Good Morning, Welcome to Daily News24 Roundup of Top Nigerian Newspapers Headlines for Friday, Jan. 7th.
1. Super Tucano deployment: NAF plans bandits’ bombardment, allays fears over civilian casualties, US warns FG
The United States has warned Nigeria that the use of the Super Tucano must comply with international norms as articulated in the United Nations Charter.
The US gave the warning on Thursday as the Nigerian military was set to deploy the Super Tucano aircraft in the North-West and North-Central after the Federal Government officially designated bandits in the regions as terrorists,
But the US while advising Nigeria said the Federal Government should not deploy the aircraft in operations that encroach on traditional law enforcement role which is under police authority.
2. IPOB’s cow ban, declaration of war, says ACF, Ohanaeze seeks peace
The pan-Northern socio-political organisation, Arewa Consultative Forum, on Thursday said that Indigenous People of Biafra’s banning the singing of the National Anthem and the transportation of livestock to the South-East was a declaration of war.
The National Publicity Secretary of the ACF, Emmanuel Yawe, stated this in an interview with one of our correspondents while commenting on the plan by Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria to ban movement of foodstuffs from the North to the South-East.
But the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, appealed to the northern traders to shelve the plan.
3. Planned anti-corruption bill meant to shield Akeredolu family, says PDP as govt kicks
The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has accused the state House of Assembly of planning to sponsor an anti-corruption bill, which was forwarded to it in December 2021 to favour Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s family.
According to the PDP, the House is scheduled to pass the bill tagged, ‘A bill for a law to establish the Ondo State Public Complaints, Financial Crime and Anti-corruption Commission and others connected thereto 2021’, soon and it is carefully crafted to give sweeping exclusive powers to the agency in matters of corruption in the state.
This was contained in a statement by the state Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Kennedy Peretei, titled, ‘Ondo State anti-corruption bill: An attempt by Akeredolu to shield his family from investigation’.
4. 2023: Anxiety In APC As Jonathan Meets Buhari Twice In 7 Days
There is growing anxiety in the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as former President Goodluck Jonathan Thursday visited President Muhammadu Buhari for the second time in a week.
The frequency of the former president’s visits to the Presidential Villa, Abuja comes amidst reports that he is being considered by a section of the presidency and some governors of the APC for the presidential ticket of the party come 2023.
Daily Trust reports that since Jonathan’s visit on Thursday, December 30, 2021 to Aso Rock, there has been anxiety in the ruling party especially among those who are eyeing the presidency.
5. Opposition Can Sack APC If We Don’t Agree On Convention – Buhari
President Muhammadu Buhari has warned the All Progressives Congress that the opposition will take over government in 2023 if the APC fails to resolve its internal wrangling and hold its convention.
He gave the warning during an interview with the Nigerian Television Authority monitored by our reporters last night.
The ruling APC is yet to fix a definite date for its convention though the party had said it would be held in February, this year.
6. How Buhari Compensated Old Allies With NNPC Board Appointments
Some of the persons appointed into the Board and Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) are allies of President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to Femi Adesina, presidential spokesman, Buhari appointed them in accordance with the power vested on him under Section 59(2) of the Petroleum Industry Act he signed on August 16, 2021.
The president had constituted the board in September but shortly before it was to be inaugurated, he suspended the exercise indefinitely.
7. N10 per litre tax on soft drinks: 15,000 direct, indirect jobs on the line— NLC, LCCI, MAN, NACCIMA
Stakeholders in the Nigerian economy have faulted the Federal Government on the introduction of excise duty of N10/liter on non-alcoholic carbonated and sweetened beverages, noting that the move will lead to contraction of production output, loss of industry revenue and ultimately loss of jobs.
