Nigerian newspapers: 10 things you need to know this Saturday morning

October 3, 2020 Stan

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:

1. The Court of Appeal has set aside the judgment that nullified the election of Douye Diri as Bayelsa State Governor. The Court on Friday said the ANDP did not prove valid nomination of its candidate to contend unlawful exclusion. The five-man panel held that the tribunal that nullified the election earlier acted outside its jurisdiction.

2. The Federal Government of Nigeria has ordered the reopening of all schools in the country. This is after about six months of shutting down in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Adamu Adamu, the Minister of Education, disclosed this during a press briefing in Abuja. The minister said all unity schools should open by October 12, while states and private schools will determine their own modalities of reopening.

3. Similarly, the federal government has directed the reopening of Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education in the country. Tertiary institution regulatory agencies like the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) and National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) have also directed tertiary institutions to reopen. The Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, who addressed a press conference in Abuja, said the decision to reopen schools was sequel to review of COVID-19 situation in Nigeria.

4. US President, Donald Trump has been transported to Walter Reed medical centre after developing mild symptoms from the deadly coronavirus infection. This was made known in a statement released by the White House on Friday. According to the statement, the president will spend “the next few days” at the military hospital in Maryland.

5. The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Friday, dismissed the appeal filed by Mr Ebizimo Diriyai, the candidate of the Accord Party, against the election of Sen. Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa. Report has it that the appellate court dismissed the appeal on the grounds that the allegation of certificate forgery brought against Ewhrudjakpo by the Accord Party were not proved beyond reasonable doubt as required by law on criminal allegations.

6. Agoola Ajayi, the Deputy Governor of Ondo State, has said that the Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu gets a security vote of N750 million Naira and an imprest of about N150 million monthly. Ajayi who is the governorship candidate of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) also claimed he (Ajayi) earns N12 million Naira and not the N13 million as claimed by Governor Akeredolu. He was reacting to an earlier comment by Akeredolu claiming he (Ajayi) gets the highest running grant of N13m monthly.

7. The Presidency has explained why President Muhammadu Buhari compared the fuel price in Saudi Arabia to that of Nigeria during his Independence Day national broadcast on October 1. The Presidency also said it was unwise and unfair for the government to subsidize the cost of petrol for city dwellers while farmers and herders who have no cars nor generators are left with nothing.

8. Ali Ndume, Senator representing Borno South, on Friday, told a Federal High Court in Abuja, that he cannot find former chairman of the defunct Pension Reform Task Team, Abdulraheed Maina. Ndume is standing as bail surety for Maina, who is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on 12 counts of money laundering involving about N2billion. Maina has been absent in court for three times in a row within one week.

9. Nigerian musician, David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido, has revealed that there is no rift going on between him, and his fellow musician, Wizkid. Davido, during a Black Box Interview with Ebuka Obiuchendu, revealed that he always looked forward to doing better because of Wizkid. According to him, he was inspired with his work and also the fact that he was young and making waves for himself.

10. The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has declared that its ongoing strike will continue despite the reopening of all schools by the Federal Government. The National President of ASUU, Prof. Biodun Ogunyemi disclosed this on Friday. He said that all the issues the union raised with the Federal Government are yet to be addressed.