Manager Roberto Martinez said he understands why his future as Everton manager is under scrutiny and asked disgruntled fans to stay behind the team despite their disappointing campaign. The pressure on the Spaniard is arguably at its highest since he took charge of the club in 2013, with British media reporting that Everton’s board would meet to discuss his future following its exit on Saturday from the FA Cup. Everton are 11th in the Premier League and their hopes of winning a trophy ended when they lost their FA Cup semifinal to Manchester United. Martinez said he appreciated why his…
Author: David Folami
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Dele Alli will not play again this season after he was given a three-game ban for violent conduct by the Football Association on Thursday. The 20-year-old, elected England’s Young Player of the Year last weekend, was retrospectively punished after punching Claudio Yacob in the stomach during Spurs’ 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion on Monday. He will therefore miss Spurs’ final three Premier League games against Chelsea, Southampton and Newcastle United, in which Mauricio Pochettino’s side will look to keep their flickering title hopes alive. “Dele Alli will serve a three-match suspension with immediate effect after he…
Manchester City skipper Vincent Kompany is looking forward to a “career-defining” clash against Real Madrid in next week’s Champions League semifinal, second leg and has backed his team to pick off their more illustrious rivals. Madrid, who have won the tournament 10 times, take on a City side bidding to reach their first final after securing a 0-0 draw in the first leg in Manchester on Tuesday. “It’s a career-defining game,” Kompany told British media. “For us, we will just need to stick to the gameplan. It’s going to be very clear. They are going to try and put us…
Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho has been provisionally suspended for 30 days after failing an anti-doping test, European soccer’s governing body Uefa said on Thursday. The 26-year-old France international failed a dope test following his side’s Europa League round of 16, second leg tie against Manchester United last month, a statement said. “(Sakho) did not request the analysis of the B sample. Uefa has now suspended the player provisionally for 30 days until a final decision is taken by the Uefa Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body,” Uefa said. France’s RMC radio reported this week that Sakho’s failed test followed the use…
Villarreal’s Adrian Lopez produced a stinging sucker punch in stoppage time to leave Liverpool reeling and move the Spaniards closer to a maiden European final after their Europa League last four first leg clash finished 1-0 on Thursday. Liverpool, who got a taste of their own medicine having scored deep in added time to knock Borussia Dortmund out in the quarterfinals, looked comfortable before Denis Suarez broke into the box and unselfishly squared for Lopez to sweep home. In the other semifinal, holders Sevilla had their fingers briefly loosened from the trophy before grabbing a 2-2 draw at Shakhtar Donetsk…
Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola has said that even his children are suffering the effects of the poor power situation in the country. Fashola made the disclosure on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, while appearing on Channels TV. “It’s a very hot season of the year. I see my children too sweating, having heat rash and they look at me like what are you doing about this thing. Let me be very clear, this problem can be solved,” he said. “It needs detailed and methodical approach. First work to do is to supply more gas because without gas,…
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday adjourned continuation of cross examination of Olisa Metuh’s witnesses till May 17. The judge, Justice Okon Abang, adjourned the matter following an application by Metuh’s counsel, Dr Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN),that his client was not in good health. Ikpeazu said that the defendant, who also was in court, came from the hospital against doctor’s advice. He expressed concern that hearing in his client’s case might take a while because of the ongoing election matter before the judge who was sitting in the same court. He, therefore, sought adjournment while the election matter was…
Similarly, he said two General Hospitals are to be completely renovated while the state Amanawa Leprosarium is to be converted to an infectious diseases hospital. A statement by Tambuwal’s spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, said the Governor spoke Wednesday in Sokoto while addressing health stakeholders at the on-going 56th annual conference of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). The statement said the projects will come on stream while government continues with its earlier plan establish cardiac and renal centers to ease the hardship of transporting patients for treatment to other countries. He said in order to adequately preserve drugs and other items,…
NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba stated this in Abuja on Wednesday, April 27 2016 that the organised Labour had made a formal demand of the new wage of N56, 000 to the Federal Government for debate. He said the need for upward review of the current minimum wage became necessary, considering the economy challenges which affect the purchasing power of Nigerians. “I can say authoritatively that as at yesterday, we have made a formal demand of N56, 000 minimum wages to government. That demand has been submitted officially to the federal government.” “We hope for the tripartite system to look…
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, has cautioned the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to desist from backlashing the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) judge, Danladi Umar. Jacobs stated this on Wednesday, April 27, while reacting to the application by Saraki’s counsel, Raphael Oluyede, asking Umar to disqualify himself from the ongoing trial due to corruption allegations against him. Umar had been investigated by the EFCC for corruption to the tune of N10m and for meeting with an accused person privately in his chambers which he admitted. Oluyede, who had accused the Chairman of bias in Saraki’s…
