Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the Editor roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 16th October 2023.
1. Discard Chicago State University’s Deposition, Tinubu Tells Supreme Court
President Bola Tinubu has asked the Supreme Court to throw out the forgery evidence tendered by the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar.
Recall that the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, in its judgment on September 6, dismissed the petition filed by Atiku challenging the outcome of the February 25 presidential election.
According to the tribunal, the former Vice President failed to prove all the averments in his petition, stressing that his petitions lacked merit and was dismissed.
However, Atiku filed 35 grounds notice of appeal before the Supreme Court on September 18 and asked the apex court to set aside the entire findings and conclusions of the tribunal.
In the appeal, the PDP candidate submitted that the tribunal’s findings were done with “grave errors and gross misrepresentation”, which resulted in a miscarriage of justice.
In a counter affidavit filed on Thursday, October 12, Tinubu said the apex court should dismiss the forgery evidence tendered by Atiku on the grounds that the deposition of the Registrar of the Chicago State University (CSU), Caleb Westberg, was conducted by U.S. attorneys rather than certified judicial officers.
The President claimed that the content of the deposition could not be trusted, adding that it was not held in a neutral setting because Dechert LLP, the legal firm representing Atiku, selected their West Wacker office as the venue.
2. You Are Forger-in-chief – Atiku’s Camp Fires Tinubu, Explains Former VP’s Name Controversy
The camp of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, Atiku Abubakar, has described President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the ‘forger-in-chief.’
In a statement to Naija News on Sunday, Atiku’s Media Adviser, Paul Ibe, claimed that the world has come to the inevitable conclusion that Tinubu is a confirmed forger-in-chief on “account of his serial forgeries and lies in the last 50 years.”
He stated that Tinubu, a former Lagos State governor, has forged and lied about every aspect of his life: his heritage, his name and date of birth, his education, certificates, and work experience.
According to Ibe, the discovery of Tinubu’s records at the Chicago State University and the court ordered deposition in the United States is only a tip of the iceberg that has been the litany of his forgeries and lies.
He, however, noted that the attempt to drag Atiku Abubakar into Tinubu’s drowning arena of forgery must be seen for what it is: “an attempt to minimise the allegations of forgeries that he has to contend with.”
3. ‘Tinubu Set To Hold Second FEC Meeting Of His Administration’
President Bola Tinubu is reportedly set to hold a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, tomorrow, Monday, 16th October, 2023.
The expected FEC meeting would be the second in the history of the Tinubu presidency after the inaugural meeting on 28th August after the new Ministers were sworn in on August 21 at the Conference Hall, State House, Abuja.
However, according to The Nation, barring any last-minute changes, President Tinubu would preside over a FEC meeting tomorrow.
Although under previous administrations, FEC meeting was held on Wednesdays, it appears that Tinubu is changing the Wednesday cabinet meeting to Monday.
4. Source Reveals Position Of Atiku On Saraki Becoming PDP Chairman
Sources quoted on developments within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claim the major opposition party is considering picking former Senate President, Bukola Saraki as its substantive National Chairman.
It would be recalled that following the suspension of Iyorchia Ayu as the party’s chairman by a court in Benue State, Umar Damagun has been functioning in an active capacity.
However, it was gathered that strategies to rebuild the party have been kickstarted and Saraki may be picked as the consensus National Chairman. It was learnt that Saraki’s recent visit to the FCT Minister, Nyesome Wike might not be unconnected to realignment among PDP top shots.
Following the development, a source quoted by The Sun revealed that former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar is still maintaining his personal ties with Ayu, though he is not against Saraki becoming the party’s national chairman.
The source added that supporters of Atiku may also not oppose the move because everyone has started moving on.
5. Falana Blasts National Assembly Over State Of Basic Education
Nigerian human rights activist, Femi Falana, has blasted the National Assembly for not doing enough to improve the state of the country’s basic education.
Falana, in a press release on Sunday, October 15, stated that the national assembly is making empty claims about the inadequate state of the nation’s basic education system.
