Good morning Nigerians, welcome to Egaliarian Voice News top Nigeria newspaper headlines review for today, Thursday, 29th December 2022
1. Senate Passes N819.5b Supplementary Budget, FG To Borrow More
The Senate has passed the N819,536,937,813.00 2022 Supplementary Appropriation Bill transmitted by President Muhammadu Buhari last week.
Egaliarian Voice News reports that the Senate on Wednesday passed the supplementary budget following the consideration and approval of the report of the Senate Committee on Appropriation.
The Chairman of the committee, Barau Jibrin explained that the amount raised by the president was meant to complete ongoing capital projects, including roads and dams destroyed by flooding.
He said the Federal Government would source the amount from additional domestic borrowings.
2. Bolanle Raheem: IGP Takes Fresh Decision On ASP Who Killed Lagos Lawyer
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has recommended the immediate suspension of Assistant Superintendent of Police Drambi Vandi over the killing of Lagos lawyer, Omobolanle Raheem.
The decision of the IGP was communicated in a statement on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
Egaliarian Voice News recalls Vandi is the officer responsible for the shooting and killing of Barrister Raheem on Sunday while she was driving through the Ajah area of Lagos State with her family.
The IGP noted that the suspension is to “create an enabling environment for necessary legal procedures to uphold justice in the case without interference.”
The officer would be on suspension while the internal disciplinary process of the Police Force continues.
3. Nigerian Troops Allegedly Storm IPOB Commander Father’s Burial, Arrests Him Over Gulak’s Murder
Nigerian troops have reportedly apprehended an Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) strongman, Nwagwu Chiwendu for leading the murder of Ahmed Gulak.
Egaliarian Voice News reports that Gulak who is a former political adviser to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, was shot dead in May 2021.
His alleged killer, Chiwendu is a deputy commander of the IPOB Eastern Security Network (ESN) and is alleged to be the group’s main trainer in weapon handling and the second in command to Temple.
Temple is currently the leader of the proscribed organization in Imo State.
According to reports, the suspect deserted the Nigerian Army and joined the ESN in January 21.
A military operative told PRNigeria that he served in Operation Hadin Kai (OPHK) and thus has operational experience.
According to the source, Chiwendu was arrested yesterday at his father’s burial in Mbaise and confessed to killing Gulak.
4. Reps Reply ASUU President Over Deception Comment Against Gbajabiamila
The House of Representatives has replied the President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Prof Emmanuel Osodeke, over his comment earlier against the Speaker of the House, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Speaking at an interview earlier, Osodoke alleged that Gbajabiamila deceived the varsity union into calling off its eight-month-old industrial strike.
According to him, Gbajabiamila took advantage of the soft spot he had on ASUU and, with a written promise, assured the union that the government would immediately in full offset the arrears of salaries owed to its members after calling off the strike.
Reacting, however, in a statement issued to newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday (today), the spokesman of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, faulted the ASUU president’s allegation against Gbajabiamila.
According to him, the Speaker of the House of Representatives at no time committed to offsetting the arrears of salaries owed to union members for the time they were on strike.
He explained that the House of Representatives instead helped resolve the strike by making commitments to improve the welfare package of university lecturers and revitalization funds to improve the infrastructure and operations of federal universities.
5. I Am Surprised Buhari Govt Has Refused To Make Move Against Sheikh Gumi – Sunday Igboho
Embattled Yoruba nations activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Sunday Igboho, has slammed the Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government for failing to take action against controversial Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi.
Recall that Gumi had recently called on Nigerians to vote for those who will not fight bandit terrorists if elected president in 2023.
Speaking during a sermon, Sheikh Gumi urged Nigerians to vote for leaders who would instead negotiate with bandits.
While describing bandits as “our people,” Gumi said Nigeria’s next set of leaders should negotiate and give bandits what they want for peace to reign.
Reacting in a statement obtained by Naija News on Wednesday, Sunday Igboho stated that the controversial Islamic teacher has continously rubbished the federal government.
Calling on Yoruba people to take their destiny in their hands, the activist claimed that their lives are being run by the likes of Gumi.
According to Igboho, the Yoruba Nation must stand strong, refuse everything that their subjugation represents.
6. Miyetti Allah Finally Names Preferred Presidential Candidate
Fulani socio-cultural group, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, has finally announced its preferred candidate for the 2023 presidential race.
