Good morning in Nigeria. Welcome Naija News Top newspaper headlines in Nigeria on Thursday, March 20, 2025
Federal Attorney General Lateef Fagbemi defended President Bola Tinubu’s decision to declare a state of emergency in the Rivers State, insisting that Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike should not blame the state’s political crisis.
In a national speech Tuesday, President Tinub suspended Gov. Siminalayi Fubara, his vice-chairman, New York City ODU and all members of the Rivers State Capitol for six months.
The president also appointed former Navy Chief of Staff Ibokette Ibas as the country’s sole executive, citing prolonged political conflict as the cause of intervention.
Fagbemi blamed Governor Fubara’s River State crisis in response to reporters’ questions during an interactive meeting with state legislators on Wednesday.
Naija News reported that he criticized the governor for taking things into his own hands, especially the damage to the state capitol.
The AGF added that the Supreme Court concluded that the governor’s actions, including the demolition of the parliamentary complex, could be to prevent impropriety.
He advised the governor to foresee his potential evacuation and issue it first by destroying the parliamentary building.
According to Fagbemi, the decision to declare a state of emergency was a ruling against the Supreme Court that there is no normal government for the River State.
He argued that once the court declared this, President Tinob had no choice but to act decisively.
Dangote refinery managers said it would stop selling gasoline in Nigeria to avoid a mismatch between its sales proceeds and its obligation to buy crude oil.
Dangote management explained in a statement Wednesday that the refinery’s sales in Naira exceeded the value of the depreciation of crude oil it received, Naija News reported.
The statement further refuted the claim that the statement would stop loading due to ticket fraud incidents.
It added that once the refinery receives crude oil from Naira from the National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL), sales of Naira gasoline will continue.
Ibok Ebuk Ekwe Ibas (RTD), the newly appointed sole executive of Rivers State, vowed to work with all stakeholders to restore lasting peace in the state.
He made a promise while speaking with journalists shortly after being sworn in at the Abuja State Capitol on Wednesday.
According to him, the direct task is to maintain the law and order of the River State and to restore peace, security and stability to the country.
Naija News recalled that Ibas served as Chief of Staff of the Nigerian Navy from 2015 to 2021.
President Tinub paused the first six months of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Lt. Governor Ngozi ODU and all members of the Rivers State Capitol in his speech.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) revealed on Wednesday that the Democratic Party (PDP) owed a total of 7.6 million, resulting in the revocation of its land title in the central region of Abuja.
The amount is ground rent from 2006 to 2025, FCTA revealed.
FCTA Land Director Chijioke Nwankwoeze disclosed this, while addressing a news reporter after the FCT Executive Committee meeting, chaired by Minister Nyesom Wike.
He also dismissed the claim that the two properties of the PDP were revoked, noting that the land in Wuse 5 presided over the party’s state headquarters and did not belong to the PDP.
He said that only the land ownership in the central region belongs to the PDP.
FCTA officials further said that the current land occupied by the PDP headquarters belongs to a Mr. Samaila Ofi who owed 28 years of ground rent, totaling 2.85 million, and that documents have been properly provided to him at his Kaduna address.
The suspended river governor Siminalayi Fubara has evacuated the government building in Harcourt Port.
Naija News gathered that the governor reportedly moved out the expected arrival of Ekwe Ibas (RTD) on Wednesday morning, who has been appointed as the state’s new sole executive.
A visit by the Daily Trust to the Government Building on Wednesday morning showed the atmosphere was calm, with at least three armored personnel carrying stationed at the main entrance.
A security source confirmed that the security guards had changed in the location of power and all security details of the Governor were replaced.
Senate leader Opeyemi Bamidele has postponed the matter until Thursday, and the Senate has postponed a decision to approve the Rivers State Emergency Statement.
Bamidele’s proposal to “step through the next legislative day” was supported by Minority Leader Abba Moro, and when Senate President Godswill Akpabio voted the matter for a voice vote, most legislators supported the delay.
The motion is the first item on the Senate agenda and is put on hold before any debate can occur.
According to the order documents, the Senate acknowledged that the ongoing political crisis in the rivers has stagnated the country and prevented its residents from fully benefiting from democratic governance.
The Senate further observed that despite the federal government’s efforts to restore order, the parties involved did not allow peace, and the severity of the crisis overwhelmed the state government.
The Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) and the Nigerian Trade Union Congress (TUC) demanded the immediate revocation of the state of emergency declared by Rivers President Bora Tinubu.
The union raised the demand in a joint statement signed Wednesday by NLC President Joe Ajaero and his TUC peer Festus Osifo.
They said Tinubu’s declaration and the suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy MPs and MPs were reckless and unconstitutional moves.
The union argues that the lawsuit taken by President Tinub violated the second part of Article 305 of the 1999 Constitution (amended) and constituted the overthrow of executive power.
They believe that the decision will have serious socio-economic impacts on workers and masses in River State, as it will undermine economic activity and force businesses to close or expand operations. The unemployment, wage cuts and economic difficulties of thousands of formal and informal sector workers creates an atmosphere of uncertainty that hinders investment and slows down economic growth in Rivers states.
Nigeria-based ski maker Oluwadolarz denied his estranged fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fiancée Fianc
Naija News reported that Ifeluv accused Oluwadolarz of infidelity and financial neglect, claiming that he failed to deliver on his promise after his engagement.
But in a lengthy post Wednesday through its Instagram page, Oluwadolarz said their relationship issues began with his refusal to participate in the controversial videos and pranks suggested by Ifeluv, because they would compromise on his brand.
Oluwadolarz claims Ifeluv moved out of the house at the advice of the director, but he tried to reconcile with her to minimize the impact of their separation on the children.
Regarding the allegations of Lola involving infidelity, the content creator clarified that she had been visiting his studio apartment since last year and even assisted with Ifeluv shooting.
The skier’s maker claims Ifeluv lied to accept compassion and make her allegations more persuasive, adding that his estranged fiancé repeatedly put pressure on him.
Content creator Ganiyu Kehinde Morufu (commonly known as Ijoba Lande) knocked on the controversial musician who could be used to create a song with his family affairs.
Naija News recalls that Ijoba Lande accused his estranged wife, Dara, of having affairs with different men and said he had eight other men sleeping with his wife, except for his colleague Baba Tee.
Portable wrote a song about scandal that was not good to Lande. He swore that the singer would “pay” to mock his family.
Lande said in a video message shared through his social media page: “Portable, I see you using my life story.
“You pay for it when they sleep with one of your wives.
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong announced that the team aims to score the highest three-pointer in the World Cup qualifier against Rwanda on Friday.
The Nigerian captain made a statement during a chat with journalists on Wednesday, where he insisted that his victory was unnegotiable.
According to him, the players were not shocked by the record of never beating Rwanda on their homeland. He added that the Eagles’ focus is to bring their World Cup qualifiers back to life and make tickets a priority.
That was the top newspaper headline in Nigeria today. Read more Nigeria news Naija News. See you tomorrow.
