Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Wednesday, 3rd April 2024

1. Tinubu Approves N1.1 Trillion For FCT 2024 Statutory Budget

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has given his approval to the statutory budget of over N1.1 trillion for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for the fiscal year 2024.

The FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, announced this news during a media chat at his office in Abuja on Tuesday.

He expressed his satisfaction with the president’s assent and highlighted that the budget will have a positive impact on infrastructure development, healthcare facilities, and the rehabilitation of schools in the FCT, among other areas.

Naija News reports that this development follows the successful passing of the FCT appropriation bill in the Senate last month.

A detailed breakdown of the N1.1trn budget reveals that N280 billion has been allocated for overhead expenses, N726bn for capital projects, and N140bn for personnel, resulting in a total budget of N1.147tn.

Earlier at the Senate, the bill’s sponsor and Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, took charge of the discussion by emphasizing that the appropriation bill carefully considered the FCT administration’s revenue and expenditure forecasts, which align with the federal government’s fiscal and developmental policies.

2. Your Easter Message Provocative, CAN Demands Apology From FIRS

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has called for a public apology from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) following an Easter-themed advert that sparked controversy among the Christian community.

Naija News reports that the FIRS posted an image on X (formerly Twitter) under its official handle, #FIRSNigeria, featuring a point-of-sale machine alongside the caption, “Jesus paid your debts, not your taxes.”

This action led to widespread criticism, especially from Christians who found the message offensive.

Although the FIRS has since removed the contentious post, CAN’s National Director of National Issues and Social Welfare, Abimbola Ayuba, issued a statement on Tuesday urging immediate action from various government bodies, including President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and the Department of State Services.

The statement highlighted the need for the FIRS to adopt communication strategies that uphold respect, unity, and peace, emphasizing the importance of religious harmony in Nigeria.

3. Naira Records Best Rate Against Dollar Since January 2024

The Nigerian naira continued its upward gain against the American dollar, closing at an official exchange rate of N1278.58 to $1 on Tuesday, 2nd April 2024.

The Tuesday NAFEX figure represents the naira’s best performance against the dollar since January 26, 2024.

This closure below the N1,300 ceiling is the first occurrence since January 26 of this year on the official market when the exchange rate escalated from N891.9/$1 to N1,348.62/$1 the following day.

Since then, it has maintainined a closure above N1,300/$1 ever since with the naira depreciating as low as N1,615/$1 on March 13, 2024.

4. Tinubu, Other African Leaders Present As 44-Year-Old Faye Gets Sworn In As Senegalese President

The 44-year-old opposition candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, has been sworn in as the fifth Senegalese president.

Naija News reports that Faye has become the youngest elected president on the African continent.

The new president took over from the immediate past president, Macky Sall, on Tuesday, April 2, 2024, in an event witnessed by African leaders in the new town of Diamniadio, near the capital Dakar.

Nigeria’s President and Chairman of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Authority of Heads of State and Government, Bola Tinubu, also witnessed the historic event.

5. Atiku Returns To Nigeria For PDP NEC Meeting

Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the party in the 2023 elections, Atiku Abubakar, has returned to Nigeria after a vacation abroad.

Naija News learned that Atiku, who had been out of the country for weeks, returned to Abuja in the early hours of today, Tuesday.

According to Leadership, Atiku returned to the country to attend the much-anticipated National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Atiku, who is regarded as the de-facto leader of the party, being the presidential candidate in the last elections, is expected to spearhead other meetings ahead of the NEC meeting.

Recall that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP had fixed the NEC meeting for April 18, having refused to hold the meeting for over one year.

The NEC, the second most influential decision-making organ of the party after the NWC, is expected to meet every quarter as stipulated by the party’s constitution.

The NEC meeting is anticipated to tackle several pressing issues that have hindered the party’s unity and progress since the 2023 general elections.

Top of the agenda is the resolution of persistent internal discord, consideration of disciplinary measures for members engaged in anti-party activities, and deliberations on the leadership dynamics within the party.