Egaliarian Voice News reports that there have been speculations on the candidate the pastoral group would be supporting in the forthcoming election.
Miyetti Allah ended the speculations after it declared support for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu.
It was said that the endorsement was the outcome of extensive discussions between the Fulani Pastoralists and the representatives of the APC presidential candidate, which was concluded recently.
Reports emerging, however, said that agreements were reached and both parties have signed the dotted lines, an indication that they would work together to ensure that the presidential campaign of the APC wins the election and succeed President Muhammadu Buhari.
According to DailySun, the President of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Alhaji Bello Bodejo, confirmed the latest development, noting that Tinubu will be formally endorsed by the Association at its coming meeting in Lafia on Friday.
7. Senate Postpones Implementation Of 2022 Budget Till March 2023
The Senate has postponed the implementation of the 2022 capital budget till March 31, 2023.
Egaliarian Voice News had earlier reports that the Senate on Wednesday extended the implementation due to the consideration of the passage of a bill for an Act to amend the 2022 Appropriation Act.
The Senate was reported to have suspended its standing order 70 to create time to read the Bill for the first, second and third time before its passage.
The development followed the consideration and passage of a “Bill for an Act to amend the 2022 Appropriation Act in order to extend the implementation year from 31st December 2022 to 31st March 2023 and for related matters, 2022.”
The Senate Leader, Ibrahim Gobir, who sponsored the Executive Bill explained that it has become necessary to extend the implementation of the capital appropriation for 2022 to give chance for the completion of ongoing projects.
Gobir submitted that the development followed a delay in the release of funds for the implementation of the capital component of the 2022 budget.
8. Why I Agreed To Become Peter Obi’s Campaign DG – Osuntokun
The new Director General of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council (PCC), Akin Osuntokun, said he accepted the role because of the antecedents and competence of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi.
Egaliarian Voice News reports that Osuntokun was named as the DG of the LP PCC on Tuesday following the resignation of Doyin Okupe who resigned from the position last week.
Okupe exited the position after he was sentenced to jail by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of a Federal High Court in Abuja on December 19, 2022, for violating the Money Laundering Act.
The court found Okupe guilty of receiving over N200 million cash from former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki.
In an interview with The Punch on Wednesday, Osuntokun said he accepted to lead the Obi/Datti campaign without religious or ethnic sentiments.
The LP chieftain said he was not bothered by the critics from the South West that he agreed to work with Obi, who is from the South East.
9. Senators Disagree As Buhari Requests Approval For N23.7trn Extra-budgetary Spending
There was a disagreement between lawmakers on Wednesday while deliberating over President Muhammadu Buhari’s request to approve N23.7 trillion in extra-budgetary spending.
Egaliarian Voice News understands that the plenary got rowdy after some senators reportedly kicked against the president’s request for funds which the federal government has spent without approval by the national assembly.
It was gathered that the senate uproar started after the chairman of the finance committee, Solomon Olamilekan, presented a report on the president’s “way and means advances” request.
As Olamilekan commenced his presentation, Betty Apiafi, senator representing Rivers west, raised a point of order stating that the request was not constitutional.
But Senate President Ahmad Lawan ruled her out of order, saying: “Let me present his report first… I’m not preventing anyone from speaking.”
Egaliarian Voice News understands that Lawan’s comment elicited uproar as most of the senators engaged in heated debate.
However, when order finally returned to the chamber after about 10 minutes later, Lawan asked Thompson Sekibo, senator representing Rivers east, to speak on the matter.
Citing a constitutional point of order, Sekibo reiterated Apiafi’s stance, explaining that the request was not in line with the constitution.
10. ASUU: NANS To FG, Honour Your Agreement
Nigerian students under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Zone C, have admonished the Federal Government to honour its agreement with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).
According to the students it was high time the federal government concentrated on proper funding of the education sector.
Egaliarian Voice News learnt that the NANS in a communique issued at the end of its convention/election to elect new leadership held at the College of Agriculture Science and Technology, Lafia, Nasarawa State said it was in the best interest of students if the federal government honoured their agreement to ASUU in other to avoid another strike action.
In the communique signed by the zone c executive members of the drafting committee, Kayode Adebayo and Muhammed Saba, the students also called on the governments at all levels to better fund security both in the north-central and the nation at large.
Those are the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Egalitarian Voice News. See you again tomorrow…
