Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Friday, 26th August, 2022

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 26th August 2022

Eight suspects have been arrested during a raid on terrorists’ hideouts in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Naija News reports that the spokesman of the Defence Headquarters, Musa Danmadami, made the disclosure during a bi-weekly press briefing on Thursday in Abuja.

He said the troops of the Nigerian Army’s Guards raided the insurgents’ hideouts at Deidei Abattoir in the Abuja Municipal Area Council, and in Gwagwalada Area Council in the FCT.

Danmadami said the hideouts were raided on August 13, adding that five AK47 rifles and three pump action guns were recovered. He added that large quantities of items suspected to be cannabis Sativa, three machetes, knives among other items were also recovered.

The National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) has suspended its nationwide industrial action for three months.

The association’s National President, Ibeji Nwokoma, announced the suspension while speaking with reporters after the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Thursday.

Naija News reports that NAAT had embarked on the strike on 21 March 2022 to press home its demands which include the non-implementation of the FGN/NAAT 2009 agreement.

Other demands are the refusal to release enabling circular for the implementation of CONTISS 14 and 15 for academic technologists, and non-payment of the arrears of Earned Academic Allowances to members, among others.

Nwokoma said the association suspended the strike for three weeks after securing commitments on some of its demands from the Federal Government.

A former President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Thursday, met with the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, and the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

Naija News learnt that the meeting which was held in London had in attendance some governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Obasanjo’s meeting with the PDP Governors is coming days after the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, reportedly met with Wike in London.

There are speculations that Wike might work for the APC presidential candidate in 2023 due to the crisis between him and the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.

Wike met with Tinubu alongside some PDP governors who are in support of the Rivers State Governor’s grievances.

Those in the meeting include the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde and Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu.

Others present at the meeting include former Cross River State Governor, Donald Duke and Senator Olaka Nwogu.

The Joint Union Congress of the Police Service Commission is set to begin an indefinite strike against the management of the commission over a breach of the agreement.

The chairman of the Joint Service Union, PSC chapter, Adoyi Adoyi in an interview disclosed that the strike will commence with effect from Monday, August 29, 2022.

The strike action comes amidst disagreement between workers of the commission, the Chairman of the commission, Musiliu Smith, and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, on which body should be responsible for recruitment, promotion, and appointment of constables and officers.

Adoyi noted that the management of the commission have overruled the constitutional duty of the PSC, and also alleged that the IGP took functions of the PSC upon himself in flagrant disregard of the Nigeria constitution, a verdict of the Appeal Court, and the authorities of the PSC.

The presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has reacted after security operatives sealed the party’s headquarters in Maiduguri, Borno State capital.

Naija News had reported earlier that operatives of the Nigeria Police Force on Thursday arrested an NNPP leader in Maiduguri.

It was reported that commotion started yesterday at the NNPP secretariat situated around the Abbaganaram ward of the metropolis after some hoodlums suspected to be opposition party members stormed the party headquarters and were placing their candidate’s posters on the building.

Naija News learnt that the NNPP leadership had earlier hired some persons to repaint the new secretariat on Wednesday ahead of Kwankwaso’s visit to the state.

However, after the work was done, a group of hoodlums reportedly stormed the place to cause nuisance by placing opposition party posters on the secretariat.

Reacting to the incident in a post on his Twitter page, Kwankwaso condemned the sealing of the building.

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Thursday, revealed how the Federal Government can resolve its lingering strike in one day.

The National President of the union, Emmanuel Osodeke, said the industrial action will end if the federal government prioritize its demands.

Osodeke during an interview on Arise TV said leaders in Nigeria would look for an end to the strike if their children were schooling in the country.

He further stated that if the children of Nigerian leaders are schooling in the country they will feel the suffering that they are going through.

The ASUU president charged Government to prioritize education like Nnamdi Azikiwe and Awolowo and older leaders did in the past.

Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar has called on all stakeholders of the PDP and his supporters to desist from making statements that are capable of compromising the on-going work towards further strengthening the party and bringing all its leaders together.

The former Vice President made the call in a statement to Naija News signed by his Media Adviser, Paul Ibe in Abuja on Thursday.

According to the statement, “it has become imperative to appeal to all party members, leaders and everyone related to, connected with or associated with the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar to desist from making comments that potentially reduce the optics of PDP’s image as a united political party.

Atiku pointed out that Nigerians are looking up to the PDP to lead the charge in ousting the ruling party, adding that this expectation from the people is the reason why the APC is jittery of their impending fall in next year’s general election.

He accused the ruling APC of manipulating the political process to create a sense of division in the PDP.

No politician in his right mind, according to the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), will siphon the nation’s treasury while in office.

The Rights organization made the submission in reaction to people criticizing the call on the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to henceforth carry out drug tests on individuals seeking public office in Nigeria.

Speaking on the forthcoming 2023 general elections in Abuja on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, National Coordinator, HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, insisted that all candidates vying for various offices in the forthcoming elections should be tested for drugs.

Naija News understands that Onwubiko, in his address at a press conference in Abuja yesterday, said it is a matter of necessity for Nigerians to know the mental health of those they want to elect.

He stressed that someone in his right senses will not have the courage to corner billions of dollars from the country’s coffers to himself except motivated and pushed by drugs.

Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Babachir Lawal has opened up on details of their meeting with the former military president, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida over the Muslim-Muslim ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Naija News earlier reported that former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, Babachir Lawal met with the IBB, and former Head of State, General Abdusalami Abubakar in Minna, Niger State.

Speaking in an interview with Daily Trust, Lawal said the Muslim-Muslim ticket was discussed during the meeting.

According to him, the same religion ticket is existential and designed to oppress, kill and eliminate Christians in the North from the political and economic systems.

The former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has reacted to the meeting between the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu and Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.
Naija News had reported that Wike and Tinubu met in London on Monday night to discuss issues relating to the 2023 presidential election.

A source who spoke with Vanguard on the condition of anonymity revealed that the meeting was centred around how the Wike camp would stay in PDP to cause a crisis in the party.

Also speaking with Daily Trust, a source belonging to the Tinubu camp said the discussions were very fruitful, adding that Wike may reach agreements to support Tinubu and the APC in the 2023 elections.

The APC chieftain said it was also discussed during the meeting how they would mobilize their supporters to work for APC in 2023.

The source revealed that Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his Ekiti State counterpart, Kayode Fayemi, were part of the parley from the Tinubu camp while Governors Samuel Ortom (Benue) and Seyi Makinde (Oyo) attended the meeting from the Wike camp.

Reacting to the development in a chat with The Punch, Makarfi said the meeting between Wike and some top chieftains of the ruling APC is worrisome.

He, however, called for reconciliation between Wike and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar.

Those are the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.