The accusation of Nigeria’s First Lady Aisha Buhari against a senior media aide to the President and the adoption of the new visa on arrival policy are some of the trending stories in the Nigerian press on Thursday.
The Guardian reported that some indications of a fresh split in the Presidency emerged on Wednesday with the First Lady accusing the Senior Presidential Media Aide, Garba Shehu, of taking instructions from some people in government rather than from President Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement personally signed by the First Lady and made available to reporters, Mrs. Buhari critically upbraided Shehu of sundry professional misdemeanors, accusing the spokesman of working against the First Family.
The Nation said Aisha Buhari has accused the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, of disloyalty to the President.
The newspaper also reported government’s move on Wednesday to prevent a nationwide blackout as electricity workers strike, which enters the second day, failed.
The strike began midnight on Tuesday, following the expiration of the 21-day notice issued by the workers.
The Sun reported that Nigeria would commence the issuance of visa on arrival to holders of African passports as from January 2020 as part of measures to promote free movement and facilitate the full implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA).
The Daily Trust said that the Federal Government has announced that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) will automatically become an agency to collect the N50 Stamp Duty, following the passage of the 2019 Finance Bill by the National Assembly, which contains an amendment to the Stamp Duty Act.
ThisDay reported that in an apparent response to public outrage against the invasion by the Department of State Services (DSS) of the court of Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu at Federal High Court, last Friday, the federal government has instituted an enquiry into the incident.
The Punch quoted the Presidency as saying that Nigeria is a sovereign nation and will not be bothered about the reports from the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Union as regards human rights abuses.
…
MM/GIK/APA