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

1. A High Court sitting in Abuja on Tuesday ordered the Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Uche Secondus, to vacate the position and revert to his original position as the party’s Deputy National Chairman. According to Justice Yusuf Baba, the zoning arrangement stipulated in the party’s constitution has been abused following Secondus emergence as the Acting Chairman.

2.The National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh has alleged that the government of President Muhammadu Buhari has finalized plans to shut him up. In a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Metuh said the attack on his person by the Federal Government in the last seven months was an indication of the plan to 
completely silence him.

3.At the Tuesday arraignment of the immediate past National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd,) the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission alleged in its counter-affidavit that Dasuki transferred huge sums of money to companies whose identities were still being traced. The Commission added that he transferred large sums of money outside Nigeria to acquire “several assets in Dubai and London.’’

4.Report from Kaduna on Tuesday said three persons were killed while several others sustained injuries following a clash between the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, Shiite and security operatives in Tudun Wada, Kaduna the state capital.

5.Former President, Goodluck Jonathan-led government has been indicted by the Southwark Crown Court in London on Tuesday over the corruption scandal surrounding the sale of the Nigerian offshore oil block, Oil Prospecting Licence 245. The block, which is said to hold reserves of 9.23 billion barrels of oil, was sold to Shell and Eni for $1.1bn in 2011.

6.Former Rivers State Governor, Dr. Peter Odili has denied collecting 100 million naira from former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, but admitted collecting the said amount from the party on behalf of the South-South Committee. He said he collected the money along with other zonal Chairmen, at the house of the National Chairman, Dr. Adamu Mu’azu, for the presidential campaign.

7.Following the clash between the Nigerian Army and the Shiite group in Zaria, image of the injured leader of the movement, El-Zakzaky has been obtained. In the image, El-Zakzaky was surrounded by soldiers, with blood all over his body. Where he is being kept has remained unknown.

8.Report says following President Muhammadu Buhari’s intention to formally present the 2016 budget to the National Assembly on Tuesday next week for deliberation and approval, the Senate has now shelved their vacation until after Tuesday’s deliberation.

9.President Muhammadu Buhari has denied media report that his predecessor, President Goodluck Jonathan gave him a monetary compensation of $300,000 after Boko Haram terrorists attacked his convoy in Kaduna last year. Buhari in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said he received “nothing untoward, illegal or tending to corruption” from Jonathan before or after the attack.

10.Report has it that the Returning Officer in the March 28, House of Representatives election for Obio Akpor federal constituency in Rivers State, Dr Ebirien Fubara and son were during the weekend killed at their residence in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. Police is yet to confirm the incident.