Top Nigerian Newspaper Headlines For Today, Saturday, 11th April, 2026

Good morning Nigeria. Welcome to the Naija News roundup of top newspaper headlines in Nigeria for today, Saturday, 11th April, 2026.

President Bola Tinubu, on Friday, compared Nigeria to Kenya and other African countries, saying that despite the growing hardship in the country, the citizens are better off and the pains won’t last forever.

The President urged the citizens to be hopeful, noting that the reforms initiated by his administration would bear good fruit.

Speaking during his visit to Bayelsa State, where he inaugurated a number of projects, Tinubu acknowledged the rising prices of fuel in the country and the attendant hardship, but submitted that Nigeria is still better positioned than some other African nations.

According to him, the hardship is not peculiar to Nigeria, and the citizens should be thankful to God for their current situation.

He assured that his government cares and better days are ahead.

“I hear you from various angles of the economy. The fuel price is biting hard, but look around, let’s just thank God together that you are better off.

“Listen to them in Kenya, in other African countries, what they are going through. We will not look back. We will continue to find ways to ameliorate the suffering of the vulnerable. This is a government that cares,” he said.

The President said the government was working to ease citizens’ burden and pointed to the global war challenges affecting Nigeria and other economies.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the postponement of its planned nationwide voter revalidation exercise, stating that the exercise will now take place after the 2027 General Elections.

Naija News reports that the decision was reached during a meeting between the commission and all Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) held on Friday, April 10, 2026.

The announcement was contained in a press statement issued by the commission on Friday.

According to INEC, the postponement followed extensive deliberations by the commission and its senior officials.

INEC disclosed that the decision was made after careful discussions during the meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners from across the country.

The commission explained that the exercise, which is aimed at updating the National Register of Voters, would now be conducted at a later date after the next general election cycle.

The announcement was contained in a press statement issued by the commission on Friday.

In the statement signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission emphasised the importance of the voter revalidation exercise.

INEC described the exercise as a key aspect of its constitutional responsibility to maintain a credible and updated voter register.

A former Minister of Youths and Sports, Solomon Dalung, has questioned the effectiveness of American troops in Nigeria, asserting that their presence has worsened security challenges.

Naija News reports that Dalung, during an interview with RT, expressed scepticism about the role of the United States in Nigeria’s counter-terrorism efforts, particularly in the fight against insurgent groups such as Boko Haram.

According to Dalung, terrorists are more emboldened with the arrival of the American forces, stressing that no improvement has been noticed.

He said, “If the Americans are concerned and they want to intervene, and they are against the coming of the Americans, then it means they are responsible for what is happening to Nigerians.

“The coming of the Americans has even worsened the situation. The terrorists are more emboldened with the arrival of the Americans. They have been more assertive and they have also been more aggressive in terms of attacks.

“So one will tend to want to want to wonder whether the coming of the Americans have added salt to injury. Because we have not had any efforts by the American troops.”

While expressing doubt about the effectiveness of the drones, Dalung questioned why the American troops could not detect the Boko Haram attack that killed a Commander.

Former media aide to ex-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Laolu Akande, has berated erstwhile vice president, Atiku Abubakar, for accusing President Bola Tinubu of attempting to impose a one-party state on Nigeria.

Speaking on Channels Television’s programme, Inside Sources, on Friday, Akande stated that Atiku and Tinubu belong to the same school of thought, adding that both political leaders see power as a means for personal advantage.

Akande accused Atiku of destroying the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) when he went against the party’s rotational arrangement.

The Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel BwalaThe Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Policy Communication, Daniel Bwala

A presidential aide, Daniel Bwala, has stated that it is impossible for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to build a viable coalition.

Speaking via a post on 𝕏, he argued that the structure and internal dynamics of the ADC make it incapable of surviving political challenges.

In the post, Bwala said he had earlier predicted turmoil within the party, arguing that recent developments have validated his position.

“I said this six months ago and if you want to know why ADC is more confused than the mad man that used to advise Gregory, here are the facts,” he wrote.

He went on to criticise what he described as excessive ambition among party members, stating, “A party where everybody wants to be president (selfish) cannot build a virile opposition.”

The presidential aide also faulted the manner in which the party’s leadership structure emerged, saying, “A party built on hostile take-over cannot survive the storm.”

Bwala further accused the party of lacking consistency and ideological direction, adding, “A party where the members have double standards that they apply to people cannot see road” and “A party where the presidential aspirants have changed political parties like chameleon cannot have ideology.”

He also questioned the intentions of the party’s leadership, stating, “A party where their leaders see Nigerians as a means to an end cannot coordinate,” and warned that desperation among its leaders could undermine governance.

