Top newspapers headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 16th May 2022
1. Amaechi Set To Resign From Buhari’s Government
Amaechi dropped the hint about his resignation on Sunday in Kaduna State during a meeting with delegates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.
He disclosed that he would formally resign on Monday, 16th May, 2022 based on the directive given by the President.
The former Rivers State Governor, who is seeking the ticket of the APC for the 2023 presidency appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for the opportunity to serve in his cabinet.
“I am resigning as the Minister of Transportation tomorrow, Monday the 16th May, 2022 to pursue in earnest my presidential ambition,” Amaechi said.
2. Buhari, Malami Ask Supreme Court To Remove Section 84 (12) Of Electoral Act 2022
President Muhammadu Buhari and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), have asked the Supreme Court to order the removal of Section 84 (12) from the Electoral Act, 2022.
Naija News reports that the President and Malami made this known in a suit marked SC/CV/504/2022 and filed on April 29, 2022.
In the suit, the duo also dragged the National Assembly before the Supreme Court over the inclusion of the controversial section in the Electoral Act.
According to the suit, Buhari and Malami told the apex court that the controversial section is inconsistent with the provisions of the 1999 constitution.
The duo also stated the section is not in line with Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and People and Peoples Rights.
They added that the constitution already provides qualification and disqualification for the offices of the President and Vice President, Governor and Deputy Governor, Senate and House of Representatives, House of Assembly, Ministers, Commissioners and Special Advisers.
3. Gov. Emmanuel Speaks On Blocking Atiku From Seeing PDP Delegates In Akwa Ibom
The Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel has debunked reports claiming he has stopped former Vice President and 2023 presidential aspirant, Atiku Abubakar from visiting the state to consult with delegates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Reports in some sections of the media had claimed Governor Emmanuel barred Atiku from his planned visit to the state on Monday.
However, a statement on Sunday by the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Ini Ememobong said there is nothing of such as the Governor has no power to stop aspirants from meeting with delegates.
He added that contrary to trending reports, the Governor had been notified about Atiku’s planned visit and both leaders are also scheduled to meet after Atiku’s meeting with the delegates in the state.
Naija News reports both Atiku and Udom are seeking the PDP ticket for the 2023 presidential election.
4. Deborah Samuel: What Northern Governors Said About Protest In Sokoto
The Northern Governors Forum has condemned the violent protest that erupted in Sokoto State over the arrest of two suspected killers of Deborah Samuel.
Truetells Nigeria had reported earlier that Deborah was lynched and set ablaze by her Muslim colleagues for allegedly insulting Islam’s Prophet Mohammed.
The angry mob stormed Deborah’s hostel and dragged her out before beating her to death and setting her body ablaze.
In a statement on Sunday, the Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum and Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, said the forum is worried about the happenings in Sokoto.
The forum called for calm following the killing of Deborah, saying that any attempt to adopt self-help in addressing grievances could lead to further chaos.
The governors also condemned the gruesome killing of the female student and commiserated with the family of the victim.
It stressed the need for people from the northern part of the country and Nigerians to show love, tolerance and respect for one another irrespective of faith, ethnicity or other affiliations.
5. I Ran To The Government House In 2004 To Save My Political Career – Wike
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike has revealed how his political career was almost truncated in 2004 but was saved by Justice Mary Odili in her capacity then as the First Lady of the state.
Speaking on Sunday, Wike explained that his name was omitted from the list of candidates cleared to seek election/re-election at the local councils in the state.
He said when he observed this, he immediately ran to the State government house where he met Justice Odili just as she was about to drive out.
After narrating his dilemma, Wike said Mrs. Odili took the matter immediately to her husband, Peter Odili who was the state Governor at that time and after some calls to relevant people, he was cleared to contest for a second term in office as the chairman of Obio-Akpor.
Those called included Prince Uche Secondus who was the Rivers State party chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) then and Chief Vincent Ogbulafor who was the PDP National Secretary then.
Truetells Nigeria reports Wike was quoted by his media aide, Kelvin Ebiri to have made the narration during the 70th birthday and retirement thanksgiving mass for Justice Mary Odili at Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Chaplaincy, Catholic Institute of West Africa, (CIWA) in Port Harcourt, on Sunday.
6. Details Of FG Delegation’s Meeting With ASUU, Others Emerge
The details of the meeting between the delegation of the Federal Government and the leadership of the university-based unions have emerged.
