Arsenal captain, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has confirmed Barcelona is one of the clubs he turned down this summer. Aubameyang ended speculations about his future earlier this month, by signing a new three-year deal with the Gunners. In an interview with Canal+, the 31-year-old said he was persuaded to stay by manager Mikel Arteta and the fans. Aubameyang’s new deal is worth £250,000-a-week with further performance-related bonuses on top. “There were several offers, notably from Barça, but also other clubs,” he said. The 31-year-old, who joined Arsenal from Borussia Dortmund in 2018, has lifted the FA Cup and Community Shield under Arteta.…
Author: Peters Okwudili
Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo on Sunday said Nigerians need to collectively address the challenges militating against nation-building to avoid a breakup. Osinbajo spoke in Abuja at the Ecumenical Centre in Abuja during the nation’s 60th Independence inter-denominational church service with the theme: Together… Come, Let Us Rebuild… With the challenges facing the country, the Vice-President stressed the essence of showing love to fellow Nigerians, adding: “Fortunately for us in Nigeria, our walls are not yet broken but have cracks that could lead to break, if not properly addressed.” He urged the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to provide good leadership to…
The House of Representatives on Sunday waded into the crisis between the Federal Government and the organised labour over the recent hikes in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (petrol) and electricity tariff. The workers, however, insisted on starting industrial action on Monday until their demands are met. The Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress had jointly declared their readiness to embark on a nationwide strike and protests to compel the Federal Government to reverse the hikes. The hikes had generated nationwide criticism. The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, on Sunday met with President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba;…
President Muhammadu Buhari has described the ambush on the entourage of Umar Babagana Zulum, the Governor of Borno State as an orchestrated sabotage against the long-planned return of displaced persons to their local communities. It was earlier reported that the attack led to the death of security men and some operatives of Civilian-JTF. This was the second attack on the Governor’s convoy by the Islamic terrorist group. In a statement signed by Garba Shehu, the President’s Spokesman and made available to newsmen on Saturday, Buhari said the attack “was an orchestrated sabotage against the long-planned return of displaced persons to…
The death toll from Boko Haram attack on the convoy of Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, has risen to 30, security sources said Saturday. Two sources told AFP the number of fatalities from the attack Friday had doubled as more bodies were found and now included 12 policemen, five soldiers, four members of a government-backed militia, and nine civilians. “The tally has increased to 30 as many bodies were picked in the surrounding areas after the attack,” one of the sources said, adding that “many people were injured”. An ambush on the convoy of Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum, on Friday left…
Some notable Nigerians have urged their compatriots in the Diaspora to key into efforts by the Federal Government to harness their resources directly for national development. They include Dr Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank (AfDB); Mr Innocent Chukwuma, CEO of Innoson Group, and Nigeria’s High Commissioner to Canada, Amb. Adeyinka Asekun. The advice came at the just concluded 20th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Nigerians in Diaspora Organisation, Americas (NIDOA) with the theme, “Harnessing Diaspora Capital for Sustainable Development in Nigeria. According to them, Nigeria’s emigrant communities are critical national assets mostly needed now to drive…
Oil edged lower on Friday, falling more than two per cent on the week as COVID-19 cases surged globally and oil supply is set to rise in coming weeks. Brent crude futures settled at $41.92 a barrel, down two cents while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures lost six cents to $40.25 a barrel. Brent dropped 2.9 per cent for the week and WTI sunk 2.1 per cent “There is this second wave of fear overhanging the oil market at this point and that’s holding us back,’’ said Phil Flynn, senior analyst at Price Futures Group in Chicago. In…
The Kaduna State Government on Friday confirmed that it had received the report of Zazzau Emirate kingmakers, for the appointment of a new Emir of Zazzau. This is contained in a statement issued in Kaduna by Mr Muyiwa Adekeye, Special Adviser to Gov. Nasiru El-Rufai on Media and Communication. The statement said that the Zazzau Emirate kingmakers had submitted their report to the Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, as required by law. It explained that the submission of the kingmakers report is “a step that will trigger the next sequence of events in the chain of reporting and security vetting”…
The National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress has nullified all suspensions, noting that it was yet to receive any communication to this effect. This was contained in a statement titled, “Disclaimer: Governor Kayode Fayemi, Other Purported ‘Suspensions’ a Nullity – APC”, signed by the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the party, Yekini Nabena, on Friday. Nabena said, “The attention of the National Secretariat of the All Progressives Congress has been drawn to a purported and widely-reported ‘suspension’ of the Governor of Ekiti State, H.E. Kayode Fayemi, as well as an earlier reported ‘indefinite suspension’ of some other party members…
About 30 persons, including school children, died yesterday in a petrol tanker explosion that also razed several cars and other properties around Felele area of Lokoja, the Kogi State capital. Among the casualties were five students of Kogi State Polytechnic, three primary school children who were being taken to school by their father and a woman with her two kids. Although eyewitness accounts put the casualty figure at 30, the Federal Road Road Safety Commission, FRSC, said 23 persons died in the explosion. Several persons who also sustained injuries in the explosion are receiving treatment in different hospitals in the…
The Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, Kogi State Command, has confirmed the death of twenty-three (23) persons in a tanker explosion that occurred in the early hours of Wednesday along Felele – Nataco axis of Abuja – Lokoja road. The accident involved a tanker loaded with petroleum product, a school bus, cars, tricycles and motorcycles. Confirming the incident on Wednesday afternoon, the Kogi State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps, Mr Idris Ali gave the figures of the victims to include ten adult males, six female adults, three female children and four other children burnt beyond recognition. Mr Ali,…
Malaysia’s opposition leader, Anwar Ibrahim, said on Wednesday he has secured a “strong majority” from lawmakers in order to form a new government. Ibrahim also said he was seeking an audience with the king to formalise his appointment as prime minister. Ibrahim, who will need the king’s assent to replace current premier Muhyiddin Yassin, told a news conference his support from lawmakers “means that the administration of Muhyiddin has fallen’’. The opposition leader’s claim comes less than seven months after Muhyiddin clinched the premiership, following political turmoil that saw the collapse of the previous administration under Mahathir Mohamad.
