Today’s Headlines: Tinubu begs for time to address Labour’s grievances, Biden’s Son Pleads Not Guilty On Tax Charges As Deal Derails

Tinubu begs for time to address Labour’s grievances

President Bola Tinubu has appealed to the organized labour to give him more time to look into their grievances rather than embark on industrial action.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, disclosed this after leading the House leadership to brief the President on the outcome of their engagement with the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, which has declared a nationwide strike action.

This is as the Federal Government has explained that it was yet to roll out palliatives on the effect of subsidy removal of petrol because it doesn’t want to make mistakes.

Speaking to State House correspondents after meeting with President at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Abbas said the President said he was new in office and needs time to evaluate the issues that are being raised by workers over which he is yet to be briefed.

According to him, “What he said is that he’s just coming on board. We should ask them and beg them to please give him a little more time.

“The things that they mentioned, he is completely unaware of them; he is yet to be briefed about all those issues.

“But from what he heard from me, he also advised that we should channel those issues to the Chief of Staff to look at one after the other.

“I believe in the coming days, some concerted actions will be taken.”

He said the House leadership invited NARD following their intention to go on strike, saying that the lawmakers succeeded in persuading the union to shelve the plan.

Biden’s Son Pleads Not Guilty On Tax Charges As Deal Derails

US President Joe Biden’s son Hunter pleaded not guilty to minor tax offences Wednesday as a deal with federal prosecutors crumbled in a Delaware court.

The surprise move came after Judge Maryellen Noreika raised questions over the original deal — under which Hunter Biden had agreed to enter a guilty plea and admit to illegal gun possession — and effectively placed it on hold.

Biden, 53, whose legal troubles have cast a shadow over his father’s reelection campaign, had reached an agreement with prosecutors that he would be sentenced to probation on two tax avoidance counts.

The deal also specified that the firearms charge would eventually be erased if he adhered to a counselling-and-rehabilitation programme.

But the deal fell apart after Noreika queried why the gun charge was included in a tax case, and whether the plea agreement protected Biden from charges that might arise from a wider ongoing investigation of his business dealings, according to US media.

When prosecutors could not resolve her questions, Noreika said she could not accept the deal, and Biden then entered a not guilty plea to close the session.

That was expected to send the deal back to negotiations, which could become more complex.

Noreika gave the two sides 30 days to report back on where they stand.

Airstrikes Kill Terrorists In Zamfara, Niger, Borno

Several suspected terrorists loyal to the kingpin Alhaji Nashama have been neutralized by Airstrikes undertaken by the air component of tion Hararin Daji at his enclave in Birnin Magaji Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Northwest Nigeria.

The operation was said to have been carried out on 24th July, 2023, where many terrorists were eliminated by the air strikes.

Military source said, the airstrikes were carried out following credible and actionable intelligence that the terrorists were massing up at Tsamre in Birnin Magaji LGA with the aim of attacking locals and rustling cattle.

Accordingly, the Air Component of OPHD struck the location in successive passes, eliminating scores of terrorists as well as destroying their structures and enclaves.

Similar airstrikes were conducted on terrorists’ enclaves at Hanawanka in Shiroro LGA and Palele, a village on the borders of Shiroro and Munya LGAs of Niger State.

A source from the military disclosed that, it became necessary after intelligence had revealed a migration of terrorists from Katsina and Zamfara State who had come under intense heat from military onslaughts.

Tinubu sends ECOWAS delegation to Niger Republic

President Bola Tinubu said an ECOWAS mission had been sent to the Niger Republic to intercede in the attempted coup in the country.

The President spoke after a meeting with the Benin Republic President Patrice Talon at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday in Abuja.

He said Talon was mandated by ECOWAS to proceed immediately to the West African country that has been termed the most coup-prone in the region.

Tinubu is the Chairperson of the ECOWAS Head of States and Government, and the body has decided to discourage an undemocratic change of government by the military in the region.

During a meeting between Tinubu and the Presidents of Niger and Benin a fortnight ago, Talon was mandated to lead the ECOWAS delegation to Mali and Burkina Faso where the military are in control.

The Agency of Nigeria had reported an attempted coup in Niger Republic early on Wednesday.

Sources from the country said that the presidential guards have held President Mohamed Bazoum hostage at the presidential palace in Niamey.

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