Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Saturday, 16th October, 2021

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today Saturday, 16th October 2021.

The Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday disclosed that when Asiwaju Bola Tinubu was governor in 2005, then President, Olusegun Obasanjo provided Lagos State with an ample opportunity for Lagos to think like a sovereign state in order to overcome its financial challenges.

Osinbajo, who was serving as a commissioner at the time, disclosed that this happened with the Obasanjo-led federal government’s seizure of funds belonging to local councils in Lagos State made the state put on the thinking cap which resulted in its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to the tune of the current N45bn.

Naija News reports that the Vice President stated this as a panelist during an Economic and Investment Summit, tagged “Fountain Summit 2021,” organized by the Governor Kayode Fayemi administration in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

The Northern Elders’ Forum (NEF) has warned Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) against threatening the north over the 2023 presidential election.

Recall that PANDEF had in a statement on Thursday slammed the north for wanting to succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.

The group led by elder statesman Edwin Clark asked the north to wait till 2031 before producing another president.

But speaking to Daily Trust, NEF spokesperson, Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, warned that the north will not be intimidated into giving up the presidency in 2023.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has left its door open for a northern presidential candidate to emerge on its platform for the 2023 elections.

This is despite the party zoning its national chairmanship position to the north and shutting out the southern region.

As earlier reported by Naija News, former Senate President, Iyorchia Ayu has emerged as the consensus candidate to become the next national chairman of the PDP.

The Serving Overseer of the Citadel Global Community Church (CGCC), Pastor Tunde Bakare has refused to rule himself out of contention for the 2023 presidency in Nigeria.

The fiery preacher declared on Friday that he has all the qualifications as outlined in the country’s constitution to contest for Nigeria’s number one political seat.

The clergyman spoke to state house correspondents in Abuja after his closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Aso Rock Villa.

Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has become the latest Nigerian politician to be indicted in offshore dealings by the Pandora Papers exposé.

Naija News reports that the Pandora Papers investigation involving over 600 journalists and over 100 media organizations have exposed the financial dealings of former UK Prime Minister, Tony Blair, Kenya President Uhuru Kenyatta, the image-maker of Russian President Vladimir Putin and many others.

The investigation also uncovered financial secrets, including those of politicians, former and serving public officials, including Governor Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State, former PDP Vice-presidential candidate, Peter Obi, APC chieftain, Senator Stella Oduah, Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State, among others.

Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Muhammadu Buhari has noted that people without access to education find it difficult to manage their lives as they experience poor health conditions, lack of employment opportunities, and the inability to articulate and channel their opinions.

According to the President’s wife, “I have always queried myself if there was anything I can do to ameliorate the ever declining access to education especially in the North East that was ravaged by the activities of insurgency over the years”.

Aisha stated this on Thursday through her daughter, Mrs. Halima Buhari-Sheriff, during the graduation ceremony of the second batch of her Future Assured Youth Education Empowerment Program in Yola, the Adamawa State capital.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has withdrawn its suit seeking the forfeiture of N20billion loan request granted to the Kogi State Government by Sterling Bank Plc.

Recall that the EFCC said the Kogi government had in 2019, approached the bank with the loan request to pay workers’ salaries, but it allegedly fixed the bailout fund in the bank to yield interest.

This led to the court freezing the state account domiciled in the bank, pending the conclusion of the investigation or possible prosecution by the EFCC.

But during the hearing of the case on Friday, Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke of the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos, granted the order of withdrawal sequel to a motion filed and argued by EFCC counsel, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN.

Popular tele-evangelist and founder of Citadel Global Community Church, Tunde Bakare, has berated politicians and leaders debating on the zoning of the 2023 Presidency.

Naija News reports that the South Governors had on two occasions demanded that the 2023 presidency should go to the Southern region of the country.

But the Northern Governors and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) rejected the idea of a southern presidency in 2023, claiming the demand is unconstitutional.

Speaking to State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday in Abuja, Bakare said the debate over power shift is politically immature.

Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the southeast zone have agreed on Senator Samuel Anyanwu as their choice for the position of the party’s National Secretary.

This was disclosed by the PDP National Vice Chairman (Southeast), Chief Ali Odefa at the end of their caucus meeting in Enugu State.

Naija News understands the caucus meeting from which Anyanwu emerged was attended by PDP stalwarts from the zone including Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi; his Abia counterpart, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu; former Senate President Sen. Anyim Pius Anyim; Sen. Enyinnaya Abaribe; Sen. Ike Ekweremadu; Sen. Sam Egwu; Sen. Obinna Ogba and other lawmakers.

Speaking on their choice, Chief Odefa pointed out that Senator Anyanwu emerged consensus candidate despite the projections of some mischief-makers who thought the region couldn’t speak with one voice.

The special adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on media and publicity, Femi Adesina has submitted that his principal has gained more popularity and acceptance among Nigerians even than some of the founding fathers of the nation.

This is as he boasted that no Nigerian politician, dead or alive has the kind of magnetic effect Buhari has on Nigerians.

Adesina made the submission via an article released on his Facebook page on Thursday which he titled ‘THE ESSENTIAL BUHARI: VP OSINBAJO GOT IT!’

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