10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Monday morning, March 2, 2020

1. PDP wins Enugu local council election

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has won all the chairmanship and councilors’ seats in Saturday’s local government election in Enugu State. At least 36 political parties took part in the election. The Chairman of Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC), Dr. Mike Ajogwu, declared that PDP won the chairmanship seats in all the 17 local government areas of the state. He noted that it was a repeat of the last council election in Enugu when the party won all the elective seats in the state. Read more

2. Cross River places Indian, two Chinese under close observation for coronavirus

The Cross River State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Beta Edu, said on Sunday the state government had placed five foreigners who came into the state from Lagos last Friday under observation for coronavirus. Edu said two of the foreigners are from Europe, one from India and two from China. According to him, none of them has shown symptoms of the deadly disease. Read more

3. Plateau govt isolates 43 over coronavirus

Plateau State government said on Sunday that at least 43 people are currently in isolation camps in the Wase local government area of the state. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nimkong Ndam, who disclosed this to journalists, urged the people of Plateau State to remain calm as the state has not recorded any case of coronavirus. Read more

4. APC TO OPPOSITION: Don’t seek political gains from discovery of coronavirus in Nigeria

The All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday warned the opposition against politicising the first case of coronavirus in the country, saying Federal Government should be commended for moving swiftly to contain the disease. The party in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Lanre Issa-Onilu, also commended “the proactive work and coordination activities of the Federal Ministry of Health, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Lagos and Ogun State Governments and other public and private health institutions. Read more

5. Nigeria’s secret police allegedly hunting Premium Times journalists over scoop on Buhari presidency

The Department of State Services (DSS) operatives are allegedly on the trail of two journalists from the PREMIUM TIMES over recent reports that were considered offensive by the presidency. The online newspaper had last month made public the alleged rift between the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, and Chief of Staff to the president, Abba Kyari. Read more

Read also: 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Sunday morning, March 1, 2020

6. Afenifere, PANDEF, urge Buhari to heed calls for restructuring of Nigeria

The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) on Sunday urged President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to heed the warning from two former Nigerian leaders, Yakubu Gowon and Olusegun Obasanjo, for the restructuring of the country to avoid a crisis. In a statement signed by Yinka Odumakin (South West), Gen C.R.U Ikekire (South East), Senator Bassey Henshaw (South-South) and Dr. Isuwa Dogo (Middle Belt), the regional leaders said the restructuring would help to solve the myriad of problems facing the country. Read more

7. There’s nothing anybody can do if I appoint my son chief of staff – Akeredolu

Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, said on Sunday his son, Babajide, thoroughly deserved the position of Chief of Staff to the governor because of his contribution to the All Progressives Congress (APC) victory in the 2016 governorship election in the state. Akeredolu, who stated this during a dinner organised to mark his third year in office, declared that the young man worked harder than most members of his campaign organization prior to the election. Read more

8. SERAP asks Lawan to drop bill proposing foreign education for ‘repentant terrorists’

Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has sent an open letter to the Senate President Ahmad Lawan, urging him to use his leadership position to “ensure that the bill that would allow ‘repentant Boko Haram terrorists’ opportunities to access public funds to enjoy foreign education is immediately dropped, and to sponsor bills that would ensure access to justice and reparation for the victims of Boko Haram terrorist group.” According to SERAP, “the bill, which has passed the first reading at the Senate would give opportunities to ‘repentant terrorists’ to receive foreign education including by accessing funds from the Universal Basic Education Commission, the Tertiary Education Trust Fund and subventions from the government.”  Read more

9. Newspapers’ll beam spotlight on malaria when clueless Buhari prioritises health sector, Aisha Yesufu tells Garba

The co-coordinator of Bring Back Our Girls (BBOG) movement, Aisha Yesufu has reacted to Garba Shehu’s comment on when Nigerian newspapers would beam spotlight on malaria. Shehu, who is President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, had in a post on his Facebook page on Sunday said: “This morning’s newspapers, all of them have Coronavirus as the lead, cover story. “When will they bring the spotlight to bear on 822 who are killed by malaria everyday in Nigeria?” Read more

10. Sokoto govt to replace Almajiri with Indonesian Pandok model

Sokoto State governor, Aminu Tambuwal, said on Sunday the state government is considering the adoption of the Indonesian Pondok Pesantren Madrasah educational model as an alternative to the existing Almajiri system in the state.  The governor stated this when he received the Indonesian Ambassador to Nigeria, Usra Hendra Harahap, at the Government House in Sokoto. Read more

 

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