Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Monday, 24th March, 2025

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Monday 24th March, 2025

1. Presidency Again Justifies Fubara’s Suspension As Rivers Governor

The Presidency has strongly rejected claims that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s suspension of Governor Siminalayi Fubara and other political figures in Rivers State was a power grab, insisting instead that the President acted decisively to prevent the state from descending into anarchy.

In a statement released on Sunday, March 23, 2025, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, outlined the urgent need for intervention, emphasizing that waiting for the collapse of governance before acting would have been both reckless and irresponsible.

Naija News reports that the ongoing crisis in Rivers State, according to the Presidency, stems from a prolonged and bitter power struggle between Governor Fubara and members of the State House of Assembly loyal to former Governor Nyesom Wike.

The conflict had crippled governance, with Supreme Court rulings affirming constitutional governance being ignored by the feuding factions.

Onanuga noted that intelligence reports confirmed militants in the creeks were preparing to sabotage critical oil infrastructure, posing a direct threat to Nigeria’s economic security.

2. PDP BoT Rejects President Tinubu’s State Of Emergency In Rivers, Demands Reversal

The Board of Trustees (BoT) of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has strongly rejected President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State, calling it a “gross violation of the Nigerian Constitution.”

The PDP BoT also criticized the National Assembly for ratifying the President’s action through a mere voice vote, instead of the constitutional two-thirds majority required for such a significant decision.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the Chairman of the PDP BoT, Adolphus Wabara, who is also a former Senate President, demanded the immediate reversal of the emergency rule.

He condemned the move, stating that it “could only be imagined during a military era” and was a flagrant disregard for the democratic process.

The statement stressed that the declaration of emergency rule, coupled with the suspension of the governor, deputy governor, and all elected members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, represented a serious breach of constitutional provisions and democratic norms.

Wabara, speaking on behalf of the BoT, also slammed the National Assembly for its approval of the state of emergency.

The party expressed its dissatisfaction with the fact that the legislature, which is supposed to uphold constitutional safeguards, ratified such an important measure through a voice vote rather than the constitutionally mandated two-thirds majority.

3. I Told Atiku, Wike Their Fight Will Destroy PDP – Showunmi

Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirants in Ogun State, Segun Showunmi, has blamed Atiku Abubakar and Nyesom Wike for the party’s crisis.

Naija News reported that PDP’s crisis, concerning the position of the national secretary between Samuel Anyanwu and Sunday-Ude-Okoye, may be far from ending despite Supreme Court ruling.

While the Supreme Court pushed back to the party the power to determine who its national secretary is, Anyanwu and Ude-Okoye continued to lay claim to the position.

For Anyanwu, he remained the party’s national secretary; but the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), in a statement, released by its spokesman, Kola Ologunagba, recognized Ude-Okoye.

On his 𝕏 handle, on Sunday, in response to a user who accused him of supporting the former Rivers State governor, the PDP chieftain said he neither supports Atiku nor Wike.

4. Reports Of Bayelsa Relocation False As Gov Fubara Makes First Public Appearance In Rivers

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, made his first public appearance since the declaration of a state of emergency in the state and his subsequent suspension from office.

Fubara was seen arriving for worship at the headquarters of Salvation Ministries in GRA, Port Harcourt, on Sunday.

Naija News reports that Governor Fubara attended the service at Salvation Ministries alongside his Chief of Staff, Edison Ehie.

This appearance came just days after President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers State on Tuesday, citing escalating political tensions and security concerns.

Some reports had emerged claiming Governor Fubara had relocated to Bayelsa State after his suspension by Tinubu.

5. Fubara: Atiku’s Aide Reveals Why Obasanjo Was Successful In Removing Governors

A prominent aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Demola Olarewaju, has sharply criticized President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State.

Olarewaju likened the move to decisions made during the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, arguing that such actions were possible in the past due to the country’s nascent democracy and the slower pace of news cycles at the time.

In his comments, Olarewaju remarked that while Obasanjo was able to remove governors with relative ease during his presidency, President Tinubu’s attempts to do the same in Rivers State are more likely to backfire in the current political climate.

He emphasized that during Obasanjo’s time, the news cycle was slower, and social media did not exist, making it easier to manage such controversial decisions without widespread backlash.

He added that the political landscape and communication systems have drastically changed since then, making such actions far more difficult to execute successfully.

