News Roundup

The National Assembly on Thursday approved the N2.18tn 2023 Supplementary Appropriation Bill forwarded to it for consideration by President Bola Tinubu.
While the Senate approved the N5bn proposed for a presidential yacht in the budget, the House of Representatives cancelled the allocation and added it to the student loan, increasing the budget for the scheme to N10bn, up from the initial N5.5bn.

-The naira has risen to N1,120 against the dollar as the foreign exchange market reacted to news that the Central Bank of Nigeria has begun to clear some of its FX backlog on Thursday. This represents an appreciation of N50 or 4.27 per cent compared to the N1,170 it traded for on Wednesday.

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 The leadership of the Labour Party in Imo State has accused the state governor, Hope Uzodimma, of plotting to rig the scheduled November 11 governorship election. At a press conference on Thursday, while condemning the arrest and brutalisation of the National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, in Owerri, the state chairman of LP, Calistus Ihejiagwa, said that Uzodimma was clamping down on all opposing voices.

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. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, presided over the administration of the oath of office to Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, the newly elected senator representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, during the plenary on Thursday. The Clerk of the Senate, Mr Chinedu Akubueze, administered the oath at approximately 11:41 am.

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. Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, on Thursday accused the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, of interfering in the state’s politics. He said the presence of Ajaero, in Owerri, the state capital, to lead a protest was in defiance of a court order.

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. President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) to ensure a smooth conduct of the off-season governorship elections in their respective states. Tinubu, who gave the charge while handing out the APC’s flags to the candidates of the party in Imo, Bayelsa, and Kogi states, also said he is confident the party would do well in the November 11 elections.

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 The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, on Thursday said the health condition of its President, Joe Ajaero, is very critical and may be flown abroad for full medical examination after he was seriously beaten, brutalised and battered by alleged agents of the state, including policemen, on Wednesday in Owerri, the Imo State capital.

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# An Abuja High Court, has ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to unconditionally release the embatled former Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele. Respondents in the suit are the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Attorney General of the Federation, Chairman of EFCC and the EFCC.

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. The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, has warned criminals to stay away from the November 11 Imo governorship election or face the wrath of the law. Egbetokun gave the warning on Thursday in Owerri at a meeting of stakeholders ahead of the governorship poll in the state.

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 Two persons were on Thursday confirmed dead while six others were rescued after operatives of the Plateau State Police Command engaged suspected kidnappers in a gun battle.
It was learnt that the kidnappers had earlier invaded Gwalada village in the neighbouring Toro LGA of Bauchi State and kidnapped some residents.

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