Fiorentina and Napoli thwarted each other’s Serie A missions and forsook valuable points in an exciting 1-1 draw at the Stadio Artemio Franchi. Former leaders Napoli had fallen four points behind Juventus and Gonzalo Higuain’s equaliser — his first goal in five matches cancelled out Marcos Alonso’s early header — was only enough to reduce the gap to three points on Monday night. La Viola, meanwhile, draw level on points with Roma in the final Champions League place, but remain fourth thanks to an inferior head-to-head record. Earlier, Sassuolo underlined their European credentials by surprising Lazio 2-0 at the Stadio…
Author: David Folami
Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema is expected to be sidelined for up to a month because of a right leg muscle injury. Benzema will miss upcoming La Liga games and next week’s return match against Roma in the Champions League — Madrid won the first leg 2-0 in Rome. The France international should be fit again in time for the league match against Barcelona at the Camp Nou on April 2. Madrid did not say exactly how long the player is expected to be sidelined, noting that “his recovery will continue to be assessed.” Benzema had missed the game against…
Alexandre Pato is now in contention to make his Chelsea debut as the champions prepare to rest Diego Costa to ensure he is fresh to face Paris Saint-Germain, interim manager Guus Hiddink has said. Chelsea face Norwich City at Carrow Road and Stoke City at Stamford Bridge this week before the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 clash with the Ligue 1 leaders, and Hiddink has already voiced his annoyance with the congested nature of the Blues’ fixture schedule in the coming weeks. Costa has been rejuvenated since Hiddink succeeded Jose Mourinho in December, registering nine goals and six…
Yaya Toure may stay at Manchester City next season and play under new manager Pep Guardiola, according to his brother Kolo Toure. Yaya is expected by many to leave City in the summer when Guardiola takes over from Manuel Pellegrini. The midfielder was sold by Guardiola to City in 2010 when the pair were at Barcelona together and his agent Dimitry Seluk said earlier this month that Yaya will likely be on his way out of the club at the end of the season. However, older brother Kolo believes that the City player still has a future at the Etihad…
Luis Suarez would “love” to have Lionel Messi’s left foot and Neymar’s pace and joy for the game, the Barcelona striker has revealed. Suarez helped Barcelona to an historic Treble last season, and along with superstar South American teammates Messi and Neymar has put the club in position to repeat the feat in 2016. The attacking trio have accounted for 94 goals this campaign already, blending their different talents to compose a near-unstoppable front line for the La Liga leaders, with Suarez contributing 41 in all competitions. While accepting the award for Spanish news agency EFE’s best Latin American player…
Arsenal legends Thierry Henry and Ian Wright questioned whether Arsene Wenger’s side have the mental strength to be champions after Sunday’s 3-2 defeat at Manchester United. The Gunners had the chance to move back within two points of leaders Leicester City when they faced an injury-hit United side at Old Trafford, but they were unable to recover from 18-year-old Marcus Rashford’s early brace on his Premier League debut. Henry, part of the last Arsenal side to win the title in 2003-04, said in his role as a Sky Sports pundit that their display had raised serious questions as to whether…
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal suggested Marcus Rashford’s debut had ranked alongside the first performances of some of his biggest stars at Ajax, Barcelona and Bayern Munich. Rashford, 18, scored a brace on his senior debut as United eliminated FC Midtjylland from the Europa League on Thursday and then followed up with two more goals in Sunday’s 3-2 win over Arsenal. Van Gaal, who had a strong reputation for developing youth players at his previous clubs, said the striker has now proven he has genuine quality. “The experience of mine is youngsters always play well the first match,” Van…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned former Minister of Interior, Abba Moro, in a Federal High Court, Abuja, on 11 count charges of procurement fraud and Money Laundering. The others on Monday were Anastasia Daniel-Nwobia, former Permanent Secretary; F.O Alayebami, a serving Deputy Director in the ministry; Mahmood Ahmadu, who is at large and Drexel Global Tech Ltd. The defendants were arraigned for defrauding 676,675 Nigerian applicants of about N676 million in the botched March 15, 2014 immigration recruitment exercise. The charge stated that each of the applicants was charged N1000 for online registration to be eligible…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has issued certificate of return to the immediate past President of the Senate, Senator David Mark for the Sixth time. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the certificate of return was given to him at INEC headquarters by Amb. Lawrence Nwuruku, INEC National Commissioner on Monday, in Abuja. Receiving the certificate, Mark said his victory at the Benue South rerun election was a renewed mandate to continue to serve God and humanity without blemish. “In the current democratic dispensation, I am the only Nigerian till the date who has contested Senatorial election…
Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti state has criticised President Buhari for not doing anything about the recent killings in Benue state. Fulani herdsmen allegedly killed over 300 people in Agatu-Benue state. The Governor also called on the Federal Government to find a lasting solution to the menace of the herdsmen. Fayose said “Farmlands costing billions of naira have been destroyed in States in the South-West, South-East and North-Central zones of the country. One wonders how Nigerians can go back to farming when those already in the farms are losing billions of naira worth of crops to destruction of their farmlands…
