Good morning! Here is today’s summary of Latest Nigerian News from Nigerian Newspapers of Thursday 23rd February 2023
1. Ahead of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Wednesday, commenced the distribution of sensitive materials in states, including Lagos, Benue, Ondo, Ekiti and Osun. In no fewer than nine states, the electoral commission stepped up preparations through the distribution of sensitive materials to local government areas.
2. As part of the preparations for the polls, President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday met with security chiefs at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, where he said INEC had no excuse not to conduct successful polls. It was learnt that the unscheduled meeting was at the instance of the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu who explained that it was all part of efforts towards free, fair and credible elections.
3. The Supreme Court on Wednesday fixed March 3, 2023 for its judgment in the 10 governors’ suit against the Federal Government and the Central Bank of Nigeria over the new naira note deadline. The shifting of the judgment date dashed the hope of those who had thought the apex court would end the case ahead of the presidential election slated for Saturday.
4. The Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, on Wednesday, raised the alarm over alleged plans by politicians to buy votes in kind and cash ahead of Saturday’s general elections. He made the claim during an interview on Channels Television’s election programme, The 2023 Verdict.
5. The Economic Community of West Africa Observer Mission to Nigeria has implored the Federal Government to be proactive in addressing the fuel and cash scarcity citizens of the country are facing. ECOWAS further noted that the insecurity crisis in the country should be resolved before the February 25 election.
6. The violence in the South East region has continued even in the week of the 2023 General Elections. Mr Oyibo Chukwu, candidate of the Labour Party in Saturday’s Enugu East Senatorial District election, was killed 48 hours to the election.
7. A Chief Magistrate’s Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, has remanded the lawmaker representing Etche/Omuma federal constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon Ephraim Nwuzi, to the Nigerian Correctional Centre in the state. This followed a remand proceeding preferred against him by the state Police Command.
8. President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the candidates contesting in the February 25 and March 11 general elections at all levels to respect the choice of voters and accept the result of the elections as announced by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Buhari promised to be neutral in the election.
9. The National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julious Abure, has charged party supporters nationwide to consider themselves as party agents in whatever polling unit they would be voting on Saturday. Abure, who stated this at a briefing yesterday, expressed gratitude to party members and supporters for standing by the party, despite several attempts to intimidate and bully them.
10. Fire, on Tuesday, gutted no fewer than 17 shops at the Timber Market in Umuokpu, in the Awka area of Anambra State. It was gathered that no life was lost in the fire incident that started around 10.16pm and raged till emergency responders, including the state fire-fighters besieged the premises to put out their fire.
