10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Saturday morning, November 16, 2019

These 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers will make your Saturday morning, November 16,  2019.

1. BAYELSA/KOGI DECIDE: The candidates, intrigues and how Bayelsa, Kogi may vote

From 8am today, Saturday, 16th November, 2019, the electorate in Bayelsa and Kogi States will troop out to vote for their next governors. In Bayelsa, the voters will be choosing a new man, as the incumbent governor, Seriake Dickson is rounding up his second term in office while in Kogi, the choice will be between incumbent Yahaya Bello of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who is angling for a second term in office against an array of candidates from other political parties.

As it has become the tradition, the battle will be between old foes, the APC and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the two dominant political parties in the country. Ripples Nigeria brings you a preview of the way voters in both Bayelsa and Kogi may vote in the next few hours! Read more

2. Nigerian govt set to issue order for arrest of people who defecate openly

The Nigerian Government has revealed that it is set to make an Executive Order to punish individuals who indiscriminately defecate in the open. Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, said that the said order would be signed by President Muhammadu Buhari to reduce significantly and if possible completely eradicate cases of open defecation in the country. Read more

3. Buhari thanks Atiku for going to court to challenge his election victory rather than resorting to ‘other ways’

President Muhammadu Buhari has welcomed the Supreme Court’s explanation on the ruling on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Atiku Abubakar’s presidential election petition. In a statement on Friday by his media aide, Garba Shehu, Buhari noted that allegations must be substantiated if they are to hold, and this required producing credible witnesses that verify key claims “as the Supreme Court has stated, the case failed this test.” Read more

4. KOGI POLL: Court adjourns suit on Bello’s eligibility till November 21

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday adjourned hearing in the suit challenging the eligibility of Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, for Saturday’s governorship election in the state till November 21. Justice Inyang Ekwo, who adjourned the case, held that the court decided to move the case forward to give Bello, who sought to be joined in the matter, a fair hearing. Read more

5. KOGI GUBER: We’ll hold Gov Bello responsible for any harm on our members ―PDP

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of sending armed thugs to attack its leaders, including Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, and its candidate, Musa Wada, in Lokoja, Kogi state. PDP said that several “hooded APC thugs, armed with automatic rifles and other dangerous weapons, invaded the venue of the meeting which had Governor Makinde, Engr. Wada, his running mate, Hon. Samuel Aro, the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, as well as other party chieftains in attendance.” Read more

Read also: 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Friday morning, November 15, 2019

6. BAYELSA POLL: Appeal court orders INEC to retain APC, Lyon on ballot

A Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Friday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to retain the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate, David Lyon, in the ballot for Saturday’s governorship election in Bayelsa State. The court gave the order following an ex parte motion filed by Lyon’s counsel on Thursday. Read more

7. Sowore, El-Zakzaky, Dasuki prefer being in our custody —DSS

The Department of State Services (DSS) has claimed that the leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), Ibraheem El-Zakzaky, and the former national security adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, chose to remain in its custody because the service was taking good care of them. DSS said El-Zakzaky, Dasuki and also the convener of the #RevolutionNow protest, Omoyele Sowore appealed to the court to remand them in its custody rather than sending them to prison. Read more

8. Appeal Court validates Okowa’s re-election

The Court of Appeal sitting in Asaba, Delta State, on Friday dismissed the appeal filed by the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the March 9 governorship election in the state, Great Ogboru, and declared Ifeanyi Okowa as the validly elected governor of the state. A five-man panel of the appellate court led by Justice Uzo Ndukwe-Anyanwu unanimously dismissed Ogboru’s appeal against Okowa for lack of merit. Read more

9. Plateau PDP chairman, Damishi Sango, resigns

Plateau State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Damishi Sango, has resigned his post and handed over to his deputy, Amos Gombe. His resignation was announced by Jeremiah Useni, the leader of the party in the state, at a stakeholders’ meeting in Jos on Friday. Useni stated that Sango was no longer the state chairman, but had become a member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT). Read more

10. 70 NECO staff sacked for certificate forgery

The National Examinations Council (NECO) has dismissed no fewer than 70 of its staff over alleged certificate forgery. This was sequel to a report submitted by a Management Committee constituted to verify certificates of members of staff. The approval for the sack was made at NECO’s 17th extra-ordinary meeting of the Governing Board after vetting the verification committee’s report. Read more

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