Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Wednesday, 21st June 2023
1. President Tinubu Arrives In France
President Bola Tinubu has arrived in France for the Global Financing Pact Summit convened by President Emmanuel Macron in Paris.
Naija News earlier reported that Tinubu’s official Gulfstream jet took off from the Presidential Wing of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport at 11:30 am on Tuesday.
The two-day summit, scheduled for June 22 and 23, aims to assemble world leaders who will assess and approve an agreement with far-reaching implications.
Upon his arrival, President Tinubu was warmly welcomed by officials from both France and Nigeria.
2. Tinubu Returns NEMA, NAHCON To VP’s Office
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved the return of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to the Office of the Vice President.
Naija News reports that the agencies were moved to the VP’s office for supervision, in compliance with their various establishment Acts.
The President has also approved a formal structure for the Office of the Vice President as well as an appropriate number of technical and administrative aides that will work with the Vice President in the discharge of his responsibilities.
This was made known in a statement on Tuesday evening by the Director of Information, Office of the Vice President, Olusola Abiola.
Recall that former President Muhammadu Buhari had moved NEMA under the supervision of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development.
3. Kayode Egbetokun Arrives Police Headquarters, Resumes As New IGP
The newly appointed Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun on Tuesday resumed at the Force Headquarters in Abuja to start his new role as the head of the Nigeria Police Force.
It would be recalled Egbetokun was appointed in an acting capacity by President Bola Tinubu on Monday.
Earlier on Tuesday, he was decorated by the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima at the State House, Abuja.
Later in the day, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi confirmed that Egbetokun has arrived at the Police headquarters in Abuja to resume duties.
Taking to the micro-blogging site, Adejobi who shared the pictures of the new IGP’s arrival wrote: “Arrival of the Ag. IGP, kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, PhD, NPM, to the Louis Edet House, FHQ, Abuja, today, Tuesday, 20th June, 2023. Congrats to him and to the immediate past IGP for a seamless transition. God bless the NPF.”
4. “We Went To Port Harcourt” – PDP Speaks On Suspending Wike, Others Over Outcome Of 2023 Elections
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership has hinted that it is not considering suspending former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and others who might have gone contrary to the party’s position, especially during the 2023 general elections.
The position was made known on Tuesday by the National Organising Secretary of the party, Umar Bature during his speech at the interactive session with some leaders of the party at the PDP secretariat in Abuja.
According to him, suspension is not an answer to bad behaviour towards the party as every member of the PDP played a role or the other in the final analysis of the party’s performance in the 2023 polls.
He submitted that the focus is not to apportion blame but to douse tension, reconcile members and forge a strong, united front for the PDP going forward.
Bature also reiterated that the PDP believes its 2023 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar won the election and would reclaim his mandate legally through the tribunal.
5. Let Bygones Be Bygones – PDP Acting Chairman Begs Party Leaders Over Outcome Of 2023 Election
The Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ambassador Umar Damagum has appealed to members of the party to embrace the reconciliation initiative set in motion by the leadership.
Damagum made the call on Tuesday during his opening remarks at a meeting of the party’s National Working Committee Select Committee, in Abuja.
The PDP chairman said the focus of the meeting is to review the party’s performance in the 2023 election and chart a way forward on how to strengthen the PDP and face the challenges ahead.
6. Acting IGP Speaks After Resuming Office
The new Acting Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, on Tuesday, declared himself “a tiger ready to chase away all criminals in Nigeria.”
He made these remarks on Tuesday after Vice President Kashim Shettima decorated him with the new rank at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Egbetokun, who is to officially assume his duties on Wednesday, commented on the weight of his new responsibility, describing it as an energizing force.
He stated, “Now I have just been decorated and I am looking forward to taking over tomorrow morning (Wednesday) by 11 am. I really can’t describe how I feel presently.
