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Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Friday, 19th January, 2024
The Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN) has commended President Bola Tinubu for taking hard decisions in the interest of the country….CONTINUE READINN....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with the president in Abuja on Thursday, the council’s vice-president, Bashir Umar, said Tinubu should hasten to ameliorate the hardship faced by Nigerians.
Umar said the same faith ticket on which Tinubu rode to victory in the 2023 polls has “fallen short of expectations”.
President Tinubu also received the Communique issued by the Council presented by a delegation of the SCSN led by its President, Sheikh Abdur-Rasheed Hadiyyatullah, at the State House Council Chambers.
The Oyo state government on Thursday announced that the death tally from the explosion that shook Ibadan, Oyo state capital, on Tuesday, has risen to five.
Naija News reports that the explosion caused damage to numerous houses within a 14-kilometer radius.
Recall that Oyo governor, Seyi Makinde, had while speaking on the casualities of the explosion, disclosed that the death toll had risen to three.
However, giving an update on the casualties of the tragic explosion, the Special Adviser to Governor Seyi Makinde on Security Matters Fatai Owoseni, disclosed that two more bodies have been recovered while speaking to Channels Television on Thursday.
3. Supreme Court Ruling: Tinubu Meets Ganduje, Kano APC Leaders In Aso Rock
President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, met with a delegation of the leadership of the Kano State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Naija News reports that the president met with the APC leaders behind closed doors at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The APC Chairman and former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, led the delegation, which arrived at the Villa in the company of his one-time deputy and the party’s candidate in the March 18 governorship election, Nasir Gawuna.
The agenda of the Thursday meeting was not made public, and those who attended did not speak with State House correspondents.
The meeting came barely a week after the Supreme Court ruled in favour of Abba Yusuf of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) as the duly elected governor of the state.
4. ‘Draconian Practice’ – Atiku Abubakar Reacts As Court Voids NBC’s Power To Fine Broadcast Stations
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has hailed the verdict of the Federal High Court Court declaring null and void, the actions of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in imposing fines on broadcast stations in the country.
Recall that the Federal Court in Abuja had on Wednesday nullified the power of the NBC to impose a fine on broadcasters in Nigeria.
According to a statement by Idowu Adewale, Communications Officer of Media Rights Agenda, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia delivered the judgment in a suit filed by the agency against NBC over the N5 million fine each imposed on Trust Television and three other broadcasters for airing a documentary on banditry in Nigeria.
An Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Uche Amulu, had filed the suit on behalf of MRA.
NBC had imposed a fine of N5 million on some media outlets on account of a documentary that pictures the parlous state of insecurity in Nigeria in the year 2022.
Reacting in a statement by his Media Office on Thursday, Atiku said that the ruling of the court is an enhancement of the constitutionally guaranteed rights to free speech.
Atiku said that the ruling of the Federal High Court on the dictatorial practices by the NBC will ensure that the media in Nigeria is not gagged and that the citizens can enjoy their rights to freedom of expression.
5. FG Relocates FAAN Headquarters From Abuja To Lagos
The federal government has ordered that the headquarters of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) be moved from Abuja to Lagos State.
This was disclosed in a memo dated 15th of January 2024, which was seen by newsmen on Thursday.
The memo issued by the Managing Director of FAAN, Mrs Olubunmi Kuku, disclosed that the relocation is based on the directive of the Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo.
The memo read: ”The Honourable Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development has directed that the Headquarters of the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) should be relocated from Abuja to Lagos.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has firmly defended its prosecution and detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, dismissing allegations of political bias. ICPC spokesperson John Odey stated that the commission is acting strictly under court-ordered mandates and remains unfazed by the El-Rufai Support Group Association’s (ERSGA) decision to hire a Washington-based advocacy firm, Vanguard Africa, to challenge the proceedings internationally.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The ERSGA, which maintains the former governor’s innocence, argues that the legal actions against him represent a troubling trend of weaponizing due process to sideline opposition figures ahead of the 2027 elections. In response, the ICPC reiterated that it is a non-political, law-enforcement body that pursues corruption allegations—including those against high-profile figures—solely based on its governing Act and judicial authorization. El-Rufai currently faces separate charges from both the ICPC and the Department of State Services (DSS) regarding allegations of financial impropriety and unauthorized communications surveillance.
