10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Saturday morning, December 21, 2019

These 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers will make your Saturday morning, December 21,  2019.

1. It’s time to focus on fulfilling campaign promises, Buhari tells APC govs

President Muhammadu Buhari has advised governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to concentrate fully on fulfilling their campaign promises. He said this in a message to governors whose election victory was on Wednesday validated by the Supreme Court. They are Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna), Bello Masari (Katsina), and Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa). The president, congratulating them in a statement on Friday, said the victories were rewards for the “patient legal battles to defend your mandates.” The president said he was pleased that the governors utilised the court to peacefully defend the mandate given to them by the people. Read more

2. I’ll bequeath to Nigeria a modernised, motivated police force, Buhari promises

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday in Abuja said he would like to bequeath to the country a modernised and motivated police force. He spoke during the commissioning of operational vehicles and other assets, at the Police Headquarters. “My vision is to bequeath to our nation a legacy of a reformed, modernised, fully-equipped, highly-motivated, and citizens-focused Police Force that is re-oriented to the virtues of professionalism, respect for rule of law, due process and best international practices in their operations. “It is in cognisance of this that I approved the re-adjustment of Police emoluments as well as the recruitment of ten thousand (10,000) extra police personnel on an annual basis to motivate and enhance the manpower of the Force. It is also in this regard that I assented to the Police Trust Fund Bill to act as a public-private funding framework that will address funding shortages for the Police on a sustainable basis,” he said. Read more

3. Senate adjourns plenary till January 28, 2020

The Nigerian Senate has adjourned plenary till January 28, 2020. The lawmakers announced this on Friday during a short plenary, where it delibrated and passed the 2020 budget of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Before adjourning till next year, Senate President Ahmad Lawan named Smart Adeyemi as the chairman of the Aviation Committee, to replace Dino Melaye of the PDP, who lost Kogi West senatorial seat to Adeyemi recently. Lawan also named Ibrahim Danbaba as the vice-chairman of the Committee on Police Affairs, to replace Abubakar Tambuwal. Read more

4. Emir Sanusi gives in, accepts Gov Ganduje’s appointment

Kano State Emir, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has accepted his appointment as Chairman, Council of Emirs in Kano State by Governor Abdullahi Ganduje. The news of his acceptance of the appointment came a few hours after the governor gave him two days to reply to the letter appointing him as the chairman of the State Council of Emirs. The governor, in a letter signed by the permanent secretary, special duties, Musa Bichi on Friday, said the emir should indicate his acceptance or otherwise of the appointment. But the emir in a letter he made available to newsmen on Friday, which though was dated December 19, 2019, indicated that he had accepted the appointment. Read more

5. Ekiti PDP lawyer counters party chairman over alleged sale of party secretariat by Fayose

Legal counsel to the Ekiti State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sunday Olowolafe, has attacked the state chairman of the party, Gboyega Oguntuwase, over his statement on the sale of the new secretariat of the party in Ado Ekiti, the state capital. Oguntuwase had accused the ex-governor Ayodele Fayose of selling the party secretariat to himself by proxy. He told journalists in Ado Ekiti on Thursday that Fayose sold the property to one of his cronies without the knowledge of the State Working Committee (SWC). Read more

Read also: 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Friday morning, December 20, 2019

6. Ozekhome says Adoke’s arrest unnecessary, demands his release over ‘poor health’

Mike Ozekhome, counsel to former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, has disapproved of the detention of the ex-AGF, saying it was unnecessary. Adoke is facing criminal charge for alleged abuse of office and money laundering in respect to the granting of the Oil Prospecting License (OPL) 245 to Shell and ENI. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had taken the former Minister for Justice into custody upon arrival into the country on Thursday from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Ozekhome however said the arrest was unnecessary since he (Adoke) returned to Nigeria voluntarily. He also asked the EFCC to release his client on health grounds. Read more

7. Supreme Court says Okorocha’s son-in-law Nwosu was unqualified to vie for Imo gov poll

The Supreme Court has said that Uche Nwosu, the candidate of Action Alliance (AA) was not qualified to vie for the governorship election in Imo State in the 2019 general elections. The apex court held that, Nwosu, a son-in-law to the immediate past governor of the state, Rochas Okorocha, contested the election as both the candidate of the AA and the All Progressives Congress (APC). This was delivered in a lead judgment read by Justice Amina Augie. It said by virtue of double candidature that Nwosu ab intio was not qualified to vie for the office. Nwosu was declared the winner of the APC governorship primary in the state. However, Adam’s Oshiomhole led national leadership of the party opted for Hope Uzodinma as the party’s candidate. This development led Nwosu to defect to AA at the last minute. Read more

8. Reps approve N9.4bn for completion of Customs HQ, to monitor revenue generation

The House of Representatives on Friday approved the budget of the Nigerian Customs Services (NCS) with the approval of the sum of N9.4billion for the completion of the head office complex of the service. Reports say the House Committee on Supply approved a total budget of N283.1billion of the Customs for the year 2020 and according to the budget of the service, the N9.4billion will be from the target surplus of revenue made by customs. Also, the House Committee on Finance said it will henceforth be receiving weekly and monthly reports on revenue generation and remittances from Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs). Read more

9. Obaseki not distracted by political crisis in Edo State, Dep Gov says

The Deputy Governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has declared that the Governor of the state, Godwin Obaseki is not distracted, despite the longstanding political crisis rocking the state. Shaibu who revealed this in a chat with newsmen at his residence in Benin on Friday also warned political opponents not to take his principal for granted because of his desire for peace. According to him, Obaseki would not be deterred by the current political crisis in the state, stressing that the administration of the incumbent governor had not deviated from his mandate to deliver the dividends of democracy to people of Edo State. Read more

10. “He is a notorious criminal”, police says of village head arrested for kidnapping

The Nasarawa State Commissioner of Police, Bola Longe, on Friday in Lafia, paraded the village head of Mangora Goma Tunga, in Nasarawa Local Government Area, Alhaji Dalhatu Abubakar, alongside 80 other suspected criminals arrested in the state. Abubakar was arrested for allegedly aiding and abetting kidnapping. Longe revealed that the police arrested the monarch following credible intelligence on his involvement in kidnapping activities along Loko in Nasarawa/Toto axis. “He is a notorious criminal with a long and inglorious reputation, operating in a most clandestine manner; and he has been on our wanted list,” the police boss said. Read more

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