TheCable

The Nation reports that the crisis in the PDP has deepened over growing calls for the removal of Iyorchia Ayu, the party’s national chairman. The newspaper says Hameed Ali, the comptroller-general of the Nigeria Customs Service, disclosed that more than 38 million litres of petroleum are being smuggled out daily.

The Punch says the comptroller-general of customs said the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited cannot justify the volume of petroleum being consumed in the country daily to warrant the over N6.34 trillion subsidy payment annually. The newspaper says the ongoing strike of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has entered the 200th day.

Daily Sun reports that Atiku Abubakar, PDP presidential candidate, is in dilemma over the recent public spat between Ayu and Wike. The newspaper says Samuel Ortom, governor of Benue, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to fix the country’s security challenges instead of attacking him.

THISDAY reports that the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) said northerners will not vote on the basis of ethnic and religious sentiments. The newspaper says the Debt Management Office (DMO) has disclosed that Nigeria’s total debt profile now N41.6 trillion.

Daily Trust reports that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said the nation has entered a critical stage ahead of the 2023 general election. The newspaper says troops have killed dozens of Boko Haram fighters and destroyed their camp in Sambisa.