Olarewaju was particularly critical of Tinubu’s decision to appoint Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State after suspending Governor Siminalayi Fubara.

He described the move as “dangerous” and expressed his disbelief at the President’s reliance on a retired military figure to handle a political crisis.

6. Nothing Good Would Come From Tinubu Govt; A Creation Of Selfish People – Sule Lamido

Former governor of Jigawa State and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sule Lamido, has stated that he doesn’t expect anything good to come from the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led administration.

Speaking in an interview with Sunday Sun, the former governor claimed that this government is not a creation of the Nigerian interests but a creation of the interests of a few selfish people.

Lamido stated that only Nigerians can access the present administration, adding that they are the ones who voted out the PDP and voted in the All Progressives Congress (APC).

He stated that Nigerians are thoroughly well aware of what is happening now, they are very familiar with the situation on ground.

7. Police Officer ‘Runs Mad’, Shoots Many Dead In Calabar

A yet-to-be-identified police officer has reportedly shot many at the Watt business area of Calabar, in Cross River State, on Sunday.

Naija News reports that the police officer, identified to be an inspector, reportedly, stepped out of a nearby police station, with his cocked gun and began shooting.

The video of the incident, uploaded by an 𝕏 account, showed one of the dead victims on the ground.

The handle disclosed that many marketers were killed by the police officer’s bullet, while others were injured.

“S@D‼️ Happen in Calabar this Sunday morning, an inspector of police ran m@d, open fire openly K!ll$ marketers and some !njured,” the account’s admin captioned the video.

Reacting to the account’s video uploaded, via its 𝕏 handle, the Cross River State Police Command confirmed the incident.

Though the command did not give full detail, but promised to issue a press release on the incident, it disclosed that the inspector had been arrested and was in detention.

However, the police did not comment on the death toll or the name of the officer, neither did the command give the name of the inspector.

8. ‘It Can Undermine Public Trust And Confidence’ – Police Boss Warns Against Illegal Detentions

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has issued a stern reminder to all members of the Nigeria Police Force regarding the importance of respecting the fundamental rights in the context of pre-trial detentions.

Naija News reports that this was made known in a statement on Sunday by Force Spokesperson, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.

He disclosed that the IGP emphasized that adherence to legally stipulated detention periods is not only a legal obligation but also a fundamental aspect of upholding the dignity and rights of individuals, as enshrined in Sections 34 and 35 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which guarantees the right to dignity and personal liberty.

While calling for a culture of accountability within the Force, he said the IGP encourage officers to uphold the highest standards of conduct in their interactions with the public.

9. ‘We Are Discussing With Senators, Former Ministers’ – Dalung Speaks On Alignment Against Tinubu

Former Minister of Sports and Youth Development, Solomon Dalung, has revealed that the Social Democratic Party (SDP) is currently in discussions with prominent figures, including former ministers and senators, as part of a strategy to defeat the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.

In an interview with Punch on Sunday, Dalung disclosed that these discussions involve significant political figures from across the country, but he emphasized the need to protect their privacy at this stage.

Naija News reports that Dalung highlighted that the SDP is now being seen as a key player in Nigerian politics, not due to its emblem of a white horse, but because it stands for justice.

Dalung further critiqued Nigeria’s political trajectory, noting the 16 years under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the subsequent 10 years under the APC. He argued that Nigeria has deviated from its potential and needs to retrace its steps.

“Democracy in Nigeria will not get anywhere until we go back to where we missed our steps. We should retrace our steps,” he added.

According to Dalung, the SDP’s vision of prosperity remains clear, and he emphasized that the party is committed to eradicating poverty and creating an egalitarian society.

10. Ideye Names Remo Stars Favourites To Win NPFL Title This Season

Former Super Eagles striker, Brown Ideye, has expressed his belief that Remo Stars are the frontrunners to clinch the Nigeria Premier Football League (NPFL) title this season.

Naija News reports that Remo Stars are currently leading the league.

Remo Stars hold the top spot on the league table with 57 points, while Rivers United, in second place, is trailing by eight points.

The Ikenne-based team has finished as runners-up in the previous two seasons.

With 11 matches remaining in the season, the Sky Blue Stars have a challenging path ahead.

Ideye, who currently plays as a striker for the Enyimba, acknowledged the unpredictability of football but emphasized that the championship is primarily in the hands of Daniel Ogunmodede’s team.

That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.