Ibrahim Magu, the Chairman of Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), yesterday paid a working visit to the office of Dr Joe Okei-Odumakin, the President of Women Arise for Change Initiative (WA). The EFCC boss said that his visit was to commend Okei-Odumakin’s support on the fight against corruption. “This is a long awaited visit; we have come here to say that the commission appreciates your effort and unflinching support on the fight against corruption in Nigeria. “We pray that you don’t relent in the good work that you are doing. “We are happy to associate with you and we pray…
Author: David Folami
Renewed hope that current strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) will be suspended was rudely dashed on Friday as the Federal Government went against agreement reached with the doctors on Wednesday. The real problem is the government failed to pay the accrued salary arrears to the doctors as it promised on Wednesday to effect payment within two days. Dr Arikawe Adeolu, a member of the National Executive Council of NARD, confirmed this in Abuja on Friday that the government had made a ridicule of the agreement. Following the inability of the government to effect the agreement on…
Nasiru El-Rufai of Kaduna state has said that governors and ministers under the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) have made up their minds to ask President Muhammadu Buhari to contest the 2019 presidential election. El-Rufai made this known to State House correspondents after a closed door meeting with President Buhari in the Presidential Villa. He said the governors and the ministers made the call as members of the Buharist Group. The “Buharist Group” is an association of APC governors and ministers, whose primary purpose is to enhance and defend the perceived socio-political interests of President Buhari. El Rufai also dismissed…
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said to Nigerians that they should expect the standard of living of Nigerians to improve as the country exited recession. The Minister made this statement on Friday in Abuja when he received Broadcast Media Editors in his office. He urged well-meaning Nigerians not to listen to those that don’t want the progress of the nation, who were downplaying the significance of getting out of recession and calling it as mere statistics. He said that people should not be concerned why exiting of recession had not led to an immediate reduction in food prices. The minister explained…
The Lagos State Government has said it is ready to commence the deployment of day and night guards to promote security in public schools across the state. The Deputy Gov., Dr Idiat Adebule, who also doubles as the Commissioner for Education, disclosed this at a recent meeting. ”Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode has approved the deployment of officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) as day and night guards in our schools. ”And since the Federal Government has approved arms-bearing for officers of NSCDC, they will be complementing the police and other security agencies in tackling insecurity in our…
The Ebonyi Government has confirmed the payment of 30 per cent of pension arrears to state pensioners who are asking for 100 per cent payment. The reports said that the pensioners were saying that they had been paid only 20 per cent of the arrears. This was one of the pressing issues in the recent protest in Abakaliki. Dr Dennis Ekumankama, the State Commissioner for Finance and Economic Development, however said the issue was never a speculation. According to him, the decision to increase the payment up to 30 per cent was reached at the last executive council meeting of…
Oby Ezekwesili, a former minister of Education, has described presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu as a sycophant. She said “@GarShehu Why not move over to Nollywood and write scripts for their movies? Can’t you folks learn that GOVERNANCE is a SERIOUS MATTER? “Our public officials fail to #Benchmark what they spend their time on against their contemporaries in say, emerging economies. It’s tragic. “When information comes out from the stable of the President of a country, Citizens should want to take it SERIOUS. STOP YOUR COMEDIES pls. “The sort of Genuflecting sycophancy that you, .@GarShehu have written on the Pres @MBuhari…
The Federal Government has praised farmers all over the country for their contribution toward getting the country out of recession. Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, while briefing newsmen in Abuja on Friday, made this statement. Ogbeh however begged farmers, middlemen and traders to avoid indiscriminate increase in the price of food items. “I also want to thank Nigerians, especially the farmers (big and small), who have yielded the call of Mr President to return to the farms. They have done amazing things. “And if there are any new zeros in this country, they are the…
Marek Hamsik has suggested that he may consider switching to a club like Manchester United in the future, although he says he is not presently giving any real thought to a move away from Napoli. Hamsik, 28, joined the Italian side a decade ago and is now just two goals away from equalling the club record of 115 scored by Diego Maradona. He enjoys a similar status among Napoli fans, and he has not previously given any sign that he would consider playing for anybody else. However, when asked by if he would contemplate a switch to United, he said:…
Florentino Perez has come out to say he would have signed Lionel Messi if the Barcelona forward had been an established performer during his first spell as Real Madrid president. Perez was first elected as president in 2000, partially on the promise of bringing in Luis Figo from rivals Barca, which began the “Galactico” era at Madrid. Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and David Beckham were among the players that followed Figo to the Santiago Bernabeu and Perez says Messi would also have also joined at the time. “In my first spell as president I probably would have [tried to sign Messi],”…
Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane says Gareth Bale must be ready to accept whistles once in a while from the Bernabeu crowd, but claims the winger’s form has not been affected by criticism of his start to the 2016-17 campaign. Bale was booed as he was taken off early following a poor display in the 2-2 La Liga draw with Valencia before the international break. “No player is happy when he is whistled,” he said. “But I see [Bale] in good spirits. Not as bad as people say. Gareth is a very important player in the squad, and will do…
Jose Mourinho insists he is still in support of ending the transfer window ahead of next season despite Manchester United’s decision to vote against it. United were one of five clubs that refused the summer transfer window closing before the start of the 2018-19 season. Mourinho said: “My thoughts are by the coach’s point of view, Jose Mourinho as the head coach of Man United, and obviously I am in favour of that because if I focus just on the training process. “Of course, I want to arrive, day one, I want to have my squad, my players, I want…
Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, not Mkhitaryan has been named the Premier League’s Player of the Month for August, while Huddersfield Town’s David Wagner clinched the manager’s award. Sadio Mane had never won the award before but has finally been recognised after scoring three goals in three games for Liverpool — making him the Premier League’s joint-top scorer this season alongside Romelu Lukaku. “I want to say thanks to all of my teammates because without them I am nothing,” Mane said. “I am happy with my start to the season. Everyone loves to score goals for their team, and it gives…
Antonio Conte described the claim that Chelsea prevented him from speaking to Ross Barkley on transfer deadline day as “ridiculous” and insisted that the Premier League champions “did their best” in a difficult summer window. Barkley had a dramatic change of heart over joining the EPL champions in the final hours of deadline day after Chelsea had agreed a fee of around £35 million with Everton, summarizing a troubled final week of the window that also saw Chelsea get rejected by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. A report earlier this week claimed that Oxlade-Chamberlain decided to join Liverpool after speaking to Conte, and…
Ivan Perisic has extended his contract with Inter Milan until 2022, further confirming his commitment to the Serie A club despite links with a move to Manchester United during the transfer window. Croatia winger Perisic, who switched to Inter from Wolfsburg in 2015, already had a contract through to 2020. “It’s a special day for me, an emotional and happy one after the stress of the summer. Now we are all looking forward and I’m only thinking about Inter. “For a long time I kept my counsel, and now I can say that [head coach Luciano] Spalletti told me that…
Pep Guardiola has said he has no regrets about not signing a new centre back despite Vincent Kompany’s injury worries ahead of Saturday’s pivotal game with Liverpool. Pep Guardiola spent more than £200 million on new signings in the summer but missed out on West Brom defender Jonny Evans at the crucial end of the transfer window. Kompany has been City’s most quality defender since coming back to the team but has suffered from persistent muscle injuries in recent seasons and suffered a calf strain playing for Belgium on international duty. “We wanted [a centre back] but we were not…
Jose Mourinho has insisted Manchester United’s title challenge this season will be on the foundation of attacking football, unlike Chelsea’s stint under Antonio Conte. United lead the pack after three games, clinching nine points, scoring 10 goals and conceding nothing. They battle their toughest challenge of the season so far this Saturday when they visit Stoke on Saturday evening — a ground United have not won a league game since 2013. But Jose has promised his side will attack Stoke, and every other team in the Premier League this season, while having a clear dig at Conte’s champions. “We try…
Jose Mourinho has said Manchester United are “in control” of their players’ futures as they club look to activate extensions for five first-teamers. Ander Herrera, Juan Mata, Daley Blind, Luke Shaw and Ashley Young all have contracts at Old Trafford until next summer, with United holding an option to extend each deal by a further year. Mourinho suggested at his news conference at Carrington on Friday that only Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Michael Carrick will have to share their plans at the end of the season when both will be out of contract. Marouane Fellaini is also out of contract next…
Eucharia Anunobi was joined many of her colleagues, family and friends to bury her son who passed on a few weeks ago. Raymond Ekwu, gave up the ghost at the age of 15, on August 22, 2017 after battling sickle cell anemia since birth. Amongst Nollywood celebrities who turned out for the burial on Tuesday, September 5, 2017, were Ini Edo, Rita Dominic, Monalisa Chinda, Lilian Bach and veteran movie producer, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen. Eucharia Anunobi was also present to bid her son a final farewell. Raymond, who is a child from the short-lived marriage between Eucharia and her ex-husband,…
Simi has released her second album “Simisola.” The album finally dropped after weeks of promotion for the project which marks time as the first project from Simi since she broke out as a pop artist. “Simisola” will contains 12 tracks, with three bonus records inclusive of her hits ‘Love don’t care’, ‘Jamb Question’, and ‘Tiff’. Only Adekunle Gold appears as a guest on the project. He features on a song titled ‘Take me back’. The project is filled with production from her long-time collaborator Oscar. There are also contributions from Seyikeyz, Sess and Vtek; live instruments on the project are…