Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:
1. Minister of information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says the Federal Government has no intention to ban Facebook over purported inciting statements by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB. He said this Wednesday while fielding questions from State House reporters after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
2. The All Progressives Congress, APC, has adjusted its timetable for its presidential, governorship, senatorial, House of Representatives and State assembly primaries. The APC National Publicity Secretary, Barr Felix Morka, on Wednesday in Abuja, said that the presidential primaries earlier slated for May 30, 31 and June 1, would now hold on May 29 and 30, 2022.
3. The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, has suspended the Accountant General of the Federation, Mr. Ahmed Idris, over the allegations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that he laundered over N80 billion. Media Adviser to the Minister, Mr. Yunusa Tanko, confirmed the suspension.
4. At least five persons have been reportedly killed and houses set on fire in a clash between traders and okada riders at Dei Dei, a community in Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). A resident said an accident involving a bike man led to the breakdown of law and order in the community.
5. Senator Ibrahim Shekarau has picked the membership card of the fast growing New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP). The Senator, who was elected to the upper chamber of the National Assembly on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) dumped the party following a deep crisis.
6. Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, struck out a six-count amended charge brought against the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu. The judge threw away the fresh charges following its withdrawal by counsel to the Federal Government, Adamu Kaatu.
7. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has traced at least 17 properties to the Accountant-General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris. An official of the EFCC, who wished to remain anonymous, said the properties traced to Idris are located in Kano, Lagos, Abuja, Dubai and London.
8. Some leaders of the Hausa community in Lagos State have appealed to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reverse the ban on Okada operations in six local government areas of the State. The leaders, who spoke in interviews on Wednesday, said Okada riders who hail from northern Nigeria contribute significantly to the voting population of Lagos and should not be economically strangulated.
9. The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has blamed Nigeria’s poor revenue generation on leakage and corruption in the tax system. This is even as he harped on the need for the digitalization of Nigeria’s economy towards placing it among the top-ranked economies in the world.
10. Economic activities were, on Wednesday, shut down in the South-East over the sit-at-home order issued by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, following the appearance of their detained leader, Nnamdi Kanu, in the Federal High court, in Abuja.