• Youths will not leave Nigeria under my presidency – Peter Obi
• Obasanjo punished me and Lagos people – Tinubu
• Police arrest 61 suspected political thugs in Kano
• Akeredolu institutes 24-hour curfew in the Ondo after bloody clash
• 2nd Niger bridge enough for South-East to vote Tinubu – Uzodinma

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

Youths will not leave Nigeria under my presidency – Peter Obi

Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi said youths will no longer need to leave Nigeria (japa) under his presidency.

He promised to implement policies that would secure the future of young citizens.

Obi made the pledge on Thursday at the party’s campaign rally in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti capital.

The former Anambra State governor vowed to end poverty, corruption, and insecurity.

Obi said he would pay attention to unemployment to ensure graduates get paid jobs.

“My administration will move this country from consumption to production

“Our youths will be properly taken care of and will no longer be travelling out for greener pastures”, he added.

Obasanjo punished me and Lagos people – Tinubu

Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, said that former President Olusegun Obasanjo punished him while he was governor of Lagos State.

Tinubu stated that the decision was taken against the Lagos State Government and not against him personally.

He claimed that Obasanjo’s ruling was biased against his government since he was a member of the opposition party.

Against the backdrop of Obasanjo’s support of Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate Peter Obi, the APC flagbearer addressed a crowd in Benin City, Edo State, during his presidential campaign rally.

When he was governor, he said, electrical supply problems plagued the state, but he said the previous president made it impossible for him to find a solution.

Tinubu also claimed that funds intended to address energy shortages had instead been misappropriated by the Obasanjo government at the time.

According to Tinubu, “I brought Enron to solve electricity problem and help Lagos economy but Obasanjo and PDP frustrated it. They punished me and Lagos people and even began deducting our money.

“I created Local Governments in Lagos to accelerate development and create employment for our people but Obasanjo seized our allocation and punished us for that.

“That was wickedness and such a man said he endorsed a man for you to vote as President. Can Obasanjo recommend a leader for anyone in Nigeria? A man who does not know the way cannot show the way.

“They punished me as Lagos State governor, not personal punish but the entire Lagos State was punished.”

Police arrest 61 suspected political thugs in Kano

Sixty-one accused political thugs were detained by police in Kano State during All Progressives Congress, APC, campaign activities.

The statement was released on Thursday by the command’s spokesman, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa.

He said that this was part of the police’s efforts to guarantee peaceful election procedures and the Kano State Command’s efforts to clear the state of all crimes and criminality, with a particular focus on the threat posed by political thugs (daba).

Kiyawa added that the suspects were apprehended on Wednesday at Sani Abacha Stadium in Kano, during a political rally.

According to him “Thirty-three knives, eight cutlasses, four scissors, one parcel 117; wraps of dried leaves suspected to be Indian Hemp, three bottles of suck and die, 500 pieces of suspected Exol tablets and bunch of charms were recovered from the suspects ”

He said the suspects will be charged to court for prosecution.

Akeredolu institutes 24-hour curfew in the Ondo after bloody clash

Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State has ordered the imposition of a 24-hour curfew on Ikare-Akoko, the headquarters of Akoko North East Local Government Area of the state.

According to the directive issued on Thursday by the governor, the curfew takes immediate effect in the community.

In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Richard Olatunde, the curfew became imperative following a violent clash that broke out in the community during the New Year’s carnival.

On Wednesday, crisis enveloped the community when some youths clashed over the venue of the carnival at Okoja quarters.

While urging security agencies in the state to ensure maximum enforcement of the curfew, Akeredolu said the two traditional rulers in the area must caution their wards as anyone caught flouting the directive would be dealt with.

The statement reads, “This follows the escalated violent clash in the town since Tuesday which has continued unabated, despite the meeting held by Government and the Olukare of Ikare, Oba Akadiri Momoh, and Owa Ale of Iyometa, Oba Adeleke Adegbite to rein-in their subjects.

“Security agencies have been directed to ensure strict compliance with the order just as investigations are already on to unravel the real cause(s) of the violent clash.

“For emphasis, Ikare Akoko has been closed down for any unauthorised human movement and activity until further notice.”

2nd Niger bridge enough for South-East to vote Tinubu – Uzodinma

Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma has claimed the Second Niger Bridge executed by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is enough for the South-East zone to vote for Bola Tinubu, the All Progressives Congress, APC, presidential candidate.

Governor Uzodinma made the statement on Thursday while appearing on the Channels Television’s programme.

The governor also said most of the federal roads in the zone had received sufficient attention and budgetary commission, adding that commuters no longer suffer as they used to before.

“Senator Bola Tinubu is the presidential candidate of the APC, the party in power. From 1970 when the civil war ended, the Igbos asked for the Second Niger Bridge, government after government came with promises that were not fulfilled.

“The last Christmas was greeted with jubilation, Igbos coming from outside the South-East using the Second Niger Bridge. That is even enough for the whole Igbos to vote for Buhari’s legacy to continue,” Uzodinma said.