Domestic airline operators risk losing their licences over non-compliance with the COVID-19 protocols of the Federal Government, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) warned on Monday. The NCAA Director-General, Mr Musa Nuhu, issued the warning in a letter to all operators (DG39/20) with reference NCAA/DG/AIR/11/16/267, dated Sept. 21, on Monday in Lagos. The letter bore the title: “Non-Compliance with COVID-19 Protocols’’. Nuhu said the warning was necessary because some domestic airlines have been flouting the protocols. The director-general added that continuous breach of the rules would attract severe penalties, including cancellation of approval to resume domestic operations. “It has been…
Unveiling the theme and logo for the commemorative activities to celebrate 60 years of independence, President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday described Nigeria, Africa’s largest economy, as the most prosperous black nation in the world. Buhari said this at the unveiling of the theme and logo for Nigeria at 60 anniversary, themed, “Together.” The logo and theme were projected and unveiled virtually on the 12 by 20 feet screen at the Council Chambers, before the commencement of the e-Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Buhari. The President performed the exercise in the presence of some cabinet ministers and…
As we edge closer to the 2020 Edo State Governorship Election, the two major contenders in the poll met physically on Sunday evening to share their vision with the people of the state. The All Progressives Congress candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu; and the state governor, Godwin Obaseki, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, had earlier attended a virtual debate organised by the BBC Pidgin but the two juggernauts stood face-to-face before a live audience on Sunday evening during the Channels Television Edo Governorship Debate. The debate organised by the television station and its partners comes…
Prof Ayo Akinwale, a prominent Nollywood actor and lecturer in the Department of Performing Arts, University of Ilorin, has died at 74. Mr Kunle Akogun, Director of Corporate Affairs of the University of Ilorin who confirmed the death to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), said he died on the Sept. 13. Akinwale began his acting career in the 1970s featuring in television and drama productions. He won the Best Indigenous actor award at the 4th Africa Movie Academy Awards. Born in Ibadan, he attended Methodist High School and the University of Ibadan before beginning academic work as a lecturer…
Naomi Osaka ended Victoria Azarenka’s dream run to claim her second U.S. Open title in three years with a 1-6 6-3 6-3 comeback win on Saturday. The win cemented her status as the sport’s leading light both on and off the court. Unlike the 22-year-old Japanese’s first U.S. Open win in 2018 over Serena Williams, which was played in a frothing Arthur Ashe Stadium, Saturday’s drama unfolded in a strangely quiet arena. COVID-19 health and safety protocols had prevented fans from entering the Billie Jean King National Tennis Centre. But the lack of buzz around the stands did not stop…
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has explained its reason for not organising protests against the increase in pump price of petrol and the new electricity tariff. The Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) had announced an increase in the price of premium motor spirit, better known as petrol. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) also increased electricity tariff from N30.23 to N62.33 per kwh. Speaking with NAN in Lagos on Saturday, Ayuba Wabba, NLC president, said the organised labour will soon come out with a position on the price adjustment. He said the union will not protest until the central…
Kidnap kingpin, Honest Digbara better known as Boboski has been arrested at Koro Community in Tai local government area of Rivers State. Boboski was reportedly arrested on Saturday, September 12, 2020, by the operatives of the Rivers State Police Command, in a joint operation with a local vigilante outfit in the state. He was said to be attending a funeral when policemen and vigilantes acting on a tip stormed the area but on sighting them, he opened fire leading to a gun battle which, on the spot, claimed the life of his younger brother said to be his driver. Bobisky,…
Manchester United boss, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, has confirmed that defender, Harry Maguire, will continue as club’s captain this 2020/21 season. Maguire, 27, was recently involved in an incident while on holiday on the Greek island of Mykonos which led to him being arrested and convicted of attempted bribery and aggravated assault of an official, resulting in a 2-year and 9-months suspended sentence. The England international has appealed the decision, but it was unclear as to whether Man United as a club or Solskjaer as head coach would punish the centre-back in any way for his alleged actions. However, speaking ahead…
Newly-promoted English Premier League (EPL) clubside Fulham have signed wing-back Ola Aina on a season-long loan from Italian Serie A side Torino. Fulham also have an option to make the 23-year-old’s arrival permanent and the Nigeria international said he was happy to return to London where he was born and raised. “It feels amazing to be back closer to my family, back in the capital,” Aina told the club’s media channel. “There’s a great bunch of lads here. I’m really good friends with Big Hec (Michael Hector) and Josh Onomah.” Aina, who came through neighbouring Chelsea’s youth system, spent the…
Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, has revealed that the Federal Government’s N2.3 trillion stimulus package was designed to mitigate the shock, tackle the vulnerabilities, create and protect jobs, as well as rescue businesses and reposition the economy. The Vice President stated this in his keynote at the 61st annual conference of the Nigerian Economic Society (NES) themed “African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Post COVID-19 Era: What Next for Nigeria?” “Our projections showed that without the stimulus, the economy was set to contract by -4.4% in 2020, but with implementation, including ramping up local production, we should be able…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Ondo State Chapter, has frowned at the fire outbreak that engulfed a container at the Akure office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday night. The party noted that it received the news of the fire in a container with no fewer than 5,000 card reader machines with great disappointment. The party’s reaction is contained in a statement made available to newsmen by its State Publicity Secretary, Mr Kennedy Peretei, on Friday in Akure. Peretei, in the statement, said that INEC had questions to answer to the people of the state especially when…
Two-times Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka reached the U.S. Open final for the second time in her career with a thrilling 7-6(1) 3-6 6-3 victory over American hope Jennifer Brady on Thursday. Brady arrived at her first Grand Slam semi-final without having dropped a set in New York and did not show any nerves. But Osaka’s firepower allowed her to get by the 28th seed. Fourth seed Osaka, who won the first of two consecutive Grand Slam titles two years ago in New York, fired 35 winners. She had 17 unforced errors as steady rain pounded on the roof of…
Arsenal manager, Mikel Arteta, is very likely to be without David Luiz for the Premier League opener against Fulham on Saturday. The Athletic reports that the Brazilian defender has suffered a neck injury, that could rule him out for an extended period. Luiz’s return to the squad is now down to how he responds to treatment and Arteta could be forced to make a late decision ahead of the trip to Craven Cottage. Irrespective of Luiz’s injury, Arteta has made it clear he wants Rob Holding as a centre-back option this season. Holding, 24, is now expected to stay at…
Barcelona is set to sign Lyon captain, Memphis Depay, as a striker, Luis Suarez’s replacement at Camp Nou. According to Mundo Deportivo, Depay, 26, tops Barcelona’s list of players that will replace Suarez when the former Liverpool hitman eventually leaves the Camp Nou. Barcelona is now expected to pay Lyon around €20 million for Depay, given he is in the final year of his contract with the French Ligue 1 club. Suarez’s future at Barcelona is unclear, following the club’s 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the 2019/20 Champions League last month. Barcelona had put Suarez up for sale with…
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed 162 new cases of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country, bringing the confirmed cases to 54,905. The NCDC made this known on its official twitter handle on Saturday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nigeria continued its week of recording less than 200 new cases of COVID-19 per day with Saturday’s 162 new confirmed cases. The agency said that three deaths were recorded in the country. The NCDC noted that till date, 54,905 cases have been confirmed, 42,922, discharged and 1,054 deaths recorded in 36 states and FCT.…
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajia Sadiya Farouq, has given an update on the payment of stipends to beneficiaries of N-Power. Farouq on Thursday at the interactive forum with state focal persons for the Social Investment Programmes held in Abuja, appealed to beneficiaries of Batch B to be patient, adding that their payment is still being processed and would be implemented soon. She added that the government is also working out plans to integrate beneficiaries of the batches A and B exited in June and July respectively. She said:” I wish to reiterate that I have…
The Federal Government on Sunday reopened Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, runway to flight operations. The Minister of Aviation Sen. Hadi Sirika, during the official opening ceremony in Enugu, said that domestic flight would start immediately while the international flight would begin on Sept. 5. Sirika said that the project had cost Federal Government N10 billion. “It is a great pleasure for me to be in Enugu for this August occasion in the mount of August for the reopening of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu for flight operations. “The local flight can come to start from today and the international…
At least 14 people were killed after Hurricane Laura slammed into the southern US states of Louisiana and Texas, authorities and local media said Friday. Louisiana’s Governor John Bel Edwards confirmed at least 10 people had died in his state, half from using carbon monoxide-producing portable generators indoors in the aftermath of the storm making landfall Thursday. Four of the remaining deaths were caused by trees falling on people’s homes, according to Edwards, while a man drowned after his boat sank in the storm. There were 464,813 customers without power in Louisiana on Friday, according to the site Poweroutage.us. Texas…
