Top Stories From Nigerian Newspapers Today, Friday, March 28, 2025
Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Friday, 28th March, 2025
Ahead of his 73rd birthday on Saturday, President Bola Tinubu will join fellow Muslims at the National Mosque in Abuja on Friday for a special prayer session for the nation.
Naija News reports that the President will also use this occasion to thank God for preserving and supporting him in the onerous task of piloting the nation’s affairs.
President Tinubu’s birthday coincides with the holy month of Ramadan and comes two months before his administration’s second anniversary.
On this significant day, the President will dedicate himself to spiritual reflection and supplication for Nigeria’s continued peace, progress, and prosperity.
Choosing a prayer session reflects President Tinubu’s dedication to Nigeria’s spiritual and moral well-being and his commitment to seeking divine guidance, insight, and strength in leadership. He believes collective prayer is a powerful tool for guiding the nation towards progress and harmony.
The Senate on Thursday rejected a motion seeking to rename the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) headquarters in honour of the former chairman of the defunct National Electoral Commission (NEC), late Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, who oversaw the annulled June 12, 1993, presidential election.
Naija News reports that the motion, which was re-sponsored by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, also called for posthumous national honors to be conferred on Nwosu in recognition of his role in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.
The proposal sparked a passionate and divisive debate in the Senate, with lawmakers sharply divided on whether Nwosu’s contributions to Nigeria’s democracy should be immortalized.
After a prolonged and intense deliberation, the majority of senators voted against the motion, rejecting the idea of renaming the INEC headquarters or conferring national honors on Nwosu.
However, they agreed to honour the late professor with a one-minute silence and extended condolences to his family, effectively dismissing the other proposals to immortalize Nwosu.
A bill seeking to transition Nigeria from its current presidential system of government to a parliamentary system has passed its second reading in the House of Representatives.
Naija News reports that the bill was one of 31 Constitution amendment bills discussed during a plenary session presided over by Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, on Thursday.
Titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, to Provide for the Office of the Prime Minister as Head of Government and the Office of President as Head of State and to Provide for a Framework for the Mode of Election to the Said Offices and for Related Matters (HB.1115),” the bill was sponsored by House Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, alongside 59 other lawmakers.
If passed, the bill will effectively replace the current presidential system with a parliamentary model, where the Prime Minister, elected by the legislature, will hold executive powers, while the President will serve as a ceremonial Head of State.
The camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has denied any relationship between their principal and the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Speaking via a statement on Thursday, which was signed by Paul Ibe, Atiku’s media team said the former Vice President has never met Sanwo-Olu.
Naija News reports Ibe made the submission while debunking reports that Sanwo-Olu, through Ms Aisha Achimugu, made money available to Atiku in the build-up to the 2023 presidential elections.
However, Atiku described the allegation as part of a campaign of calumny and kingdergaten propaganda against him by President Bola Tinubu.
The statement added that the allegation is simply an attempt to discredit Atiku and advance the political interests of Tinubu.
The statement added that Governor Sanwo-Olu is out of favour with some political power brokers and that the allegation against Atiku is part of an agenda to discredit the Lagos governor and downplay the coalition movement being put together by Atiku.
A former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has said he took a vow to destroy Peter Obi’s Obidient movement because he (Obi) was his project.
Omokri said he was responsible for Obi’s vice-presidential candidacy in 2029. His position, however, contradicts Atiku Abuabakar‘s account of how Obi became his vice in the 2019 election.
Naija News reported that the former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clarified that former President Olusegun Obasanjo chose Obi for him.
He said Obasanjo suggested Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala and Chukuwuma Soludo, but because they were not members of the PDP, Obi was chosen.
In an interview with News Central on Thursday, the controversial social media influencer alleged that members of the Obidient movement attacked him, his wife and his child.
Speaking on the alleged attack on his family by alleged members of the Obidient movement, Reno said he received too many death threats.
According to him, it was when the former Governor of Anambra State could not take action after he complained to him about the alleged attack on his family that he decided to use “whatever political machinery I have to destroy that movement“.
Over a month after the federal government, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and Organized Labour reached an agreement to reduce the telecommunications tariff hike from 50 percent to 35 percent, both the government and NCC have remained silent on the promised 15 percent reduction.
