Atiku delivers diplomatic, political blow to APC with US visit

18.01.2019 12:09

In order to keep our esteemed readers updated on the latest national developments, Legit.ng has undertaken an in-depth analysis and summary of the main headlines of various mainstream Nigerian newspapers for today, January 18.

The major headlines in mainstream newspapers, today, Friday, January 18 are focused on Atiku Abubakar's surprise visit to the USA, Adams Oshiomhole's controversial comment at an APC rally in Edo state, INEC's final list of candidates for the 2019 elections, the federal government's latest move as regards the proposed new minimum wage and the take by experts on how to rescue Nigeria.

This Day reports that the federal government's intense lobby to get the United States to deny the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, visa eventually collapsed as the opposition party's torch bearer touched down at the Washington Dulles International Airport on Thursday, January 17.

In 2018, at the hint of the US granting Atiku visa, the minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed, had cautioned the Americans not to contemplate the gesture as it might give the impression that the foreign power is supportive of the opposition party’s candidate.

The visit, an apparent diplomatic and political blow to the All Progressive Congress (APC)’s President Muhammadu Buhari, appears to have undermined a major campaign plank of the ruling party that had made a huge deal of the inability of the former vice president to secure visa since leaving office in 2007.

Upon his arrival, Atiku was received by his associates and the Diaspora supporters.

Newspsper Review: FG's plan collapses as Atiku lands in US

Front page of This Day, Friday, January 17 (Photo credit: Legit.ng)
Source: Depositphotos

On to The Punch now, and the publication is reporting that Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, urged members of the opposition party to join the APC so that their sins could be forgiven.

Oshiomhole made the comment at the APC rally in Benin, the Edo state capital, on Thursday, while receiving some members of the PDP into the ruling party's fold.

He said: “We have some PDP defectors. They are, Henry Tenebe, Iluobe….Iluobe means I have done something wrong. Yes, once you join the APC, your sins are forgiven.”

Oshiomhole further advised the people to vote for President Muhammadu Buhari and all the APC candidates at the polls.

Front page of The Punch, Friday, January 17 (Photo credit: Legit.ng)
Source: Depositphotos

On its part, The Nation reports that following the omission of its candidates names from the list of those who will run for elected offices in the general elections, the APC's River state chapter was battling on Thursday, to assure its members that all will be well.

The final list of candidates for the February 16 National Assembly polls was released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and no candidates were listed for the APC in Rivers.

Following its failure to conduct acceptable primaries, the party has been embroiled in internal crises leading to the disqualification of its candidates.

APC presidential candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari, and Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) lead 71 other presidential candidates.

Front page of The Nation, Friday, January 17 (Photo credit: Legit.ng)
Source: Depositphotos

Moving on the subject of the proposed new national minimum wage, The Guardian reports that on Thursday, the federal government resolved to engage governors of the 36 states of the federation and the Council of State in a review of the nation’s federal allocation sharing formula.

According to the publication, the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) had demanded for the review, prior to its accepting the implementation of the proposed N30,000 national minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

It was gathered, following the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, that if agreed upon, the proposed wage would be taken care of, as prescribed by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

The NGF had recently sought a new fiscal restructuring plan on the grounds that based on economic challenges in the states, it would be difficult to pay the new wage.

Front page of The Guardian, Friday, January 17 (Photo credit: Legit.ng)
Source: Depositphotos

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Rounding things off, Vanguard reports that economists and private sector leaders, at the third edition of the Vanguard National Economic Discourse, V-NED III, which held on Thursday, called for vision-driven policy interventions that will fast-track national development and deliver the nation from socio-economic stagnation.

The keynote speaker at the event was the founding managing director and chief executive, Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, Fola Adeola, who spoke on the theme, “Human Development Index vs Economic Growth: Nigeria’s Policy Options.”

Adeola reportedly stated that in order to to avert a looming economic disaster resulting from the crushing grip of 12 giant socio-economic evils on her developmental potentials, Nigeria needs both economic growth and human development.

He stressed that vision-inspired policy interventions designed to bring down barriers to national development are required to achieve economic growth and human development.