Olusegun Obasanjo has expressed his frustration with state governments who are against the passage of the Local Government Autonomy Bill. While addressing a group named “Friends of Democracy” in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Monday, November 12, 2018, he said governments that are against making local councils autonomous should be treated as enemies of the people. He expressed his frustration with the fact that only nine states had passed the bill sent by the National Assembly to make council areas more independent. He said, “Local government is meant to be autonomous. But from what we know, most states have incapacitated the…
Author: David Folami
The N-Power programme of the Buhari-led administration will be expanded to accommodate one million beneficiaries in the next phase, Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo says. Osinbajo said this in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Office of the Vice-President, Mr Laolu Akande in Abuja on Tuesday. Akande quoted Osinbajo as having made the disclosure when he responded to questions at a town hall meeting in Abuja. The vice-president said that N-Power was borne out of the growing need for government direct intervention in job creation. “The idea of N-Power is supposed to be government own programme…
Peter Obi has dismissed the claim that the party’s candidate, Atiku Abubakar, promised to reduce the cost of premium motor spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, to N87 or N90 per litre if elected. The party’s spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, had issued a statement on November 1, 2018, to announce that Atiku has worked out a pricing template that will immediately crash the pump price of fuel in the country if he becomes president in 2019. The statement read, “Our Party is talking with top international players in the oil and gas industry, and this engagement has shown that the appropriate…
The Kaduna State government has lifted the curfew placed on Kaduna metropolis with immediate effect. The new directive comes days after night-time curfew was relaxed in the city. According to a statement released by Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan, residents of the affected environs are now free to go about their businesses. However, the curfew hours remain the same in Kujama, kasuwan Magani and Kachia towns of the state. The statement read, “The Kaduna State government has lifted the curfew in Kaduna metropolis and environs, with immediate effect. The night-time curfew which had subsisted in the city since October…
Babatunde Fashola[/caption] Fashola said: “With regard to our mandate on power supply, I promised The Federal Government on Monday said it was meeting its mandate of power supply through generation and supply of additional electricity to Nigerians since 2015. Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola said this at a news conference in Abuja on Monday. Fashola, who presented his third year progress report said federal government at inception of current administration promised to improve electricity supply via incremental, stable and ultimately uninterrupted power supply. “First by getting incremental power, then proceed to stable power and hopefully reach…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of planning to block bank accounts belonging to its members. According to the party’s spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan said the ruling party has obtained court orders to perfect its plans. Ologbondiyan said that the APC wants to block the finances of its stakeholders ahead of the 2019 election. According to reports, he also said “It is clear that the only reason for this is to ensure that our party and candidates are deprived of access to funds for campaigns, but the APC and the Buhari Presidency fail to realize…
Malam Nasir El-Rufai has given reasons over the choice of Dr. Hadiza Balarabe as his running mate in 2019 gubernatorial election, saying Balarabe was chosen based on her competence and antecedents. The Governor made the clarification on Tuesday, while playing host to people of Sanga Local Government, where Balarabe hails from, who paid him a ‘thank you’ visit over the choice of their daughter. While narrating the journey that led to the choice of Dr. Balarabe, Governor El-Rufai said, “About a year ago, the Deputy Governor, Architect Barnabas Yusuf Bala told me he was going to contest for Senate, I…
Yemi Osinbajo has accused former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration of throwing Nigeria into hardship and recession. According to Daily Post, the Vice-President said this while speaking at a lecture in Lagos state on Monday, November 12, 2018. Osinbajo also alleged that the corruption that took place during the previous administration is the reason the country is going through crisis today. He said “What do these figures show? They show that when oil prices were at the highest between 2010 and 2014 the government was borrowing heavily. “From 2010 to 2014, debts moved from $35bn to $63bn. When we assumed office…
President Buhari has vowed to deal with the Governor of Kano state, Abdullahi Ganduje if he is found guilty of the bribery allegations levelled against him. The Daily Nigerian released several videos of the Kano state Governor allegedly receiving kickbacks from contractors. According to The Cable, Buhari spoke about the bribery allegation against the Governor while interacting with members of the Nigerian community in France. The President was in France for the Peace Forum which held from November 11 – November 13, 2018. “Haven’t you watched the videos of the governor stuffing dollars under his gown? “We gave the videos…
Consistent with his aspiration of supporting Nigerian youths in their quest to compete favourably in the global space, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the APC gubernatorial candidate in the 2019, has commenced situating Free Wi-Fi at 100 designated locations across Lagos State. The ‘Free Sanwo-Olu Wi-Fi’ launch, which kicked-off with Surulere Leisure Mall as its inaugural location, became a spectacle as jubilant youths skyjacked the commissioning ceremony. With the overwhelming display of support coming from youths twice within one week, Sanwo-Olu seemed to have struck the right cord with the Nigeria youths and won their support. In his assurance message to the jubilant…
