Highlights from Nigerian Newspapers: Key Developments on Thursday Morning
Good morning! Here’s a roundup of the top stories from Nigerian newspapers on Thursday, December 14, 2023:
1. The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has granted the exemption of tertiary institutions, including universities, from the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Systems (IPPS). This move aims to relieve the burden on the managements of these institutions and streamline the recruitment process.
2. The federal government has denied involvement in the escalating political situation in Rivers State. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, emphasized the administration’s commitment to peace and well-being across all states.
3. A notable chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ebonyi state, Odefa Obasi Odefa, has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), along with about 500 of his supporters from Onicha East Constituency.
4. Judges of trial courts have been urged to deliver flawless judgments and rulings that are less likely to be set aside on appeal. The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, made this call at the 39th annual conference of the Federal High Court judges in Abuja.
5. The World Bank has criticized the lack of transparency from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited regarding the financial gains from fuel subsidy removal. The bank highlighted concerns about subsidy arrears and the impact of subsidy removal on federation revenues.
6. President Bola Tinubu has made sweeping changes in the aviation sector, sacking heads of various agencies and appointing new acting and substantive heads. The move is part of efforts to reposition the sector in alignment with Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
7. Gunmen, reportedly dressed in military uniform, kidnapped seven individuals along the Fidiwo area of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. One person was shot dead while escaping the attack. The Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident.
8. The crisis in Rivers State escalated as the River State House of Assembly complex was demolished. Heavy-duty machines, including bulldozers and excavators, were brought in for the demolition in the early hours of Wednesday.
9. Constitutional lawyer Femi Falana criticized the declaration of vacant seats for members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, stating that they were not provided with sound legal advice. He emphasized that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is required by law to conduct elections for the vacant seats.
10. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) reassured Nigerians of an ample supply of naira notes in circulation to meet their cash needs. Mrs. Hakama Ali, CBN’s Acting Director of Corporate Communications, provided the assurance in a statement on Wednesday.
