Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Truetells Nigeria roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Thursday, 8th July 2021
1. Senate Approves Buhari’s N2.34trn Loan Request
The Senate has approved President Muhammadu Buhari’s request to borrow $6.1 billion from multilateral and bilateral tenders as well as the international capital market.
Truetells Nigeria reports that the loan request which is equivalent to about N2.343 trillion was approved on Wednesday after the Senate considered the report of the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts.
It was gathered that the National Assembly already approved the borrowing of N4.6 trillion in the 2021 Appropriation Act.
The Senate also approved the sum of N982.729 billion as the supplementary budget for the 2021 fiscal year.
2. Nnamdi Kanu: Malami Blasts Canadian Justice Minister, Calls Him Empty Vessel
Nigeria’s Minister of Justice and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami has described Canadian Justice Minister in the region of Alberta, Kelechi Madu as an ’empty vessel.’
Malami stated this as part of his reply to the position of Madu who made comments after the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu was re-arrested and brought back to Nigeria.
Naija News had reported that Madu in a post on his LinkedIn page, said if the IPOB leader was truly abducted in Kenya, then the Nigerian minister is a disgrace to the rule of law.
But in a response on Wednesday, AGF Malami blasted the Alberta Justice Minister, Kelechi Madu saying he is ignorant of relevant local and international laws on such issues.
He added that “empty vessels make the loudest noise.”
3. Lai Mohammed Faces APC Punishment For Outburst Against Kwara Governor
The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed could face possible sanctions from the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party has said.
This is as the Chairman, Caretaker Committee of the party in Kwara state, Abdullahi Samari Abubakar disclosed that the party is investigating the Minister over his recent outbursts against Kwara State Governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq and may take disciplinary measures against him.
Abubakar made the disclosure on Wednesday in Abuja while speaking with newsmen.
4. 2023: PDP Lawmakers Join Southern Governors, Demand Zoning Of Presidency To The South
Some National Assembly lawmakers elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have thrown their weights behind Southern Governors in demanding the zoning of the 2023 presidency to the south.
The lawmakers on Wednesday agreed with the demand of the southern governors for the presidency to return to the south.
The legislators were led by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and Hon. Ndidi Elumelu.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, the PDP Senators vowed to work with the governors in their legislative capacities to ensure their demands materialize.
5. We Have Been Sending Bandits To God To Answer For Their Crimes – COAS Yahaya
Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant-General Farouk Yahaya has declared that many bandits have been sent to God by the military to answer for their crimes.
He added that they will continue to do so.
The Army Chief made the declaration on Wednesday shortly after he was decorated with his new rank as a Lieutenant-General by President Muhammadu Buhari who was assisted by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
As previously reported by Naija News, Yahaya was decorated at the State House in Abuja shortly before the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting commenced.
Fielding questions from newsmen shortly after the event, General Yahaya said bandits are being punished for their crimes against humanity.
Responding particularly to a question on the President’s recent statement that bandits and other criminal elements threatening Nigeria’s unity will be treated in the language that they understand, the COAS said they were already carrying out the directive.
“That’s what we have started doing already.
“Many of them have been sent to God to answer for their crimes, and we will continue to do that,” General Yahaya said.
6. Why Ban On Open Grazing Will Fail – Zulum
Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno State has said that the open grazing ban in the Southern part of the country will not work.
Speaking on Wednesday morning during an interview on Channels Television, Zulum noted that the ban won’t work until the insecurity situation as well as the socio-political and economic dimensions of the crisis is addressed.
The governor said the socio-political and economic dimensions of the insecurity in the country as well as the insurgency war in the North-East which he said is fast spreading to other parts of the country must first be addressed.
7. Court Clears Ex-Finance Minister Adeosun Of NYSC Certificate Forgery
The former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has been cleared of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate controversy, which resulted in her resignation in 2018.
Truetells Nigeria reports that Adeosun was the plaintiff in the suit, while the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) was the sole defendant.
In a ruling on Wednesday on the originating summon with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/303/21 brought by Wole Olanipekun, SAN, on her behalf, Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, held that the NYSC certificate based on the constitution is not a mandatory requirement for holding a political office in the country.
8. Senate Passes N895bn Supplementary Budget
The Nigerian Senate has passed the supplementary budget of N895 billion for the year 2021.
The approved sum represents an upward review of N86.9 billion from the initial amount of N895.842 billion transmitted to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari about two weeks ago.
The passage of the supplementary Appropriation Bill 2021, followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on Appropriation during plenary.
Accordingly, out of the total sum of N982,729,695,343 billion passed, N123,332,174,164 billion is for Recurrent (Non-Debt) Expenditure; and N859,397,521,179 billion as a contribution to the Development Fund for Capital Expenditure.
9. Lai Mohammed vs Kwara Gov: Senators Take Side
Nigeran Senators from Kwara State on Wednesday threw their weights behind Governor Abdurahman Abdulrazaq.
Speaking to newsmen in Abuja, the lawmakers described the governor as the authentic leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
The senators, Ibrahim Oloriegbe (Kwara Central), Lola Ashiru (Kwara South) and Umar Sadiq (Kwara North).
According to the members of the upper legislative chamber, all the money realized by the APC in the state to prosecute the 2019 elections was judiciously utilized under the leadership of the governor.
They slammed the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed for saying Kwara State, under the current administration, had “entered one-chance.”
10. NYSC Certificate Forgery: ‘I’ve Been Vindicated’ – Adeosun Reacts To Court Ruling
A former Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, has reacted to the court ruling which cleared her of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate controversy, which resulted in her resignation in 2018.
Naija News earlier reported that in a ruling on Wednesday on the originating summon with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/303/21 brought by Wole Olanipekun, SAN, on her behalf, Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court, Abuja, cleared the former minister of any wrongdoing.
Justice Taiwo held that the NYSC certificate based on the constitution is not a mandatory requirement for holding a political office in the country.
The judge said her appointment was not illegal or not unconstitutional without NYSC certificate.
But in a statement on Wednesday, former minister Adeosun said she has been vindicated by the landmark judgment.
The former minister however admitted that she had a traumatic spell on the certificate forgery allegation against her.
She said the judgment of Justice Taiwo Taiwo was not only a personal victory for her but for all Nigerians in the Diaspora.
