Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has declared his intention to run for a second term in office during the 2019 elections. According to reports, the Governor also vowed to resist any attempt by the All Progressives Congress (APC) to take over the affairs of the state. “I want to tell you that I am prepared for that election (2019). Since the youths are the ones saying that I should come out to contest, I am ready to come out. “Let the security agencies know that we are prepared. When they are thinking of shooting, they will fall asleep, until…
Author: David Folami
Maurizio Sarri admitted he is worried that the September international break could disrupt Chelsea’s momentum and risk leaving his key players fatigued later in the season. As a consequence, Sarri expects to spend more of the next fortnight walking his dog, named Ciro, than he does working with his players at Cobham. “I don’t know if it’s a good thing because it will be very difficult to work,” Sarri said of the international break. “We have 18 or 19 players going away with the national teams so at Cobham there will only be left eight or nine players. So it…
Manchester United put the brakes on their dismal start to the season with a 2-0 win at Burnley, but a second-half red card for Marcus Rashford put a bit of a damper on a crucial victory for Jose Mourinho’s team at Turf Moor. Rashford, a second-half replacement for Alexis Sanchez, was sent off by referee Jon Moss after 10 minutes on the pitch following a head-butt on former United defender Phil Bardsley. The England forward will now serve a three-match ban for violent conduct, forcing him out of the forthcoming games against Watford, Wolves and the EFL Cup clash against…
Barcelona thrashed La Liga debutants Huesca 8-2 on Sunday to move top of the table with a sensational display of attacking football that left the Camp Nou purring. Lionel Messi scored two and set two more in a huge win, although Huesca made a valiant attempt in an exciting first half by exposing chinks in Barcelona’s defence. 7 — Ernesto Valverde picked his strongest side and was rewarded with a spectacular victory. The coach also made his substitutions earlier than usual, taking the chance to rest Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Busquets and Samuel Umtiti when the game was obviously over thanks…
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s goal against Cardiff City in Arsenal’s 3-2 victory on Sunday ended the hitman’s 76-goal run of scoring inside the box, and was his first long-range goal for 30 months. Before slamming past Neil Etheridge after being picked out by Alexandre Lacazette in the 62nd minute of the Gunners’ Premier League victory, the forward’s last 76 goals had been from inside the box. Ahead of Sunday’s clash, Auba’s last goal from outside the box came in action for Borussia Dortmund, when he netted against Tottenham Hotspur in a Europa League clash in March 2016. The supreme poacher ended that…
Kylian Mbappe has apologised to the French champions’ supporters via social media for his straight red card at the end of Saturday’s 4-2 win away at Nimes in Ligue 1 on Saturday. The France international, who was booked earlier in the game, was directly dismissed after clashing with Teji Savanier. Although Mbappe was unrepentant in his post-match comments, he did publish an apology to the PSG fans via Twitter on Sunday and praised Les Parisiens’ ultras for their support at Stade des Costieres. “My dear Parisien supporters,” wrote the 19-year-old. “I wish to apologise to you for my actions on…
Brazil and Real Madrid legend Ronaldo will become the primary owner of Real Valladolid. Ronaldo, who will purchase a 51 percent stake in the club for €30 million, joined current majority owner and president Carlos Suarez and city mayor Oscar Puente at a ceremony at the city hall on Monday. “I have gone through many experiences in my career that have prepared me for this,” Ronaldo said. “Football is always a passion.” Suarez, who owns 66 percent of the shares in the club, believes selling a stake to Ronaldo will only help it succeed. “Ronaldo’s arrival puts Real Valladolid on…
Serie A title hopefuls Napoli were thumped 3-0 at Sampdoria on Sunday after coach Carlo Ancelotti tinkered with the team, dropping captain Marek Hamsik and forward Jose Callejon. Gregoire Defrel scored two first-half goals to put Sampdoria in command and, although Napoli improved after the break, Fabio Quagliarella added a third with an outrageous flick in the 75th minute. A low cross was sent into the area and the 35-year-old forward, at the near post, diverted it into the net with the back of his heel. Last season’s runners-up Napoli, who came from behind to win both their first two…
Wayne Rooney scored the tiebreaking goal on a penalty kick and also had two assists to help D.C. United record a 3-1 victory over visiting Atlanta United on Sunday night at Audi Field in Washington. Midfielder Luciano Acosta scored the other two goals as D.C. United posted a crucial victory. D.C. goalkeeper Bill Hamid made six saves. The win elevated D.C. United (8-11-6, 30 points) into a tie for seventh place in the Eastern Conference with the New England Revolution. D.C. stands six points behind the sixth-place Montreal, which currently holds the final playoff spot, but D.C. has three games…
Manchester City have matched their start from last season’s title-winning campaign but manager Pep Guardiola insisted they will get better. City are behind Liverpool, Chelsea and Watford in the Premier League table, and Guardiola expects a tougher challenge for the title, but is delighted to take 10 points from a possible 12 — the same total as last year. “We beat Chelsea in the Community Shield and in general, in the four games, we were better than the four teams,” Guardiola said at a news conference after the 2-1 victory over Newcastle United on Saturday. “That’s what we are looking…
