Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney has a chance of starting the EFL Cup final but Jose Mourinho insists sentiment will not play any part in his decision. The 31-year-old on Thursday put to bed speculation regarding his future for the rest of the campaign, confirming he was staying at Old Trafford in a statement. Mourinho was pleased by the content and timing of the statement from Rooney, who will be in the squad for Sunday’s final against Southampton despite a recent hamstring injury and dropping down the pecking order. United’s all-time top scorer may even start at Wembley after in-form…
Author: David Folami
The times are hard and no one is exempted from the realities of a recession, not even Africa Magic, apparently. The organisers of AMVCAs have announced the commencement of sales of VIP tickets to this year’s award show, which is slated for a yet-to-be-announced date. This is the first time in the history of the five-year-old awards that tickets will be sold. Interested attendees will have to cough out one hundred thousand naira (N100,000) for a VIP ticket to the event. When it birthed in 2012, the AMVCA changed the face of awards organisation in Nigeria. From exquisite invitation items,…
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has reaffirmed its commitment to return Nigeria in 2019 to the path of economic growth and respect for fundamental human rights. The party said this in a communiqué issued at the end of its stakeholders and party organs meeting organised by the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee on Monday in Abuja. The party stated that a PDP-led Federal Government would remove hunger in the land and restore confidence in the Nigerian economy. It stated that the reaffirmation was necessary in view of current experiences in the country. This, according to the party, include the…
Brown Ideye has become the latest Nigerian to head to the Chinese Super League, after joining Tianjin Teda. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 28-year-old has left Greek club Olympiakos to sign a three-year deal. He will play alongside Super Eagles team-mate John Mikel Obi and Gabon international Malick Evouna. Chinese Super League clubs are on the hunt for new players ahead of the start of the new season next month. NAN reports that Tianjin Teda finished 11th in the Chinese Super League last season. Ideye scored 28 goals in 65 appearances for Olympiakos and won the…
Jamie Vardy’s first Champions League goal gave Leicester City a lifeline in their last 16 tie despite going down 2-1 to Sevilla in Wednesday’s first leg. Goals from Pablo Sarabia and Joaquin Correa had given Sevilla a deserved 2-0 lead, whilst Correa also saw a penalty saved by the inspired Kasper Schmeichel. However, despite Sevilla’s dominance, Schmeichel’s heroics and Vardy’s strike means the English champions are well in the tie ahead of the second leg at home on March 14. The two sides couldn’t be in more contrasting form with Sevilla just three points off the top of La Liga,…
A member of the House of Representatives, Emmanuel Ukoette has dumped the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressives Congress (APC). Ukoette, who represents the Ukanafun/Oruk Anam Federal Constituency of Akwa Ibom, defected on Wednesday, February 22. He announced his defection via a letter written to Speaker, Yakubu Dogara which was read on the floor of the House. “It is clear to Nigerians that the PDP is factionalized and therefore, barring members, especially I, from engaging my constituents well enough,” Ukoette said. “The factions within the party are led by the National Chairman of the Party, Sen. Ali Modu…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has prayed that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) resolved its leadership crisis soon to enable it take up responsibility as a viable opposition. In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, in Abuja on Tuesday, the party said there was need for PDP to be vibrant to provide the critical opposition. It said, “we pray for them to put their house in order soon because we believe that democracy is better served when the opposition is alive. “However, we also know the PDP can only begin to take steps towards recovery if…
Hoodlums have been terrorising the Randle General Hospital on Randle Avenue, Surulere, Lagos, an investigation by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) revealed on Thursday. A NAN Correspondent who visited the hospital reported that the Emergency Unit was more vulnerable to such incidents as patients, relations and others could easily walk into the premises, without being questioned. NAN also reports that the entrance to the hospital’s Emergency Unit had no security personnel, hence anybody could freely walk in. A member of staff who confirmed this to NAN said cases of theft and attacks on members of staff, including doctors and…
Former Leicester city and England striker Gary Lineker said the club had taken an “unforgivable” decision in sacking manager Claudio Ranieri on Thursday, less than a year after he led them to a shock Premier League title success. Ranieri’s position had come under intense scrutiny this season during a slump that has left the Foxes just a point above the relegation zone following last term’s starting title triumph, with Leicester 5 000/1 no-hopers before the start of the 2015/16 campaign. Shortly before Leicester’s Thai owners confirmed the 65-year-old Ranieri’s exit from the King Power Stadium, Lineker, in an affectionate tribute…
Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy said he has no regrets over rejecting a move to Arsenal during the close season despite the Premier League champions’ recent struggles. Vardy, who scored 24 league goals during Leicester’s title-winning campaign, had the release cause in his contract triggered by Arsenal but he opted to sign a four-year extension with the Foxes in June. Following their stunning title triumph last season, Leicester are battling against the drop, sitting a point and a place above the bottom three. In contrast, Arsenal are fourth with 50 points, 29 ahead of Leicester with 13 games remaining. The…
