An All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Chieftain, Chief Onwuka Ukwa, has advised the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to stop the no-election-in-Anambra threat and avoid plunging the state into chaos. Ukwa, who claimed to be one of the foundation members of APGA, made the call at a stakeholders’ forum organised by Ogilisi Foundation, a socio-cultural organisation, in Oba, near Onitsha, on Friday. It would be recalled that IPOB, the group agitating for independence of Biafra, had threatened that it would ensure that the Nov.18 governorship election in Anambra did not held. Ukwa said that such threat was “expensive’’ and could…
Author: David Folami
Mr Fatai Owoseni, Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, on Friday warned residents especially politicians, against carrying firearms during and after the Saturday local government elections. Owoseni gave the warning at a meeting he held with all stakeholders at the POWA hall, Oduduwa, Ikeja. He said that flouting of the rules meant `suicide’ for the carrier. Owoseni, who was represented by the Deputy Commissioner of Police Operations, DCP Edgal Imohimi, addressed parties chairmen, agents and supporters where they were made to sign an undertaking not to cause violence during the polls. “If you want to commit suicide, come out with…
Divisional Police Officer in Epe, Lagos State, CSP Sunday Adeyeri, on Friday assured residents that no fewer than 250 personnel had been deployed to ensure security in the area during the council polls. Council polls hold in Lagos State on Saturday to elect chairmen and councillors in the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs). In Epe, candidates of various parties will battle to win the chairmanship of the council and the eight councillorship positions in the area. Adeyeri told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Epe that the 250 personnel were deployed because of…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it will appeal Thursday’s acquittal of a former Governor of Adamawa, Bala Ngilari, by the Court of Appeal. In a statement on Friday, spokesman of the commission, Mr Wilson Uwujaren, described the ruling as “a travesty of justice’’. An Adamawa High Court in Yola had on March 6 sentenced Ngilari to five years imprisonment after he was convicted of a five-count charge of corruption. He was found guilty of not following due process in the purchase of 25 vehicles at the cost of N169 million. But, the conviction was overturned by the…
The Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development is to spend about N12.9 billion for capital expenditures in 2017, against N7.3 billion appropriated for similar projects in 2016. This is part of its fiscal allocations approved by the Federal Government in the year’s budget. According to the 2017 Appropriation Act concerning the ministry, obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Abuja, there is a significant difference of N5.6 billion between the appropriations in the years to the ministry. A source in the ministry, however, told NAN that one billion Naira was appropriated as capital budget to…
Sergio Busquets has told Neymar there’s no better place to be than Barcelona as the Brazil star continues to be linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain. Increasing reports throughout the week suggest PSG will pay Neymar’s €222 million release clause, with Diario Sport claiming that could happen before Wednesday, when Barca play Manchester United in Washington D.C. In the meantime, Neymar remains with the rest of his Barca teammates in New Jersey and trained at Red Bull Arena on Friday ahead of the club’s International Champions Cup match against Juventus at the MetLife Stadium this weekend. “There’s nothing for…
Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane, in an exclusive interview, has categorically ruled out a move for Cristiano Ronaldo away from the Santiago Bernabeu. Speculation has mounted over Ronaldo’s future — with links to former club Manchester United and French champions Paris Saint-Germain surfacing — amid reports he would consider walking out on Real due to scrutiny over his income tax. Zidane, however, has said that the Portugal star, who is the favourite to win a fifth Ballon d’Or, remains a vital cog for Los Blancos. “In the end, Cristiano is one of us,” Zidane said. “He’s going to stay with…
Jordan Henderson says he is injury-free heading into Liverpool’s new season after a foot problem cut short a promising 2016-17 campaign. Henderson was thriving in a new defensive-midfield role until February when contact injury sustained in training ended his season early. The Liverpool captain has since returned to action this preseason and revealed in an interview after an open training session at the Mong Kok Stadium that he does not have to manage his foot in order to train and play in the Reds’ warm-up fixtures. “I haven’t managed it,” he told reporters. “I’ve trained every day since I’ve been…
Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has said the decision to part company with Diego Costa was taken in January. Costa, expected to leave Stamford Bridge this summer, said he had received a text from Conte at the end of last season to tell him he was no longer in his plans. But the coach said he had delivered that news to Costa and in his agent in January after the striker was linked with a big-money move to China. Speaking at a news conference, he told reporters: “In January, the Costa situation was very clear for the club, for him, and…
Chelsea have confirmed the signing of Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata on a five-year contract. Morata, 24, joins on a deal reported to be worth an initial £58 million, potentially rising to £70m. “I am so happy to be here,” Morata told the Chelsea website. “It’s an incredible emotion to be part of this big club. “I am looking to work hard, score as many goals as I can and to win as many trophies as possible.” The Spain international was born in Madrid and progressed through Real’s academy and B team to make his first-team debut in 2010. He…
