Tinubu Hits Atiku Again, Alleges Plan To Sell Nigeria
2023: Desist from jaded aproko pettiness – Atiku fires back at Oby Ezekwesili
Ekiti: Abducted Rev Father, Micheal Olofinlade regains freedom
Police presence at Emefiele’s Abuja home stirs controversy
Nigeria’s Inflation falls for first time in 11 months

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

Tinubu Hits Atiku Again, Alleges Plan To Sell Nigeria

Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for president, yesterday urged Nigerians not to support the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the upcoming election.

Atiku Abubakar, the PDP presidential candidate, is only interested in the presidential race to enrich himself and his friends, according to several facts, according to Tinubu, who was speaking to a sizable crowd of APC supporters during a presidential rally held at the metropolitan square in Ilorin, Kwara State.

He declared that Atiku will sell Nigeria to his shady pals in the pretext of privatization, exactly as he had done in the past.

He said, “You earned a favourable and great place in the history of our progressive party and of the nation when you voted for the APC to chase the PDP out of this beautiful and historic town. You kicked them out and now they want to come back.

“Do not let them back in. They only want to devour what they could not take the first time. If you give them the chance, they will strip Kwara and Nigeria bare to the bone.

“The PDP candidate in the race is well known for selling everything that has the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s name on it. If it is part of the public treasure or national patrimony, he is looking to pawn it to one of his shady partners.

“He wants to sell off your chance at a decent job, good schools, a nice home and a happy life. His aim is to sell and turn our public assets into his private profit. He wants you to go hungry so that he can feast off the abundance of the land.”

Tinubu also dwelt on the recent revelation by one of Atiku’s former aides Michael Achimugu where the former vice president himself admitted to setting up Special Purpose Vehicle companies to siphon the country’s funds.

“Before today, we used to call him Mr. Privatize. But today, we must give him a new name. One that comes from his own mouth.

“He is now Mr. SPV. From his own mouth, we have heard him admit that he and his old boss conspired to rob from the Nigerian treasury millions upon millions of dollars. They did this by using a fancy business device called an SPV, Special Purpose Vehicle, to hide the money.

“By his antics, Atiku has changed the meaning of SPV. It is no longer a business unit. With him, it is a money-eating monster. From henceforth, Atiku shall be known as MR. SPV. S for Stealing, P for Plunder and V for Vicious.

“For this is a vicious assault on the public funds, public welfare and on the public conscience. How can he so brazenly steal and plunder yet ask you to return him to the scene of the crime? He wants to return to the crime scene not to repent but to repeat the stealing, plundering and viciousness.

“You must stop him before he stops your dreams and aspirations for a better Nigeria.”
He said the APC just like it has done in the about eight years of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration, has shown that it means well for the country and its citizens, promising to continue with this.

“Instead, the APC has a much better way for you. We have good and positive plans for this country.

“If you give us the mandate with your vote, we will carry Kwara and the rest of the country to a more prosperous and secure future,” he added.

2023: Desist from jaded aproko pettiness – Atiku fires back at Oby Ezekwesili

Atiku Abubakar, the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) presidential candidate, on Tuesday, criticized Oby Ezekwesili, a former minister of education, for being petty.

Atiku asserted he played a significant role in developing a plan to revive the private sector and opening up the economy to private sector investments in a number of areas on Monday while addressing an event hosted by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group, or NESG.

Ezekwesili, however, who worked alongside Atiku under former president Olusegun Obasanjo, called the former Vice President a liar.

However, speaking through his spokesman, Paul Ibe, Atiku accused the former minister of resorting to “jaded ‘aproko’ pettiness.”

His tweets read: “Dear @obyezeks, I know it’s political season and people resort to all sorts of antics in support of their preferred candidates. But some things should be considered too low.

“In trying – and failing – to weaken his standing in public, let us not resort to this sort of jaded ‘aproko’ pettiness.

“If Atiku wasn’t head of the Economic Management Team as VP, so who was? You?”

Ekiti: Abducted Rev Father, Micheal Olofinlade regains freedom

Reverend Father Michael Olofinlade, who was kidnapped on Saturday, is now free.

The parish priest of St. George Catholic Church in Omu Ekiti, in the Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State, is Fr. Olafinlade.

After completing a pastoral mission in the state’s capital, Ado, he was abducted as he was traveling back to his headquarters in Omu Ekiti.

Fr. Olofinlade’s swift and safe release was requested by the Most Rev. Felix Ajakaiye, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ekiti.

Police presence at Emefiele’s Abuja home stirs controversy

The presence of a squad of police officers at the residence of Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, in the Federal Capital Territory, has generated controversy.

Around 8.40 p.m. on Tuesday, reports were made of armed police officers, who numbered over 10, visiting the residence of the troubled apex bank governor in Maitama, Abuja.

According to a reliable source in the Nigerian Police Force, the policemen’s presence was in support of Emefiele’s anticipated appearance in the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday (today) regarding a $53 million judgment obligation resulting from the Paris Club refund.

The source said, “The police officers are not there to arrest, but to ensure that he doesn’t run away again as he did weeks ago.”

Both the Federal Capital Territory Police Command and the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters denied being aware of the police presence.

Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the Force’s public relations officer, stated, “I am unaware of such an incident. Please get in touch with the FCT command.”

The FCT PPRO, Josephine Adeh, also denied knowledge of the incident when contacted by journalists

Adeh said, “I don’t know anything about policemen surrounding the CBN governor’s home. You could contact the force headquarters.”

Nigeria’s Inflation falls for first time in 11 months

Following ten consecutive months of increases, Nigeria’s inflation rate dropped to 21.34 percent in December from 21.47 percent in November, according to data released on Monday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

According to the NBS report, despite skyrocketing costs for basics, food inflation decreased to 23.75 percent in December from 24.13 percent a month earlier.

The NBS has linked rising inflation to a strong rise in demand before the holiday shopping season together with increased production costs.

“The increases were recorded in all … divisions that yielded the headline index most especially in food & non-alcoholic beverages, transport and miscellaneous goods & services,” the NBS said in its report.

The drop in the inflation rate comes as the Central Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee prepares to meet for the first time this year.

At the meeting, scheduled for next week, the MPC as part of efforts to tame inflation will decide on interest rates in Africa’s largest economy.