Today's Headlines: Tinubu’s UN Trip Will Not Solve Nigerian Problem; He Will Meet President Macron, Trudeau And That’s All – Obasanjo, Tinubu studying G-20 invitation, didn’t apply to join BRICS – Ajuri Ngelale

Tinubu’s UN Trip Will Not Solve Nigerian Problem; He Will Meet President Macron, Trudeau And That’s All – Obasanjo

Photo Credit: Sahara Reporters

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has said President Bola Tinubu’s United Nations trip will not solve Nigerian problems as he (Obasanjo) knows those the president will likely be meeting.

Obasanjo noted that the Nigerian government’s announcement of trimming the number of people attending the United Nations General Assembly was no news, adding that Tinubu would be meeting with Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, and French president, Emmanuel Macron, and that will not solve any problem.

The former president, who ruled Nigeria from 1999 to 2007 stated these in an interview published on Monday.

Speaking on the fuel subsidy crisis and why the country’s refineries were not working, he said that they will not work as long as the government is keeping hold of them.

When he was president, he invited Shell to a meeting. He told them he wanted to hand over the refineries for them for help run. They bluntly told me they would not.

Photo Credit: Google

Tinubu studying G-20 invitation, didn’t apply to join BRICS – Ngelale

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Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, has admitted that President Bola Tinubu has received an invitation to join the G-20 and currently considering the membership benefits of the gathering of the world’s largest economies.

This was even as the presidential spokesman debunked viral reports making the round on social media and online platforms that Nigeria has already joined the G-20 and BRICS, another group of major emerging economies that comprised Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

His statement is coming in the wake of a report that the president will jet out of Nigeria on Monday night to attend the G-20 summit in New Delhi, India.

He said that there are very wide and extensive consultations taking place within the government. We are assessing both the risks and benefits of becoming a G-20 member. 

N/Assembly Withheld Over N650m Road Project Funds – Umahi

Photo Credit: Daily Trust)

The Minister of Works, David Umahi, yesterday asked the National Assembly to release over N650m it withheld for some projects across the country.

He said the projects were almost completed but lack of the fund was still keeping the contractors on site.

Umahi, at a press conference in Abuja, said the way Nigeria’s budgetary allocation was designed was not encouraging for contractors to complete road projects. He said release of funds to contractors on an annual basis made road projects to linger as in most cases, the contractor accessed little.

He encouraged Nigerians to plant cash crops across road corridors to prevent kidnappings.

Umahi said construction of concrete road would not be enforced on projects awarded already. He, however, said contractors would need to give assurance that roads built with asphalt would last up to 30 years even though the concrete roads would last longer.

He said the operations of the Federal Road Management Agency would be reviewed to ensure that any intervention in states would be done with the input of the state government to know the roads with top priority.

Police officer, two gunmen killed in Enugu attack

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A police officer was, on Sunday, killed when suspected kidnappers attempted to abduct some travellers in Ogbeke-Nike, along Ugwogo/Opi/Nsukka Road in Enugu East LGA of Enugu State, South-east Nigeria. The incident occurred at about 6 p.m.

The police spokesperson in the state, Daniel Ndukwe, in a statement on Monday, said two of the kidnappers were killed by police operatives who foiled the attack.

Mr Ndukwe, a deputy superintendent of police, said the hoodlums had blocked the road and shot sporadically before the operatives gallantly moved in.

The operatives were supported by Neighbourhood Watch Group and Forest Guards in the area.

The police spokesperson said some of the operatives were on escort duty for an unnamed high-profile individual during the incident.

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