of the southeast and other parts of Nigeria hold dear to their hearts and religion.
It faulted those ascribing the Monday sit-at-home to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) or other groups, saying such was unnecessary as all the agitating groups in the region had washed their hands off from the practice by some people.
According to the PCC, people’s choices must be respected since what the presidential candidate was selling is his manifesto, policies and programmes for the entire Nigerians when elected as the next president of Nigeria.
5. Ortom Receives Wike, Ikpeazu In Benue
Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Sunday received Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and his Abia State counterpart, Okezie Ikpeazu at the Makurdi Airport.
Truetells Nigeria reports that the duo, who are members of the G-5, arrived the North-Central state ahead of the flag-off of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) campaigns and the commissioning of some projects executed by Ortom.
It was gathered that the PDP campaigns and commissioning hold in Makurdi on Monday.
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State and Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State are also expected in Benue.
The five PDP Governors are demanding the resignation of the National Chairman of the party, Senator Iyorchia Ayu as a condition to support the presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar in 2023.
6. Buhari To Attend Rally As APC Sets Up 40-Man LOC For Tinubu’s Presidential Campaign Flag-off
The Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council, Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has inaugurated a 40-man Local Organising Committee (LOC) to plan and work on hosting the flag-off of the party’s presidential campaigns.
The LOC for the presidential campaign flag-off which is billed for November 15, 2022, in Jos, Plateau State is headed by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Idris Wase.
Inaugurating the council, Governor Lalong in a statement on Sunday by his spokesperson, Makut Simon Macham, urged members of the committee to ensure a seamless and memorable event.
He pointed out that President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to lead other prominent party members including the APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Adamu to the campaign kick-off.
Lalong emphasized that all hands must be on deck to ensure the victory of the APC presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, and all other party candidates at various levels and urged the LOC to put in their best.
7. Ganduje Denies Hiding Billions Of Cash At Home
The Kano state government has strongly condemned the claim made by Sahara Reporters that Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje is one of the three governors monitored by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for stashing billions of Naira in cash.
A statement issued by the state information commissioner, Malam Muhammad Garba, noted that the EFCC did not mention the names of the governors it accused.
He said that the report released by the news platform has no basis for an investigative report. He described it as mere speculation by the authors or an attempt to defame the governor purposely.
Malam Garba pointed out that Governor Ganduje did not hide billions of Naira that could be used to engage in the dreary process of table payment of workers’ salaries in this era of e-banking services.
The commissioner added that Kano state is one of the federal states that pay workers’ salaries on time; even at the time of the false report by Sahara Reporters, posting of the October salary had commenced.
Therefore, he called on the Sahara Reporters to withdraw the story and apologize to the government without delay, else the state government will not hesitate to take legal action.
8. ASUU: SERAP Issues 7 Days Ultimatum To Buhari To Reverse Lecturers’ Half-Salaries
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has issued a seven-day ultimatum to President Muhammadu Buhari to revoke the illegal deduction of salaries of public university lecturers.
Naija News reports that the Federal Government had withheld the salaries of the members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) after going on strike for over eight months.
The ASUU strike, which started on the 14th of February 2022, ended on the 14th of October following a court order. Days after calling off the strike, President Buhari’s government only paid lecturers for 18 working days in the month of October.
The development has since generated concerns among stakeholders. Explaining why it paid the lectures half-salary, the incumbent government in a statement on Saturday through the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment noted that members of ASUU were paid their October salary pro-rata.
According to the ministry, pro-rata was done because they cannot be paid for work not done, adding that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, never directed the Accountant General of the Federation to pay the university lecturers half salaries.
Reacting, however, to the government’s stand, SERAP in a terse statement on its social media on Sunday, said it has ordered the president to within the next seven days, reverse the illegal deduction of the lecturer’s salary.
9. Why Atiku Did Not Attend Presidential Debate – Okowa
The Vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has revealed why the presidential candidate of his party, Atiku Abubakar was absent at the town hall series billed for Sunday.
Truetells Nigeria earlier reported that the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) in collaboration with Arise Television, organised the debate which is expected to be attended by the four leading candidates.
The debate took place at 7 pm on Sunday at the Congress Hall of the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja.
The first part of the series focusing on security was expected for have the four major presidential candidates: Atiku Abubakar (PDP); Bola Ahmed Tinubu (APC); Rabiu Kwankwaso (NNPP) and Peter Obi (Labour Party) in attendance, but only Kwankwaso and Obi were in attendance, while Governor Okowa represented Atiku Abubakar and Tinubu was absent. Presidential candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party, Kola Abiola was also in attendance.
After being asked not to speak on Atiku’s behalf by the audience, Governor Okowa explained that Atiku duly received the invite and intimated the organizers of him being outside the country.
The PDP chieftain said the former vice-president was given permission to send representation.
10. NDLEA Arrests Foreigners For Drug Trafficking
Two Pakistani businessmen have been nabbed with eight kilograms of cocaine concealed in a public address system at the Lagos International Passport.
The two suspects: Asif Muhammed, 45 and Hussain Naveed, 57 were arrested by the operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to Lahole, Pakistan via Doha.
The NDLEA in a statement said the duo had with them a suspected fake Nigeria residence permit and were frequent travellers to Nigeria under the guise of doing textile business.
