Barcelona have the upper hand in a final day showdown with Real Madrid for the Spanish title on Saturday as they know a victory at Granada will ensure them a 24th La Liga crown. Madrid are a point behind and have to stretch their winning La Liga run to 12 games at Deportivo la Coruna and hope for a Barca slip up to land the title. The battle between the two richest clubs in the world has come down to the final day thanks to Barca’s incredible slump of three consecutive league defeats in April, the first time in 13…
Author: David Folami
Pep Guardiola’s Bayern Munich will lift the Bundesliga trophy for an historic fourth consecutive time on Saturday – with their rivals predicting they will get even stronger next season under Carlo Ancelotti. Bayern’s home match against Hanover 96, who are already relegated, will be Guardiola’s last at the Allianz Arena before he takes over at Manchester City next season. It promises to be a festive occasion in Munich and Guardiola will be a prime candidate for the traditional ‘beer shower’ when the Bayern squad are presented with over-sized glasses of beer to start the party after the final whistle. Under…
Chelsea midfielder Nemanja Matic has backed teammate Eden Hazard to lead the club back to the top of the English game next season after the winger’s form improved dramatically over the past few games. Hazard, who has struck four goals in his last four Premier League games, endured a difficult start to the season, scoring his first league goal against Bournemouth last month. Chelsea’s fortunes have largely echoed those of their mercurial midfielder, with last season’s champions occupying ninth place in the table. “Can he get Chelsea back to the top playing like he is right now? Of course. He…
Manuel Pellegrini has vowed to give Manchester City the perfect parting gift of a Champions League place at the expense of Manchester United, while champions Leicester will bring down the curtain on their astonishing season at Chelsea on Sunday. With a memorable Premier League campaign coming to a conclusion with the final round of fixtures this weekend, the focus is split between the Manchester rivals’ battle for the last spot in Europe’s elite club competition and a fitting finale for Leicester as the fairytale champions bow out at the home of last year’s winners. For City manager Pellegrini, his side’s…
Leicester City’s England striker Jamie Vardy has been named Premier League Player of the Season after his pivotal role in the club’s remarkable title-winning campaign. The East Midlands club, which announced the award in a tweet on Friday, defied the odds to lift their first top-flight crown having begun the season as 5 000-1 outsiders. The prolific Vardy is also in the race for the golden boot awarded to the league’s top scorer, having netted 24 goals so far, one behind his international teammate Harry Kane of Tottenham Hotspur with one round of matches remaining on Sunday. Leicester visit last…
President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed his support for plans to restrict the movement of persons involved in corruption to prevent them from travelling abroad. This was disclosed via a statement released by Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina on Thursday, May 12, 2016. The statement reads: “We commit to work together to enhance company disclosure on the payments to governments for the sale of oil, gas and minerals, complementing ongoing work within the EITI. “Nigeria is already reporting progress through the EITI working groups and will continue to work with interested countries to build a common understanding…
Human rights lawyer and activist, Femi Falana (SAN) has condemned the new fuel price increase by the Federal Government, describing it as illegal, immoral and insensitive. He said the government lacks statutory power to increase fuel pump price as the body empowered to take such decision is yet to be constituted. Falana, who stated this in a statement issued in Lagos on Thursday, May 12, asked the government to revert to the old pump price. He said the Muhammadu Buhari administration acted against its promises not to remove subsidy in order to inflict undue pains on Nigerians. The lawyer stressed…
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, has assured Nigerians that the removal of fuel subsidy would crash the price of petrol from the new price of N145 per litre to an unimaginable price over the next six months. Speaking on Thursday, May 12, on Channels TV’s programme, Sunrise Daily, Kachikwu said that the subsidy removal became necessary in roder to end the fuel scarcity in the country. According to him, the market dynamics would drive down the price of petrol in the long run “because there are a lot of Nigerians who are very active, very…
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Thursday, May 12, raided the Abuja residence of former director of publicity of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign, Femi Fani-Kayode. The EFCC had stormed Fani-Kayode’s last Friday following an invitation asking him to report to the agency’s headquarters on Monday, May 9, for questioning over alleged “criminal conspiracy, fraud and money laundering”. He honoured the anti-graft agency’s invitation, but was detained. According to Fani-Kayode’s media aide, Jude Ndukwe, the Thursday raid on his boss’ residence was the fourth in the last one week. “Earlier today, the EFCC invaded…
National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has said that the new fuel pump price is a necessary pain Nigerians must endure temporarily. Tinubu, who stated this in a statement issued by his media office, commended President Muhammadu Buhari for taking “a bold step”. According to him, the new ‘no subsidy’ regime will purge the petroleum sector of the rot undermining it benefits, and push out “fake businessmen who became true billionaires over night.” “We all want fuel at a cheaper price under the subsidy, we got the right price but not the fuel,” Tinubu was quoted…
Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose has said that he will not support the 2019 presidential bid of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff. The governor however added that he would gladly serve as the PDP’s vice presidential candidate if chosen. Fayose made the comment on Monday, May 9, 2016, during his monthly media chat, The Nation reports. “I will not support Ali Modu Sheriff for President in 2019. I am qualified to be VP if it is the will of God. God is taking me to a higher place, how, I don’t know,” he said. “If he gives…
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticised members of the Senate for purchasing cars, after they were given loans for that purpose. The former President said the move by the lawmakers is absolute nonsense. You will recall that Obasanjo in a letter dated January 13, 2016, criticised the legislators for being insensitive to the economic situation in the country. A move that saw the Senator representing Kogi west, Dino Melaye accusing the former President of introducing corruption into the national assembly in his bid to run for a third term in office. Obasanjo who spoke on Monday, May 9, 2016, at…
Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose has said that he is qualified to be Nigeria’s Vice President. Fayose made the comment on Monday, May 9, 2016, during his monthly media chat, The Nation reports.f “I will not support Ali Modu Sheriff for President in 2019. I am qualified to be VP if it is the will of God. God is taking me to a higher place, how, I don’t know,” the governor said. “If he gives me the VP slot, it is a good thing for Ekiti people even though, you cannot set out to say you want to be VP.…
The South-East Caucus of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged militants in the Niger Delta not to punish President Muhammadu Buhari for the sins of his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan. The call was made by caucus spokesperson, Osita Okechukwu in Abuja on Monday, May 9, 2016. “The escalation of bombings of the Niger Delta region is an ill-wind which blows no one good; not the least the good people of Niger Delta whom the Avengers claim to avenge their age-long ills,” he said. “Otherwise, may we honestly ask the Niger Delta Avengers, where they were, when our dear former President,…
Former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido has said that he is willing to serve as Nigeria’s president. Lamido also spoke on the need to restructure the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He made the comments during a recent interview with The Nation. Excerpts below: What are you doing to effect reconciliation in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)? You don’t know what we are doing and how hard we are working within the party, who we are reaching out, who we are talking to and people we are trying to reconcile. You don’t need to see it on the face book or…
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has pegged the cost of nomination and expression of interest forms for all aspirants for the Edo State Governorship run at N5.5 million. The state’s governorship election is slated for September 10, 2016. The National Organising Secretary of the party, Osita Izunaso, disclosed this in Abuja on Tuesday, May 10, while addressing newsmen. He said the the nomination form will cost N5 million while the expression of interest form is fixed at N500,000.00. However, Izunaso said female aspirants will be given the forms free of charge. He also added that in line with the Electoral…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is doing its best to get back into the saddle of governance at the federal level come 2019. The party’s resolve to capture the realms of power in the next presidential election was also expressed by the Rivers state Governor, Nyesom Wike. According to Premium Times, Governor Wike announced that PDP will return to power in 2019, adding that the party is re-organising itself for the challenge ahead. He said “The PDP will return to the seat of power at the Federal level by 2019. This congress is part of the process of repositioning the…
The media aide to Ogun State Senator, Buruji Kashamu has denied reports that his boss is trying to seize control of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Lagos. Kashamu has been accused of tampering with the structure put in place by PDP chieftain, Chief Bode George, according to reports. “How can anyone say he is causing division in Lagos PDP? They should carry their cross and stop looking for people to blame for the crisis,” the senator’s aide, Austin Oniyokor said. “Who does not know that PDP in Lagos has been divided for long between Chief Bode George and Senator…
President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he chose prominent pastor, Tunde Bakare as his running mate in 2011 in a bid to dismiss claims that he was a fanatic. Buhari made the comment on Tuesday, May 10, 2016, while speaking at the Katsina State Economic and Investment Summit, The Cable reports. “One of the four attempts to get here was with Tunde Bakare, when people said I’m a religious bigot, I decided to take a pastor so that I can shut their mouths up. So Tunde Bakare has decided to be with me all the time,” the president said. Bakare…
Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, condemned the newly announced pump price of petrol, saying the move means that President Muhammadu Buhari hates Nigerians. Reacting to the announcement in a statement issued by his spokesman, Lere Olayinka, the Governor accused the Federal Government of deliberately orchestrating the fuel scarcity that experienced in the country in the last three months, so as to pave way for the increment. Fayose said the All Progressives Congress (APC) deceived Nigerians to get to power by promising to reduce petrol price to N45. “When they were seeking for votes from Nigerians, they promised to reduce petrol…