10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Friday morning, January 31, 2020

These 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers will interest you this Friday morning, January 31, 2020

1. Taraba govt confirms 7 local councils affected by Lassa fever

The Taraba State government has confirmed that seven local government areas in the state have been affected by the outbreak of Lassa fever which is spreading across Nigeria. This was revealed by the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Innocent Vakkai who identified the affected LGAs as Takum, Donga, Ibi, Gassol, Jalingo, Ardo Kola and Bali as the affected areas. Dr. Innocent Vakkai who noted that much on Thursday during a one-day sensitization programme organised by the state directorate of the National Youth Service Corps in the state capital of Jalingo, urged residents to maintain a high level of hygiene and cleanliness to avoid the infection. Read more

2. Obaseki is heading to another party, Edo lawmakers-elect say

The 14 aggrieved lawmakers-elect of the Edo State House of Assembly on Thursday insisted that Governor Godwin Obaseki is heading for another party. According to them, the recent endorsement of Obaseki by Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State is a clear evidence that he would be leaving the All Progressives Congress (APC). The lawmakers also accused the governor of deliberately promoting the crisis in the state chapter of the APC in order to destroy it. Read more

3. EFCC releases Shehu Sani

A former senator representing Kaduna central senatorial district in the upper legislative chamber, Shehu Sani, was on Thursday released from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after perfecting his bail conditions. Sani, who is facing trial for alleged name-dropping and extortion, was arrested by the anti-graft agency in December last year. Read more

4. We didn’t discuss NASS resolution on service chiefs with Buhari – NSA

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno (retd), has dismissed reports that the fate of the country’s security chiefs topped the agenda of Thursday’s meeting of the National Security Council. President Muhammadu Buhari had earlier on Thursday presided over the first National Security Council meeting for the year with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and the security chiefs in attendance. The meeting followed renewed calls among Nigerians for the removal of the service chiefs due to growing insecurity in some parts of the country. Read more

5. Growing insecurity in Nigeria worrisome – Jonathan

Former President Goodluck Jonathan said on Thursday he was worried over the growing insecurity in some parts of the country. The former President, in a statement issued by his media aide, Dr. Ikechukwu Eze, also expressed concern over the security of Nigerians, if his residence could be attacked by gunmen. He, however, said Nigeria would overcome its current insecurity. Read more

Read also: AKWA IBOM RERUN: CLO calls for prosecution of electoral offenders

6. Buhari aware of Nigeria’s security challenges, in charge of affairs – Presidency

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said on Thursday the statement credited to President Muhammadu Buhari on the country’s security challenge was misconstrued. Buhari, who hosted some people from Niger State on Monday, had reportedly said he was taken aback by the new manifestations of insecurity in the North West. The President’s comment had sparked a controversy in the country, with many Nigerians including the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, asking him to resign over his inability to address the problem. Read more

7. RANKING NIGERIAN GOVERNORS, JANUARY, 2020: Top 5, Bottom 5

Nigerian Governors, as custodians of the people’s mandate at the state level, have so much expectations placed on their shoulders. These range from policy formulations to execution of sustainable projects targeted at improving the lives of citizens.

Admittedly, governance is a daunting task, especially in the face of lean resources. But even in the face of these huddles, some helmsmen have shown exceptional capacity to better their societies while others have appeared as laggards.

The debate is on, necessitating an urgent media intervention to guide public discourse. Ripples Nigeria, in line with our avowed mandate of holding leaders, especially elected ones, accountable on behalf of the people, will attempt a monthly performance review of the governors.

These series of publications started in August, 2019, and will continue to run through the lifetime of this platform. For January, 2020, we again present a ranking of Nigerian governors, highlighting Top 5 and Bottom 5, in no particular order.

We hope, through these special publications, that we would engender a competitive spirit between and among the governors and ultimately drive our nation toward the path of lifting its citizens from abject poverty to prosperity. Read more

8. We totally support Abaribe’s call for Buhari’s resignation – PDP

The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic (Party), Uche Secondus, said on Thursday the party is totally behind the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, on his call for President Muhammadu Buhari to resign over his supposed inability to address the country’s security challenges. Secondus, who stated during an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, stressed that it was imperative for the President to declare a state of emergency on insecurity. He also pointed out that bad governance was the major cause of the rising insecurity in some parts of Nigeria. Read more

9. Senate confirms Obiorah as CBN deputy governor

The Senate on Thursday confirmed the nomination of Dr. Kingsley Isitua Obiora as the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The upper legislative chamber approved Obiora’s nomination after adopting the report of the Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions read at plenary by its Chairman, Senator Uba Sani. The panel recommended the nominee’s confirmation for the position. Read more

10. Court sentences three to death for armed robbery in Osun

The Osun State High Court on Thursday sentenced three men to death by hanging for armed robbery. The three men – Nuhu Jimoh, Ndubisi David and Aderibigbe Oluwasenu- were docked for robbing three banks in the state about four years ago. They were arraigned before Justice Jide Falola on June 29, 2017, on a 10-count charge of conspiracy, armed robbery, murder, illegal possession of firearms and others. Read more

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