These are the stories that drove the conversation today:

The Federal government on Wednesday dismissed media reports that it was working on a policy to put a limit on child birth among mothers in the country.

According to the Finance Minister, Zainab Ahmed who tweeted the rebuttal on her personal Twitter account, the Federal Government has only been engaging critical stakeholders like traditional and religious leaders to advise their members on child spacing.

“We never said we are placing a cap on childbirth. What is child spacing? This is a healthy practice of waiting between pregnancies,” she tweeted.

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The Kano House of Assembly says the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Nigeria, Jafar Jafar has agreed to appear before its seven-man investigative committee on Thursday.

The committee set up by the Assembly had extended the invitation to Jafar and his online medium, to find out the authenticity or otherwise of a video clip portraying Kano Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje collecting bribe from an unidentified contractor

As reported by Daily Trust, a member of the committee who confirmed the development said “After the invitation was extended to him, Jafar has replied the committee in writing that he will appear before the committee on Thursday as requested by the committee.” 

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The Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Yekini Nabena, has debunked statements credited to him in a national daily that the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole was arrogating to himself the monopoly of knowledge in running the party’s affairs.

In a statement he signed in Abuja, on Wednesday, Nabena who dismissed the news publication as completely false, added that contrary to insinuations in some quarters, the APC National Chairman enjoys the support of the National Working Committee and the National Executive Committee.

“Indeed, there are grievances in the aftermath of the recently-conducted primaries, however, amicable solutions are already being sought to settle them,” he said.

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Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti on Wednesday signed an Executive Order banning extortion of pupils in the guise of various fees collected by some principals, head teachers and other school officials.

Speaking after signing the executive order in his Office in Ado Ekiti, Fayemi said that the order would not only prevent any of such illegality in schools, but eliminate school dropout and as well encourage children enrollment, while adding that the action would provide for free and compulsory education in government owned primary and secondary schools.

The governor also approved N200 million as car and housing loans for teachers in public schools in the state to boost their morale.

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Deputy President of the Nigerian Senate, Ike Ekweremadu has refuted reports that he was planning to dump the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

The Enugu West Senator who said he has been inundated with calls from friends and political associates seeking clarification on the rumours of his departure from the PDP, in his rebuttal was silent about his alleged grieviance with the party, stressing however that his “vision in politics is a system that works for everybody, a social and political environment where everybody, every section, and every tribe not only counts, but is also seen to count. 

“Please, rest assured that I am still in the PDP,” he said.

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And stories from around the world:

Suspected explosive devices were sent to former US President Barack Obama and ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the US Secret Service has said.

It comes two days after a bomb was found at the home of liberal philanthropist and financier George Soros in the suburbs of New York City. (BBC)

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Saudi Arabia has agreed to give Pakistan $3bn for a period of one year as the South Asian country faces an economic crisis marked by a mounting balance of payments deficit and dwindling foreign currency reserves. (Al Jazeera)

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Turkish intelligence has shared “all the evidence” over the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi with the CIA chief during a visit, pro-government media reported on Wednesday. (AFP)

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman however  promised on Wednesday that the killers of Jamal Khashoggi would be brought to justice, in his first public comments since the journalist’s murder sparked international condemnation. (Reuters)

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British Prime Minister Theresa May will address Conservative Party lawmakers at a private meeting in parliament on Wednesday after anger at her Brexit negotiating strategy prompted some of them to discuss replacing her. (Reuters)