Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Friday, 21st July, 2023

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 21st July 2023

The Court of Appeal on Thursday squashed circulating reports that a member of the five-person panel handling petitions seeking to nullify the election of President Bola Tinubu had resigned.

A high-ranking official at the court, who requested anonymity due to lack of authorization to speak to the media, spoke with Vanguard, categorizing the news as “fake”.

The source adamantly affirmed, “no such thing happened,” attributing the misinformation to the work of “evil rumour mongers.”

He said: “I was with some members of the panel yesterday and I can authoritatively tell you that there was nothing like that.

“In fact, we were shocked when our attention was drawn to the fake news. The true position is that parties in the petitions were given time to file and exchange their final written address. They are already doing that.

Social media is abuzz with rumours suggesting that Justice Boloukuoromo M. Ugo, a member of the presidential election petition court, resigned in an “unprecedented move” due to alleged pressure from the Executive arm of the government, which he feared could endanger the country’s democracy.

According to these circulating reports, Justice Ugo claimed that siding with the government in the case currently before the court would be the “death of Nigeria’s democracy.”

He reportedly stated that he felt he could not remain silent on the matter.

These reports also imply that Justice Ugo was instructed to “cripple the independence of the judiciary” by ruling in favour of President Tinubu and that the panel was directed to suppress evidence and dismiss all petitions against the President.

The details of what members of the Nigeria Senate discussed during Thursday’s closed-door executive session have emerged.

Naija News recalls during Thursday’s plenary session, the Nigerian Senate entered into the closed-door session at about 11.51a.m and Senate resumed Plenary at 1:35pm.

This happened after taking petitions, which is the fifth item in the Order Paper, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced that the Senators should go into an executive session after the leader, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele (APC, Ekiti Central) had made the announcement.

There were reports that the lawmakers went into the closed-door meeting over the ministerial list sent to it by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

However, according to information made available to Naija News after Thursday’s plenary by the New Media Unit, Office of the President of the Senate, the discussion of the lawmakers during the closed-door session didn’t involve President Tinubu’s ministerial list.

Instead, the legislators during the closed-door session, “deliberated on issues bordering on the workings of the Senate in particular and the National Assembly in general,” the new media unit tweeted.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on Thursday that it has officially registered the Youth Party (YP), a new political party in Nigeria.

This development brings the total number of registered political parties in the country to 19.

Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee made this known in a statement released in Abuja.

Okoye in a statement released on Thursday said that the Youth Party (YP) was registered on 16th August 2018 by virtue of the judgement of the Federal High Court delivered on 16th October 2017.

The Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has denied the allegation of deducting 2.5 million votes from the scores obtained by the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, Peter Obi.

INEC made the denial in its final address to the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal in the case by Obi and his party challenging the final outcome of the 2023 presidential election as declared by the commission.

Naija News recalls Peter Obi of the Labour Party who is challenging the victory of President Bola Tinubu in the February 25 polls before the election tribunal, alleged through his witness before the tribunal that results from certain polling units show that a total of 2,565,269 votes were not reflected in his score, aside from his claim of non-compliance with the Electoral Act 2022.

However, in their final written address dated July 14, INEC’s lead counsel, A.B. Mahmoud (SAN), said Obi failed to provide credible evidence to back his claim and therefore asked the court to dismiss the petition.

Mahmoud added that Obi’s witness failed to tender before the PEPC the polling unit results he used in writing his report leading to claims of a deduction.

About ten children between the ages of 3 to 13 years have reportedly lost their lives mysteriously.

Naija News gathered that the young children lost their lives to a yet-to-be-identified suspected respiratory tract infection.

It was gathered that the respiratory infection broke out in Kafanchan, Jama’a Local government area of Kaduna State.

The unfortunate death was confirmed by the Chief Medical Director of Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa Memorial Hospital, Doctor Isaac Nathaniel.

