President Muhammadu Buhari’s comments on the state of the nation, challenges of his administration and Godwin Emefiele’s aborted presidential bid dominated the cover pages of Nigerian newspapers.
The Nation reports that Buhari has explained why his administration did not continue with the plan to remove petrol subsidy. The newspaper says petrol scarcity has worsened the plight of motorists and commuters in many cities across the country.
The Punch says the black market for petrol is currently booming owing to the scarcity of the product in many parts of the country. The newspaper reports that Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has set up a committee to pacify and woo Nyesom Wike, governor of Rivers, and some other aggrieved members of the party.
Daily Independent reports that Buhari said he will leave Nigeria far better off now than the way he met it. The newspaper says three senators of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have left the party for opposition parties.
Daily Sun reports that the National Peace Committee (NPC) has asked security operatives to prosecute perpetrators of vote buying during Ekiti governorship election. The newspaper says protesters at the APC headquarters have asked the party to reject the idea of Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket.
THISDAY reports that Buhari defended the “unorthodox” policies of Godwin Emefiele, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The newspaper says the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) has insisted that price of petrol is N165 per litre.
By Ayodele Oluwafemi/TheCable