Meanwhile, the telecommunications operators have proceeded with the full 50 percent tariff increase as reflected in their rates, with no indication that they will implement the 15 percent reduction any time soon.
Earlier, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) pressured the Federal Government and NCC to reduce the telecommunications tariff hike, which it viewed as exploitative, amidst growing economic hardship and poverty. Following NLC’s threat to shut down telecom operations, the government and NCC agreed to reduce the hike from 50 percent to 35 percent.
To address the issue, the government set up a 10-man committee, consisting of five representatives from the government and the NLC, to deliberate on the tariff hike. The committee was tasked with providing a report within two weeks before any final decision on the new tariff structure.
On February 21, 2025, the committee met at the National Security Adviser’s office, and after a three-hour discussion, agreed to a 15 percent tariff reduction. Sources indicated that an official communiqué announcing the reduction was expected to be released on February 22.
However, no such announcement has been made, leading to growing frustration among NLC leaders, who suspect they have been misled by the government. The NLC leaders are now planning direct action against the NCC and telecommunications operators.
According to NLC sources, the date for industrial action against the NCC and telecom operators has been set, although details are being kept secret.
Just a day after advancing two significant bills—one reviewing the death penalty law and another proposing the removal of immunity for the Vice President, governors, and deputy governors—the Nigerian House of Representatives has reversed its decision.
Naija News reports that the announcement was made during Thursday’s plenary session by House Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, signaling a reconsideration of the proposed legislation.
It will be recalled that on Wednesday, both bills had successfully passed their second reading as part of 42 legislative proposals debated during the session.
Presiding over the plenary in the absence of Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu explained that the reversal was necessary to allow for a more comprehensive discussion among lawmakers.
Further details on the reconsideration process are expected to emerge in subsequent deliberations.
Nigerian lawmaker and polygamist, Ned Nwoko has addressed rumours that his marriage to Nollywood actress, Regina Daniels has hit the rocks.
Recall that there have been insinuations that the couple may have split after Daniels returned to Instagram following a break and removed her husband’s surname, ‘Nwoko’, from her bio.”
Despite the rumours, Daniels refused to speak on the matter. However, taking to Instagram to celebrate their 6th wedding anniversary, Nwoko announced that not only are they still together, but also expecting their third child.
Nollywood actress, Annie Idibia, has returned to social media barely two months after the marriage crash with legendary singer, Innocent Idibia, better known as 2Baba.
Naija News recalls that 2baba, on Sunday, January 26, 2025, in a post via his Instagram page, announced his separation from his wife, Annie, with whom he has two kids.
This news spread like wildfire across social media platforms, stirring reactions from fans of the couple and Nigerian celebrities.
Since the incident, Annie had reportedly been admitted into a rehab, where she was receiving treatment, while 2Baba has moved on with his new fiancé cum Edo state lawmaker, Natasha Osawaru.
However, Annie Idibia, on Wednesday night, March 26, 2025, returned to her Instagram page and deleted all her photos. This significant move has led fans to believe it is a sign of new beginnings, and they are positive she will bounce back stronger.
The Premier League has made a proactive decision to implement two transfer windows this summer, allowing both Manchester City and Chelsea to strengthen their squads ahead of the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup.
The initial Premier League transfer window will open from Sunday, June 1, until Tuesday, June 10, and will then have a five-day pause before reopening from Monday, June 16, to Monday, September 1. This scheduling is particularly significant due to the expanded FIFA Club World Cup, which will feature 32 teams and closely resemble the traditional World Cup format.
Both Chelsea and Manchester City will represent the Premier League in the tournament, which is set to take place in the United States starting Sunday, June 15. The Premier League has structured this transfer window to ensure that these clubs have the opportunity to register new players during this critical time frame.
FIFA allows each country to have a transfer window open for only 16 weeks within a calendar year, of which four weeks are designated for the winter window, leaving 12 weeks for the summer. Notably, in 2024, the Premier League’s window opened on June 14 and closed on August 30.
To maintain fairness and ensure a level playing field among the 20 Premier League clubs, the league has aligned its transfer window with the timelines established by other major European leagues, which typically prefer to close the window at the end of August. This thoughtful approach helps to balance competition while adhering to the regulations set forth by FIFA.