Bwala concluded by asserting that the party’s current challenges reflect deeper structural weaknesses.

The Governor of Kano State, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has declared that former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, cannot issue directives to him, insisting that he is now the leader of the party in Kano State.

Yusuf made the assertion while reacting to criticisms trailing his recent defection from the New Nigeria Peoples Party to the APC.

Addressing his supporters, the governor dismissed claims that his move amounted to a betrayal of the Kwankwasiyya Movement.

According to him, his decision to leave the NNPP was informed by internal crises within the party, which he said he had earlier warned about.

“I want to reaffirm that in breaking away from our former movement, we did not commit any wrongdoing. We raised concerns about the state of affairs in the party because we foresaw the crisis. We offered advice, but it was dismissed,” he said.

Yusuf maintained that his early exit from the NNPP helped avert a larger political crisis that could have negatively impacted the people of Kano State.

“By the grace of God, we acted early. If we had not taken that step, millions of people in Kano would have been affected. Today, there is calm, and the truth is clear for all to see,” he added.

Responding to accusations of disloyalty, Yusuf questioned the actions of others who had also left the party without consulting members of the Kwankwasiyya Movement.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed claims linking its Chairman, Joash Amupitan, to a social media account on 𝕏.

The denial comes after images surfaced online showing a post from March 2023 by an account bearing the handle @joashamupitan, which appeared to celebrate the victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in a community.

The account was later renamed, restricted, and described as a parody following the spread of the images.

In a statement released by the Chairman’s media office, the Commission said it had been alerted to a coordinated spread of false information online suggesting that Amupitan once reacted to a partisan post on the platform.

INEC said that the Chairman does not own or manage any personal account on 𝕏 and has never taken part in political commentary.

The Commission explained that the alleged post being circulated is fabricated and aimed at damaging the Chairman’s image at a time when INEC is working on electoral reforms and preparing for future elections.

It added that the claim is intended to create doubt about the neutrality of the electoral body.

INEC also raised concerns about fake accounts created in the Chairman’s name, noting that such accounts have been used in the past to deceive Nigerians.

Nigerian singer Abolore Akande, known as 9ice, has spoken on Nigeria’s slow development and the role he believes faith and daily life patterns play in it.

Naija News reports that he shared his thoughts on Wednesday night during the listening event for his album titled Beginning of Wisdom, which took place in Yaba, Lagos.

The singer said he has tried both Christianity and Islam in the past but feels the country has not seen real progress tied to the frequent calling on Jesus and Allah.

According to him, Nigeria needs to return to its cultural foundation if it wants better leadership and real progress.

He explained that many national problems have not been handled from the base and that this is part of why the country still struggles despite its natural resources.

He also noted that Nigeria has oil, bitumen, and other resources, yet still faces development challenges.

In his view, countries like the United Kingdom function differently because people focus more on work and daily productivity rather than spending much time in religious activities.

Nollywood actor Tobi Makinde has cleared the air over rumours of a rift between him and filmmaker Funke Akindele, saying there is no problem between them.

Naija News reports that he spoke during a recent interview with BBC, where he dismissed the claims making the rounds online.

According to him, nothing has happened between both of them, and he does not know where the story of a disagreement came from.

He explained that many of such rumours are often created on social media, where people build stories and try to attach real individuals to them.

Makinde said his bond with Akindele is deeper than what people see online.

He explained that their connection did not begin on social media and is not something that can be judged by online activity.

He also spoke about how changes in life and personal growth can make it seem like people have drifted apart, even when there is no issue between them.

He noted that as individuals move forward in life, some relationships may appear distant from the outside, but that does not mean they are broken.

The 2025-2026 Premier League campaign returns this weekend after the international break with the title race, European spots and relegation battle all in focus.

Arsenal remain nine points clear at the top of the Premier League table despite recent cup exits and host Bournemouth in Saturday’s early kick-off after a midweek European win.

Tottenham travel to Sunderland with Roberto De Zerbi looking to spark improvement, while Liverpool aim to halt a poor run when Fulham visit Anfield. Manchester City face a decisive trip to Chelsea on Sunday, before Manchester United host Leeds on Monday night.

Former England striker Alan Shearer has issued his predictions ahead of the round of fixtures via the United Kingdom publication, The Metro.

On the relegation battle, Shearer expects West Ham to beat Wolves after the FA Cup disappointment.

He predicted draws between Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa, and Crystal Palace against Newcastle. Sunderland are tipped to beat Tottenham.

On the title race, Shearer backed City to win at Chelsea. He said, “If Man City don’t win and Arsenal win this weekend, I think the Premier League title race will be dead and buried.”

That’s the top Nigerian newspaper headlines for today. Read more Nigerian news on Naija News. See you again tomorrow.