Top Nigerian newspaper headlines and breaking news in Nigeria today, Thursday, March 30, 2023.
BREAKING: PDP Reverses Fayose, Anyim Suspensions
The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reversed the suspension earlier imposed on Ayo Fayose, Anyim Pius and other chieftains.
The reversal on Thursday followed a review of the suspension by the NWC.
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Aside the former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Prof. Dennis Ityavyar, Dr. Aslam Aliyu, and H.E Ibrahim Shema had their suspension suspended.
The reversal of the suspensions was contained in a statement signed by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Hon. Debo Ologunagba.
According to Debo, the decision was reached at the NWC’s meeting on Thursday.
He said;
“This decision is without prejudice to the powers of the NWC to take necessary disciplinary action against any member of the Party at any time pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017).
“The NWC charges all leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our Party across the country to be guided by the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017) as well as the new spirit and necessity of reconciliation, unity and harmony in our Party at this critical time.
“The PDP must remain focused as we continue to take every necessary action to recover the stolen mandate freely given by Nigerians to our Party and Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar, on Saturday February 25, 2023, at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal,” the statement read.
It added, “The NWC recognized the imperativeness of a total reconciliation among Party leaders and critical stakeholders for a more cohesive Party in the overall interest of our teeming members and Nigerians in general.
“Consequent upon the above, the NWC reverses the referral of the Governor of Benue State, His Excellency, Dr. Samuel Ortom to the National Disciplinary Committee.”
The chieftains were suspended on March 23, 2023, after an extensive review of the affairs of the party, pursuant to the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).
The PDP also referred the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, to the National Disciplinary Committee over his reported involvement in anti-party activities.
New Naira Policy Cost Me Re-election Bid – Matawalle
Zamfara State Governor, Bello Matawalle, has said that his refusal to back the Naira redesign policy of Muhammadu Buhari-led Government cost him his re-election bid.
He also said Zamfara saw more military personnel deployed during the election than when the State Government requested military assistance to route out insurgents.
According to him, the security situation would have been better than it is today had the military been deployed earlier.
“What’s being said is that we went to the court over new naira notes redesign. They said myself, Ganduje, and El Rufai would be punished accordingly,” Matawalle said in an interview with DW Hausa.
He added that soldiers who were deployed to the state during the election prevented voters from voting for him.
According to him, APC supporters were “beaten up and prevented from voting” for the ruling party during the governorship election.
Matawalle who ran in the All Progressives Congress ticket, polled 311,976 votes while Dauda Lawal-Dare of the Peoples Democratic Party garnered 377,726 votes.
Matawalle emerged governor in 2019 on the PDP ticket after a court of appeal judgment nullified the APC primary elections which made Muktar Idris the candidate and winner of the election.
Speaking on DW Hausa, the governor argued that “We have had security challenges in Zamfara state, and we’ve been asking them to send soldiers to us, but they didn’t.
“But three days to the (governorship) election, they sent over 300 vehicles conveying soldiers into Zamfara.
“Such a high number of soldiers. If they could send them to us to fight insecurity, it would be better. But they only sent them during elections.”
“They were over 50 soldiers in our polling unit in Zamfara. They were even straight about it that those voting for APC would not be allowed to vote.
“When I saw that (the heavy deployment of soldiers), I knew they were up to something. That was why it didn’t bother me because I received an intelligence report on what they were going to do against me. Not only myself but other governors that did something that is considered wrong.
“People were harassed and beaten because they wanted to vote for APC. We all have this evidence on video. When we called soldiers to come to our aid, they didn’t come. But I have left everything to God,” he explained.
However, Matawalle said despite his loss, the presidential victory of the APC’s Bola Tinubu is enough consolation for him.
“Correct, we delivered Zamfara State to the APC during the presidential election. But we lost the governorship.
“Nevertheless, we are happy about his emergence. If he didn’t win it would have been more painful for us. But I am not worried at all,” he explained.
Minimum Wage: What Tinubu Should Do After Swearing-in – Ngige
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige has revealed one major thing the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu must do when he assumed office.
Ngige on Wednesday, March 29, said the incoming administration of Tinubu should review the minimum wage of workers immediately after its inauguration on May 29.
Ngige stated this when he made an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Wednesday.
According to the minister, the pay raise is to enable civil servants to cushion the effect of inflation, increase the cost of living, increase transportation, increase housing, increase in electricity and other utilities.
The minister added that the incoming government should come up with a new minimum wage higher than the current N30,000 by May 2024.
He also said the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has approved a pay raise for “hardcore civil servants”, effective January 1, 2023, adding that it has been appropriated in the 2023 budget.
The minister said the minimum wage that went to the National Assembly in 2018 saw an increase from N18,000 to N30,000 though many states are yet to implement it.
He said it was entrenched in the bill sent to the legislature that minimum wage will now have an automaticity of review every five years to fit the current standard of living.
He said,
“We entrenched in that bill or law that minimum wage will now have an automaticity of review every five years.
“So, from 2019 when it came into effect 2024 will be five years but we also made a recommendation in our document which we submitted that the discussion, the negotiation should start one year from May 2024 when it is supposed to kick-start.
“So, I’m envisaging that as from May 2023, the government will empanel the new minimum wage review committee for the nation.
“In my handover note which I am going to hand over to the transition committee and the next government, I am recommending that the discussions start anytime from May 2023.”
BREAKING: Fire Guts Olowu Spare Parts Market in Lagos
Goods worth millions of naira have been destroyed in a fire incident that occurred in Olowu spare parts market in Lagos.
