Nigerian Newspapers: 10 things you need to know this Wednesday morning

Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:

1. Cross River State Governor, Professor Ben Ayade has declared his intentions to run for the office of president in 2023. The All Progressives Congress, APC, governor made the declaration after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday.

2. Sokoto State Governor, Hon Aminu Tambuwal, yesterday, met with President Muhammadu Buhari behind closed-doors at the Presidential Villa Abuja. There was strong indication that the meeting may not be unconnected to the 2023 presidential ticket on the platform of the ruling party.

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3. Senator Rochas Okorochas has said that President Buhari is unpredictable, saying he may surprise everybody as regards his choice of presidential candidate under the All Progressives Congress. Rochas Okorocha, who was a two-time governor of Imo State, was commenting on the battle for the APC presidential ticket during an interview yesterday.

4. Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, on Tuesday, declared that the State would support Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo’s presidential bid. It was reliably gathered that Abiodun who had been in a dilemma over who to support between Osinbajo and former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has finally settled for the VP.

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5. Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has said he would work for ex-President Goodluck Jonathan if his party picks him as its candidate for the 2023 Presidential election. There have been reports that Jonathan is considering running under the All Progressives Congress (APC).

6. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has said that he has done what many cannot do to forestall strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU. Ngige also dismissed insinuations that he is responsible for the ongoing action by the union, saying that his work was only to conciliate and not to implement agreements reached.

7. The Police in the FCT Command disclosed on Tuesday that the autopsy examination on late gospel star, Osinachi Nwachukwu, carried out at the National Hospital, Abuja has been concluded and the result forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecution at the federal Ministry of Justice for possible prosecution.

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8. The opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, said on Tuesday that all those who had purchased the presidential forms were free to contest its presidential ticket regardless of their zones. The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Debo Ologunagba, said this during an interview yesterday.

9. Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has rebuffed a claim by his former Chief of Staff, Mr. Terwase Orbunde, to pay him a princely sum of N160 million, which he claimed to have used in assisting the governor to win the 2015 election. Ortom, while acknowledging the fact that he worked with Orbunde during the election leading to his victory in 2015, said he was not aware of the

election leading to his victory in 2015, said he was not aware of the N160 million.

10. The Department of State Services (DSS) has raised an alarm over planned bomb attacks in parts of the country by criminal elements. The service said the target areas are critical infrastructure and other frequented public places like worship and relaxation centres, especially during and after the holidays.