“But if I have to tell you anything, I will tell you that right now I feel like a tiger inside of me ready to chase away all the criminals in Nigeria. And some other time, I fell like a lion in me ready to devour all the internal enemies of Nigeria. That’s my feeling right now.”
Responding to questions from journalists, former IGP, Alkali Usman Baba expressed satisfaction with his successor, praising his potential to carry on the leadership mantle.
7. Sowore Releases Final Breakdown Of 2023 Presidential Election Expenses
The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 general elections, Omoyele Sowore, has released the final detailed account of his campaign revenue and expenditure.
In a statement on Tuesday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Femi Adeyeye, said the Sowore Political Action Committee (SPAC) released the final financial inflow and expenditure of his campaign.
He challenged all the opposition candidates who participated in the general elections to publicly declare their campaign funding sources and expenditures.
Adeyeye stated that the SPAC had released the final breakdown of the 2023 Presidential election campaign donations, sources of funding, and expenditures in line with the best campaign practices and the spirit of accountability.
He said a summary of the financial breakdown showed that Net Cash Flows during the period stood Gross Inflows were N40,146,674.53; Expenses from personal funding were N1,805,000 while total payments during electioneering stood at the sum of N40,193,546.03.
8. PDP, Atiku’s Presidential Petition Hits Roadblock Over Document Disarray
The petition of the Peoples Democratic Party and their presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, encountered an unexpected obstacle in court on Tuesday.
The stumbling block came due to the presentation of unorganized documents to the Presidential Elections Petition Court.
The parties are contesting the results of the February 25 election, which saw Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress declared president by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
During the latest hearing, PDP’s lead counsel, Chris Uche, presented the certified true copies of the INEC voters register for FCT in 14 batches, which the court admitted as evidence.
However, the court rejected Uche’s attempt to present a series of polling unit results from Abia state, criticizing the poor organization of the documents.
In response, Uche explained to the court that acquiring electoral materials from INEC in a timely manner proved difficult.
He asked for the court’s understanding, suggesting that the documents be accepted and then properly numbered by the court registry after the day’s proceedings.
Despite Uche’s plea, INEC’s lawyer, Kemi Pinero, disagreed, insisting that it was the parties’ responsibility to sort electoral documents after their receipt from the commission.
He also highlighted that the PDP had yet to pay for the certification of the documents.
9. Wike Absent As Saraki, Dino Melaye, Others Attend PDP Interactive Meeting
Some stalwarts and leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday converged at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja for an interactive meeting.
Naija News reports that prominent persons and party chieftains including former Senate President Bukola Saraki, the PDP Guber Candidate in Kogi State, Senator Dino Melaye, former Senate Minority Leader, Senator Philip Aduda, former National Publicity Secretary, Hon Emma Ibeshi, former National Vice Chairman, South West, Chief Eddy Olafeso, and his counterpart in the South South, Chief Emmanuel Ogidi were present at the meeting.
The former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike was however not in attendance at the ongoing interactive meeting of the select PDP National Working Committee (NWC) interaction in Abuja.
10. Former Benue Governor, Ortom Speaks On Visit To EFCC Office
The ex-Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom has clarified that his visit to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was voluntary and in response to their invitation.
This statement comes amid rumours suggesting that Ortom had been detained at the EFCC Zonal Headquarters in Makurdi.
Terver Akase, Ortom’s Media Aide, stated that the former Governor’s visit to the EFCC demonstrated his readiness to address any questions related to his governance.
He assured that Ortom was not arrested or detained during his visit.
Akase, in reaction to speculations that Ortom was arrested, wrote, “Contrary to insinuations in some sections of the media, the immediate past Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, today visited the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to honour the invitation of the commission.
“Chief Ortom was neither arrested nor detained at the EFCC Zonal Headquarters in Makurdi.
“The former Governor has repeatedly said that he is available to respond to inquiries by anti-graft agencies as he has nothing to hide regarding his stewardship of Benue State.”
Those are the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.
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