Index to Nigerian Newspapers

The ruling All Progressives Congress criticized the opposition Peoples Democratic Party for turning recent deadly food distribution stampedes into a political issue to blame President Bola Tinubu's government for widespread poverty and hunger. In response to the accusations, the ruling party called the opposition's statements heartless and hypocritical during a time of national mourning, pointing out that similar deadly stampedes occurred due to poor management when the opposition was in power. The ruling party maintained that the current administration remains dedicated to public welfare and that its economic reforms are successfully repairing years of past mismanagement.

The 29-man caretaker committee set up by Abia State Governor Alex Otti and presidential candidate Peter Obi has announced its decision to challenge the Abuja Court of Appeal ruling at the Supreme Court regarding the ongoing leadership dispute within the Labour Party. The appellate court had recently validated the party's March convention in Nnewi and affirmed Julius Abure as the legitimate national chairman by upholding an earlier Federal High Court judgment. However, the caretaker committee, led by Senator Nenadi Usman and Darlington Nwokocha, expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict and instructed their legal team to seek further clarification from the apex court while urging party supporters nationwide to remain calm.

The Nigerian Senate completed the passage of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s four tax reform bills after a careful clause-by-clause review and the removal of controversial areas. The final two pieces of legislation, namely the Nigeria Tax Administration Bill and the Nigeria Tax Bill, were cleared following a majority voice vote during a plenary session. Senate President Godswill Akpabio praised the lawmakers for their hard work, noting that these executive bills aim to modernize the country's tax system to meet international standards. Senator Sani Musa, the Chairman of the special committee handling the bills and the representative for the Niger East Senatorial District, explained that the committee engaged with seventy-six organizations, religious leaders, and various stakeholders during a public hearing and retreat. He explained that contentious items like the inheritance tax were completely removed from the final draft. Furthermore, Senator Sani Musa revealed that the lawmakers recommended the appointment of a chairman, six directors for the Nigerian Revenue Service, a tax tribunal, and an independent official to resolve tax disputes. To finalize the process, a joint committee will be formed to reconcile the amendments made by both chambers of the National Assembly. Once implemented, a portion of the tax proceeds will be directed toward critical national needs, including fighting cybercrime, boosting defense infrastructure, supporting the Tertiary Education Trust Fund, and aiding soldiers in their ongoing efforts to restore peace and safety across Nigeria.