Yaya Toure claims he rejected offers from other clubs in Europe, Asia and the United States to return to Greek Super League side Olympiakos. The former Barcelona and Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure made his name at the Piraeus club in the 2005-2006 season before embarking on his glittering career in Spain and England. The 35-year-old said in a post on his official website: “It is an honour to be back at Olympiacos! When I left in 2006 I said I would come back and I am delighted to keep my word. I had offers from lots of clubs across…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has announced that all presidential aspirants in the party must sign an undertaking. This is coming ahead of the PDP’s national convention slated to hold on October 5 – October 6, 2018. Ologbondiyan said the aspirants will also be given code of conduct guidelines to known what is expected of them. According to Daily Post, he said “It is an undertaking and it will be signed by all our presidential aspirants. The undertaking will tell the aspirants what the party expects from them before, during and after the primary. “The undertaking will make it clear…
The Niger Government said it had spent N930 million on the construction of the new Baigaie – Daracida road in Bida Local Government Area of the state. The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure Development, Alhaji Ibrahim Balarabe, made this disclosure on Saturday in Minna in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). According to him, the new road is expected to enhance the socio-economic activities of the people of the council area. He expressed the hope that the road would enable farmers the opportunity to transport farm produce to the nearby markets without much stress. Balarabe said that…
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu has said that world leaders are queueing to meet President Buhari. Shehu said this while speaking to newsmen after Buhari landed in China for the 7th Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. According to reports, the summit is slated to hold from September 3 to September 4, 2018. The presidential spokesman said the development shows that leaders all around the world like Buhari. “You know that as a policy, we said that we are not going to answer the American President, however, the fact that the…
Prof. Isaac Adewole on Saturday pledged to furnish the newly built clinic of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in Ede, Osun. “When I received a call from an NYSC official that the scheme needed drugs in Osun, I told her not to worry that I know someone I can call. “To me the scheme is an instrument of national unity and I will continue to support it. “I want to thank Alhaji Gboyega Oyetola who did not think twice before agreeing to support you with the needed drugs. “I must augment what he has done, I haven’t…
Yakubu Dogara has distanced himself from the defection of one of his aide’s Iliya Habila. According to reports, Dogara said he has no hand in the political Habila’s decision to run for political office on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The report states that the Speaker’s aide intends to represent Bogoro Constituency in the Bauchi state House of Assembly. The statement signed by Dogara’s media aide, Turaki Hassan reads: “Contrary to reports published by some national dailies, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara, Speaker of the House of Representatives, did not endorse any aspirant to vie for…
Ahead of the Sept. 22 governorship election in Osun, three members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state House of Assembly on Saturday defected to the Action Democratic Party (ADP). The three defectors – Tajudeen Famuyide (Ilesha-West), Debo Akanbi (Ede North) and Abdullahi Ibrahim (Iwo) – were received at the ADP Secretariat in Osogbo by the party’s Chairman, Mr Toye Akinola, the Deputy Governorship Candidate, Prof. Adeolu Durotoye and other party executives. Akanbi, who spoke on behalf of other lawmakers, said: “We know the foundation of the All Progressives Congress in the state, and we agreed with Gov.…
Muhammadu Buhari has challenged leadership and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to abide by the nation and APC’s constitutions as well as the electoral act while conducting the forthcoming party primaries. According to him, it is only by so doing that the party will serve as a shining example for others to emulate, adding that any political party worth its salt must get its internal democracy rights. “Today, we are meeting to look at some major decisions that will lead to excellent performance at the polls next year starting with party primaries at various levels. “I urge you…
Dr Michael Olawale-Cole, formerly intending to be governor of Lagos State on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has left the party for All Progressives Congress (APC). Olawale-Cole said his decision was informed by what he described as impressive performance of President Muhammadu Buhari and Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State. He explained further that his defection was influenced by “infrastructural development, transparency in governance and accountability of Buhari and Ambode.’’ “I have examined the way the country is going; and from my findings it appears to me that supporting Buhari is the best choice we have at the…
Oluwole Olujobi, the spokesman to Ekiti state Governor-elect, Kayode Fayemi has described the petition by Kolapo Olusola as baseless. Fayemi defeated Olusola, who contested on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the recently concluded Ekiti state governorship election. The PDP candidate rejected the results and filed a 700-page petition before the Election Tribunal sitting in Ado Ekiti. According to reports, Olujobi said “Look at the basis of their arguments, in the process of inspecting the ballot papers used by our lawyers, it was discovered that it was votes meant for Dr. Kayode Fayemi that were voided.” Speaking…