The extension of the dusk-to-dawn curfew in oil rich Bayelsa state over the governorship
tussle and the Senate’s call for mandatory health insurance for Nigerians are some
of the leading stories in the Nigerian press on Tuesday.
This Day reported that the Bayelsa State Police Command has extended the dusk-to-dawn
curfew imposed on the state, following the violent protest that greeted last Thursday’s
Supreme Court Judgment that nullified the election of David Lyon of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) as governor of the state.
The Daily Trust said the Senate has called for mandatory health insurance for all Nigerians
irrespective of their social status.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Heath, Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe, made the call in
Abuja at a public hearing on a bill for an Act to repeal the National Health Insurance Scheme
Act 2004 and to enact the National Health Insurance Commission Bill.
The Nation reported that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has lauded the Federal
Government on its economic reform policies, especially on the Finance Act and the Deep
Offshore Basin Act.
The Punch quoted the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi, as saying that northerners are on
the verge of destroying themselves if they fail to address the myriad challenges facing them.
Sanusi, who spoke at the 60th birthday of the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in
Kaduna on Monday, highlighted the main problems facing the region as poverty, millions
of out-of-schoolchildren, malnutrition, drug abuse, Almajiri and the Boko Haram
insurgency.
Channels Television said a Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) from deregistering 35 political parties in the country.
The Sun reported that ahead of the Supreme Court hearing of a suit by the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha, seeking a
review of the apex court judgment of January 14 that sacked him as governor, the opposition
has asked the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Tanko, to reconstitute a new panel to
hear the case.
The Leadership said the Information Communications Technology (ICT) sector on the
Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) grew by N3.01 trillion in 2019 due to the listing of MTN
Nigeria and Airtel Africa.
MM/GIK/APA