Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know Wednesday morning

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:

1. The ailing Ondo State Governor, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, is returning to Germany for further treatment. The governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr Richard Olatunde, in a statement on Tuesday, said Akeredolu would transmit a letter to the state House of Assembly handing over power to his deputy, Lucy Aiyedatiwa as acting governor.

2. A Rivers State High Court in Port Harcourt has barred the factional Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, who is loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, from going into the state assembly complex until the burnt chamber is fully renovated by the state government.

3. The Lagos State Police Command has a new Commissioner of Police. The new Commissioner of Police, Fayoade Adegoke Mustapha would replace Idowu Owohunwa, who was recently promoted to the rank of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police. Fayoade’s posting was contained in a police wireless message on Tuesday.

4. The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Beta Edu, has said that the amount allocated to her ministry in the 2024 budget was not capable of fighting poverty in the country. The Minister stated this on Tuesday when she led officials of her ministry and parastatals under it, to defend the ministry’s 2024 budget before the Joint National Assembly Committee on Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, chaired by Senator Idiat Adebule.

5. Gunmen, on Tuesday, ambushed a convoy of Daewoo workers along the Ahoada/Abua end of the East-West Road in Rivers State, killed four soldiers, two drivers and reportedly kidnapped two expatriates of the company. The incident, it was gathered, occurred at about 9:30 am.

6. Following the death of 10 persons on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway on Tuesday, the Federal Road Safety Corps has warned drivers to always rest before embarking on a trip. The crash, which occurred in the early hours of Tuesday, involved two vehicles – a Toyota Hiace bus marked FKY898YF and an unregistered Iveco tipper.

7. A Labour Party governorship aspirant in Edo State, Dr Dennis Aikoriogie, has resigned his membership of the party, alleging that some leaders were taking sides. He expressed fear that they (the leaders) may not be fair during the party’s primary election, while also alleging that outsiders and moneybags have hijacked the party.

8. The Federal Government on Tuesday said it had plans to restructure the Transmission Company of Nigeria to align with the Electricity Act 2023 and the industry demands. The Minister of Power, Mr Adebayo Adelabu, said this in Abuja at the Ministerial Retreat on the Integrated National Electricity Policy and Strategic Implementation Plan. He said the privatization of the power sector was a disappointment.

9. Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake said on Tuesday, December 12, that the act of banditry and kidnappings associated with parts of the country were being sponsored by powerful Nigerians engaged in acts of illegal mining in the country. He said the government was identifying those individuals and will take appropriate action against them.

10. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on Tuesday, urged the Senate to consider and confirm 19 nominees for appointment as National Commissioners of the National Population Commission (NPC). The President’s letter of request was read at plenary by Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.