Good Morning! Here are today’s top highlights from Nigerian Newspapers:
1. National leaders of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, on Thursday met behind closed-door in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. At the meeting were a former Vice President ,Atiku Abubakar, the ADC Interim National Chairman, David Mark, Senator Aminu Tambuwal, Nasir El-Rufai, among other members of the coalition.
2. Former President, Dr Goodluck Jonathan says he has forgiven all those who betrayed him in the course of his political journey. According to him, he bears no grudges against anyone over past actions against him, stressing that forgiveness and reconciliation are essential for political stability, national cohesion and development.
3. Nigeria’s currency, Naira, appreciated massively against the United States dollar at the parallel foreign exchange market on Wednesday. The appreciation is regarded as the highest since June 2024, with the Naira exchanging for N1,490 per dollar up from N1,520 on Tuesday.
4. A nationwide blackout is imminent in Nigeria as the National Union of Electricity Employees has declared industrial action over non-implementation of the national minimum wage, casualisation of workers and other demands. The workers disclosed in a notice signed by the acting general secretary of NUEE, Dominic Igwebike, on Wednesday.
5. A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Joe Igbokwe has claimed that former presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party, NNPP, Rabiu Kwankwaso is set to dump the party for the All Progressives Congress, APC. According to Igbokwe, Kwankwaso has written to the ruling party, notifying it of his possible return, alongside Kano Governor, Abba Yusuf.
6. A three-storey building under construction collapsed on Thursday in Awka, Anambra State, trapping several workers. The project is located close to the Anambra State House of Assembly, off Ekwueme Square in Okpuno. It was at the roofing stage when it caved in, trapping many artisans.
7. There was outcry on Thursday as the Lagos State Government commenced the demolition of what it termed as unsafe and illegal buildings at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo. Viral videos online show helpless owners of the structures as their properties were brought down. The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on New Media, Jubril Gawat, stated that the move was to restore order and enforce physical planning laws.
8. A Senator, on the platform of the Labour Party, Kelvin Chukwu, representing Enugu East Senatorial District has defected to the All Progressives Congress, APC. Senator Chukwu announced his decision during a town hall meeting in Amuri Community, Nkanu West Local Government Area, citing the prolonged crisis and factionalisation within the Labour Party as the reason for his exit. Many constituents have been accusing the Senator of poor representation.
9. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, FBI, has offered a $10,000 reward for information on Nigerian fraud suspect, Olumide Adebiyi Adediran. The 56-year-old is facing charges of bank fraud, identity document fraud, and credit card fraud linked to crimes in Illinois in 2001.
10. Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Shehu Mohammed, has advocated that the FRSC personnel should be allowed to bear arms. According to him, this would enable personnel of the corps to work better. Mohammed made this statement on Thursday, while responding to questions in an interview on Arise Television.
