Nigerian newspapers: 10 things you need to know this Saturday morning

1. The Advance Nigeria Democratic Party, ANDP, the political party on whose petition the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Tribunal sacked Governor Douye Diri, has distanced itself from the election petition. A faction of the party has emerged, saying it has no hand in the petition filed by King George, its governorship candidate. The faction is led by the National Publicity Secretary, Fortune Oyadoghan, the State Publicity Secretary, Charles Krotezi and the State Secretary, Pastor Sapiere Obi Euduakakpo.

2. Ahead of the September 19 governorship election in Edo State, the Department of State Services (DSS) has invited some top leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state. Those inhibited are Tony Adun, aka Kabaka and nine other leaders of APC for a peace meeting on Saturday. The meeting will hold at the headquarters of the DSS’ in Edo state at No. 1, Court Road, Government Reservation Area (GRA), Benin.

3. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Friday, released the final list of candidates for the forthcoming governorship election in Ondo State. The governorship election is slated for October 10, 2020. Festus Okoye, the National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, in a statement, in Abuja, said that four political parties that earlier made valid nominations have substituted their candidates.

4. The Nigerian Senate Joint Committee on Finance and National Planning which is currently discussing 2021-2023 MTEF-FSP have discovered financial fraud running into billions of Naira in the Joint Venture arrangement between State-owned television, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and a Chinese Satellite Pay TV, StarTimes. The fraud came to the public glare on Friday as documents involving the parties were scrutinized with the discovery that the Nigeria Television Authority has not been remitting revenues into the Federation Account.

5. President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the Chairman, Governing Council of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), Wale Babalakin and the Vice Chancellor, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, to step aside. Ben Goong, Director of Public Relations, Federal Ministry of Education, said this in a statement on Friday. Babalakin and Ogundipe were directed to recuse themselves from duty “pending the outcome of the Special Visitation Panel” set up by the president.

6. Some unknown gunmen Friday evening stormed Ikolaba police station in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital and killed a police officer. It was reported that the gunmen, after gaining entry to the police station killed one of the officers on duty. Report claims the gunmen caught the officers unaware as they shot sporadically into the station.

7. An aircraft belonging to Jedidiah Air on Friday crashed into a fence at the General Aviation Terminal (GAT), local wing of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos. The incident happened while the King Air 200 jet with registration number 5N-HIS, was reparking at the tarmac close to a facility used by Bristow Helicopters. The accident happened due to brake failure. Meanwhile, there was no passenger on board and the pilot came out unhurt.

8. Violent clashes have occurred in Ondo West Local Government Area of the state between supporters of the All Progressives Congress, APC and African Democratic Congress, ADC. This is coming 24 hours to the local council polls. According to the Police Public Relations Officer of the state, ASP Tee-Leo Ikoro, the cause of the clash is yet to be ascertained, but that there were many casualties on both sides with many of the wounded already hospitalized. No fewer than fifteen cars were also vandalized in the clash.

9. The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, on Friday night confirmed 340 new cases of Coronavirus in Nigeria. Statistics by NCDC revealed that new cases were confirmed in 19 states across the country. Kaduna has the highest number with 63, followed by the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, with 51 and Plateau State with 33.

10. The Presidency has released the second-term achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari. It listed 35 policies, programmes and projects including the controversial Companies and Allied Matters Act, CAMA. Also listed as an achievement by the President is the 774 nationwide menial job creation and increment of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, allowance.lists CAMA, 774,000 jobs, NYSC allowance, others as second-term achievements [Full list]The Presidency has released the second-term achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari.

It listed 35 policies, programmes and projects including the controversial Companies and Allied Matters Act, CAMA.

Also listed as an achievement by the President is the 774,000 nationwide menial job creation and increment of National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, allowance.

The Presidency shared the President’s accomplishments in a statement via its Twitter handle, @NGRPresident, on Friday.

Buhari had on August 7 signed into law, the Companies and Allied Matters Bill, 2020. The bill which has been passed by the National Assembly replaced the 1990 CAMA.

The Christians Association of Nigeria (CAN), had also described it as satanic, demanding that the president should stop the implementation of “the obnoxious and ungodly law until the religious institutions are exempted from it.”