10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Saturday morning, February 8, 2020

These 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers will make your Saturday morning.

1. PDP begins 8-day prayer and fasting to restore Ihedioha as governor

The efforts by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to have Emeka Ihedioha return as the governor of Imo State has taken a new shape. This followed the declaration of eight-day fasting and prayer session by the Imo PDP. The spiritual exercise is meant to be used to call on God to restore Ihedioha as the governor of the state. Ihedioha was thrown out by the Supreme Court as the governor of Imo State on January 14. The apex court declared Hope Uzodinma of the APC as the new governor of the state. Read more

2. 2023: Nobody dashes power, seek support of Rivers people, Wike tells governorship hopefuls

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, on Saturday advised his political associates looking to succeed him in 2023 to seek the support of people of the state because he would not impose any governor on the state. Wike, who stated this when a delegation of the Oyigbo local government area of the state paid a solidarity visit to the Government House in Port Harcourt, insisted that all those banking on him to support them in the governorship bids would be disappointed. Read more

3. Critics of Buhari’s efforts at tackling insecurity have short memories – Presidency

The presidency on Friday described critics claiming that President Muhammadu Buhari has not done much to tackle insecurity in the country as people with short memories. The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Femi Adesina, in an article posted on his Facebook wall and website, titled: “Insecurity: What Buhari has done, and is doing,” highlighted the current administration’s efforts at tackling insecurity in the country. The Nigerian armed forces, according to the presidential aide, said were in tatters, ill-equipped, ill-trained, and ill-motivated before Buhari came to power in 2015. Read more

4. Dickson commissions Bayelsa airport Monday

The outgoing governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson will officially commission the state international airport in Yenagoa on Monday. The state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, who disclosed this in a statement on Saturday, said the governor would also commission the 2.5 kilometre airport road on the same day. According to him, the event will be chaired by King Alfred Diete-Spiff, the Amayanabo of Twon-Brass and Chairman of the Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers. Read more

5. No one can Islamise or Christianize Nigeria —Sultan of Sokoto

The Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has declared that no one can Islamise or Christianize Nigeria and also stated further that the concept held in some quarters that Jihad is to Islamise every country is wrong.

Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar who was reacting to claims by a Fulani group that they own Nigeria from Sokoto to the Atlantic Ocean, said that in all the over hundred books of Usman Danfodio, there was no place where it was written that Nigeria belongs to the Fulanis. Read more

Read also: 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Saturday morning, February 8, 2020

6. I fight the opposition, not my party members – Oshiomhole

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole, said on Saturday he was never involved in any fight with members of the party and would never insult anyone. The ex-Edo State governor insisted that he dissipates his energy in fighting the opposition and not his party members.

He was reacting to the reported threat by the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, to suspend him from the APC at state level over alleged anti-party activities. Oshiomhole, who spoke with journalists in Edo North after some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) defected to APC, said he would not fight his party members because he is interested in the unity of the party. Read more

7. Eight Zamfara council chiefs dump APC for PDP

Eight local council chairmen in Zamfara State on Saturday defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). There are 14 local government areas in Zamfara. The Special Adviser on Media to the state Governor, Zailani Bappa, disclosed this in a statement in Gusau, the state capital. Read more

8. Police building within Ekiti Govt Secretariat destroyed by bomb blast

A building housing the Police Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) office in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State exploded on Saturday morning. There were no casualties but the impact caused some damages to some government offices in the vicinity of the explosion. EOD building comes down in early morming explosion at Ekiti govt secretariat

The building housing the Explosives Ordinance Department (EOD) of the Nigeria Police Force, within the old secretariat of the Ekiti State Government, came to the ground in the early hours of Saturday, when explosives kept in the building triggered off. Read more

9. CORRUPTION: Bauchi governor vows to probe predecessor if found wanting

The Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed has declared that he will probe his predecessor, Mohammed Abubakar, if he was found to have shortchanged the people of the state in any way. Governor Mohammed who revealed this on Friday while speaking to reporters in Bauchi after a dinner to celebrate his victory at the Supreme Court also recalled that his predecessor was the most investigated person under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan after his tenure as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, came to an end. The governor however explained that he was not out to probe his predecessor but would take the step if the situation presents itself. Read more

10. Gunmen kill Customs officer in Katsina

Unknown gunmen have killed one of the officers of the Nigeria Customs Service at Faru village in Jibia local government area of Katsina State. The Spokesman of the state Command of NCS, Theophilus Duniya, confirmed the development in a terse SMS message to journalists on Saturday evening. He said: “Sadly, we lost an officer. Details would be made available to you as soon as investigations are over.” Read more

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