Naija News reports that the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, chaired the tripartite plus meeting held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.
At the end of the meeting, Gamabri on behalf of President Muhammadu Buhari directed the National Information Technology Development Agency, NITDA, to subject the Integrated Payroll Personnel Information System, IPPIS, and two proposed payment solutions by University workers to an integrity test.
The two proposed payment solutions include the University Transparency Accountability Solution, UTAS, and the University Peculiar Personnel and Payroll System, U3PS.
It is understood that ASUU proposed UTAS to the government, while SSANU and NASU proposed U3PS in order to address the allegations that they were being shortchanged in their salary payment.
A source at the meeting told Vanguard that the meeting was attended by the leadership of the university-based unions, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige and other relevant stakeholders.
7. 2023: President Buhari Told To Sack Emefiele As CBN Governor
President Muhammadu Buhari has been called upon to sack Godwin Emefiele as the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The call was made by the Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC), Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) over the speculations surrounding the CBN Governor’s interest in the 2023 presidency.
He argued that ordinarily, Emefiele should have resigned as he was not expected to be a partisan politician due to the sensitivity of his position but as things stand currently, Sagay has submitted that the President should sack Emefiele completely.
He described the CBN Governor’s romance with the 2023 presidency as abominable and unacceptable but added that it shouldn’t have any negative effect on the security and safety of election materials.
Sagay urged Nigerians not to entertain any fear about the sensitive election materials getting compromised in CBN custody.
8. Respect Yourself, Biafra Is God-ordained – IPOB Fires Back At Gov. Mohammed
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) says Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed is ignorant about the purpose and activities of the group and its agitation for the actualization of Biafra.
To this end, the proscribed group warned the Governor to stop speaking about them, adding that an independent Biafra will be achieved in his lifetime and it will shock him.
Truetells Nigeria reports IPOB made the submission in a statement on Sunday by its spokesperson, Emma Powerful in response to the call from Governor Mohammed for the members of the group to abandon their agitation and key into promoting the unity of Nigeria.
It will be recalled that Mohammed while speaking on Friday in Anambra State, said most of those clamouring for Biafra don’t understand what they already have in Nigeria.
The Bauchi State Governor while calling on IPOB to abandon the quest to achieve an independent Biafra Nation, said Igbos own more than half of the investments in places such as Abuja, Kano, Lagos and many other cities in Nigeria.
But Powerful in his response stated that what they are after is more than land ownership or property but true freedom for their people who have suffered marginalization in Nigeria.
9. Deborah Samuel: Kill Non-Muslims And Miss Paradise – Sheikh Gumi Warns Islamic Extremists
Controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Ahmad Gumi, has condemned the killing of Deborah Samuel, a 200-level student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto State.
Speaking at a religious teaching class in his Kaduna Juma’at mosque, Gumi noted that the Prophet Mohammed (SAW) was at several points during his lifetime insulted by non-Muslims.
The cleric stated that Prophet Mohammed refused to attack or even kill persons who assassinated his characters.
Gumi made this known while conducting a religious teaching class in his Kaduna Juma’at mosque.
While calling on Islamic clerics to impart sound religious tenets to their adherents instead of instigating them to perpetrate ‘reprehensible’ acts, Sheikh Gumi said the best way Muslims can show that they love Prophet Mohammed (SAW) is by adhering to his religious teaching, and totally obeying him, instead of killing people over trivial issues.
According to PRNigeria, the cleric said both Nigerian Muslims and Christians have agreed to live harmoniously together, hence no religious law is applied in the country, being a secular State.
10. My Resignation Letter Never Existed – Ngige Fires Femi Falana
The Senator Chris Ngige Media Office has slammed Femi Falana (SAN) for claiming that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Ngige, withdrew his resignation letter after the valedictory session with President Muhammadu Buhari.
Falana had slammed Ngige and the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, for allegedly withdrawing their resignation letters in order to remain members of the cabinet.
Reacting in a statement on Sunday, Ngige’s officer stated that no resignation letter written by the minister ever existed.
The office accused Femi Falana of embarrassing the public with “a bad harvest of his bumper imagination.”
It said, “Dear Femi Falana (SAN), you conjured a resignation letter, hung it on Senator Chris Ngige and went to town with it. That is very bad.