Barely two weeks after submitting a committee report on the new minimum wage to President Muhammadu Buhari, labour chiefs restated on Friday that workers were running out of patience with government over the slow action on issue. On Nov. 5, Buhari received the report of a tripartite committee he set up since last November, to fashion out a new minimum wage for workers. Nigerian workers have been voicing their frustrations over what they describe as the peanuts paid to public sector workers in a country where political office holders, including members of the parliament receive some of the biggest pay…
Author: David Folami
President Muhammadu Buhari has played host to a group of Christian leaders at the State House in Abuja. The delegation including CAN President, Rev Dr Samson Ayokunle; former CAN Pres, John Cardinal Onaiyekan; Prelate, Methodist Church, Dr Samuel Uche, & Head,Christian Council of Nigeria, Rev Dr Benebo Fubara-Manuel, repirredly visited him today. A tweet shared by the Presidency confirms this. Some Christians do not appear pleased with Buhari for the deaths of others reportedly killed in Plateau State. This might affect his bid to retain power in next year’s polls. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) is considered a group…
Dr. Bukola Saraki thinks the country can fulfill its destiny when it is able to get rid of corruption. He says this in his speech at the 7th Zik Lecture held at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University on Friday, November 16, 2018. While commending the impact the late Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe had on his nation, Saraki notes that dealing with the problem of corruption in Nigeria can help set a standard for other African countries. “When I think about his (Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe) legacy, I am indeed humbled; and it is a thing of pride to be chairing this event today.…
Atiku Abubakar believes that it’s worth the risk to float the naira even if it results in inflation, noting that any side effect will be balanced out by attracting more inflow of foreign currency. During an interview with The Africa Report, published on Wednesday, the former vice president said President Muhammadu Buhari’s economic policies have not been market-friendly and driven foreign companies out of the country. To address the problem, if elected president in the 2019 presidential election, he said floating the naira would stabilise the exchange rate and attract more investors with incentives that’ll ultimately boost the economy. I…
Nigeria’s Central Bank (CBN) on Tuesday, injected another $210 million in the inter-bank foreign exchange market to sustain the local currency. The apex bank said the authorised dealers in the wholesale segment of the market received the sum of $100 million while the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and Invisibles segments were allotted the sum of $55 million each. Okorafor expressed optimism that the local currency, the naira will continue its strong run against the dollar and other major currencies around the world, considering the stability in the market and robust reserves. Last Friday, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)…
Nyesom Wike has cast doubts over the ability of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct free, fair and credible elections in 2019. While speaking at the Government House in Port Harcourt on Thursday, November 15, 2018, Wike said the commission’s mandate has been compromised by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). He accused the commission of being partisan towards the ruling party. He said, “Let’s not deceive ourselves; INEC is not prepared for credible elections. If there is an agency that is not prepared for 2019, it is INEC. I have no confidence in INEC. There is no…
Muhammadu Buhari has revealed that many well-meaning Igbo leaders asked him to ignore the so-called endorsement by Ohanaeze Ndigbo of the PDP candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Buhari said he was told that the action by the Ndigbo apex group was all gas, lacking substance. The President made the revelation on Friday at the Presidential Villa, when he hosted a group of Igbo leaders in Abuja, who pledged to mobilize votes for him in next year’s election. President Buhari said, based on assurances by Igbo leaders, he was not surprised about the split within the Ohanaeze Igbo socio-cultural group after the so-called…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in Enugu, says it is worried over the spate of violence that characterised the recently concluded party primary elections in the state. Mr Emeka Ononamadu, INEC’s Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), in the state, who disclosed this on Friday in Enugu, said that the magnitude of violence that greeted the elections were unknown in the history of the state. Ononamadu’s observation was contained in an address delivered at a meeting with members of the Civil Society Organisations and Inter-Party Advisory Council. The meeting focused on the state of preparedness of INEC, Parties’ primaries and the…
The Federal Government has declared Tuesday as Public Holiday to mark the Eid-el Maulud. The Minister of Interior, Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazau (retd), made the declaration on Friday in Abuja in a statement by Dr Mohammed Umar, Permanent Secretary of the ministry. Dambazau called on Muslim faithful to align themselves with the prophet’s teachings which border on piety, charity, tolerance and peaceful co-existence, among others. He equally called on all Nigerians to uphold these virtues with a view to overcoming the current national challenges facing the country. Dambazau assured that the Federal Government remained committed to the unity of the country,…
Mr Adams Oshiomhole has dismissed allegations that he collected bribes of about 80 million dollars to manipulate the outcome of the party primaries in some states and FCT. Some aggrieved aspirants are accusing Oshiohmole of collecting various sums in bribery to twist the primaries. Speculations are also gaining currency that he was last week interrogated by the Department of State Service (DSS) over the outcome of the recently conducted APC primaries. An online media outfit which allegedly accused the APC chairman of collecting about 80 million dollars in bribes, however, reported that Oshiomhole had become a target after refusing 500,000…