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ICPC Position: The commission maintains that its detention of Nasir El-Rufai is entirely lawful, authorized by a court remand order, and devoid of political motivation.
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International Challenge: The El-Rufai Support Group Association (ERSGA) has engaged Washington-based Vanguard Africa to lobby U.S. officials and institutions, claiming the case reflects a broader erosion of the rule of law in Nigeria.
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Commission’s Response: ICPC spokesperson John Odey dismissed the international advocacy effort, emphasizing that the agency follows statutory procedures regardless of an individual’s political status.
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The Charges: El-Rufai faces ongoing legal action from the ICPC over alleged fraud and abuse of office, as well as separate charges from the DSS regarding alleged communication wiretapping.
Option 3: Analytical Overview
The legal entanglement of former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai has escalated into an international dispute. While the ICPC asserts that it is merely performing its statutory duties—citing a court remand order as the basis for its custody of the former governor—his supporters have characterized the move as a political crackdown.
By retaining the Washington-based firm Vanguard Africa, the El-Rufai Support Group Association is attempting to bring international scrutiny to Nigeria’s judicial processes, framing the prosecution as a symptom of a systemic threat to the nation’s democratic health. Conversely, the ICPC maintains that its operations are neutral and strictly bound by the anti-graft Act, viewing the international outreach as an external matter that does not impact their commitment to prosecuting alleged financial crimes and misconduct.
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Dele Momodu, a prominent member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), recently declared that the judiciary must be prevented from sabotaging Nigeria’s democratic stability. Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily, Momodu’s comments followed a Federal High Court ruling by Justice Peter Lifu, which ordered INEC to deregister the ADC and several other parties. The Court of Appeal subsequently stayed the execution of this ruling, labeling the initial judgment as the “highest form of judicial impertinence”.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Momodu advocated for formal sanctions against judges who issue what he termed “rascally judgments,” arguing that judicial officers who ignore established legal procedures or orders from superior courts must face accountability to preserve public trust in the rule of law.
In a separate discussion on the Naija Unfiltered Podcast, Momodu revealed that he had previously encouraged Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), to form a political alliance with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Momodu noted that he urged Obi to work with Atiku—who originally helped elevate Obi to national prominence—by citing historical examples of leaders who ascended to the presidency after serving as deputies, such as former Ghanaian President John Mahama, Goodluck Jonathan, and U.S. President Joe Biden.
However, Momodu stated that Obi rejected this advice, maintaining that his own popularity surpassed that of the former Vice President. Momodu also recounted that when Atiku selected Obi as his running mate for the 2019 election, he remained steadfast in his choice despite significant opposition from party governors.
Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) vice-presidential candidate, has publicly endorsed the party’s new anti-defection indemnity form, calling it a positive step for the organization. Speaking through the Kwankwasiyya movement’s spokesperson, Habibu Saleh Mohammed, Kwankwaso emphasized that this policy is essential for fostering internal discipline and upholding the constitutional mandate linked to party-sponsored elected officials.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The NDC implemented this loyalty affidavit specifically to curb the trend of elected representatives abandoning the party that secured their victory. Party National Chairman, Moses Cleopas, explained that this initiative is a direct response to the persistent issue of politicians defecting after utilizing a party’s platform to achieve office.
Kwankwaso’s camp maintains that this requirement aligns with the spirit of the Nigerian Constitution, which discourages officials from deserting their sponsoring parties. “What the party is trying to do is only imposing the position of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. To a larger extent, this is what we’ve been talking about,” Mohammed stated.
Mohammed further noted that the Kwankwasiyya movement is no stranger to the damage caused by defections, citing the departure of former Kano State governor Abdullahi Ganduje as a prime example. Ultimately, the movement believes this new NDC measure will prevent politicians from viewing party platforms merely as temporary vehicles for electoral success.
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