10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Sunday morning, January 26, 2020

These 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers will interest you this Sunday morning.

1. DSS reportedly arrests journalist for ‘criticizing Buhari, Tinubu, EFCC’

The Department of State Service (DSS) has reportedly arrested a journalist, Ayoola Babalola, for allegedly publishing articles criticising President Muhammadu Buhari, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Babalola’s lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

Effiong, who is also a rights activist, said his client was arrested on Thursday and arraigned at a Magistrate Court sitting in Abeokuta, Ogun State, the following day. According to him, the journalist has been remanded at the Ibara Maximum Prison, Abeokuta, on the court’s order. Read more

2. APGA boots out Ararume for supporting Uzodinma

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in the the March 9, 2019 election in Imo State, Senator Ifeanyi Ararume has been expelled from party.

Ararume, who was in the Senate representing Imo North between 1999 and 2007, was expelled for anti-party activities. His expulsion was announced by the Caretaker Committee Chairman of the APGA in Imo, John Iwuala, who said the party in the state and the South East zone of the party had expelled Ararume. Read more

3. Akeredolu to APC: Drop me and lose Ondo in 2021 election

Ondo State Governor, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu, on Saturday charged the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to retain him as its candidate in next year’s governorship election if it desires to continue ruling the state.

The governor told journalists in Abuja that he is the only person with the pedigree and charisma to secure huge votes for the party in the election. Akeredolu said people of Ondo State would always stand with him because of his achievements, adding that people persuaded him to become the governor of the state in 2017. Read more

4. 2023: Buhari didn’t promise to make Tinubu his successor – NIWA chief

The Chairman of the Nigeria Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), George Muoghalu, said on Saturday President Muhammadu Buhari did not promise to hand over power to a former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu, in 2023.

Muoghalu, who is a former National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), told journalists in Imo State that the chances of the South East producing the President’s successor are now brighter. The NIWA chief said President Buhari had been very fair to the South East zone and charged the APC to win more states in the region. Read more

5. RERUN: Gunmen abduct INEC staff with election materials in Cross River

The Saturday House of Assembly rerun election in Affanya community in Abi local government area of Cross River was marred by violence after gunmen abducted an Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) staff and hijacked materials.

Following the development, INEC has rescheduled the election in eight polling units in the Afayna/Igoni-Igoni ward, Abi State constituency of Cross River State. Briefing journalists on the conduct of the election, the INEC Federal Commissioner, South-South region, Dr. Mohammed Lecky, wondered why people should still engage in the undemocratic acts. Read more

Read also: 10 top stories from Nigerian newspapers Saturday morning, January 25, 2020

6. Sanusi cautions North against polygamy, says it’s cause of poverty

The Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido, on Thursday called on Northerners to shun polygamy, saying it is the cause of the pervading poverty in the region.

The Emir, who spoke in Gusau, the Zamfara State capital at the first Convocation of the Federal University Gusau, also warned that except the people of the North change their culture, they will continue in perpetual poverty and backwardness. According to Sanusi, the culture of marrying more than one wife by those incapable of fairly taking care of one and having more children was the main reason the northern region would continue to remain backward and in abject poverty. Read more

7. Hoodlums set venue for Oshiomhole’s political rally ablaze

A venue where Adams Oshiomhole arranged to use as a rally group to receive some defectors into the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been set ablaze by suspected hoodlums.

Oshiomhole, the APC National Chairman, it was learnt, had prepared the venue in Auchi, Estako West Local Government Area of Edo State. However, persons suspected to be hoodlums, on Saturday stormed the venue and set it ablaze, allegedly destroying two cars, over 1000 chairs and several canopies. Read more

8. 9th National Assembly not a rubber stamp legislature —Lawan

The President of the Nigerian Senate, Ahmad Lawan has debunked claims held in some quarters that the ninth National Assembly is a rubber stamp legislature to the Federal Government. Lawan quashed the claims on Friday during a birthday presentation by the North East Support Group at the Dutse Airport in Jigawa State on his way to his Yobe North Senatorial District after a private trip abroad. Read more

9. Court jails ex-commissioner 19 years

A former Commissioner for Agriculture in Kogi State, Zacchaeus Atte has been sentenced to 19 years in prison for stealing N19 million. A Divisional High Court in Kogi State presided over by Justice J.J. Majebi handed the jail term to Atte. The development came after Atte was found guilty on seven out of the 11 counts of the charges levelled against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). Read more

10. Four Lagos buildings razed by inferno in 24 hours – LASEMA

Apart from the popular Amu Plank Market in Mushin area of Lagos that was razed by inferno on Saturday, four other buildings and facilities were ravaged by fire in various locations in the state within 24 hours, the state emergency management agency has said.

The Director-General of LASEMA, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, who disclosed this to journalists, said the areas affected were Ogba, Agege, Lekki, Ikeja GRA, and Mushin. Several shops and buildings at the Mushin plank market were razed by the fire which started at about 11:00 p.m. on Friday. Read more

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