Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Henzodaily roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday, 3rd February, 2025
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has declared that President Bola Tinubu plans to make the 2027 presidential election a ‘snatch and grab’ instead of making the votes of the people count.
Atiku, in his statement on Sunday, also said the reaction of President Tinubu to the opposition is worrisome and unbecoming of a democratic leader.
The 2023 presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), added that the behaviour of the President and the presidency is a stark attack on Nigeria’s hard-won democracy.
Henzodaily reports Atiku’s submission comes as a direct response to an earlier statement from the presidency on Saturday, which declared that political opponents of President Bola Tinubu should wait till 2027 to test their popularity rather than heat up the polity now.
The Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Media and Public Communication, Sunday Dare, who dropped the note of caution, said the political opponents only attempted to use the President’s absence due to a trip to Tanzania to spread ill will.
He described the opposition politicians as “wannabes.”
In response, Atiku, through his media aide, Paul Ibe, said the Tinubu government is describing the opposition in the language of the dark ages. He maintained that the opposition leaders want the best for Nigeria’s democracy.
Nigerians should brace for another increase in electricity tariffs in the coming months, as the Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Energy, Olu Verheijen, has confirmed plans to adjust power prices upward.
Verheijen made the disclosure while speaking at the Africa Heads of State Energy Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
This follows the Federal Government’s approval of a threefold increase in electricity tariffs for Band A customers on April 3, 2024.
According to the presidential aide, Nigeria’s electricity tariffs need to rise by about two-thirds (66%) for many consumers in order to reflect the true cost of supplying electricity.
She explained that a balance must be struck between increasing tariffs and maintaining subsidies for low-income consumers, ensuring that electricity remains accessible while also funding system maintenance, improving reliability, and attracting private investors.
Verheijen highlighted that Nigeria’s power industry requires significant investment to function optimally and meet the country’s development goals.
Former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has condemned delays in the payment of pensions and gratuities of retirees by governments.
Henzodaily reports that Obi said many retirees across the country cannot take care of their health and basic needs because of government delays in payment of their entitlements.
In a statement on Sunday, the Labour Party chieftain narrated how an elderly retiree told him her predicament in Nsukka, Enugu State as a result of non-payment of her pension, on Saturday.
The former governor of Anambra State called on governments to prioritize the welfare of retirees.
A former National Vice Chairman (North-West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Salihu Lukman, has blamed leading opposition figures and politically displaced politicians for Nigeria’s current political challenges.
Lukman, in a statement issued on Sunday, argued that many of these opposition leaders played influential roles in past administrations, contributing to the very problems they now criticize.
Henzodaily reports that he advised that rather than positioning themselves as alternatives, they should step aside and focus on building a strong coalition that would strengthen Nigerian democracy.
Lukman did not mince words, stating that many of the politicians vying for leadership today were part of the failures of previous governments.
According to him, the political missteps of the past are now haunting the nation, and those responsible must take responsibility rather than posing as the solution to Nigeria’s crisis.
Lukman urged Nigerian politicians to prioritize coalition-building over personal ambition, emphasizing that the country needs strong institutions and not just individual political actors.
Since the emergence of Rt. Hon. Mojisola Lasbat Meranda, as the first female Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, political tensions in the state have intensified, particularly over the impeachment of ex-Speaker Mudashiru Obasa.
Meranda officially resumed office on Monday, January 27, 2025, following a controversial impeachment process that saw Obasa removed by a two-thirds majority vote of the House.
However, Obasa has refused to vacate the official residence of the Speaker, insisting that his impeachment was illegal.
Despite Obasa’s challenge, lawmakers who spearheaded the impeachment, including Hon. Ogundipe Stephen Olukayode and Hon. Abiodun Tobun, have maintained that the process followed constitutional provisions.
Meanwhile, reports surfaced on Sunday, February 2, 2025, claiming that President Bola Tinubu, who also serves as the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had allegedly directed Meranda and other principal officers to step down to reinstate Obasa.
The report falsely claimed that First Lady Oluremi Tinubu intervened on behalf of Obasa, urging the President to act to prevent political tensions ahead of the next elections.
The Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has stated that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is on track to reconnect with the people and rule Nigeria again.
He remarked that the ongoing crisis is a common occurrence, as similar situations arise in other political parties, indicating that it is not unusual.
Lawal reiterated the necessity for the PDP to learn from its previous errors, noting that the recent meeting of governors in Delta State showcased the party’s dedication to reestablishing its influence and effectively leading Nigeria.
Henzodaily reports that Lawal said this during a condolence visit to Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde in Ibadan on Sunday, following the death of his elder brother, Sunday Makinde, Lawal expressed his belief in the resilience of the PDP.
Lawal’s remark was conveyed in a statement released by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, which was shared with journalists in Ibadan.
Nollywood actor cum politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, has alleged that the United States President, Donald Trump, wants to become a life president or turn into a dictator.
Okonkwo said Trump is already decapitating democratic institutions in the country that will obstruct him from achieving his aim and is looking at staying in office beyond the constitutionally allowed limit.
According to the former Labour Party chieftain, Trump is already showing readiness to continue his presidency after his second term in office, except measures are taken to truncate such moves.
Henzodaily reports Okonkwo made the submission in a post on Sunday via his account on the X platform.
A former Deputy Governorship candidate of the Labour Party in Imo State, Tony Chinedu Nwulu, has said the leadership crisis in the party may not be ending soon.
Henzodaily reported that the Imo State former member of the House of Representatives tendered his resignation from the Labour Party citing a leadership crisis last week.
In an exclusive interview with Henzodaily on Saturday, the former lawmaker who represented Oshodi-Isolo Constituency 2, between 2015-2019, said underhands are fanning the crisis in the party.
Defections Not Out Of Disbelive In Usman’s Caretaker Committee’s Ability
Nwulu said his defection from the Labour Party and that of others was not a result of a lack of confidence in the ability of Nenadi Usman-led Caretaker Committee.
He stated that Mrs. Usman has the capacity but the leadership crisis was already in its extreme stage.
At least 30 people reportedly died in a tragic road accident that occurred on the Benin-Ore-Ijebu Ode Expressway in the Onipetesi community, located within the Odigbo Local Government Area of Ondo State, on Saturday evening.
Reports obtained by Henzodaily revealed that the victims were engulfed in flames following a head-on collision between two buses, which subsequently caught fire.
Confirming the tragic incident in a statement on Sunday, the Ondo Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Samuel Ibitoye, stated that initial investigations indicated that one of the vehicles was travelling against the traffic flow.
The FRSC commander urged all motorists to exercise caution while driving on the expressway and to follow traffic rules and regulations strictly.
Arsenal triumphed over reigning champions Manchester City with a decisive 5-1 victory, narrowing the gap at the top of the Premier League to six points on Sunday, February 2.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard opened the scoring just two minutes into the match, taking advantage of some unfortunate defending from Manchester City.
Although Erling Haaland found the back of the net early in the second half to level the match, Arsenal quickly regained control. Thomas Partey’s deflected shot put Arsenal back in the lead before teenager Myles Lewis-Skelly celebrated his debut goal for the club.
Kai Havertz added to the excitement with a well-placed finish during a swift counterattack, while substitute Ethan Nwaneri capped off the game with a superb curling shot in the dying moments.
With this victory, Arsenal now sit with 50 points from 24 matches, just six points behind leaders Liverpool, who have played one game fewer. Meanwhile, Manchester City find themselves in fourth place, trailing with 41 points from the same number of matches.