Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know Thursday morning
Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:
1. Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar yesterday dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the third time, citing irreconcilable differences with the leadership. The former Vice President said the party had deviated from the foundational principles which made it a formidable platform.
2. Operatives of the Federal Capital Territory police command have arrested one Yahaya Saleh for attempting to secure the release of a suspected kidnapper who is under investigation. CP Saka Ajao Adewale, FCT police commissioner, who disclosed this to newsmen on Wednesday, at the command, said Saleh attempted to bribe the police investigators handling the kidnap case with the sum of N1.5 million to secure the release of the suspect.
3. Africa’s heavy dependence on fuel imports has turned the continent into a dumping ground for substandard petroleum products, Aliko Dangote, has said. The president of Dangote Industries Limited and Africa’s richest man made the remarks during an interview with journalists, where he highlighted the motivation behind building the $19 billion Dangote Refinery.
4. Legal counsel to Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan has faulted the National Assembly’s interpretation of a Federal High Court judgment which ordered her reinstatement to the Senate, insisting that the judgment is binding and must be complied with in full.
5. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna state, Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), in 2023, Peter Obi and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, visited the grave of former President Muhammadu Buhari in Daura, Katsina state, on Wednesday.
6. Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Hasan Abubakar, has said the Nigerian Air Force would significantly expand its aerial fleet with the acquisition of 49 state-of-the-art aircraft by the end of 2026. The air chief disclosed this at the opening of the 2025 Aircraft Engineering Conference, held at NAF headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.
7. The All Progressives Congress says Atiku Abubakar’s resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party poses no threat to its political dominance. APC’s Lagos spokesman, Mr Seye Oladejo, in a Wednesday statement, said Atiku’s possible defection to the African Democratic Congress changes nothing for the 2027 elections.
8. Former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, was on Wednesday discharged of N6.9bn fraud charges by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos. Following the judgment, an emotional Fayose broke down outside the courtroom, as supporters celebrated the victory.
9. Two sisters have been apprehended by the Enugu State Police Command for allegedly masterminding the kidnapping of their brother, Mr. Friday Chukwu. The two sisters, Juliet Chukwu and Ngozi Nancy Chukwu, are the younger sisters of the victim, who hails from Amaeze village, Ishiagu community, in the Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
10. President Bola Tinubu has approved an expanded Special Session of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting holding on Thursday, to honour former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died on Sunday. This is contained in a statement issued by Malam Rabiu Ibrahim, the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Information and National Orientation on Wednesday in Abuja.
Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know Thursday morning