The Face Of Waziri-Nigeria (FOWN), a non-governmental organization, has raised concerns on Thursday that there are confidential efforts allegedly underway to pressure at least two Justices at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT) into resigning, potentially jeopardizing the judicial panel’s effectiveness.

The group’s Director General, Comrade Bukky Adeniyi, expressed these concerns in a statement released in Lagos.

Adeniyi emphasized the potential implications of such resignations, noting that the required replacement process would likely extend beyond the time period stipulated by the Supreme Court.

He believes this could be a calculated strategy to render the case void due to exceeding its statute of limitations.

FOWN alleged that there is a hidden attempt by President Bola Tinubu to encourage the Justices to resign, an action seemingly aimed at ensuring that the 180-day time frame for concluding the case expires before the panel can reach a resolution.

The National Executive Council (NEC) has agreed on palliative measures for Nigerians following the removal of the petrol subsidy and the recent hike in petrol price.

Naija News reports that the Council agreed to the palliative measures on Thursday at a meeting held at the Council Chambers of the State House in Abuja.

At the meeting, the Council also considered integrity tests on state social registers, cash transfers would be done via state social registers Subject to State peculiarities.

The Council also advised government officials to reduce the cost of governance in their various spheres, stating that the Federal Government has initiated a six-month cash award policy for public servants.

The council also said food items grains and fertilizers are to be distributed by state governments at the rate acquired from National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and states are urged to double down on energy transition plans in the transport sector.

The House of Representatives has directed the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) not to approve the request of Discos to increase in electricity tariffs.

Naija News reports that the Green Chambers passed the resolution during a plenary session on Thursday.

The resolution was passed following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Sani Madaki, a member of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) from Kano State.

Recall that reports had spread that electricity tariffs would be increased by 40 percent due to spiralling petrol prices.

The increase was said to be contingent on the 2022 multi-year tariff order (MYTO), which is due for a bi-annual review this month.

Rumours had emerges that a new electricity tariff regime was expected to kick off on July 1 across the country but there was official confirmation of the new prices and the tariff remained the same.

National Vice Chairman, North West, of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Moh. Lukman has condemned attempts by some party stakeholders to install the immediate-past Governor of Kano state, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje as National Chairman of the party.

Lukman described the move as grossly insensitive and politically suicidal,

He insisted that the position of National Chairman must be retained in the North Central.

The APC chieftain opined that the move would distort the zoning formula of the party which zoned the office to the North Central and which led to scheming out the North Central from the leadership positions in the 10th National Assembly,

Speaking via a statement on Thursday, Lukman disclosed that there have been all manner of speculations following the resignation of Senators Abdullahi Adamu and Iyiola Omisore as National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.

The Police Service Commission (PSC) on Thursday promoted two officers to the rank of Deputy Inspectors General of Police.

It also announced the promotion of the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Oladunmoye Adejobi, to the next rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).

Similarly, the PSC approved the promotion of Inspector Mohammed Aminu, who was assaulted by Afrobeats singer Seun Kuti, to the rank of ASP 1.

The Commission noted that despite the unwarranted provocation, intimidation, and serious assault, he exhibited a high level of professionalism, restraint and chose to follow the due process of law to seek redress.

The PSC also confirmed 9,016 unconfirmed Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP).

The promotions were confirmed by the commission during its ongoing 21st Plenary Meeting at its Corporate Headquarters in Jabi, Abuja according to a statement on Thursday by its Head, Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani.

The Plenary also approved the promotion of 14,052 Inspectors to Assistant Superintendents of Police (Unconfirmed) while one Inspector Habila Bulus was promoted to ASP 11 for his gallantry and commitment to duty.

Also, former Commissioner of Police Ebonyi Command (CP) Olalaye Falaye, was earlier promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police after the Commission had approved the adjustment of his position in the seniority list.

The plenary session was presided over by the chairman of the PSC, retired IGP Solomon Arase.

Those are the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.