The incident happened in the early hours of Thursday, March 30.
Some shops engulfed by the inferno contained air-conditioners for sale, parts of vehicles, and motorcycles, among others.
Nen of the Lagos State Fire Service and security operatives are currently at the scene trying to put the situation under control.
Recall that a similar fire incident occurred three weeks at the Akere Spare Parts Market on Kirikiri Road, Olodi-Apapa in Ajegunle.
VIDEO: ‘I Am Married’ – Davido Says As He Flaunts Wedding Ring
Nigerian singer-songwriter, David Adeleke popularly known as Davido has confirmed that he is married to his lover, Chioma Avril Rowland.
The singer who has been off social media for six months disclosed this in a fresh interview with content creator and comedian, Kiekie.
While speaking on what he had been up to during the time he took the break, the singer said;
‘’I have never ever taken this kind of break. Just being away and I have had a lot to think about. It was a time to rest, reflect, a lot of family time, time to make music again. I remade the album. Before I went on the break I actually had an album already. Had a tour already but we did the album, I travelled, I am married” he said as he flaunted his wedding ring
Whitney Adeniran: Chrisland School Principal, Others Charged With Manslaughter
The Lagos State government on Thursday arraigned Chrisland School, Opebi, its principal, vice principal and two other employees over the death 12-year-old Whitney Adeniran, who was a pupil in d school.
Those arraigned include: Ademoye Adewale, Kuku Fatai, Mrs. Belinda Amao, Nwatu Ugochi Victoria and Chrisland School Limited.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Oyindamola Ogala of the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja on two count charges bordering on involuntary manslaughter, reckless and negligent acts preferred against them by the state.
While in the dock, the school’s principal, Mrs. Belinda Amao, broke down in tears as the court and counsel tried to agree on a date for the commencement of the trial.
N1.1b Fraud: Ex-Customs Boss, Abdullahi Dikko’s lawyer Sentenced to 7-Years Imprisonment
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of a Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday convicted Umar Hussaini, who was a lawyer to ex-Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the late Abdullahi Dikko, over N1.1 billion fraud.
Hussaini was sentenced to seven years imprisonment with an option of N100 million fine.
The court found Hussaini guilty of the two-count charge preferred against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
In the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/74/2020 and filed by the ICPC on behalf of the Federal Government, Hussaini, who was the sole defendant, was charged with laundering the NCS funds to the tune of N1.1 billion.
Following his conviction, two witnesses, one of whom was a legal practitioner, Mr Amobi Nzelu, testified about Hussaini’s good character, while praying the court for a leniency.
They begged the court to give the sentencing with an option of fine.
The convict, who was said to have four wives with children and aging parents, was said to be the bread winner of the family. He also begged the court to temper justice with mercy and sentence him with an option of fine.
He said he had never cheated anyone or committed any crime before and that the responsibility of discipline and catering for the children was on him.
Naziru Umar, the convict’s lawyer, broke into tears while pleading on behalf of his client for mercy. Umar also prayed that the sentencing should be with an option of fine in accordance with the provisions of Section 6(c)(1)(2) of the FHC Corruption and Other Related Offences Sentencing Guidelines and Practice Direction, 2015.
ICPC Lawyer, Olubunmi Ikupolati, who drew the attention of the court to Section 11 of the AFF Act, 2006, urged the court to convict him with restitution of the funds stolen. But Umar urged the court to discountenance Ikupolati’s application, saying such request would amount to double jeopardy since his client was also facing a civil matter before the FCT High Court.
Ikupolati urged the court to uphold his argument. He said the issue of double jeopardy did not arise here since there was no existing judgment on the matter.
Delivering the judgment, Justice Ojukwu handed down seven-year jail term on each count of the charge with an option of fine of N50 million each on each of the two counts. The judge, however, ordered that the sentencing would run concurrently.
Ojukwu equally ordered Hussaini to pay the sum of N100 million as compensation to the victims of the crime, Mr Yemi Obadeyi and the company, Cambial Limited.
She ordered the convict to be remanded in prison pending the fulfilment of the terms of fine.
Woman Dies During Alleged Sex Romp With NDLEA Boss
The Niger State Police Criminal Investigation Department, SCID, has arrested the State Zonal Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, identified simply as Femi over alleged culpable homicide.
Femi is being suspected of complicity over the death of a married woman, Mrs Christiana Williams at his residence situated along Bay Clinic Road, Minna opposite old B.Y stores on Saturday.
The woman, who was said to be asthmatic had visited the house of the NDLEA zonal commander on the pretence to sell underwear , where they had sexual intercourse and thereafter, developed a crisis and slumped.
The suspect rushed the deceased to Bay Clinic along Bay Clinic road Minna at about 2pm but she was confirmed dead on arrival by the doctors.
However, when the hospital suspected foul moves, they quickly contacted the Police at Tudun-Wada Police Station, following claims by the NDLEA zonal commander that the lady came to his house to supply underwear to him, and that she suddenly went into an asthmatic crisis while he rushed out to get an inhaler for her.
But, it was gathered that the husband, Williams, who was shocked and sad over the incident claimed his wife who was asthmatic does not use an inhaler but had some prescription drugs she used during the crisis to calm the situation.
Consequently, the suspect was said to have been arrested by the Tundun-Wada police command and later transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department, CID, for investigation.
A reliable source around the hospital further said that, “the suspect brought the dead woman naked but went back home and returned with her pants, brassiere, and other clothing materials and wore them on her”.
The state Police Public Relations Officer, PRO, DSP Wasiu Abiodun confirmed the incident adding that the matter is currently under investigation.
