Top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 16th September 2022.
2023: Gov Tambuwal Emerge As PDP DG National Campaign Management (Full List)
The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal has been appointed as the Director General for the National Campaign Management Committee (NCMC) by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
PDP appointed a former governor of Cross Rivers State, Liyel Imoke as Deputy Director General Operations while Professor Adewale Oladipu was appointed as Deputy Director of Administration.
Raymond Dokpesi was appointed by the party as the Deputy Director of Technical and Systems, while Ekwesilieze Nwodo is appointed as Deputy Director Research and Strategy of the NCMC.
The National Organising Secretary of the party, Umaru Bature announced the development in a statement released on Thursday.
According to Bature, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel was appointed as the Chairman of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) while the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed was appointed as the Vice Chairman North.
The Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde was appointed as the Vice Chairman South of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC).
Buhari Appoints Ex-Army General, Ndiomu, As Administrator Of Amnesty Program
Former Major General Barry Tariye Ndiomu has been appointed as the Interim Administrator of the Amnesty Program by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The development was confirmed by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.
Adesina in the statement released on Thursday noted that Ndiomu hails from Odoni in the Sagbama local government area of Bayelsa State.
Ndiomu was admitted to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) as part of the 29th Regular Combatant Course.
He was commissioned Second Lieutenant in 1983. He held several Command and Staff appointments in the course of his successful military career. He retired in December 2017.
Jonathan Meets IBB, Abubakar In Minna
Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday visited the former military head of state, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Abdulsalami Abubakar.
Jonathan meets with the military leaders at their uphill residence in Minna, Niger State.
The former president while addressing newsmen after the meeting described the visit as a regular one to the former Elder Statesmen.
He said, “The visit is just the normal regular one especially being the youngest of all the former leaders.
“It is also an opportunity for me to visit General Abdusalami Abubakar who has just come back from treatment abroad and also took time to visit General Babangida.”
2023: Tinubu Campaign Council Reacts To Poll Predicting Peter Obi’s Victory
The Bola Tinubu Presidential Campaign Council has condemned the poll suggesting the emergence of the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, as the next President in 2023.
Truetells Nigeria had reported that an electorate poll conducted by Ngozi Okonjo Iweala (NOI) Polls and commissioned by ANAP Foundation predicted Obi’s victory in the forthcoming presidential election.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its Chairman, Atedo Peterside, ANAP Foundation said the poll suggested that the presidential election is between Obi, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
But in a swift response, the spokesman of the Tinubu campaign council, Bayo Onanuga, said the said poll was dubious and made up of unreliable statistics.
Onanuga, in a statement on Thursday, said the poll made wild and incredible permutations on the presidential election.
2023: Obi Leads Tinubu, Atiku, Others In Electorate Poll
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has led other presidential candidates in an electorate poll conducted by NOI Polls and commissioned by ANAP Foundation.
Truetells Nigeria reports that the foundation announced the result of the poll in a statement issued on Thursday by its Chairman, Atedo Peterside.
The statement stated that the poll suggested that the presidential election is between Obi, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It added that in the nationwide poll conducted this month, Obi stands at 21% while both Tinubu and Atiku are tied in second place with 13% each, while Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) is at a distant fourth with only 3%.
The statement also described the former Governor of Kano State as a ‘dark horse’ in the forthcoming 2023 general elections.
Buhari Presides Over National Security Council Meeting [Photos]
President Muhammadu Buhari is currently meeting the nation’s service chiefs and heads of security agencies, amidst the insecurity in the country.
Truetells Nigeria reports the President is presiding over the National Security Council meeting inside the Council Chambers, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Present at the meeting are the Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor; Chief of Army Staff, Farouk Yahaya; Chief of Naval Staff, Awwal Gambo; Chief of Air Staff, Isiaka Oladayo Amao, and Chief of Defence Intelligence, Samuel Adebayo.
Also in attendance are the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman, the Director-General of the Department of State Service (DSS), Yusuf Bichi; and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, among others.
Some of the government officials present are Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, and the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno.
Others are the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami; Minister of Defence, Bashir Magashi; Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi; Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyema.
Court Declares Akpabio As APC Senatorial Candidate
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been directed by a Federal High Court in Abuja to identify Godswill Akpabio as the All Progressives Congress candidate for Akwa Ibom North/West senatorial district.
The presiding Judge, Justice Emeka Nwite, in his ruling on Thursday noted that INEC acted illegally by refusing to accept and publish Akpabio’s name even when APC forwarded his name as its candidate.
Recall that a former Deputy Inspector General of Police, Udom Ekpoudom had insisted that he is the candidate of the APC for the Akwa Ibom North/West senatorial district.
Ekpoudom won the APC Ikot Ekpene senatorial primary election held on May 27, 2022.
The Chairman of APC in the State, Stephen Ntukekpo, however, announced that a rerun would be held due to a security infraction during the previous election.
PDP Divided Between North And South, Party NEC Meeting Made Me Uncomfortable – Bode George
A former National Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olabode George, has berated the party for passing a vote of confidence on its National Chairman, Senator Iyorchia Ayu.
Recall that the PDP National Executive Council (NEC) had last week backed its national chairman following persistent calls for his resignation.
Before the vote of confidence, the party’s Board of Trustees chairman, Walid Jibrin, had stepped aside for Adolphus Wabara to replace him.
Speaking to The PUNCH, George said peace has yet to return to the party because issues causing the crisis in the party have not been resolved.
He described the vote of confidence in Dr. Ayu by the party NEC as “shenanigan”
2023: Keyamo Speaks On Tough Task In Marketing Tinubu: Age, Health, Source Of Wealth
There has been a lot of controversies surrounding the candidacy of the All Progressive Congress (APC) flagbearer, Bola Tinubu, ahead of the 2023 general election.
Some people claim that marketing the former Governor of Lagos State is the toughest task considering the multiple questions surrounding his life.
In an interview with Naija News, the spokesman for the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential campaign council, Festus Keyamo, addresses some issues regarding Tinubu’s age, certificate, source of wealth and the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
Age
“When Bola Tinubu was Governor of Lagos State, he was 48 years old at that time, go back and look at those pictures and compare him with people who are 48 years old now, he is a very young and vibrant man. There has been no time in the history of Asiwaju’s growth and development and when he worked in different organizations across the world, whether there were any heavy controversies regarding his age, whether there were two affidavits regarding his age.
“There has been no time that two documents gave surfaced with two different ages. The issues of Tinubu’s age are creators of the enemy, creators of the media and social media hype. Ayinde Barister was Tinubu’s playmate when they were small, he was five years older than Tinubu.”
Buhari Disband NATFORCE, Declares Security Outfit Illegal
The National Taskforce on Prohibition of Illegal, Importation/Smuggling of Arms, Ammunition, Light Weapons, Chemical Weapons, and Pipeline Vandalism (NATFORCE) has been disbanded by President Muhammadu Buhari-led National Security Council.
Truetells Nigeria reports that the National Security Council presided over by Buhari declared the task force illegal at a meeting on Thursday.
In July, the Senate passed a bill establishing the National Commission for the Coordination and Control of the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons which included the NATFORCE.
However, the squad’s inclusion received negative feedback from security experts.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola while announcing the disbandment said the council agreed that the task force was illegal.