Hello and welcome! In today’s trending news stories;
1. Nigeria’s first female Major-General, Aderonke Kale (Rtd), has passed away at the age of 84 in London on Wednesday, following an undisclosed ailment. A pioneer in the Nigerian Army, she became the first female major-general, rising to command the Nigerian Army Medical Corps. Trained as a medical doctor, specializing in psychiatry, Kale joined the army in 1972, achieving remarkable milestones and becoming the first female general in West Africa. Her significant roles included chief psychiatrist to the army and director of the Nigerian Medical Corps. She retired in 1997.
2. In Bayelsa, a boat carrying election personnel and materials to southern Ijaw LGA capsized, resulting in the loss of result sheets, power banks, and personal belongings. Fortunately, no lives were lost, but efforts are underway to ensure the conduct of elections in the affected area. An INEC official assigned to registration area 06 in Sagbama LGA was also reported abducted while waiting to board at Amassoma jetty. Security agencies have been notified.
3. In Kogi State, Murtala Ajaka, the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate in the Kogi State governorship election. Ajaka claims that fake election result sheets were deployed to Okene, Okehi, and Adavi local government areas, while the original result sheets have gone missing. He suggests that the electoral officers in these areas may be involved in arranging false results. Meanwhile, the Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, casted his vote at his polling unit 11 in Okene Agassa at 09.15 am. He was accompanied by his three wives Aminat Bello, Rashidat Bello and Hafisat Bello.
4. Despite concerns about voter apathy in 15 out of the 27 local councils in Imo State, today’s governorship election features 18 male candidates with 16 male running mates and two female running mates. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reports that out of the 2,419,922 registered voters, 101,003 individuals did not collect their PVCs, resulting in 2,318,919 eligible voters across all 27 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
5. In a released statement signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris it was confirmed that Saudi Arabia has pledged support for Nigeria’s reforms, including backing the Central Bank’s efforts in foreign exchange regime reforms. The Saudi Crown Prince commended Nigeria’s economic reforms and expressed commitment to supporting them. The Saudi government plans to provide a substantial foreign exchange deposit to boost Nigeria’s forex liquidity. Additionally, Saudi Arabia expressed interest in investing in Nigeria’s agriculture and renewable energy sectors. The state-owned oil company, Saudi Aramco, is set to lead the revamp of Nigeria’s existing refineries within a two- to three-year timeframe. The leaders agreed to develop a roadmap to implement the discussed initiatives.
6. Despite a challenging night in the friendly against NYC FC, where Messi missed opportunities, Inter Miami’s focusing a short pregame celebration at the DRV PNK Stadium, was on celebrating Messi’s impact in his four months with the club. Inter Miami’s owner praised Messi as the greatest player and highlighted the positive influence Messi had on the club’s popularity and merchandise sales. Messi expressed optimism for the future, mentioning upcoming tournaments and expressing gratitude to fans. Despite Inter Miami’s season ending without success, the MLS commissioner thanked Messi for his contribution to the league. Messi is expected to join Argentina for World Cup qualifying matches and will rejoin Inter Miami for the next season’s preparations in January.
7. Nigerian singers Davido, Burna Boy, Asake, Olamide, and Ayra Starr received Grammy nominations in the Best African Music Performance category. Burna Boy and Davido also secured nominations in additional categories. Other Nigerian artists, including Tems, Fireboy DML, CKay, and Seun Kuti, were recognized for their contributions in various Grammy categories. The Presidency, through Bayo Onanuga, congratulated the artists on their achievements. The Awards ceremony is scheduled for February 4, 2024, at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