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the World Bank to hasten the repatriation of stolen funds by late dictator, Sani Abacha, which are being held by Swiss authorities. He stated this in Abuja on Wednesday, April 27, while speaking at a meeting with the visiting Managing Director of the World Bank, Ms. Sri Mulyani Indrawati. Buhari noted that the repatriation of the additional $320 million (N64 billion) looted by Abacha and held in Switzerland will be helpful in easing the current economic crisis in the country. He assured the Ms Indrawati that the current administration under his leadership is being structured…
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the Inspector-General of police (IGP), Solomon Arase and security agencies to stop the killings by suspected herdsmen across the country. Speaking for the first time after the herdsmen attack in Enugu State, on Monday, April 27, Buhari said that it has become necessary for his administration to prioritise ending the incessant attacks and killings perpetrated by the herdsmen. The Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the President, Garba Shehu, made this known in series of tweets on Wednesday, April 27. “Following continuing reports of attacks by ‘herdsmen’ on communities across the country, particularly…
Senate Leader, Ali Ndume has said that no protest can force a Senator to resign his position. Ndume made the comment on Tuesday, April 27, 2016, in reaction to a demonstration organized at the National Assembly to demand Senate President, Bukola Saraki’s resignation. “That is why we are not trying to say anything about them because what is happening out there is a very dangerous precedence that we are trying to set,” he said according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). “I contested to represent Borno South. I did not force myself on my people and therefore somebody out…
Former Bauchi State Governor, Isa Yuguda has said that he left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because of the $2.1 billion arms deal fraud in which some top members of the party were allegedly involved. Yuguda made the remark in a letter sent to PDP Chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff and obtained by Punch. The letter reads: “I wish to tender my resignation as a member of the PDP effective from today, Saturday, 23rd April, 2016. My decision was informed by the shocking revelations on the embezzlement of $2.1bn meant for the procurement of arms to fight insurgency and reduce the…
Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu has said that the Senate’s presiding officers don’t have to come from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). Ekweremadu made the comment on Tuesday, April 26, 2016, during an interview on Raypower Radio, Daily Trust reports. “We have good programmes and message for Nigeria ahead of 2019,” he said. “Let me also make this clear. As PDP, we are Nigerians and we love Nigeria as well. We are not going to hinge our return on the failure of APC. Certainly, we want APC to succeed. “We are going to hinge our return on superior argument,…
Controversial Nigerian singer, Cynthia Morgan is in the news again following her latest post on Instagram. The dancehall and rap artiste took to her Instagram page yesterday, April 26, 2016 to share a short clip of herself singing while flashing ‘what she got’. The ‘German juice’ crooner revealed she was on set of a new music video. “Look here , u are good no doubt but the fact that your trying to be nicki minaj in attitude wouldn’t help okay , be yourself and stop trying to be someone else!,” a follower said. “Smh demons in human skin bad example…
Emma Nyra is tired of people labelling her as Triple MG’s boss, Ubi Franklin’s ex girlfriend. The sultry singer yesterday, April 27, 2016 tried clearing the air for the umpteenth time when an Instablogger Ameriesblog called her out as Ubi Franklin’s ex. She wrote, “@ubifranklintriplemg’s ex Emma Nyra says ‘blame your man for cheating and not the girl…. Who agrees?” Nyra was quick to remind her she never dated Iyanya’s manager. She simply replied by saying, “I’m not his ex dear.” Recall that Triple MG Boss Ubi Franklin came out to expose his past relationship with Emma Nyra, revealing that…
Afropop singer, Davido, has shown his generous side once again, by gifting a female fan with a sum of N50,000 after she said a prayer for him. The fan, whose name is Kanyisola Feyi, showed her excitement about the cash gift on her Instagram. She wrote, “Oh well… All because I told @davidoofficial ‘God bless him’ he decided to dash me 50k he is not using. God bless Davido.” This is not the first time Davido has shared his abundance with his fans. Earlier in 2016, the pop singer was reported to have given some cash to fans who met…
The 2015/16 season of the UEFA Champions League will come to a grand close come May 28, 2016, as R&B singer, Alicia Keys, will be performing at the final of the football event. The final is set to take place in Italy at Milan’s Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, to television audiences in over 220 countries. Keys is looking forward to the prestigious football event with much excitement. She explained that Italy is like a second home to her. “My mother’s family is from Italy, so whenever I go, I always feel the most loved,” she said. “I feel like it’s a…
Nigerian pop star, Wizkid has refused to acknowledge Binta Diamond and her son, Ayodeji Ibrahim Jr if this recent tweet is anything to go by. Yesterday, April 26, 2016 the singer took to his Twitter page to give a shout out to his first son with Sola Ogudu. “Boluwatife! My everything,” he tweeted and added a heart emoji, driving his point home. This recent public declaration raises the question why he is deliberately ignoring his ex, Binta Diamond and her son who have both relocated to the United States. Recall that the video vixen reportedly visited Lagos to get Wizkid…