Welcome to Truetells Nigeria roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Thursday, 29th July 2021
1. IMN Leader El-Zakzaky, Wife Discharged And Acquitted
The leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, and his wife, Zeenat, have been discharged and acquitted.
Truetells Nigeria reports that a Kaduna State High Court on Wednesday freed the embattled Shiites leader and his wife.
In a ruling that lasted over eight hours, the presiding judge, Justice Gideon Kurada upheld the no-case submission filed by El-Zakzaky and his wife.
Zakzaky and his wife have been standing trial in the court for the past four years on an eight-count charge of alleged culpable homicide, disruption of public peace and unlawful assembly among others levelled against them by the Kaduna State Government.
2. Supreme Court Ruling: Resign As APC Chairman, PDP Tells Governor Buni
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni to immediately resign his position as the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Caretaker Committee.
The opposition party in a statement on Wednesday said its call is based on the minority ruling of the Supreme Court in the 2020 Ondo State Governorship Election case.
Truetells Nigeria recalls that though the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the APC and its candidate, Rotimi Akeredolu in a 4-3 judgment on Wednesday, the minority ruling read by Justice Mary Odili noted that Buni’s position as a sitting Governor and also the national chairman of the APC is strange to the law and is a violation of both the party’s constitution and the 1999 constitution of Nigeria (as amended).
Odili argued that Buni as a sitting governor was wrong to have presided over the process that produced Akeredolu as the candidate of the APC.
3. Sunday Igboho Allowed To Enter Any Country With ‘Fake Passport’ – Lawyer
Olasupo Ojo, a counsel to embattled Yoruba nation agitator Sunday Adeyemo, also known as Sunday Igboho, has stated that the International Refugee Law permits the activist to enter any country even with a “fake passport”.
Article 31 of the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees provides thus: “The Contracting States shall not impose penalties, on account of their illegal entry or presence, on refugees who, coming directly from a territory where their life or freedom was threatened in the sense of Article 1, enter or are present in their territory without authorisation, provided they present themselves without delay to the authorities and show good cause for their illegal entry or presence.
“The Contracting States shall not apply to the movements of such refugees restrictions other than those which are necessary and such restrictions shall only be applied until their status in the country is regularised or they obtain admission into another country.
“The Contracting States shall allow such refugees a reasonable period and all the necessary facilities to obtain admission into another country.”
Speaking on Wednesday on PUNCH Online interview programme, The Roundtable, Ojo, however, said his client didn’t obtain a fake Beninese Passport.
4. Akeredolu vs Jegede: Supreme Court Takes Final Decision On Ondo Governorship Election
The Supreme Court has ruled in favour of Rotimi Akeredolu in the matter involving the authentic winner of the October 10 governorship election in Ondo State.
The apex court in its 4-3 judgment on Wednesday, declared Rotimi Akeredolu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the duly elected governor of Ondo State.
The court also threw out the suit filed by the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the election, Mr. Eyitayo Jegede.
Truetells Nigeria recalls after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had declared Akeredolu as the winner of the election, Jegede rejected the election result and challenged it before the state governorship election tribunal.
Akeredolu, however, floored Jegede again at the tribunal, same at the appeal court and eventually at the supreme court.
5. Sunday Igboho: Buratai Meets President Of Benin Republic
Nigeria’s Ambassador to Benin Republic, Tukur Buratai, on Wednesday met with the President of Benin Republic, Patrice Talon.
Truetells Nigeria gathered that the former Chief of Army Staff met with the Beninese President to present his letter of credence to him.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari appointed Buratai as Nigeria’s envoy to Benin Republic.
Buratai met with the president of Benin amid the arrest of Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Igboho.
Igboho was arrested in Cotonou, capital of Benin Republic, while trying to escape to Germany.
6. Bandit Terrorists Unleashing Terror On Nigerians Under Buhari – UK Parliament
United Kingdom lawmakers have tackled the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari over the handling of bandit terrorists in the north.
Members of the House of Lords, the upper chamber of the parliament; Caroline Cox, Rowan Williams, David Alton, Mervyn Thomas and Ayo Adedoyin noted that Nigerians are now at the mercy of non-state actors who unleash attacks on individuals and communities at will.
The UK Parliamentarians expressed their concerns in a protest letter to the UK foreign secretary, Dominic Raab.
Citing a recent event where bandits shot down a Nigerian Air Force fighter jet, the lawmakers expressed worry that the country was now under the control of non-state actors unleashing terror at will, particularly in the North-East and North-West.
7. Blackout As Electricity Grid Collapses Again
The nation’s electricity grid has once again collapsed and has led to a blackout across the country, Naija News reports.
According to a statement released by the spokesman of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC), Oyebode Fadipe, the system collapse happened around 12:26pm on Wednesday.
Fadipe noted that collapse has led to the loss of power supply in Abuja and its environs, assuring customers that power supply will be restored to the states within its franchise as soon as possible.
8. Anambra: Gov Obiano Reveals His Preferred Successor
Prof Charles Soludo, a former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may become Anambra State’s next governor.
The incumbent Governor, Willie Obiano, on Wednesday (today) vowed to make the economist his successor, Naija News reports.
Speaking at the Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport at Umueri after his three-week vacation abroad, Governor Obiano said Soludo would succeed him when his tenure finally elapse.
Truetells Nigeria understands that Obiano today landed with a private jet at the airport exactly by 11:45 am and was received by Anambra lawmakers led by Speaker Uche Okafor. He left the State immediately after the primary conducted by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) at the Dora Akunyili Women’s Development Centre, Awka that produced Soludo as a candidate.
9. Dokubo Reveals The ‘Real Owners’ Of Biafra And How It Started
Former Niger-Delta militant leader, Asari Dokubo has declared that the Igbos can’t lay claim to the name ‘Biafra’ as they are not the originators.
According to Dokubo, the name Biafra originated from the Ijaws and not the Igbos.
He added during his interview with Arise TV that the geographical location of Biafra is Ijaw and a little Oron and a little bit Ibibio.
According to him, an Ijaw man known as Francis Opigo moved the motion for the adoption of Biafra, and the name was so adopted in 1967.
He used this to buttress his point that Biafra belongs to the Ijaws and not the Igbos as many including IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu have believed.
10. Femi Adesina Predicts More Confusion In PDP Before 2023
The Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, has predicted that the People Democratic Party (PDP) will be hit by more confusion ahead of the 2023 election.
Speaking in an interview with Channels Television, Adesina stated that more members of the opposition party will defect to the ruling party.
He also slammed PDP governors for accusing Buhari of turning the presidential villa to a secretariat of the APC.
Femi Adesina claimed that during the PDP administration at the federal level, the party conducted some of its meetings at the presidential villa.
