Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers of Monday 15th May 2023
1. A former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio, has said he expects the number of lawmakers supporting his ambition to be the President of the 10th Senate to rise to 86 by June. Akpabio, who currently has the backing of the ruling All Progressives Congress for the seat, said this when he led some lawmakers on a courtesy visit to the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Sunday.
2. State governments on Sunday faulted the plan by the Federal Government to cede the feeding and caring for inmates in custodial centres to states. The governments of Ogun, Gombe, Ondo, Delta, Borno, Osun and Rivers argued that the Federal Government should review the current revenue allocation formula to put them in a better financial position to shoulder the proposed responsibility.
3. The Nigerian Army has denied allegations that the former Group Managing Director, Nigerian Army Properties Limited, Maj. Gen. Umaru Mohammed, is being persecuted. A statement on Sunday by the Director, Army Public Relations, Onyema Nwachukwu, said the General was being tried for offences bordering on forgery and misappropriation of funds.
4. The popular Agbeni Market in Ibadan North West Local Government Area of Oyo State, on Sunday morning, went up in flames. It was further learnt that goods worth millions of naira were lost to the fire. The General Manager of the State Fire Service, Yemi Akinyemi, confirmed the incident to our correspondent.
5. Four members of staff of ZEFA Microfinance Bank have been arrested after one of them allegedly pushed 50-year-old Vivian Omo, the wife of their debtor, which led to her death. The suspects, whose bank is situated at the Abule Ijoko Lemode area of Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State reportedly went to the house of their debtor and started packing his belongings.
6. One of the favoured candidates of the ruling All Progressives Congress for the post of Deputy Speaker in the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has denied they were handpicked by the camp of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu. This was even as Kalu, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, promised to accept defeat and return to the floor of the chamber if he loses at the election.
7. President-elect Bola Tinubu will not govern the country from abroad, Bayo Onanuga, his spokesman, has said. While speaking on Trust TV’s Daily Politics, the former managing director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said the insinuation that Tinubu may rule from London like President Muhammadu Buhari at a certain time won’t happen.
8. The Nollywood community was once again thrown into mourning on Sunday following the death of Murphy Afolabi. Afolabi died less than 24 hours after news broke on the death of Saint Obi, another Nollywood star.
9. The Presidency has said it was unaware of the purported decision of President Muhammadu Buhari granting study leave to the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Malam Garba Shehu said this yesterday.
10. Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, yesterday, identified mismanagement of diversity as the root of Nigeria’s problem, saying without justice, equity and fairness, there can be no peace, not only in Nigeria but anywhere in the world.