The Ekiti State branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has criticized Governor Ayo Fayose over his recent attack on President Muhammadu Buhari. Fayose had reportedly accused Buhari of plotting to islamize Nigeria while speaking during a ceremony in Rivers State on Friday, February 26, 2016. The Ekiti APC issued its reaction via a statement released by its Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun on Sunday, February 28, 2016. The statement reads: “We know Fayose as a devious schemer in the game of subterfuge with uncanny capacity to stoke public rage against his innocent opponents.” “He is deliberately engaging the President relentlessly…
All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Dakuku Peterside has blamed Governor Nyesom Wike for the increased insecurity in the state. Peterside further accused Wike’s government of arming militants and cult gangs operating in the state. The APC candidate made the allegations via a statement released on Sunday, February 28, 2016. “It is regrettable but true that in many communities in Rivers State today cult gangs hold sway. They control the social and economic souls of the people, including traditional structures which have been rendered impotent.” “The cult gangs were armed by politicians in the build up to…
The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has said that Nigeria is in a difficult but encouraging situation. Tinubu made the comment after being honoured with a Doctor of Business degree at the convocation ceremony of the University of Abuja on Saturday, February 27, 2016, Punch reports. “Nigeria stands in the corridor between greatness and failure; between progress and collapse; between hope and despair,” the APC leader said. “Our fate depends on whether we would summon the courage to take the bold steps and move in the direction. We must turn our present challenges into opportunities…
A former Governor of the old Ondo State, Evangelist Bamidele Olomilua has criticized Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose over his attacks on President Muhammadu Buhari. Olomilua also said that Fayose’s insults against Buhari were insults against the country. The former governor made the comments during an interview. Excerpts below: Do you think Gov. Ayodele Fayose’s consistent criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari is right? On the contrary, we respect elders in Yorubaland. It is in other places that some people think that all animals are equal, whereas in actual fact, not all animals are equal. In politics a young man can…
Former aide to ex-President, Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe has accused Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo of lying after the latter said that Jonathan did not construct a single road during his tenure. Okupe described Osinbajo’s statement as ‘a lie and an absolute falsehood’ in a post on his Facebook page. The post reads: “This statement is a lie and an absolute falsehood. Many people have said so. But this is not why I am writing this.” “It was a wrong statement made in a wrong place and before a wrong audience. This is perhaps one of the most difficult posts I…
Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed has assured Nigerians that the Muhammadu Buhari government will fulfill the promises it made during the 2015 election campaigns. Mohammed also said that the government had been forced to prioritize its programmes due to the oil price decline. The minister made the comments during an appearance on Channels TV on Sunday, February 28, 2016. “When you campaign, you say you will do a,b, c, but when you win election, you prioritise,” he said. “We are still faithful to those promises, but as you have rightly said, when we were campaigning the price of crude was…
Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, have reportedly rejected the N10billion meant the building of their official quarters. According to recent reports, they asked that the funds, which was voted in the 2016 budget of the Ministry of Federal Capital Territory (FCT), be slashed. Saraki and Dogara were said to have agreed that the cost of the buildings should be reduced to one billion Naira each, to save the country N8billion. They have notified the chairmen of the Committees on FCT in both chambers to reflect the decision in their report to the…
Popular Nollywood actress, Dakore Akande in a recent chat with TVC Entertainment talks about her marriage, skin bleaching, the secret to her successful marriage and her love for music. When asked how she felt concerning the rumours she married for money, Dakore said, “People are entitled to whatever they want to think. I married for love and thats why am still married. Just because my husband is from a wealthy family doesn’t automatically mean i married into wealth. We love each other very much and we have two beautiful children. We’re living our lives the best way we can.” On…
Richard Mofe Damijo is one of the most famous names in Nollywood since the 80s till present day. On January 6, the actor revealed just how much it costs a producer to have him in film while on Africa Magic’s magazine TV show Jara. During his interview, the host of the show Uti Nwachukwu asked: “It’s safe to say you’re definitely one of the most sought after and respected actors in Nollywood, it most cost a producer millions of dollars to have you in his movie”. The actor fondly called RMD by his fans responded saying: “I don’t know what…
Nollywood actor and super model Uti Nwachukwu in an interview talked about being called a “play boy”, his dreadlocks and having his heart broken in the past. When asked why he trimmed his dreads, Uti revealed they were getting too heavy to carry about. According to him, I love to play with my dreadlocks, To me my dreads are like a toy. Nobody can make me cut my hair except i get a message from God. My personality is really strong, am not affected by what you think about me. I don’t think there’s anyone that can have a strong…