The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Niger State, Isah Liman Kantigi, has issued a death threat to prospective voters who have the intention to collect his money without voting for him in the general election. Kantigi made the threat while addressing his supporters in a viral video. The PDP candidate was recently in the news after he donated two electricity transformers to Dangana and Duma communities in Lapai. In November, his growing popularity in Niger State was tested after his candidacy was challenged by an aggrieved party member, Sani Idris Kutigi. He was, however, affirmed by a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday, as the valid governorship candidate of the PDP for the 2023 governorship elections in Niger.

January’s inflation rate is a 0.48 per cent point increase from the 21.34 per cent that was recorded in December 2022. Prior to December, Nigeria’s inflation rate had been rising consistently for 11 months. In its ‘Consumer Price Index’ for January 2023, the national statistics body said, “In January 2023, the headline inflation rate rose to 21.82 per cent compared to December 2022 headline inflation rate which was 21.34 per cent. “Looking at the trend, the January 2023 inflation rate showed an increase of 0.47 per cent points when compared to December 2022 inflation rate. According to the CBN, its naira redesign policy will help control inflation.

Canadian artiste, Audrey Graham popularly known as Drake, has hit back against a subpoena ordering him to appear for a deposition in the murder trial of the late rapper, XXXTentacion. Last week, Mauricio Padilla, a lawyer to Derek Williams, one of the suit’s defendants, named Drake as a person of interest. The lawyer referenced an Instagram post by the ‘Look at Me’ rapper in which he tagged Drake’s account back in February 2018. In a motion newly filed by Drake’s lawyers, it was argued that the original deposition subpoena was not properly served nor was it properly accepted by the artiste, Rolling Stone reports. His killers also stole a bag belonging to the rapper which contained $50,000 in cash.

The twin challenges of Naira and fuel scarcity, one holding on to the other like Jacob to Esau’s heel, is a bitter pill to swallow. Days have gradually turned to weeks, weeks into months, and the sting of the scarcity of the new naira notes continues to be a thorn in the flesh of the large populace whose daily survival depends on it. Access to the new notes has been a herculean task; withdrawing the stipulated cash withdrawal limit requires an excruciating amount of effort. Black market merchants of the Naira, such as Point of Sales (POS) agents, have greatly multiplied their charges on withdrawals and deposits. How are we using the Naira to purchase Naira in our own country?

Two weeks to Nigeria’s presidential and legislative elections, the country’s military has denied reports that its officers are planning a coup. The Defence Headquarters Saturday dismissed the coup report as ‘malicious propaganda’ by ‘unscrupulous elements’. The Acting Director of Defence Information, Tukur Gusau, a brigadier general, said this in a statement on Saturday in Abuja. He added that the Armed Forces of Nigeria was dismayed that even politically exposed persons had denigrated themselves into joining the agents of destabilisation. “The Armed Forces of Nigeria will never be part of any ignoble plot to truncate our hard-earned democracy,” he said.

By-Adelowo Oladipo MinnaThe Niger State Police Command has confirmed the killing of a Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Paikoro Division allegedly by gunmen suspected to be bandits during a fierce gun duel. A statement issued and made available to the newsmen on Sunday in Minna by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, said that the DPO, SP Mukhtar Sabiu and four other police personnel lost their lives during the gun duel. According to DSP Abiodun, the incident happened when the suspected armed bandits attempted to attack the Chibani village market via Sarkin-Pawa, in the Munya Local Government area of the State. The Police Boss, however, assured members of the public in the state that the Command will not relent in the fight against banditry and other crimes and criminality in the State. READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

By Kehinde Akinseinde-Jayeoba | LagosIn it’s bid to ease the efforts of students and people who intend to school abroad, Across the Horizon recently launch an app that provides varying solutions to requirements. The app, according to him, intending students could access scholarships, fully funded programs, and various travel assistance, thus saving saving money and time, adding that advisory assistance is also made available via the app. Also speaking on the Pay4me app at the summit in Lagos, Adah explained that the application, owned by the company as well, is dedicated to assisting student and financial services with international payments all over the world. She however noted that for this to be successful, the prospective student need to be intentional, adding that a good way to attract funds is to tell their stories of where they are coming from and where they are going. READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

Attahiru Ahmed – GusauZamfara State Governor Bello Matawalle has ordered the arrest of anyone who refuses to accept the old currency notes of ₦200, ₦5000 and ₦1,000 in the State. He explained that his counterparts in Kogi and Kaduna states are seeking the supreme court to order the extension and validity of the old naira notes. “As you are all aware, the economy of the country as a whole has been plunged into a serious crisis by the decision of the Central Bank to cease recognition of the old naira notes as legal tender from February 10th. He further commended the Supreme Court for doing the needful, which he said will alleviate the suffering of the masses. “Alhamdullilah, old naira notes will remain legal tender, and the people can continue with their legitimate businesses and earn their livelihoods without fear or concern,” Matawalle joyously expressed.

