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Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Thursday, 24th August, 2023
Good morning Nigeria, welcome to the Publisher roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Thursday, 24th August 2023.
1. Emefiele Reportedly Opts For Plea Bargain With FG
The suspended Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele has reportedly opted for a plea bargain leading to an indefinite shift in his arraignment in court.
Sources privy to the development said Emefiele and his his-co accused, Saadat Yaro, have opted for a plea bargain policy to settle with the Federal Government.
The Publisher recalls the federal government filed a 20-count charge bordering on alleged breach of procurement laws and contract inflation on the suspects. to the tune of N6.9 billion.
However, the arraignment scheduled for Wednesday by a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory was not stated on the cause list of the court this morning.
Similarly, Emefiele and his co-defendant, Yaro were not in court neither was any unusual security presence observed around the court premises.
The lawyers of the parties involved in the matter were also not present in court.
According to Daily Post which quoted sources said to be in the know, the arraignment was shifted at the instance of the detained CBN Governor to enable all parties come into an agreement.
2. APC Elects Six New NWC Members, One National Officer
The All Progressives Congress (APC) National Working Committee (APC) on Wednesday elected six members to its fold.
The decision was reached in line with the directives of the APC National Executive Committee (NEC).
The ruling party’s NEC in its last meeting ceded part of its powers to the NWC to allow the party’s administrative organ to fill vacant NWC and zonal positions.
The party’s National Secretary, Ajibola Basiru, during a media briefing, disclosed the outcome of the NWC meeting held at the APC National Secretariat and election of the new officials.
The new officials are the Deputy National Chairman, North, Ali Bukar Dalori (Borno State); National Vice Chairman, North West, Garba Datti Muhammad (Kaduna State); National Legal Adviser, Prof. Abdul Karim Abubakar Kana (Nasarawa State); National Welfare Secretary, Donatus Nwankpa (Abia State); National Woman Leader, Mary Alile Idele, PhD (Edo State); and, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Duro Meseko (Kogi State). Also, the North Central Zonal chapter of the party has a new Zonal Organizing Secretary, Ikani Shuaibu Okolo (Kogi State).
3. ‘Wike’s Appointment Is One Of President Tinubu’s Groundbreaking Decisions’ – Oshiomhole
The lawmaker representing Edo-North Senatorial District, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, has said the appointment of the former governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, as Minister of FCT is one of the groundbreaking decisions of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The Publisher reports that the former national chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) stated this during an interview with journalists in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said President Tinubu broke the jinx in FCT ministerial appointments by appointing Nyesom Wike as its minister.
Oshiomhole stated that Tinubu had listening ears even though many Nigerians thought appointing Wike as a minister was impossible.
4. Lagos State Assembly Disqualifies 17 Sanwo-Olu Commissioner Nominees
The Lagos State House of Assembly on Wednesday disqualified 17 of the commissioner nominees out of the 39 sent to it for screening by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
The Publisher gathered 22 Commissioner Nominees were however confirmed by the lawmakers.
This follows the presentation before the House by Hon. Mojeed Fatai of the report of the 12-man ad hoc committee on the screening of the Governor’s commissioner nominees.
Speaking after the decision of the lawmakers, the Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa thanked the committee members and added that they will as legislators continue to diligently perform their oversight functions in the state.
5. It’s Easier To Get More Women Into Appointive Offices Than Elective Positions – Akpabio
Senate President Godswill Akpabio has expressed his desire to see more women elected to the National Assembly as Senators and Representatives.
He said despite his desire he still feels that it is easier to get more women into appointive offices than into elective positions in the current political space.
The former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs asserted that the number of women in the Red Chamber is not encouraging and must be deliberately improved upon moving forward.
Akpabio stated this on Wednesday in Abuja at an International Conference on women in governance organized by the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies (NILDS).
6. JAMB Bans Schools From Selling Admission Forms For Distance Learning, NCE, Others
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has issued a fresh directive that bans tertiary institutions from selling admission forms for First Degree, National Diploma, National Innovation Diploma, and the Nigeria Certificate in Education into Full-Time, Distance Learning, Part-Time, Outreach, Sandwich, and other related courses.
The board in a statement on Wednesday directed that all such admission processes must now pass through JAMB only as no institution is henceforth allowed to advertise or sell “application forms” for admissions into the programmes.