Muhammadu Buhari has confirmed Transport Minister, Rotimi Amaechi, as the director-general of his 2019 re-election campaign. Garba Shehu stated this on Thursday, September 20, 2018. “President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of a campaign organization for his re-election in 2019 with Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi as Secretary/Director General,” Shehu announced. “Hon. Amaechi was the Director General of the Buhari-Osinbajo Presidential Campaign Committee in 2014-2015 that won the elections and brought the current administration into office. “The new Director-General will announce other appointments into the campaign structure as approved by President Buhari,” he added. Meanwhile, President Buhari on Wednesday, September…
Author: David Folami
Yakubu Dogara has said he returned to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) not because he was denied ticket to contest election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Dogara said that he left PDP to the APC believing that they were teaming together with spirited people to build a new Nigeria, but the APC does not trust those that joined the party from the PDP. He said that as part of the team that built APC in Bauchi, he could say that the ruling party had not fulfilled a single promise that was made. Dogara said that though…
Akinwunmi Ambode was in a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa on Thursday, September 20, 2018, as he battles to save his ambition of a second term in office. Ambode has been running from pillar to post over the past few days after the APC’s national leader and political godfather in Lagos, Bola Tinubu, reportedly endorsed Jide Sanwo-Olu, a former commissioner, to become the next Lagos governor over Ambode, just years after he endorsed the incumbent. Tinubu’s political structure in Lagos, Mandate Movement, as well as all 57 local councils in the state have endorsed Sanwoolu…
Bernardo Silva has said Manchester City should not be seen as favourites to win the Champions League after their 2-1 home defeat to Lyon in their opener on Wednesday. “I think we have to focus on us, especially the first half — we were not at our best,” Silva said on BT Sport after the game. “We were not good enough tonight. Unfortunately, we didn’t want to start this way the competition, but it is what it is and we have to go after the next games.” Silva was then asked if the result affects the belief that they are…
Mauricio Pochettino has said it could benefit Tottenham Hotspur to “feel the pain” of three successive defeats and insisted he will stick with his rotation plan against Brighton & Hove Albion. Pochettino has lost three consecutive games for the first time at Tottenham and admitted his confidence has been affected, but he believes his players will also learn from the experience. “The group is OK,” he said at a news conference. “The group is, of course, a little bit anxious about winning games because it’s normal when you don’t win. The faces are different, and the atmosphere and the energy…
Unai Emery has called on his Arsenal players to improve their defensive mentality after conceding two late goals in a 4-2 win over FC Vorskla in the Europa League. The Gunners were cruising toward a dominant victory when Mesut Ozil put them 4-0 up in the 74th minute after two goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and one from Danny Welbeck already had them comfortably in front at the Emirates on Thursday. But the visiting side from Ukraine pulled two late goals back to leave Emery’s team without a single clean sheet this season. While Emery was happy with the overall performance…
Maurizio Sarri is not the first Chelsea head coach to challenge Eden Hazard to score more, but he is the first one to set the Belgian such an ambitious goal target. “I talked with Eden [on Friday] and I told him that for me he can score 40 goals,” Sarri revealed after watching Hazard dismantle Cardiff City with a scintillating hat trick. “He has to improve something but he can do it.” Specifically, Sarri wants Hazard to expend less energy contributing to Chelsea’s possession in the middle third of the pitch and “play in the last 25 metres”, becoming less…
Cristiano Ronaldo’s sister, Katia Aveiro, has come out in defence of the Juventus forward after his red card in the 2-0 win against Valencia on Wednesday. Ronaldo was dismissed on his Champions League debut for Juve after a clash with Jeison Murillo was spotted by the assistant referee and communicated to German referee Felix Brych, who drew a red card from his top pocket. The Portuguese forward was reluctant to leave the field at the Mestalla and appeared to be on the verge of tears as he finally walked to the tunnel in disbelief. She wrote on Instagram: “A football…
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has described Jerome Boateng as a “colourful bird” and told the defender the door to his office is “always open.” Boateng, 30, came close to leaving Bayern Munich this summer, with Paris Saint-Germain interested in signing him. However, the deal collapsed as both clubs were not able to agree on a transfer fee. In an interview with Suddeutsche Zeitung on Wednesday, Boateng insisted he is fully focused on the German champions and wants to hold talks with the club’s hierarchy over what he perceived was a lack of support following Germany’s World Cup elimination and the summer transfer…
Jose Mourinho has told his Manchester United players to put on a show when they return to Old Trafford this weekend to repay the fans for their support following the dismal defeat to Tottenham. The string of positive results has got the season back on track but, ahead of Wolves’ visit to Old Trafford on Saturday, Mourinho said his players still have a debt to pay to their home support. “Old Trafford was amazing with us on a defeat and now they are waiting for us after three away matches,” Mourinho told MUTV. “Three victories away from home where the…
