• Naira redesign will boost economy, society – Peter Obi
• You’re a political prostitute – Keyamo tackles Dogara
• I’ll develop entertainment industry – Peter Obi replies El-Rufai
• IPOB alleges plot to assassinate Atiku in South East
• Buhari mourns 41 vigilantes killed by terrorists

Across Nigeria’s 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, these are the five top Nigerian news stories you shouldn’t miss:

Naira redesign will boost economy, society – Peter Obi

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s (LP) presidential candidate, stated that the current pain and inconvenience caused by the redesign of the Naira will result in enormous long-term economic and social advantages.

Obi also encouraged the Central Bank of Nigeria and commercial banks to expedite their efforts to distribute the new Naira notes to small depositors and unbanked Nigerians.

He stated that this is intended to alleviate the suffering of Nigerians, particularly those living in rural communities.

The former governor of Anambra State made the announcement via his verified Twitter account on Sunday.

Recall that the country has been plagued by a shortage of new Naira banknotes, causing unimaginable agony for many Nigerians.

Many have urged the central bank to extend the deadline for exchanging old Naira notes for new ones, but the CBN has stuck on the February 10 deadline it had set.

Obi demanded an improvement in the distribution of the new Naira notes and urged Nigerians to be patient with the Federal Government and CBN.

He wrote, “The currency redesign is not peculiar to Nigeria. It is an exercise that comes with some inconvenience and pain, but it has significant long-term economic and social benefits.

“Even though there are improvements that can be made, I urge Nigerians to bear with the CBN and Federal Government with the hope that the general populace and Nigeria will harvest the gains that will come with the reforms.

“We equally implore the CBN and the banks to expedite efforts to make the new currency available to small depositors and the unbanked in order to reduce the pains of my fellow Nigerians, especially the underprivileged and those living far away from banks in the rural areas.”

You’re a political prostitute – Keyamo tackles Dogara

Festus Keyamo, the spokesman for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, has referred to Yakubu Dogara, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, as a “political prostitute.”

Keyamo made the comment in a post on his verified Twitter account on Sunday.

The Minister of State for Labor and Employment responded to a tweet made by Dogara earlier in the day.

Dogara had mocked the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd. ), for endorsing the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, during a campaign in Nasarawa State.

“I know that PMB loves to crack jokes but I didn’t know he would escalate it to the level of satire. Asiwaju’ll give his best to Nigeria, really? Fake certificates, fake parentage, golden triangle escapades, racketeering. No PMB, Nigeria does not deserve his best but we get the satire,” Dogara said in his tweet.

However, Keyamo took to his Twitter handle calling out Dogara as a wanderer and backstabber.

He wrote, “My brother and law schoolmate, @YakubDogara, this tweet is beneath you. You are actually pained by the support of PMB for @officialABAT, two leaders who have stayed true to their beliefs and causes, unlike the political prostitute, wanderer, and back-stabber that you’ve always been.”

I’ll develop entertainment industry – Peter Obi replies El-Rufai

Peter Obi, the Labour Party’s presidential candidate, has responded to Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-comment Rufai’s that he (Obi) was acting Nollywood and could not win the election.

The former governor of Anambra State said that he would rather work tirelessly to develop the entertainment business.

Obi responded on Sunday when he appeared on the ‘Sunday Show’ show on Arise Television.

Last week, during an appearance on a TVC program, El-Rufai dismissed Obi’s chances in the next presidential election.

The Kaduna governor said, “He is polling in the Christian enclaves in the North but how many are they? Peter Obi cannot win the election. He doesn’t have the number of states, he doesn’t have 25 percent in more than 16 states, the last time we checked. He can’t go anywhere.

“Peter Obi is a Nollywood actor and that’s all he will be. This election is between the APC and the PDP because they have the footprint, they have the spread. Ethnicity and religious bigotry will not take you anywhere and that’s what the Labour Party campaign is all about,” he said.

However, Obi said he would focus on Nollywood if elected president, calling on Nigerian actors to support him since El-Rufai had tagged him as one.

He said, “I thank El-Rufai for what he said, at least he gave me some percentages; I’ll work hard to improve on that. The entertainment industry is one of the engines that will develop us as a nation, I’ll focus on that and Nollywood.

“And since he said I’m an actor, I’m calling on all those in the entertainment industry, including Nollywood, to support me.”

IPOB alleges plot to assassinate Atiku in South East

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on Sunday alleged that its intelligence unit, M-Branch, has uncovered a plot to assassinate PDP’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in the South East.

Emma Powerful, IPOB spokesman alleged that Atiku’s assassination would be blamed on the followers of Peter Obi and the Labour Party, LP.

His statement reads, “In view of the state-sponsored insecurity ravaging Nigeria, we, the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the command and leadership of the great liberator Mazi Nnamdi Okwuchukwu Kanu wish to alert the public on the intelligence report at our disposal of plans to attack Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the South East and blame it on IPOB, ESN or the presidential candidate, Peter Obi’s supporters, the Obidient group.

“IPOB intelligence unit, the M-Branch uncovered a plan by some unscrupulous politicians to cause crises in the country against IPOB and Ndigbo all over the country.

“This group is planning to assassinate Atiku Abubakar in the southeastern part of Nigeria and claim it is done by unknown gunmen, ESN/IPOB, or the Obidient group.”

Buhari mourns 41 vigilantes killed by terrorists

President Muhammadu Buhari denounced over the weekend the attack on vigilantes in the Yargoje forest in the Kankara Local Government Area of Katsina, which resulted in the loss of many lives.

According to reports, the Police Command in Katsina State stated on Friday that 41 members of the local vigilante organization “Yansakai” were killed in an ambush by terrorists in Yargoje woodland.

The terrorists attacked a caravan of vigilantes attempting to reclaim stolen cows in the jungle, resulting in their deaths.

Reacting, Buhari paid respect to all of the killed vigilantes and their family members, stating that the sacrifices of the courageous men who struggle to prevent and punish crime in their communities will not be forgotten.

This was revealed in a statement released on Sunday by Buhari’s media adviser, Garba Shehu.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families in this difficult period. May Allah repose the soul of the deceased,” the President said.

YNaija