Southampton captain Virgil van Dijk has said he wants to leave the club, according to new manager Mauricio Pellegrino. Pellegrino revealed the Dutch defender, a target for Liverpool earlier this summer, has been ordered to train separately from the rest of the squad. “He is not involved with the team because psychologically he is not 100 percent,” Pellegrino told BBC Radio Solent. “When I was talking with him, the boy said that he is not available to play because he wants to leave. “I need to work with a player that works at 100 percent to defend Southampton. “This is…
Robert Pires has warned Arsenal fans they may not see the best of club-record signing Alexandre Lacazette for some time. The France striker completed his move from Lyon earlier in the month for a fee believed to be worth as much as £52 million. That eclipses the money spent on Mesut Ozil in 2013 and will be seen as a statement of intent from manager Arsene Wenger that he is gunning for major silverware in the upcoming campaign. Lacazette, who scored off the bench on his debut against Sydney FC last week, hit 28 goals in Ligue 1 last season.…
Kevin De Bruyne believes that Romelu Lukaku is one of the best strikers in the world after his £75 million move to Manchester United this summer. The Belgium international teammates are now on opposite sides of the city and Lukaku has already made an impact, scoring the opening goal in United’s 2-0 victory over Manchester City in the International Champions Cup on Thursday. Some fans and pundits have questioned whether Lukaku will be able justify his expensive price tag, but De Bruyne has no doubt that the former Everton forward will be a success at Old Trafford. “I think he…
Jose Mourinho is set for face-to-face talks with Ed Woodward in a bid to get Manchester United’s summer transfer window back on track. Mourinho has become frustrated as United’s transfer business has stalled since signing Romelu Lukaku in a £75 million deal from Everton two weeks ago. The United manager has admitted he wanted four new arrivals in place before the start of preseason training in Los Angeles on July 10. The club moved quickly to sign defender Victor Lindelof from Benfica for £31m and Lukaku. But in his first news conference on the summer, Mourinho said the job was…
It would take a financial commitment from Paris Saint-Germain of approximately €620 million to get Neymar what new car owners would call “on the road.” Football’s top-end finances is now so gross, so complex and so lacking in true transparency that we must all estimate here. But you won’t be far wrong if you add: €220m to exercise Neymar’s buyout clause, close to €50m in the taxes it would generate, the same sum for a signing-on fee and a five-year contract of €30m in tax-free salary (it means PSG pay the French authorities at least the same sum again each…
Chester Bennington has reportedly committed suicide at the age of 41. TMZ reports that the Linkin Park frontman hanged himself at a Palos Verdes Estates residence in Los Angeles County. The Los Angeles County coroner’s office has confirmed to Billboard that there was a death on Bennington’s Palos Verdes block on Thursday, July 20. Billboard has reached out to reps for the band and authorities for confirmation, but are yet to get a response as of the time of the report. According to the reports, Bennington struggled with drug and alcohol addictions during his life. He is survived by a…
R Kelly has denied allegations that he is holding several young women in an “abusive cult”. A report by BuzzFeed accused the singer of brainwashing women, who got close to him in an effort to boost their musical careers. The singer’s lawyer said they are currently working “diligently and forcibly to pursue his accusers and clear his name”. The singer’s lawyer, Linda Mensch, said in a statement: “Robert Kelly is both alarmed and disturbed at the recent revelations attributed to him. Mr Kelly unequivocally denies such allegations.” Recall that R Kelly has faced accusations of sexual misconduct in the past,…
Singer Davido is set to move into his newly renovated mansion in Lekki phase 1, Lagos. He announced the completion of the building in an Instagram post on Tuesday, July 18. “My crib complete!! Big ups @_infiniteconstruction”, the ‘Fall’ singer captioned a picture of the all-white painted masterpiece. Born David Adeleke, Davido also own a vacation house in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It is, however, not clear when the HKN Music and Davido Music Worldwide (DMW) boss will be moving into his new crib. Meanwhile, Davido’s reps are denying reports that the singer’s crew members suffered black eyes from a…
Usher reportedly racked out $1.1 million to settle a lawsuit with a lady who claimed the singer infected her with herpes. Court documents dated back to late 2012 show that the 38-year-old singer, whose real name is Usher Raymond IV, was diagnosed with herpes in 2009 or 2010. The ‘Confessions’ star had unprotected sex with the claimant without confessing that he was carrying the virus, the papers add. In California, it is illegal to knowingly or recklessly transmit a sexually transmitted disease. Usher allegedly did that when he told the victim he had tested negative for the virus, despite a…
American singer Madonna is trying to stop the auction of Tupac Shakur’s handwritten break-up letter. The music star filed a request in New York Supreme Court for a temporary restraining order against New York auction house “Gotta Have It Collectibles” to halt the sale, due to start on Wednesday, July 19, 2017. Madonna will also be blocking the auction of her “personally worn panties”, and a note in which she called Whitney Houston and Sharon Stone “horribly mediocre”. She said in court documents that she only found out about the auction in the press and accused her former friend and…