Cristiano Ronaldo is likely to serve a one-game Champions League ban, sources have told said, which would leave the Juventus forward free to face former club Manchester United at Old Trafford. He was sent off during the Italian champions’ 2-0 win over Valencia on Wednesday for tugging the hair of defender Jeison Murillo. Ronaldo, 33, is set to serve an automatic one-match suspension which will rule him out of the home game against Young Boys on Oct. 2. UEFA’s Control, Ethics and Disciplinary body will meet on Sep. 27 to decide whether to extend the ban. But sources say it…
Arsenal’s superb form continued into the Europa League as they thrashed Ukrainian side Vorksla Poltava 4-2 on Thursday. A double from Pierre-Emerick Aubamyeng and goals from Danny Welbeck and Mesut Ozil eased them to victory at the Emirates Stadium. A slow start from Arsenal brought very few chances, with Mohamed Elneny’s first touch from twelve yards escaping him in their first sight of goal with over 20 minutes already played. The home side continued to be frustrated by Vorskla’s stubborn defending, with Alex Iwobi’s wayward shot from 20 yards a few minutes later summing up their fortunes of the opening…
Amaju Pinnick has been re-elected for a second four-year term as president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). Pinnick, 47, saw off the challenge of his predecessor, Aminu Maigari, and former NFF General Secretary and executive committee member Taiwo Ogunjobi to coast home by a landslide. Pinnick polled 34 of the 44 votes on offer, with Maigari a distant second with eight votes, and Ogunjobi managing only two. Chinedu Okoye, the fourth man in the contest, got zero votes. In the end, it wasn’t even close. Pinnick’s message of continuity and a self-sustaining football federation resonated with the NFF Congress.…
In spite of mounting opposition to his second term bid ticket, Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode’s kinsmen and women have resolved to take the battle to God in prayers. An indication to this effect came from Mr Adeyemi Ikuforiji, a former Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, as he urged Epe indigenes to pray for Ambode’s successful clinching of the All Progressives Congress’ ticket at the governorship direct primary scheduled for Sept. 29. Epe is home to Ambode and the late Gov. Michael Otedola. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state’s Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC), the highest decision making…
Sen. Ali Ndume has said that lack of updated membership register is a challenge to the adoption of direct primaries being advocated by leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to elect its candidates for 2019 general elections. Ndume said such preparation was critical to ensure the adoption of direct primaries which guaranteed that every party member had opportunity to participate in deciding who would fly the party`s flag at various levels. “There are challenges in some states; first of all, we were not adequately prepared for the direct primaries nationwide. “There must be some recognition precedence before you implement…
The Osun state governorship election have ended with the result announced as inconclusive by the INEC. According to the returning officer, Joseph Abiola Afuwape, a date for the run-off between the All Progressive Congress candidate and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate will be announced later. The governorship election was declared inconclusive due to irregularities in two local governments – Orolu and Ife South. According to summation of the results, Senator Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke of the PDP has 254,698 votes while Gboyega Isiaka Oyetola of the APC has 254, 345. The difference between both parties is 353 votes. ADP polled…
A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, has promised to be transparent, accountable and equitable if allowed to rule the country. “I promise to be transparent, accountable and equitable if allowed to rule the country,” Tambuwal said. He also promised to unite the country and always listen to the yearnings of the citizens, as well as accommodate the exigencies of the country. “I will build the needed bridge for the stabilisation of the country as well as respect the interest of women, youths and the elderly,” he said. He said at the current…
Supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Osun governorship poll, Ademola Adeleke are not happy with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for declaring the election inconclusive. According to reports the PDP supporters moved en masse to the electoral body’s office in Osun to register their displeasure. The Osun state governorship election was declared inconclusive due to irregularities in two local governments – Orolu and Ife South. From the results announced, Senator Ademola Nurudeen Adeleke of the PDP has 254,698 votes while Gboyega Isiaka Oyetola of the APC has 254, 345. Meanwhile, a staff of the Independent…
Election observer group, the Centre for Transparency Advocacy says with the “tremendous improvement” shown by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Saturday’s Osun State governorship election, the Commission has proved it is now well prepared for the 2019 general polls. Addressing journalists in Oshogbo on its preliminary report of the election, the executive director, Chima Amadi described as satisfactory the overall improvement of INEC in the Osun governorship election by being proactive and innovative. According to him, the 120 observers deployed by his group observed that INEC for the first time deployed men and materials to various polling booths…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to the outcome of the Osun governorship election. The PDP called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to declare its candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke the winner to avoid crisis. This was made known in a statement by the party’s national chairman, Uche Secondus. Secondus said that the PDP will accept nothing less than a victory from Osun. The PDP chairman also accused INEC of working to benefit their pay masters, adding that the electoral body should be held responsible for any crisis. Secondus also accused INEC of taking instructions from the All…