Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Tuesday, 22nd November 2022
1. Lawmakers Impeach Ekiti Assembly Speaker Aribisogan, Elect Adelugba As Replacement
Members of the Ekiti State House of Assembly have impeached the Speaker, Gboyega Aribisogan, with immediate effect.
Truetells Nigeria reports that the lawmakers, thereafter, elected Olubunmi Adelugba, as the new speaker during a closed-door plenary session on Monday.
Seventeen out of the 25 members impeached the lawmaker representing Ikole constituency in Ekiti as the speaker and suspended him indefinitely.
The Assembly Complex had been sealed as members were embroiled in a leadership tussle following the death of the former speaker, Funminiyi Afuye.
Earlier, armed policemen and other security operatives were seen around the assembly as lawmakers hold a closed-door plenary session.
The stern-looking security operatives barred both journalists and other visitors from gaining entry into the assembly complex.
Some politicians were also seen in groups around the complex discussing the leadership tussle rocking the state assembly.
This development comes days after Aribisogan, who hails from Ijesha-Isu in Ikole Local Government Area, was sworn in at the plenary on November 15 by the clerk of the House, Tola Esan.
2. 76 Abducted Passengers Rescued From Terrorist Captivity In Kaduna
Seventy-six kidnap victims have been rescued by security operatives in Giwa Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State.
Truetells Nigeria reports that the spokesperson of the state Police Command, Mohammed Jalige, in a statement on Monday, said the victims were passengers from Sabon Birni LGA of Sokoto State.
Jalige said the passengers who were travelling to different destinations were abducted on November 18 at 11pm along the Funtua-Zaria Road at Gulbala area of the state.
The police spokesperson said the bandits were forced to “abort their nefarious mission and take to flight with injuries”.
He said the 76 passengers abducted by the bandits were rescued after security operatives combed the forest for several hours.
Jalige said security operatives are still searching for the driver of the truck and two other missing passengers.
He said the Kaduna Police Commissioner, Yekini Ayoku, said the rescue effort was achieved through the collaboration of the security agencies.
3. 2023: Peter Obi Speaks On Giving Kwankwaso N40bn To Step Down For Him
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi has reacted to some reports claiming he gave the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) candidate, Rabiu Kwankwaso the sum of N40bn to step down for him.
Speaking on Monday in Lagos State during an interactive session with the Nigerian Guild of Editors, Obi said there is no truth in the report in some sections of the media that he gave 40bn to Kwankwaso to step down for him.
The former Anambra State Governor added that no one is bankrolling him as he is the one financing his campaign and he doesn’t pay those working for him on the campaign.
Speaking further, Obi appealed to Nigerians to ensure they vote for capable hands and not someone they would manage or who would depend on others to get things done for him as the buck ends on the table of the President.
He noted that Nigeria needs a leader that is physically and mentally sound because the demand of office is huge.
4. 2023: Former Governor Dumps Wike, Declares Support For Atiku
A former Governor of Gombe State, Ibrahim Dankwabo seems to have pitched his tent with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2023 presidential election, Atiku Abubakar.
The former Governor who is understood to be part of the integrity group led by Governor Nyesom Wike on Monday made a u-turn as he said the whole party is with Atiku.
He stated this during the presidential campaign rally by Atiku and the PDP in Gombe State where he also donated 20 buses to the Atiku campaigns.
He said: “The whole party has welcomed Atiku, which shows they are with him.”
5. El-Rufai Never Said Tinubu Was Too Old To Be President — APC
The North-West All Progressives Congress (APC), presidential campaign council has cleared the air on a comment linked to the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
The campaign council on Monday noted that El-Rufai never said the presidential candidate of the party, Bola Tinubu is too old for the presidency.
The spokesperson of the council, Muhammad Shehu Molash in his reaction to the claim that El-Rufai said so in a video, accused mischief makers of projecting fake news.
Molash further stated that El-Rufai in the video noted that as a mentor who has raised capable mentees, he should give the younger generation the chance to play their role in the next government.
The council’s spokesman disclosed that the part which is being circulated is where the Kaduna Governor said that Tinubu insisted he be part of the incoming government.
