Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Monday, 31st July, 2023

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 31st July 2023.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed a Special Investigator to probe the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and key Government Business Entities (GBEs).

This is coming as the suspended Governor of the apex bank, Godwin Emefiele is been detained at the office of the Department of State Services (DSS), Naija News reports.

In a letter obtained by journalists on Sunday, President Tinubu named the Chief Executive Officer, Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN), Jim Osayande Obazee, as the special investigator of the CBN bank.

Tinubu also directed Obazee to report directly to his office.

The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has given coup plotters in Niger Republic a 7-days-ultimatum to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum as the democratically elected President of the country.

The regional body warned the coup plotters to reinstate Bazoum or face stiffer sanctions.

The directive was part of the communique read on Sunday by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray after the Extraordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS, which was held on Sunday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Nigeria.

Touray announced that Bazoum remains the legitimate President of the Niger Republic recognized by ECOWAS, adding that should the military fail to restore him within the stipulated ultimatum, the regional body would impose land border closures and no-fly zone conditions on the country.

The body threatened to suspend financial transactions, cut off energy, and freeze the assets of the Niger Republic if the military fails to release President Bazoum from detention and restore him to power within the given ultimatum.

It also tasked all Chiefs of Defense Staff of the member-states to proceed for an emergency meeting to strategize on effective ways to implement a possible military operation to restore constitutional order to the country.

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has described the prediction of the Economist Intelligence Unit report on the outcome of the 2023 presidential election report as an embarrassment.

Naija News reports that the unit in its report, predicted that the tribunal would not sack President Bola Tinubu.

However, Atiku in a statement on Sunday through his media adviser, Paul Ibe said the report is an obvious merchant purchase by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to tilt public opinion in its favor.

The PDP candidate maintained that the victory of Tinubu and the APC in the February 25 presidential election is nothing but a sham and the party is only trying to award legitimacy unto itself.

The Labour Party (LP) has slammed President Bola Tinubu over the list of his ministerial nominees forwarded to the National Assembly last week.

Naija News recalls the President’s Chief Of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila on Thursday presented the list of ministerial nominees to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio during the plenary of the lawmakers.

However, the Labour Party in a statement by its spokesman, Pastor Obiora Ifoh questioned why President Tinubu only sent 28 names and left about ten states without any representation in the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

The statement noted that the party is seeking proper legal counsel and may take a decision in the coming days to demand the full list of nominees as envisaged by the Electoral Act instead of the partial list submitted by the President.

The party added that despite taking a long time to release his nominees, Tinubu still disappointed Nigerians with the caliber of people included in the list.

Obiora said the expectations of Nigerians have been shattered by the names contained in the list because they consist of failed and clueless politicians who have only been recycled.

Soldiers in the Niger Republic who executed a coup in the country last week have warned the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) against sending troops to the country to force them to relinquish power.

The Niger Republic military warned that should ECOWAS use military intervention, they are also fully ready to defend their country.

Naija News recalls ECOWAS on Sunday issued a 7-days-ultimatum to the coup plotters to reinstate President Mohamed Bazoum as the democratically elected President of Niger Republic or face stiffer sanctions.

The directive was part of the communique read by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Touray after the Extraordinary Session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the ECOWAS, which was held on Sunday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Nigeria.

It also tasked all Chiefs of Defense Staff of the member-states to proceed for an emergency meeting to strategize on effective ways to implement a possible military operation to restore constitutional order to the country.

Reacting to the plan to use force by ECOWAS, General Abdourahmane Tchiani, also known as Omar Tchiani, and the military leaders in Niger warned against any military intervention in a statement read on Niger national television.

Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State has declared a 24-hour curfew on the state following the breakdown of law and order.

Fintiri said the curfew followed the looting of government warehouses, the attack of people with matches, and breaking into business premises to cart away properties.

In a statement on Sunday signed by a statement signed by his spokesman, Humwashi Wonosikou, the Adamawa governor stated that with the curfew imposed, there will be no movement throughout the state.

Fintiri said only those on essential duties with valid identification would be permitted to move around during the period of the curfew.

The governor appealed to citizens and residents of the state to comply with the directive, adding that any person found contravening the order would be arrested and made to face the wrath of the law.

The Nigerian Presidency has hailed Nigerians for their resilience and commitment in the face of challenges facing the country.

In a tweet via his verified Twitter handle on Sunday, the president said the Bola Tinubu-led government is embracing a future of renewed hope and possibility.

It said the government is addressing the economic challenges with With the introduction of the Infrastructure Support Fund, the declaration of a state of emergency on food security, and the thoughtful suspension of certain taxes.

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar held a closed-door meeting on Saturday with some of his allies in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to prevent former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike from hijacking the leadership of the party, a source has claimed.

Naija News earlier reported that Atiku on Saturday attended a crucial meeting of leaders and stakeholders of the PDP in Abuja which according to him was productive and had a lot of collaborative energy.

Though Atiku did not disclose further details about what transpired during the meeting, a source told Daily Trust on Sunday that the meeting was called to discuss how to make one of the ex-governors succeed Iyorchia Ayu

According to the source, loyalists of Atiku within the party were the ones who attended the meeting and that is why the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) members were not invited.

It was further revealed that the meeting aims to prevent Wike from hijacking the PDP structure and making one of his men the national chairman.

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has met with his doctors in a hospital in Abuja.

Kanu’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor made this known in a tweet on Sunday in which he revealed that the meeting between his client and his doctor took place on Saturday in a hospital outside the facility of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Ejiofor added that he witnessed the medical examination of Kanu and it was seamless and productive.

According to him, the medical examination would be progressing to the next stage soon.

Speaking further, Ejiofor said the IPOB leader is not in support of the sit-at-home in the southeast and has directed it should be stopped.

Abia Senator, Orji Uzor Kalu has appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to shelve its proposed nationwide strike.

Kalu made the call in a statement on Sunday via his social media handle in which he said the current difficulty is affecting all Nigerians including both the rich and the poor.

According to him, even President Bola Tinubu is aware of the current hardship in the country and any plan by the NLC to proceed with its planned strike action would ridicule the economy.

Kalu added that the federal government is working hard to revive the economy and the NLC should exercise some patience and allow the new government to work.

That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.