These are the stories you should be monitoring today:

Nigeria’s Presidency has replied former President, Goodluck Jonathan, saying he (Jonathan) lied when he stated that corruption is more intense now in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari that it was before 2015.

In a statement on Thursday, Presidential Spokesperson, Garba Shehu said Nigeria was rather more corrupt under Jonathan than it is now and there are facts to back this up.

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The Nigerian Police has reacted to the demand by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki that the death of Michael Adikwu, a major suspect arrested in connection with the deadly multiple robberies in Offa last April, be probed as the circumstances surrounding his (Adikwu’s) death left room for questions.

Speaking on the development, Police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood who dismissed political motives in the case, said they were determined to prosecute Saraki for the crime committed, adding that the five suspects arraigned in court in Ilorin, Kwara had already given them enough testimony to prosecute the Senate President’s involvement in the robberies.

“The death of Michael Adikwu ‘M’ 30Yrs (A Dismissed Police Man and an Ex- Convict) a sectional gang leader who confessed to have killed 22 persons including pregnant women and nine Police personnel during Offa Bank Robbery cannot vindicate the Senate President, Senator Bukola Saraki, the law must take its course,” the statement read in part.

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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has expressed support for the quest of organised labour to increase the minimum wage, saying that it would boost the economy.

Governor of the apex bank, Godwin Emefiele, made this known while briefing journalists on the outcome of  the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting, held on Thursday in Abuja.

“Given the negative output gap, the proposed increase in minimum wage would increase aggregate demand, it will stimulate output growth after the prolonged weak aggregate demand which was due to salary arrears and contractor debts,” Emefiele said.

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The Presidency on Thursday gave explanations as to why the 2019 budget was yet to be presented to the National Assembly, as it said it was still awaiting the passage of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework/Fiscal Strategy Paper by the National Assembly.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate) Solomon Ita-Enang, who stated this during an interview with journalists in Abuja on Thursday, explained that it is the MTEF that set out the budget parameters for the benchmark of oil, the exchange rate, the money projected to realise from solid minerals, internal revenue from oil and borrowings, adding that the executive would have to take into account the level of the implementation of the 2018 budget so that it would know how to project for the 2019 budget.

“We will work with the legislature when they eventually pass the MTEF/FSP. That is where we are on the budget but every necessary step has been taken by the executive for the presentation of the document. The budget of 2018 will expire in June next year,” he added.

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The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has berated President Muhammadu Buhari over what it described as a plan to lure the South-east geo-political zone into supporting his second term, saying that Nigerians were no longer interested in fake promises and false performance claims, now that elections are around the corner.

In a statement by its spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said that “the president in his desperation fails to understand that the people of the South-east, just like other Nigerians, are too sophisticated to fall for gimmicks, false promises and ethnic politics, and as such cannot be swayed from their resolve to rally with Atiku Abubakar to rescue the country from the shackles of misrule.”

“Instead of accepting his failure, which is manifest to all, President Buhari, who is reputed for not fulfilling campaign promises, is busy making a fresh list of fake promises to Nigerians. “They know that he has not fulfilled any of the promises he made during the 2015 campaign. As such, they cannot fall to the same old trick ahead of the 2019 general election,” he added.

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And stories from around the world:

Chinese Vice Commerce Minister, Want Shouwen said on Friday that trade talks between the United States and China should be equal and mutually beneficial, adding that he hoped the two countries can find ways to manage their differences through dialogue. (Reuters)

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U.S President, Donald Trump had said that the CIA did not conclude that Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman ordered the murder of journalist, Jamal Khashoggi. (BBC)

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Two police officers have been reported killed following an attack at a Chinese Consulate in Pakistan’s southern coastal city of Karachi, according to reports. (Aljazeera)

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U.S President, Donald Trump has doubled down on his claim that his daughter Ivanka’s use of private email in her government role was “very innocent.”

Speaking to reporters in Florida on Thursday, the president also employed his routine response to criticism, calling the controversy, “fake news.” (The Guardian, UK)

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Samsung Electronics on Friday apologized to workers who developed cancer after working at its semiconductor factories, bringing to an end a decade-long dispute at the world’s top chipmaker. (AFP)