Bayern Munich coach Carlo Ancelotti will not be punished for showing Hertha Berlin fans his middle finger but must make a donation to charity, the German Federation (DFB) said on Tuesday. The Italian coach had made the explicit gesture after being spat at by Hertha fans during Bayern’s 1-1 draw in Berlin on Saturday. The DFB said it had closed the case against Ancelotti “on condition the Bayern Munich coach makes a 5 000-euros ($5 270) donation to the Sepp-Herberger Foundation”, the federation said in a statement on its website. The foundation – named after the coach of the West…
Barring the football equivalent of a miracle, Barcelona will go out of the Champions League round of 16 for the first time since 2007. If the Spanish champions lose against Atletico Madrid at the Calderon this Saturday, then the club that has won six of the last eight La Liga titles will, effectively, be on the canvas and taking a count from the referee: and in February, no less. These are genuinely dramatic facts. Cynics might judge that the third horseman of the footballing apocalypse came into view this week when Gerard Pique commented that “we are all united behind…
Gifty has apologized to her fans and Banky W for her comments during her stay in the Big Brother Naija house. According to the former housemate, she was misunderstood when she said she didn’t know Banky W. In a statement which she released via her Instagram page, Gifty apologized to her fans and Banky W, saying ‘it’s just a game, we say and do things for specific reasons.” “Good evening everyone…first of all i was misunderstood when I said I don’t know Banky, actually what I meant was, “I’ve never met him in person”..Banky is an amazing singer no doubt.…
The Police have reopened the national secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Ali Modu Sheriff. The secretariat was reopened on Thursday, February 23, after an appeal court affirmed Sheriff as the authentic National Chairman of the party. It was gathered that some members of his National Working Committee (NWC), supporters and several aides accompanied Sheriff into the secretariat at about 6:00 p.m The PDP Chairman was said to have headed straight to his office but he could not stay for long as the place was full of dust. “We came to see what renovation and cleaning to be…
In an exclusive interview, former Big Brother Naija housemate, Gifty, explained the controversial Banky W moment that happened during her stay in the house. According to the actress and model, while she was misunderstood by the viewers, her action was part of her game plan. “I think I was misunderstood,” said Gifty. “What I actually meant was that I don’t know Banky W one on one. “For me to say it loud, telling TBoss that ‘who is that?’ I think that was part of my game plan.” “I actually apologized. I’m so happy that Banky W replied me, and he…
The 89th annual Academy Awards is set to take place at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, California on Sunday, February 26, starting at 4pm PST (which is Monday in Nigeria). Nigerians can watch the 2017 Oscars Live in the early hours of Monday, February 27, 2017, on M-Net Movies Premiere (104) at 03:30 am.er The Oscars red carpet action will kick off live from 2:00am CAT. There would also be a Prime Time repeat on M-Net at 19:30 CAT. Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, who previously hosted the 2012 and 2016 Emmys will host the event. Last year’s…
In an exclusive interview, former Big Brother Naija housemate, Gifty, explained her desire for power and fame. According to the actress, she thought about her past before making up her mind about working towards having power and fame. “Before I placed that, I actually thought about my past, because I and my family, we have been through a lot, and I just needed to build a strong foundation.” “Although it’s not just power and fame that you can use, but, I think for now, I just wanna use it to build a good foundation for my tommorrow.” During her stay…
The Akwa-Ibom state Governor, Udom Emmanuel has said that going by the current trend in Nigeria, the country is gradually becoming a one party state. Emmanuel also said the move will not do Nigeria any good, adding that it will endanger democracy. The Governor said this at the Ibom International Airport, on his way back from Abuja. Emmanuel was in Abuja to attend the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders meeting that was called, following the declaration of Ali Modu Sheriff as the party chairman. Sheriff was declared the lawful chairman of the PDP by an Appeal Court in Rivers state…
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has described as false the reports that he endorsed Alhaji Ali Modu Sheriff as the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Shortly after Sherriff’s confirmation as the authentic PDP leader by an Appeal court sitting in Port Harcourt, he paid a visit to Jonathan, fueling speculations that the ex-president approves of the court judgment. According to a statement by Jonathan’s media aide, Ikechukwu Eze, the former president never endorsed Sheriff. It said the two politicians did not discuss anything like endorsement during the visit, adding that, “not at the closed door meeting with Sheriff…
Rivers State Govvernor Nyesom Wike has said that the money keeping Nigeria afloat is from his state. Wike also criticized the Nigerian police for failing to punish officers accused of malpractice during the December 2016 rerun elections in the state. The governor’s comments come after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) released a report accusing security agencies of compromising the integrity of the elections. “If we were in a civilized country with the right leadership, the persons mentioned in the report would have resigned from their positions,” Wike said on Wednesday, February 22. “They should bury their heads in shame.…