Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:

1. President Muhammadu Buhari, on Monday, constituted an Economic Advisory Council (EAC). The Presidency said that the new team is made up of the following: Prof. Doyin Salami – Chairman; Dr. Mohammed Sagagi – Vice-Chairman; Prof. Ode Ojowu – Member; Dr. Shehu Yahaya – Member; Dr. Iyabo Masha – Member; Prof. Chukwuma Soludo – Member; Mr. Bismark Rewane – Member; Dr. Mohammed Adaya Salisu – Secretary (Senior Special Assistant to the President, Development Policy). It said that this advisory council will replace the current Economic Management Team (EMT) and will be reporting directly to the President.

2. South Africa, on Monday, through Mr Jeff Radebe, Special Envoy of President Cyril Ramaphosa, apologised to Nigeria at the State House, Abuja. This was after President President Muhammadu Buhari recounted how Nigeria helped South Africa during their trying time.

3. Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, on Monday, urged Nigerians and other African countries whose citizens were affected by xenophobic attacks in South Africa to report to the African Union. The former president further described xenophobic attacks on foreigners by South Africans as a great disservice to Africa, even as he called for urgent reconciliation between the xenophobic countries and South Africa, adding that repatriation and revenge is not the best solution.

4. The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Monday upheld the election of Mr. Seyi Makinde as the authentic Governor of Oyo State. The All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Adebayo Adelabu had approached the tribunal, urging it to nullify the election result. But, in a unanimous judgment delivered by Justice Sirajo Muhammed, the tribunal averred that the petitioners failed to prove the allegation of corrupt practices, over-voting, improper accreditation, inaccurate ballot counting and non-compliance with the 2010 Electoral Act.

5. Seun Onigbinde, a critic of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led All Progressives Congress (APC) government who was recently appointed Technical Adviser at the Ministry of Budget and National Planning by the same government, yesterday resigned the appointment. Onigbinde joined the Buhari administration as the Technical Adviser at the Ministry of Budget and National Planning and confirmed the development through his Medium account after deactivating his Twitter account. His appointment by the same government he had criticized in the past four years generated controversies, as the development did not go down well with some Nigerians and this led to his resignation.

6. Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have expressed optimism that President Muhammadu Buhari will be sacked by the Supreme Court. The PDP Governors’ Forum stated this while backing the bid of the party to challenge the verdict of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal, which dismissed the petition of the party and its presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. The forum pointed out that if the ruling of the tribunal was not challenged, it may become a clog in the wheel of the country’s democracy, as it will allegedly send wrong signals to future generations of Nigerians.

7. The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari’s government to further strengthen the peace and security of the nation. Most. Rev. Augustine Akubeze, CBCN President, said this during the opening ceremony of the second plenary of CBCN in Abeokuta on Sunday at the Sacred Heart College Hall. Akubeze said that it remained the duty of the government to protect the constitutional rights of its citizens and also ensure peace and effective security. He said that adequate security of lives and properties would bring about peace and would eventually lead to sustainable development.

8. Repentant bandits in Katsina have released additional 30 kidnapped victims following the dialogue initiated by the state government with their leaders. The victims were presented to Gov. Aminu Masari at the Government House on Sunday in Katsina. The victims were kidnapped by the bandits from Kankara and Shimfida, both in Jibia Local Government area of the state. They were thereafter taken to their hideout in Damsadau forest, Zamfara State, where they spent some weeks. Masari said that government would continue to persuade the bandits to release more kidnapped people until all of them were freed.

9. Governor Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, on Monday called on the state police Commissioner, Amba Asuquo, to expose those behind the killing of two students of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti (FUOYE) during a protest. Fayemi, who made the call in a broadcast on Monday, said a Judicial Panel of Inquiry would be constituted to probe the incident, as demanded by the student union bodies. He said the state government would compensate families of the dead, as well as foot the bills of those injured. The governor also lauded the exoneration of his wife, Bisi, from the cause of the deaths. He said it was wrong for anyone to terminate the lives of students holding a lawful protest over poor electricity supply to their campus.

10. The Nigerian Immigration Service, on Monday said it will soon start to deport foreigners living in Nigeria without permit. Comptroller General of the Nigerian Immigration service Muhammad Baba-Dede said this while addressing border communities at Maigatari local government in Jigawa state. He stated that from 12th of January 2020, Nigeria will deport any foreigner living illegally. Baban-Dede said that the registration of foreigners was aimed at enhancing National security. He also advised citizens to obtain their National Identity Card and report any foreigner who failed to register after the expiration of the dateline.