TheCable

The Punch leads with a report on how state governments create “illegal” LG caretaker panels without conducting local government elections. The newspaper says Ogun, Katsina, Anambra and seven governors stick to illegal caretaker panels at the local government level. The development, the newspaper says, was faulted by senior advocates of Nigeria. 

The federal government said the war against the pandemic is not yet over, asking Nigerians to maintain COVID-19 protocol in order to consolidate on the gains made so far, Daily Independent reports. On the arrest of Iskilu Wakili by the Oodua Peoples Congress, Gani Adams, Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, said the Yoruba may not trust the police again.

The distribution of COVID vaccine to states has commenced, The Nation reports. Ogun is the first state in the country to receive doses of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The newspaper also reports that four persons were killed owing to renewed violence in Ibarapa LGA of Oyo state.

The Guardian reports the assurance of the federal government that the COVID-19 vaccine is safe as more prominent persons get vaccinated. The newspaper reports the comment of Aisha Buhari, the first lady, on International Women’s Day that leaders should do more for women.

The Nigerian Tribune on its cover page shows Dapo Abidoun, governor of Ogun state, receiving a batch of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine. The newspaper also reports that Iskilu Wakili said he knows nothing about kidnapping.

Business Day reports that Nigeria’s local manufacturing for renewable energy components is small, noting that the country is on the way to repeat the mistakes it made in the oil and gas sector. The newspaper also reports that the United Bank for Africa (UBA) has delivered a double-digit growth in gross earning as it hit a profit of N132 billion.