Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the Editor roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 2nd November 2023.
1. A Rivers State High Court sitting in Isiokpo, on Wednesday, issued an interim order restraining the Rivers State House of Assembly from proceeding with the planned impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara. The court restrained the Speaker of the House, Martin Amaewhule, Deputy Speaker, Dumle Mao, the Clerk of the House, and the State Chief Judge, Justice Simeon Chibuzor-Amadi.
2. The House of Representatives has resolved to probe the expenditure by the Nigerian Population Commission from the N800bn approved by the Federal Government for the conduct of the 2023 Population and Housing Census. This was sequel to the adoption of a motion moved by a lawmaker representing Aguta Federal Constituency, Anambra State, Mr Dominic Okafor.
3. The House of Representatives, on Wednesday, issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the Accountant General of the Federation, Mrs Oluwatoyin Madein, to submit a detailed report on the use of the N100bn COVID-19 intervention funds approved and released by the government of former President Muhammadu Buhari to ministries, departments and agencies between 2020 and 2022.
4. The Ondo State Security Network, also known as Amotekun Corps, disclosed on Wednesday that no fewer than 20 commercial motorcyclists also known as okada riders had been robbed and killed in the last three weeks across the state. The state Commander of the corps, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, stated this during the parade of 11 suspects arrested for various crimes on Wednesday.
5. The Peoples Democratic Party Governors Forum on Wednesday thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for appointing the ex-governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, as minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT. The PDP Governors Forum made this known when they paid a courtesy visit to the FCT Minister in Abuja.
6. President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, on Wednesday, said he was arrested and brutalised by some operatives of the Nigeria Police allegedly attached to Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo. The Labour leader was reportedly arrested during a protest led by the national leadership of the movement against alleged maltreatment of workers in the state.
7. Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has told governors of the People Democratic Party (PDP) that he can not be intimidated. The Minister said this when Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, Bala Mohammed, led his counterpart on a courtesy visit to him over the crisis rocking Rivers State.
8. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has asked the Senate to approve a request to borrow $7.8billion and €100 million as part of the 2022 – 2024 borrowing plan of the Federal Government. The president made the request in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during plenary session.
9. Members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) got a marching order yesterday from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu: perform or be fired. The President spoke at the opening of a three-day retreat organised for ministers, permanent secretaries and heads of government agencies and parastatals at the Conference Centre of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
10. The Court of Appeal, Abuja, has nullified the election of former Governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, as senator representing North East district. The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-member panel of justices, said it was satisfied that Suswam was not the valid winner of the election.
