The strike embarked upon by Nigerian teachers mid-week and the decision of an appeal court to uphold the earlier ruling of an election tribunal, upturning the election of the governor of south-west Ondo state, filled the nation’s dailies.
Earlier in the week, the nation was agog with stories of the sack of Dr. Olusegun Agagu of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and his replacement with the candidate of the Labour Party, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko by the Appeal Court.
Agagu had appealed the ruling of the election tribunal, which earlier ruled in favour of Mimiko, who contested his second-term victory.
The story was headlined “New Dawn in Ondo… Mimiko…the governor…Court upholds tribunal ruling”, in the Nation newspaper; “Mimiko makes it, wins, weeps” in the Nigerian Tribune; “MIMIKO IS GOV… Angry mob chase ex-gov out of Akure, pelt
convoy with missiles”, Sun; “Akure Agog as Mimiko is pronounced Governor,” Thisday; “ONDO FINAL JUDGEMENT…Mimiko wins”, Vanguard and “Mimiko takes over in Ondo . ..vows not to fail”, the Guardian.
Another story-line which was given prominence was headlined Mimiko freezes LGs’ accounts, dissolves boards” in the Sun, which reported that “Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State on Wednesday formally assumed duty and ordered the freezing of the accounts of all the 18 local government councils in the state.
“The governor also warned all the directors of personnel management to desist from conniving with some dubious elements to steal the councils’ money or property.
He said security had been on red alert to arrest anybody who attempts to play funny with government property.
“Meanwhile, the government has also announced the dissolution of all boards and parastatals in the state,” the Sun reported.
Thisday used the headline “Ekiti: PDP Fights Back, Deploys Jonathan, Mark…21 months after, Mimiko sworn in, calls for hard work” and reported that “Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Chairman Vincent Ogbulafor Wednesday set up a 25-ma n committee headed by Vice-President Goodluck Jonathan to lead the party’s campaign for the governorship re-run in Ekiti State.
The teachers’ story was headlined “Teachers’ Strike Paralyses Public Schools In Lagos, Oyo, Osun”, in the Daily Independent, which reported that “Academic activities were on Wednesday paralysed in public schools in Lagos, Oyo, and Osun States as teachers began a strike to protest the states’ refusal to pay them the appro v ed 27.5 per cent salary increase.
“The Lagos chapter of the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) had called on its mem bers to begin an indefinite strike until the state government effects the payment.
“Some teachers stayed away from school, having received wind of the strike while those who reported for duty went back home immediately” the Independent wrote, a dding that “In some schools, pupils played on the premises until they got tired. ”
Thisday headlined the story “Teachers’ Strike Paralyses Schools in Lagos, Ogun, Oyo” and the Sun reported “Osun teachers defy court order, embark on strike…It’s contempt of court – AG…As Governor Silva (of Bayelsa) bows to teachers’ pressure.”
Meanwhile, another leading story in the dailies was the deregulation of the oil sector by the Federal Government and all the nation’s newspaper gave the story serious mention on their cover pages.