The protest against the Supreme Court’s decision to sack a governor in Southeastern Nigeria
and the exemption of food items from the hike in Value Added Tax (VAT) are some of the
trending stories in the Nigerian press on Monday.
Channels Television reported that hundreds of supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party
(PDP) in some states across the nation are currently staging a protest against the Supreme
Court’s ruling that sacked, Mr. Emeka Ihedioha, as the governor of Imo State.
The protesters carrying placards with various inscriptions could be seen calling on the
leadership of the Supreme Court to immediately take a judicial review of the judgment and
make a quick reversal in the best interest of the people.
ThisDay said that all is now set for a mass protest being organised by the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) for today against the judgment of the Supreme Court that nullified the election
of Hon. Emeka Ihedioha as governor of Imo State.
The Leadership said that reprieve has come for agitated Nigerians as the federal government
has exempted school fees for all levels of education, 20 basic food and other essential items
from the new 7.5 percent Value Added Tax (VAT) rate contained in the recently passed
Finance Act 2019.
The exclusion of the items, the government says, is to ensure that the cost of living does not
rise for the citizens because of the changes in VAT.
The Nation newspaper said that no fewer than 50 directors of the Federal Inland Revenue
Service (FIRS) are affected in the massive shake up effected by Executive Chairman
Muhammad Mani.
The Daily Trust said that a truck on Sunday crushed 13 travellers to death at Abuduka, on
Ogbomoso-Ilorin Expressway.
The Punch reported that the Chairman of the South-West Governors’ Forum and Ondo State
Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, has explained that the regional security outfit, Operation
Amotekun, was not targeted at any non-Yoruba ethnic group.
The Sun reported uneasy calm in Bauchi, Kano and Sokoto states ahead of today’s Supreme
Court judgment on the 2019 governorship election disputes.
The Guardian quoting the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) in Abuja, said that
Maiduguri and its environs in Borno State have been left in darkness over insurgents’
damages of electricity transmission networks.
The General Manager, Public Affairs of the TCN, Ndidi Mbah, said that Maiduguri and its environ have also been cut off from the National Grid.
MM/GIK/APA