Sulaimon OlanrewajuThe Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said that the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Plc (NSPMC) has enough capacity and materials to produce the required quantity of the new Naira notes, adding that at no time did its governor, Godwin Emefiele, say anything to the contrary during his presentation to the National Council of State. The apex bank, while assuring Nigerians that it would increase circulation of the new notes to all parts of the country, debunked the rumour that it planned to close down some money deposit banks in some regions of the country. The bank said in the press statement, “At no time did the CBN Governor disclose this during his presentation to the National Council of State at its meeting on Friday, February 10, 2023. We also wish to restate that the NSPMC has the capacity and enough materials to produce the required indent of the Naira. “The public is therefore advised to ignore such recordings as they do not represent the policy thrust of the CBN and are only the desperate attempts of persons bent on inciting the public against the bank.”

A 42-year-old man of Lusaka, Zambia has been divorced by his wife for constantly checking her private parts after neighbours told him that she was going out with a named businessman. According to Zambia Observer, Amos Chirwa, a teacher by profession was dragged to Lusaka Boma Court by his wife, Bessie Msisika Chirwa aged 39, a nurse by profession, on grounds that he has been vigorously checking her private parts whenever she comes back home from work especially in the morning after night shifts. The two have five children together after being married for 13 years 10 months. Amos was ordered to pay K600 per month for their children’s food and clothes. Amos cried uncontrollably outside court as he did not want to lose his beautiful wife whom he loved dearly.

Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) claimed to be loyalists of the Borno State Governor, Babangana Zulum, defected to the Labour Party (LP) weeks to the 2023 general elections. Receiving the defectors at NLC’s Multi-Purpose Hall in Maiduguri on Friday, the acting secretary of LP in Borno State, Ishaku Yakubu said the defectors were loyalists of the Governor who resigned their membership of the APC to the Labour Party. Yakubu assured the defectors that they would not regret joining the Labour Party, saying “everyone has equal rights in the LP”. According to him, “in Labour Party, there is no discrimination, we are all equal, you that joined today are equal in status as we are, we are a one and united family”. “Five thousand of us decampees (sip) to Labour Party among us is Mustapha Kaka Gubio, Modu Mala APC, Isa Gabchirima, we well known by the Governor as diehard of the APC”.

Let me also make it abundantly clear that my party and I are not against the Naira redesign policy. However, as all policies do, particularly when not thought through, they tend to become victims of their unintended consequences. The question must, therefore, be what could go wrong if we, that is the Central Bank, did this or that. Perhaps, what it is, is that the Central Bank sought glory but brought gory tales. The Nigerian banking system has remained largelyu rban-biased and has evolved very little to serve infrastructures in rural areas.

Yomi Ayeleso – Ado-EkitiThe Vice Chancellor of University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) Professor Wahab Egbewole has lamented that many graduates from the nation’s universities have failed to meet up and compete favourably in the labour market. According to him, “The goal of education should be to generate compassionate and creative students who will contribute to the development and maintenance of a just society. “Some of our educational institutions have produced graduates who compare favourably with their peers in other parts of the world and are making waves, but it is also true that they have produced graduates who have not measured up to standard. “There are also cases of graduates who are so educationally vapid, to the extent that they are adjudged not to be trainable, and therefore, not employable.”Egbewole called for the reinvention of Nigeria’s school curriculum, as part of the solutions to rejuvenating standards in the nation’s education system. READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE

The couple moved into the compound after marriage and noticed that the little girl always looked sad and unkempt. Couple in pain over an abused little girl Photo Credit: @Leland Bobbe, Daniel Barehulak/Getty ImagesSource: UGCShe would sit on their pavement with a sad face, and this got the couple really worried. Even if he reports to police, can Nigerian justice system give this small girl a lasting solution? See tweet below:Little girl in rags weeps over maltreatmentMeanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a little girl, Favour Chinecherem Echezulam, wants people to tell her mother to locate her. A kindhearted Nigerian lady identified as Princess Nwankwoala disclosed the kid's passionate appeal in a message exclusively sent to Legit.ng.

The University of Oxford alumnus Professor Roger Delves shares insights into how leaders can win through better self-awareness. How do you see the TEXEM February 2023 programme, ‘Self-awareness for better management of change in Uncertain times,’ impacting Leaders? This TEXEM, UK programme is pertinent and comes at an appropriate time. This has been my daily endeavour for a very long time, and I have worked with thousands and thousands of leaders and working professionals, helping them to be better leaders and managers. For more information, please sign up for the TEXEM, UK programme at https://texem.co.uk/self-awareness-for-better-management-of-change-in-uncertain-times/READ ALSO:9.