Index to Nigerian Newspapers

President Muhammadu Buhari, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have paid tribute to Otunba Christopher Alao-Akala, a former Governor of Oyo State, who passed away yesterday aged 71. Makinde abruptly ended the 2022 Inter-faith Prayer Service as the news broke, while Tinubu called for a minute's silence and condoled with the immediate family members of the former governor, his political associates and residents of the state. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, Chairman of South West Governors' Forum and Ondo State Governor, described the death of Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala as a personal loss and urged family and associates to take solace in the good legacies he left behind. He commiserated with Governor Seyi Makinde, the government and people of Oyo State, friends, associates and admirers of the deceased politician, and his Ogun State counterpart, Adegboyega Oyetola, who described the death as a rude shock. Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, also expressed his condolences.

The Apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has warned politicians against violating the gentlemanly pact on rotating Nigeria's presidency between North and South, insisting Igbo should succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023. It urged the North to consider the security implications of retaining power beyond 2023 and concede power to the South in the interest of peace and stability. It also took a swipe at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, saying he should not have sent his foot-soldiers to the Southeast. Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, a presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has assured Nigerians that the nation will be more united if he emerges victorious in the forthcoming presidential election. He said the Southeast is the greatest proponents of a united Nigeria, and that the civil war was not because the Southeast wanted to break Nigeria.

The Apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has warned politicians against violating the gentlemanly pact on rotating Nigeria's presidency between North and South, insisting Igbo should succeed President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023. It urged the North to consider the security implications of retaining power beyond 2023 and concede power to the South in the interest of peace and stability. It also took a swipe at former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, saying he should not have sent his foot-soldiers to the Southeast. Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, a presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has assured Nigerians that the nation will be more united if he emerges victorious in the forthcoming presidential election. He said the Southeast is the greatest proponents of a united Nigeria, and that the civil war was not because the Southeast wanted to break Nigeria.

The Ondo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed outrage over the purchase of two bulletproof Lexus 670 LXE SUVs valued at N1.5 billion, which Governor Rotimi Akeredolu bought for himself in spite of government's inability to pay workers salaries. PDP Publicity Secretary Kennedy Peretei described the purchase as "executive recklessness and insensitivity to the plight of the people" and lamented that the governor could not buy one bag of rice for his party supporters during the Yuletide season. Festus Akingbaso, representative of Idanre Constituency in Ondo State House of Assembly, has lamented that the state government is starving the legislature of funds. He distributed 25 motorcycles, 20 deep freezers, 10 gas cookers and burners, 10 dryers, 20 sewing machines, 20 generators, 20 grinding machines and five refrigerators to his constituents, valued at over N28 million. Former state PDP Chairman, Dr. Tayo Dairo, noted that the empowerment programme was to ensure people were gainfully engaged in the private sector, as a way to reduce unemployment in the state.

President Muhammadu Buhari has restated his opposition to state governments having their own police in an interview with Channels Television. He argued that state policing is not an option due to the propensity for governors to abuse their powers. However, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Dr. Iyorchia Ayu has accused President Buhari of being comfortable with the state of insecurity in the country, suggesting that the situation may not be about to change. Ayu criticised President Buhari for pushing the blame for the incessant killing of farmers by terrorists on locals along grazing routes. He argued that a security system that feeds on local intelligence and nuances is the best way to go, and urged Nigerians not to relent as hope is alive.