- Supreme Court declares Makarfi as winner of PDP leadership battle
- Makarfi takes over the party headquarters after court judgement
- Osinbajo asks Nigeria to expect Buhari's return soon
NAIJ.com brings to you the main headlines of Thursday, July 13, from mainstream Nigerian newspaper.
The Nigerian mainstream newspapers are buzzing with headlines about the recent victory of Ahmed Makarfi of People's Democratic party at the Supreme Court and Acting President Osinbajo's visit to the ailing president of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari.
The Supreme Court yesterday ended a 14-month leadership squabble within the country’s main opposition — the Peoples Democratic Party — and gave it a new lease of life ahead of an important general election in 2019.
Senator Ahmed Makarfi, the former governor of Kaduna State and his counterpart from Borno, Senator Alli-Modu Sheriff, have been locked in a protracted legal battle for the soul of the party, forcing the main opposition to lose critical elections, including governorship seats in Edo and Ondo states and legislative seats in many others, according to a report by The Guardian.
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The Guardian Newspaper
The Punch reports that the National Caretaker Committee of the party, under the leadership of Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has taken over the PDP national secretariat in Abuja after the judgment.
The secretariat was until Wednesday morning occupied by Sheriff and his loyalists.
Members of the party trooped to the erstwhile deserted secretariat located at Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.
As soon as the Supreme Court made the pronouncements, drummers and praise singers took over the party secretariat, singing and dancing as politicians in their large number rushed to the secretariat.
The Punch Newspaper
According to a report by Vanguard, the former President Goodluck Jonathan led the chorus of congratulations and admonitions to the Makarfi leadership to declare a no victor no vanquished policy aimed at further dousing the crisis in the party.
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Among others who also spoke, yesterday, were Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu; Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State; the Forum of former ministers, immediate past party spokesman, Chief Olisa Metuh among others.
Vanguard Newspaper
Meanwhile, the This Day newspaper reported that Acting President Yemi Osinbajo said the Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari, who is currently receiving treatment in London for an undisclosed ailment, will return home sooner than expected.
Osinbajo made this disclosure while answering questions from State House correspondents, a few hours after he returned to Abuja from London, where he had visited the president on Tuesday.
This Day Newspaper
The Nation is reporting that Osinbajo's meeting with the President in London on Tuesday may lead to some ministers getting sacked.
The imminent action is believed to be delaying the inauguration of the two ministers-designate already confirmed by the Senate.
Some ministers may also swap portfolios in the new plan. The looming shake-up has caused anxiety among members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC).
It was also learnt that President Buhari endorsed all the measures taken by the Acting President to keep the nation united. Osinbajo was also said to have got approval for some decisions and appointments.
The Nation Newspaper
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