6. Arewa Youths Reveal What They Want If President Buhari Releases Nnamdi Kanu
The Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) says they are against the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
The group through its National President, Yerima Shettima said if President Muhammadu Buhari decides to release Kanu, then the government must be ready to pay northerners compensation for the lives and properties lost due to the activities of the Biafra agitator and his team.
The AYCF leader added that they have records of all the persons and properties affected and the government must be ready to address their own demands running into billions of naira should it release Kanu.
Speaking in a chat with Daily Post, Shettima added that releasing Kanu could be viewed as a sign of weakness on the part of the government and the security forces.
Speaking further, he said it could mean that people can hope to avoid justice for criminal acts as the Kanu case would become a reference point in the future.
Instead of releasing Kanu based on any arrangement or agreement, the northern leader said the government must allow the law to run its full course on the matter.
7. Wike: Where Will You Get Votes To Win? Kwankwaso Mocks Atiku
The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party(NNPP) Rabiu Kwankwaso has submitted that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flagbearer, Atiku Abubakar might lose the 2023 election.
Speaking on Monday in Rivers State, the former Kano State Governor said Atiku needs the votes from at least two of Lagos, Kano, or Rivers States but the PDP candidate at the moment doesn’t have any of the three.
Throwing further shade at Atiku, Kwankwaso said after doing everything to get the PDP presidential ticket, the former Vice President has created more problems for himself and the party with the internal crisis which has pitched him against some Governors in the party.
Kwankwaso wondered where the PDP and Atiku plan to get enough votes as Kano is already out of reach with him out of the party, Rivers is threatened with Nyesom Wike’s current stand while the PDP also does not have any stronghold in Lagos State.
Truetells Nigeria reports the NNPP candidate made his views public during the inauguration of the Mgbuitanwo internal roads in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State constructed by Governor Wike.
He called on Atiku to respect himself and do the right thing instead of running to party leaders for intervention in the crisis.
8. It’s Criminal To Remove History From Schools, Biafra Will Always Be Remembered – Soyinka
Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka has berated the federal government of Nigeria for ever attempting to remove history from the curriculum of primary and secondary schools in the country.
Soyinka stated that the removal will amount to an attempt to wipe out a collective memory of events which he described as a criminal attempt.
Truetells Nigeria reports he made his mind known on Sunday while speaking at the 24th edition of the Lagos Book and Arts Festival.
It would be recalled that the federal government in the 2009/2010 academic session, removed history studies from primary and secondary schools’ curriculums.
However, it was reintroduced in 2019.
Speaking against the backdrop of the removal, Soyinka stressed the need to tell historical happenings from the correct perspective.
Citing Biafra and the Nigerian civil war as an example, he said the memories of the Biafran agitation can never be wiped away from the people.
Soyinka added that the events that led to the civil war and the aftermath/effects are visibly seen around up till now so cancelling the study of history in schools is a great disservice to such important memories.
9. Atiku’s Picture Missing As Benue PDP Unveils Campaign Vehicles
The image of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar is conspicuously missing on the campaign vehicles of the Benue State chapter of the party.
The images of the vehicles which have been making rounds on social media have the pictures of Governor Samuel Ortom who is a senatorial candidate and those of some other party candidates in Benue.
However, the picture of Atiku was not included which might be further testimony to the resolve by Ortom and other aggrieved PDP governors (G5) who have vowed not to support Atiku’s presidential ambition except Iyorchia Ayu steps down as the PDP National Chairman and is replaced by a southerner.
Up to thirty vehicles were spotted but none has the image of Atiku printed on it.
Truetells Nigeria understands the vehicles were unveiled and distributed to PDP campaign coordinators across the 23 Local Government Areas of Benue state.
10. 2023: Don’t Vote A Sectional Leader – Wike Rebukes Atiku
The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike on Monday charged Nigerians not to vote for a sectional leader in the forthcoming election.
Wike in his statement said Nigerians do not need a president that asked voters not to vote for a Yoruba or Igbo man.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governor stated this while condemning the presidential candidate of his party, Atiku Abubakar over his recent comment.
The former vice president had said northerners needed to vote for him rather than a Yoruba or Igbo candidate because he’s a Pan-Nigerian from a northern extraction.
Atiku stated this in October during an interactive session with Arewa Joint Committee held in Kaduna State.
Wike, however, while speaking at the commissioning in the Emohua area of Rivers State described the presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso as a man of integrity.