Matteo Darmian will again try to leave Manchester United and return to Italy in January but Jose Mourinho is keen to keep the defender at Old Trafford until at least the end of the season, sources have said. The 28-year-old has made just one appearance this term and with interest from a host of Serie A clubs, Darmian is eager to secure a move away in the next transfer window. But Mourinho, who has concerns over the fitness of Antonio Valencia and Diogo Dalot, would like to keep Darmian. The full-back has been an unused substitute in the last six…
Claudio Ranieri has said he will take inspiration from Liverpool as he attempts to keep Fulham in the Premier League. Ranieri took over from Slavisa Jokanovic this week with Fulham at the bottom of the table, having won only once and conceded 31 goals in 12 games. And the former Leicester manager said their problems could be solved by defending and attacking as a unit in the way that Liverpool do under Jurgen Klopp. “Fulham concede a lot of goals — a lot of goals,” Ranieri said. “I’m an Italian manager, and for us Italians it’s important to us to…
Approximately 30 miles and an hour’s train journey south of Portugal’s capital, Lisbon, is Setubal. The working-class fishing city, where the Sado River meets the Atlantic Ocean, has a population of 90,000, but its most famous son spends most of his days some 1,500 miles away, working in England as manager of Manchester United. “Jose doesn’t act like the special one when he’s here,” says Miguel, a waiter, on the waterfront street renamed Avenida Jose Mourinho. “He’s the normal one. He has close friends and family here. He walks to the market here, and nobody bothers him. He’s the son…
Wayne Rooney has told Sky Sports he felt “embarrassed” by the end of his career at Manchester United. Rooney revealed he knew he had to leave when Jose Mourinho asked him to lift the trophy following the 2017 EFL Cup final, which he had played no part in. United’s record goal-scorer returned to his first club Everton in 2017 after losing his place in Mourinho’s team and has since joined D.C. United. “There are times when you doubt yourself as a player, and think: ‘Am I good enough?’ he said. “The time Jose Mourinho left me out of the Manchester…
Manchester United are monitoring Gremio striker Everton Soares ahead of a potential move, sources have said. United’s South American scouts have been watching Everton, who has also been linked with Manchester City. The 22-year-old, who can play on the left or through the middle, has broken into the Brazil squad and made his international debut as a second-half substitute for Neymar against the United States in September. However, United face a fight to sign Everton, who is valued at around £30 million, after he signed a new contract until 2022 in August. That contract includes a release clause just over…
Memphis Depay scored a late Panenka penalty after Georgino Wijnaldum had given Netherlands the lead in a 2-0 victory France in the UEFA Nations League Group A1 — a result which sees Germany relegated. Having drawn at home to France in their opening match, Joachim Low’s side suffered back-to-back defeats to drop down to the tournament’s second tier. After failing to qualify for the past two major tournaments, Netherlands were expected to be the “whipping boys” of arguably the toughest UEFA Nations League group, but the Dutch are enjoying somewhat of a renaissance under new manager Ronald Koeman. And they…
Neymar has said he is convinced that Unai Emery “will bring good things to Arsenal” after working with him at Paris Saint-Germain. Neymar’s relationship with Emery was reportedly strained at times at PSG, with the Spanish coach even admitting in May that his star forward had more power than him at the club. But PSG still won the domestic treble last season and the Brazil international backed his former boss to deliver success at the Emirates as well. “Arsenal are playing really great football. They are coming from a great run in recent matches and everybody knows he’s a really…
AC Milan president Paolo Scaroni said he doesn’t have Antonio Conte’s phone number, amid reports the former Chelsea boss could replace Gennaro Gattuso. Gattuso was installed as manager midway through the previous campaign following the sacking of Vincenzo Montella. But, with a change of ownership taking place this summer, there have been constant question marks over the 2006 World Cup winner’s long-term future. Conte, a three-time Serie A winner with Juventus who is out of work after leaving Chelsea at the end of last season, is among the suggested replacements. However, Scaroni rejected any notion of the 49-year-old taking over…
Mohamed Salah struck a fine 90th-minute winner as Egypt defeated rivals Tunisia 3-2 in Friday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the Borg El Arab Stadium, Alexandria. Naim Sliti opened the scoring in the 14th minute for the visitors, but his opener was cancelled out when Trezeguet levelled the match for the hosts just after the half-hour mark. Baher El Mohamady fired Egypt ahead on 60 minutes, but Sliti thought he’d rescued a point for the Carthage Eagles with his second in the 72nd minute. However, there was a final twist as Salah dinked the ball about the sprawling Farouk…
Paulo Dybala has told the Mirror that reported interest from Manchester United will not distract him, but said he would like to play alongside Paul Pogba again. Dybala, who has also been linked with Real Madrid and Barcelona, has won three Serie A titles since joining Juve from Palermo in 2015. “I’m not thinking about the transfer market,” he said. “Right now I’m really happy at Juventus, and the focus is simply winning all the titles here.” Juve are among the favourites to win the Champions League, but missed their first opportunity to secure a place in the knockout stages…