He also criticized the lawmakers for attempting to amend the Universal Basic Education Act of 2004 by enacting severe penalties for parents who fail to send their children to school.
The human rights activist continued by claiming that those in the political class have not paid enough attention to elementary education because they have not made sure that the counterpart fund that states are required to pay is paid to UBEC.
6. Atiku Used Fake Certificates To Run For President, Tinubu Tells Supreme Court
President Bola Tinubu has alleged that the 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, used fake primary and secondary school certificates to contest the last election.
In a counter affidavit filed at the apex court on Thursday, October 12, 2023, Tinubu accused Abubakar of submitting fake credentials to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the presidential election.
According to the affidavit filed by his lead counsel, Wole Olanikepun (SAN), Tinubu claimed that the PDP candidate bore “Atiku Kojoli” on his primary school certificate and “Siddiq Abubakar” on his 1965 West African School Certificate and General Certificate of Examination (WASSCE).
Tinubu also contended that there is no guarantee that the former Vice President was the man he claimed to be because of the inconsistencies in the names on his primary and secondary school certificates.
7. Those Against Olukoyede’s Appointment As EFCC Chairman Are Traducers – Okechukwu
The Director-General of the Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, has hailed the appointment of Olanipekun Olukoyede as the new chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a statement on Sunday in Abuja, Okechukwu, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said the appointment of Okukoyede is a game-changer in the fight against corruption.
The VON boss appealed to those against Olukoyede’s appointment to sheath their swords, and allow the new ant-graft czar to settle down and work for the nation.
Okechukwu said that it was not unusual for controversy to erupt after the appointment to an important and strategic office like the chairman of EFCC, without regard to whether the appointment conforms with extant laws.
8. PDP National Officer Alhassan Resigns, Dumps Party
A National Officer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) representing Kaduna State, Magaji Alhassan, has resigned from his position.
Alhassan announced his resignation through a letter addressed to the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Umar Damagum, dated October 5th, 2023.
Similarly, Alhassan also announced his withdrawal from the PDP through another letter he wrote to the party’s acting chairman of Kwabai B ward in the Zaria Local Government Area of Kaduna State, dated October 7th, 2023.
Alhassan, who did not state the reason for his resignation from the PDP, returned his membership card which he attached to the letter handed over to the ward chairman.
9. Shettima Leaves For China To Attend 3rd Belt And Road Forum
Vice President Kashim Shettima has departed Abuja, Nigeria for Beijing in China to attend the 3rd Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Forum.
In a statement on Sunday, presidential spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha, said Shettima would represent President Bola Tinubu at the forum.
Nwokocha said Shettima would join world leaders from over 130 countries at the forum which will hold from October 16 to 18.
According to Nwokocha, the theme of the forum is “High-quality Belt and Road Cooperation: Together for Common Development and Prosperity”.
Nkwocha said Shettima is expected to avail Nigeria the platform provided by the forum to woo investors for more developmental projects.
He added that Shettima would hold bilateral meetings with other world leaders to promote Nigeria’s trade and investment relations in line with the economic development agenda of the Tinubu administration.
10. Nnamdi Kanu: Tinubu Had No Hands In Sunday Igboho’s Freedom – Akintoye Opens Up
The leader of Ilana Omo Oodua, a self-determination movement for the Yoruba nation, Professor Banji Akintoye, has said President Bola Tinubu was not instrumental to the freedom of Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, from protective custody in the Republic of Benin.
According to him, Sunday Igboho’s recent freedom was facilitated by the leaders of the Yoruba Nation agitation as well as good friends of the group.
Akintoye, who narrated how Igboho regained freedom, said: “President Tinubu had no hands in Sunday Igboho’s freedom.”
Naija News recalls that after about two years, Igboho was released by the Beninoise government, under the leadership of President Patrice Talon, last week Sunday.
He had appreciated the support and solidarity of some notable Yoruba leaders during his detention in Cotonou.
However, the Yoruba Nation leader said it was essential to speak up because of online appeals that President Tinubu should also facilitate the release of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
