Babachir Lawal in trouble, as EFCC gets set to grill him over corruption allegations

macfranc007 November 03, 2017 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Buchi Obichie

Headlines from mainstream Nigerian newspapers today, Friday, November 3 2017, are mostly focused on the issues within the APC over the 2019 presidential election, the Maina saga, the Babachir Lawal issue, and the 2018 budget.

Vanguard reports that President Muhammadu Buhari held a meeting with Lt. General Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd), the minister of interior, following the scandal generated with the reinstatement of the embattled former chairman of the presidential task force team on pension reforms, Abdulrasheed Maina.

The meeting came on the heels of the heated argument which occurred between the president’s chief of staff, Abba Kyari, and the head of service of the federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita during the Federal Executuive Council meeting which held on Wednesday, November 1, and which was captured on camera.

Newspaper Review: EFCC set to grill Babachir Lawal over corruption allegations

Front page of Vanguard, today, Friday, November 3 (Photo credit: NAIJ.com)

The Punch newspaper is focused on the intrigues within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), over the 2019 presidential elections.

According to the publication, the party has given its strongest position yet on the controversy generated by the push by some of its members for President Muhammadu Buhari to be given an automatic ticket to re-contest for the presidency.

However, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s national publicity secretary, and Rochas Okorocha, the chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum, stated that no member of the party, including the president, would receive an automatic ticket.

Front page of The Punch, today, Friday, November 3 (Photo credit: NAIJ.com)

The Guardian is also focused on the position of APC members concerning an automatic ticket for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019.

The publication reports that Governor Rochas Okorocha broke ranks with some of his colleagues, and stated that if the president chose to re-contest, there would be no automatic ticket for him.

Okorocha’s declaration comes just 2 days after some of his colleagues expressed their readiness to give an automatic ticket to the president; and enforced concerns that the party’s structure was not united in backing the president for 2019.

Front page of The Guardian, today, Friday, November 3 (Photo credit: NAIJ.com)

The Nation however, is focused on the issue of the former secretary to the government of the federation, Babachir Lawal.

The publication disclosed that 5 detectives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are set to investigate allegations of corrupt practices leveled against Lawal.

According to the report, the former SGF may soon be invited by the commission, for questioning.

Front page of The Nation, today, Friday, November 3 (Photo credit: NAIJ.com)

Rounding up the headlines is ThisDay, which is focused on the 2018 budget.

According to the publication, the National Assembly has been formally notified by President Muhammadu Buhari, about his readiness to present the budget to lawmakers next Tuesday.

The development comes following comments by the Senate, that Buhari’s target to get the 2018 Appropriations Bill passed in December, and then return the system back to the January-December budget cycle, might be a pipe-dream.