Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know this Saturday morning Oct 28

1. The Federal Government has said that in spite of Thursday’s judgement that affirmed the victory of President Bola Tinubu, he is open to working with the major contenders in the February 25 presidential election; Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party and Peter Obi of the Labour Party. The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said this on Friday.

2. Leaders and elders of the South-East, South-West, South-South and Middle Belt regions, under the aegis of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders’ Forum, have said the country belongs to all citizens, irrespective of their ethnic representation and political affiliation. It also added that the federal government must restructure the country and enthrone true federalism, as was originally entrenched in the 1960 and 1963 constitutions. This was made known after their national meeting in Abuja.

3. The Edo State House of Assembly Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Benin, on Friday sacked Destiny Enabulele of the Peoples Democratic Party. The tribunal declared the APC candidate, Sunday Aghedo, as the rightful winner of the election, saying the petitioners, Aghedo and his party were able to prove their cases beyond reasonable doubt to earn victory.

4. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency said it has seized 6,668 tonnes of illicit substances within two years. The agency also stated that it has arrested over 36,096 suspects and prosecuted over 6,043 within the stipulated period of time. This was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the spokesperson for the NDLEA, Femi Babafemi.

5. The New Nigeria People’s Party has tasked President Bola Tinubu with the economic recovery of the state. The opposition party said this in a congratulatory message to Tinubu on his recent victory at the Supreme Court on Thursday. In a letter by the National Secretary of NNPP, Comrade Oginni Olaposi Sunday, the party called on Tinubu to be magnanimous in victory by making sure that opposition political parties are given ample opportunities to contribute their quotas to national development.

6. The Federal Government has flagged off the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGI), with seven conversion centres across Nigeria. Chief Of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajibiamila, officially flagged off the initiative on Friday at the State House, Abuja.

7. The Court of Appeal in Abuja has refused the motions by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Timipre Sylva seeking to stay execution of the judgement nullifying their candidature in the November 11 Bayelsa State governorship election. Sylva filed the appeal and stay of execution following the judgement of a Federal High Court in Abuja, which barred him from contesting as the APC candidate because he has served twice as governor.

8. The Senate has said it will summon the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) over the lack of funds to explore and develop new frontier acreages. The Chairman, Senate Committee on Gas, Jarigbe Jarigbe, disclosed this Friday while addressing reporters after a session held behind a closed-door with the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Gbenga Komolafe.

9. The Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, has assured that the problem of depletion on the bench of the Supreme Court will soon be addressed. Justice Ariwoola said efforts were in top gear to appoint new justices to the apex court. He spoke in Abuja yesterday during a valedictory court session held in honour of retiring Justice Musa Dattijo Muhammad.

10. The naira on Friday made a significant gain of N175 to dollar at the parallel market. The local currency, which exchanged at N1,315 to the dollar at the parallel market on Thursday, closed on Friday at N1,140 as speculators dumped dollar at willing buyers.