6. Details Emerge From APC Stakeholders Meeting In Owerri

Details have emerged from the South-East All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders meeting held in Owerri, Imo State capital on Tuesday.

Naija News reports that the meeting was chaired by the National Chairman of the APC, Abdullahi Ganduje.

In his address during the meeting, Ganduje urged members of the party in the South-East to reconcile and forgive each other, emphasizing the importance of unity within the party and encouraging cooperation with the newly appointed South-East APC coordinator, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, to achieve common goals and strengthen the party in the region.

Ganduje, represented by Deputy National Chairman, South, Emma Enukwu, expressed gratitude for the successful event and highlighted Governor Uzodimma’s positive impact in the Southeast.

In his remark, Governor Uzodimma, who happens to be the event’s host, expressed concerns that the people of the South-East have not recovered from the sentiment of the civil war.

He acknowledged that the stakeholders’ meeting holds immense significance and symbolism.

The APC chieftain went on to commend President Bola Tinubu for recognizing the delicate state of affairs in the South-East, as well as the national chairman for acknowledging the severe marginalization of the region and actively working towards its upliftment.

7. ‘Political Vampires’ – Wike Fires Secondus, Omehia, Others Over Support For Fubara

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has berated some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State over their support for Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

Recall that some Rivers PDP leaders such as the former PDP National Chairman, Uche Secondus; former Minister of Transportation, Abiye Sekibo, a former Rivers Senator, Lee Mbae, Celestine Omehia; and former federal lawmaker, Austin Opara had last week declared support for Fubara and President Bola Tinubu.

The PDP leaders also called on the President to caution Wike against frustrating the efforts of Governor Fubara.

In a media chat with selected journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, Wike labelled the PDP leaders as political vampires and expired politicians who are not worthy to be called elder statesmen.

The FCT minister claimed he kicked the PDP chieftain out of the party and insisted that Secondus was no longer a member of the PDP as his suspension was validated by the court.

Wike also rejected the appellation of elder statemen given to Sekibo, Secondus, Omehia and Okpara by a journalist during the interview.

8. JAMB Discovers 1,665 Fake A’level Results During 2023 Direct Entry Registration

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has lamented the proliferation of fake A’level results in circulation in the country.

According to the JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, the Board discovered about 1,665 fake A’level results during the 2023 Direct Entry registration exercise.

He made the disclosure on Tuesday in Abuja during a meeting with the leaders of the National Association of Nigeria Colleges of Education Students when they visited his office.

He explained that of the total fake results discovered, 397 were from Colleges of Education, 453 were university diplomas, and the rest were other A’level certificates.

The JAMB Registrar during the meeting, lamented the corruption in the A’level results verification system and emphasized the need to safeguard the integrity of the certificates.

9. I Would Have Fled Nigeria If Atiku Had Won 2023 Election – Wike

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has said he would have fled the country if former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had won the 2023 presidential election.

In a media chat with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, Wike disclosed that some loyalists of Atiku had already planned to deal with him if the former vice president had emerged as the President.

Wike said he was aware of plots being hatched against him for opposing Atiku as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate and backing President Bola Tinubu’s presidential bid.

The former Rivers State governor said he had his international passport in his pocket on the day the presidential election was announced and was ready to run away from the country if Tinubu had lost.

The FCT minister stated that he had already informed his wife to take care of his business while he was in exile.

10. I’m Really Concerned About Nigeria’s Borrowings – Peter Obi

The 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has said he is really worried about the country’s persistent borrowings with its galloping rate over the years.

In a series of posts via his official X handle on Tuesday, Obi said he is more concerned that loans have not been used judiciously or on investments as required by the law.

He said it was disturbing that at the end of the Second Quarter (Q2) of 2023, the nation’s debt stood at N87.9 trillion because the country is at a loss as to what was done with the huge debt.

Obi stated that over N23 trillion Ways and Means borrowed by the last administration would have been the end of borrowing without any visible and corresponding investment and benefit to the nation.

That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.

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