Top Nigerian Newspapers Headlines For Today, Friday, 3rd June, 2022

June 3, 2022 Mary

Good morning Nigeria, welcome to Naija News roundup of top newspapers headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 3rd June 2022

The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and 2023 presidential aspirant, Bola Tinubu has said he was behind the struggle that made Muhammadu Buhari president of Nigeria.

He stated this while addressing APC delegates ahead of the party’s primaries in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

The former Lagos governor also stated categorically that he nominated Prof Yemi Osinbajo as Buhari’s running mate.

Speaking further on how he made Osinbajo VP, Tinubu said Buhari had offered him a running mate ticket, but some blocs rose against fanning the ember of a Muslim–Muslim ticket.

He said when he was asked to submit three names for running mate, he pencilled down Yemi Kadoso, Wale Edun and Yemi Osinbajo.

Nigeria’s number two citizen, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday held a closed-door meeting with the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Adamu and at least five governors elected on the platform of the ruling party.

Though the identities of the governors involved in the meeting are yet to be made public, reports confirmed the APC stakeholders are meeting at the office of the vice president in Abuja.

Naija News understands that the meeting is coming after President Muhammadu Buhari had met with the governors at the Council Chambers of the State House on Tuesday before leaving for Madrid, Spain.

It also comes after the conclusion of the party’s screening for presidential aspirants by the John Odigie-Oyegun-led committee.

The national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu on Thursday claimed that it is the turn of the South-West to produce President Muhammadu Buhari’s successor.

The presidential aspirant stated this while addressing party delegates at the Presidential Lodge in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

This is coming a few days before the party’s presidential primary.

According to Tinubu, who is from the region, it is his time to become the president of Nigeria in 2023.

Tinubu said, “This time, it’s Yoruba turn and in Yorubaland, it’s my tenure.”

Former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu on Thursday shed his governorship ambition in the 2023 general elections.

There had been speculations that the lawmaker representing the Enugu-West senatorial district might dump the Peoples Democratic Party after failing to clinch the governorship ticket of the party.

There were claims that Ekweremadu might join the All Progressives Congress to actualize his ambition.

However, Ekweremadu on Thursday released a statement to congratulate the winner of the governorship primary of the PDP, Peter Mbah.

He further stated that he has quit the governorship race.

Ahead of the party’s convention, the Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, has warned the All Progressives Congress against giving its presidential ticket to a northern candidate.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, Akeredolu, the Chairman of the Southern Nigeria Governors’ Forum, urged the party to fight hard to keep power by rotating the presidency to the south.

He wrote: “APC must work to retain power. We must rotate power to retain power !!! Rotate to the South. …Shikena (That’s all)”

This is coming amidst the division among the All Progressives Congress governors and other party leaders over the zoning of the 2023 presidential ticket.

Former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar has denied picking his running mate.

Reports emerged on Wednesday that Atiku is favouring the former Governor of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, to emerge as his running mate.

It was learned that Ihedioha’s name is among other names being considered as a viable running mate from the South that would enable the PDP to win the 2023 general elections.

However, in a chat with Daily Trust on Thursday, Atiku’s Spokesman, Paul Ibe, denied the report that his principal had chosen Ihedioha or any other person as his running mate.

Ibe disclosed that Atiku has not picked his running mate, stating that the PDP presidential candidate would announce his running mate when the time is right.

He, however, asked supporters and well-wishers of the PDP Presidential candidate to wait for the official announcement of the running mate.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has released the suspended Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris from its custody.

Recall that EFCC arrested Idris for his alleged involvement in an N174 billion fraud.

It was gathered that the anti-graft agency released Idris on bail on Wednesday night in Abuja and he has since been reunited with his family.

The development was confirmed by the EFCC spokesperson, Wilson Uwujaren while speaking with Punch on Thursday morning.

The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress in the 2019 general election, Omoyele Sowore has been affirmed as the National Chairman of the party by a Court of Appeal in Abuja.

The court in its ruling on Thursday noted that a 2019 judgement by the High Court which sacked Sowore as the chairman of AAC was out of the court’s jurisdiction, adding that it was an internal affair.

Justice Iyang Ekwo in a judgement in 2019 had ruled that it was satisfied that Sowore had been suspended by the National Executive Committee of the party.

The Appeal Court, however, nullified the judgement on Thursday and declared Sowore as the national chairman as against one Leonard Nzenwa.

The court subsequently awarded a sum of N200,000 to the applicants.

A fresh crisis is looming in the ranks of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party as a group of stakeholders identified as PDP Concerned League has demanded the resignation of Iyorchia Ayu as the party’s National Chairman.

The group in a press briefing on Wednesday also demanded the resignation of Samuel Anyanwu, PDP national secretary, and Umar Bature, the party’s national organising secretary.

Naija News reports the group wants the national officers to resign from office on or before June 20, 2022.

Narrating the offence brought against the PDP national officers, the leader of the group, Daboikiabo Warmate accused them of selling the party’s 2023 tickets to the highest bidders, manipulating delegates’ lists and impunity in running party affairs.

Warmate added that with the flagrant disregard for members, the current PDP leadership can’t lead them to victory in 2023.

A chieftain of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo socio-political organisation, Chuks Ibegbu has revealed that the Igbos will not reject the choice of Atiku Abubakar if he decides to choose his running mate from the southeast in the 2023 election.
He however stated that the implications of such a step will be critically considered.

Ibegbu pointed out that the Igbos never planned to be in contention for Nigeria’s Vice Presidential position in 2023 but with the recent developments, they also have to move with reality.

Naija News recalls Atiku Abubakar, a northerner, on Saturday emerged as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate for the 2023 presidency.

He is expected to reveal his running mate in the coming days ahead of the main election.

Speaking about the development, the Ohanaeze chieftain in an interview said 2023 should ordinarily have been an affair of the south in the interest of fairness and justice but as things stand, Atiku is at liberty to choose his running mate from any part of the country, and if he adopts an Igbo man, they will support such a person so as not to lose out entirely.