Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:
1. The Peoples Democratic Party and the Labour Party on Wednesday expressed anger over the telephone conversation between the United States Secretary of State, Antony Blinken and the President-elect, Bola Tinubu. Blinken pledged stronger ties between the US and Nigeria during a 20-minute telephone call to Tinubu, who is in France.
2. The leadership of the Labour Party has vowed to do all within its powers to prove that the current Governor-elect of Enugu State, Peter Mbah, was not qualified to contest the governorship poll following an allegation that he presented a forged certificate to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
3. The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has said he regretted leading a forum that championed the emergence of Aminu Tambuwal as Speaker of the House in the 7th National Assembly. The Speaker spoke in Abuja on Wednesday night at a meeting of the Joint Task – 10th Assembly.
4. The Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to extend its invitations to state governors, officers of the presidency and members of the Federal Executive Council for investigations into alleged corruption and abuse of office. He made this known on Wednesday.
5. The President, National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), Dr Emeka Orji says the medical body has not received any invitation for a meeting to resolve the ongoing warning strike. NARD began a five-day warning strike on Wednesday and it is expected to last till Monday.
6. The senator representing Borno South Senatorial District, Ali Ndume has vowed to challenge the $800 million loan sought by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration. The President had sought Senate approval for an $800 million loan to finance the National Social Safety Network Programme.
7. The factional National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) Lamidi Apapa has alleged the crowd that mobbed him on Wednesday at the venue of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) was hired to kill him. Apapa told reporters after he was released from protective custody by security operatives that he was in court to assert himself as the Acting National Chairman of the party.
8. The Federal Government yesterday disclosed that it is taking urgent steps to address the high burden of hypertension in the country. It stated that it has instituted several strategic interventions at the Tertiary, Secondary and Primary Healthcare levels with the target of screening at least 80 per cent of the eligible population and placing 80 per cent of people with hypertension on standard treatment and care.
9. It is near-certain that 2023-2027 will be the warmest five-year period ever recorded, the United Nations warned Wednesday as greenhouse gases and El Nino combine to send temperatures soaring. The hottest eight years ever recorded were all between 2015 and 2022 – but temperatures are forecast to increase further as climate change accelerates.
10. Manchester City produced a stunning performance to reach the Champions League final as Bernardo Silva’s double put Real Madrid to the sword in 4-0 thrashing that secured a 5-1 aggregate win for the English champions on Wednesday.