Antoine Griezmann has said he is determined to “turn the page” on the three-year anniversary of the Paris attacks, which the France international’s sister survived. A series of attacks of Nov. 13, 2015 claimed the lives of 130 people across the French capital, with at least three deaths outside the Stade de France as France played Germany in an international friendly. The majority of the victims that night were at the Bataclan theatre, where spectators had gone to watch a rock concert. Among them was Griezmann’s sister Maud. “My sister was there so I have a close relative who went…
Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson has said he feels the pressure of heightened expectations as a result of his costly price tag. Alisson joined Liverpool from Roma in a deal worth £65 million, which at the time made him the world’s most expensive goalkeeper. Chelsea would sign Kepa Arrizabalaga for £71.5m a few weeks later, although Alisson still considers his fee to be a burden. “I came here for a high price and some people expect to me to be perfect — it is not easy, but I’m trying,” the 26-year-old told a news conference while on international duty with Brazil. “It…
In a somewhat unlikely turn of events, World Cup winners Olivier Giroud and Presnel Kimpembe have made their acting debuts. The two France internationals have provided voices for fairly major characters in a new Spider-Man animation that is set to air next month. The duo have laid down their vocal talents alongside French actor Stephane Bak and singer Camelia Jordana. Giroud plays the Green Goblin (“Bouffon Vert”) in the French-dubbed version of “Spider-Man: New Generation,” while Kimpembe fills the part of Scorpion, another villainous foe of our web-slinging hero. But Chelsea striker Giroud and Paris Saint-Germain defender are far from…
Andres Iniesta has said it would not upset him to see his former Barcelona teammate Neymar play for Real Madrid one day. Neymar, who joined Paris Saint-Germain in 2017 a world-record €222 million transfer after four successful seasons alongside Iniesta at Barca, has been repeatedly linked with Real Madrid. When Iniesta was asked about that possibility, he told Cadena Ser: “It wouldn’t hurt me because they are decisions that if they happen, happen. Madrid would reinforce themselves with a unique player.” Iniesta, who left Barca for Japanese club Vissel Kobe after last season, doesn’t think such a move would hurt…
Victor Lindelof has been named Sweden’s top footballer in 2018, with 10-time winner Zlatan Ibrahimovic missing out on the award for the second year running. Lindelof was awarded the Golden Ball trophy during a ceremony in Stockholm on Monday evening after helping Sweden reach the World Cup quarterfinals and establishing himself as a regular at United. It’s the second year in a row that the player-of-the-year award goes to a centre-back, with Andreas Granqvist winning in 2017, ending a run of Ibrahimovic winning 10 times in succession. “It means a lot to me, I’m incredibly proud,” Lindelof told newspaper Aftonbladet,…
Wayne Rooney has defended his decision to make a farewell appearance for England and hopes it becomes a tradition for players to be honoured. The D.C. United forward will win his 120th England cap on Thursday after Gareth Southgate sanctioned an appearance in the friendly with the United States at Wembley, two years after announcing his international retirement. “Everyone is entitled their opinions but the most important thing is speaking with FA we both felt it was right,” Rooney told a news conference. “The players I’ve spoke to agree and as a country, we haven’t done anything like this before.…
Danny Welbeck has promised to come back “stronger than ever before” as he returned home from the hospital after having two operations on his broken ankle. Welbeck posted a photo on social media showing himself on crutches and with his right foot in a cast on Tuesday. But he was also giving a thumbs up and smiling, while striking an upbeat tone when thanking fans “for all the love and support” he has received. “No doubt I will be back stronger than ever before. Recovery grind starts now,” Welbeck wrote. The England international broke his ankle during Thursday’s Europa League…
Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s first-ever strike for the LA Galaxy won him Major League Soccer’s Goal of the Year on Tuesday. Ibrahimovic, 37, scored twice in his debut for the Galaxy helping the club rally to beat local rivals LAFC 4-3 on March 31, the first coming from a swerving 40-yard volley that beat Tyler Miller to level the score. The former Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain star then headed home the winner to cap a spectacular substitute appearance in front of the home crowd at StubHub Center. Ibrahimovic joins Carlos Ruiz, 2002, and Landon Donovan, 2009, as the third Galaxy player…
If — even for a short while — you can suspend your allegiances, silence your biases and stow what you know and reject what you suspect, you can watch Manchester City and admire them as the highest expression of football, the perfect synthesis of style and functionality. It’s a tall order. Most of those reading this will have allegiances, and they will be to teams other than City. You may dislike City because you disagree with how their owners choose to run the country they rule (or possibly the fact that they rule the country at all) or you may…
Real Madrid announced on Tuesday that interim manager Santiago Solari has signed a contract to make him the permanent coach of the club until 2021. Solari, 42, had been coaching the club’s Castilla youth side and stepped up when Julen Lopetegui was sacked after the 5-1 Clasico defeat at Barcelona in October. On Monday a source at the Spanish federation [RFEF] told ESPN FC that all the relevant paperwork had been filed to change Solari’s status to permanent — with league rules mandating that an interim coach can only take the team for a maximum two week period. Madrid were…