Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini criticised the appointment of referee Mark Clattenburg for the pivotal game against Premier League title rivals Tottenham which saw his team slump to a 2-1 defeat on the back of a controversial penalty decision. Clattenburg awarded a spot-kick for handball against Raheem Sterling when a cross from Tottenham’s Danny Rose hit the City winger on the back of the arm. And having been in charge when Tottenham won the reverse fixture 4-1 at White Hart Lane in September, when Pellegrini felt two of the home side’s goals should have been disallowed, the City boss claimed…
Author: David Folami
Gov. Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State says the state government plans to enroll no fewer than 1.2 million pupils in primary schools across the 23 local governments of the state in the next nine months. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Tambuwal made the disclosure in Sokoto on Saturday at the maiden edition of Youths Education and Empowerment summit organised by an NGO, “Arewa Transformation Initiatives”. The summit was organised in conjunction with the Office of Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs. ”Our target for the year is about 1.4 million pupils, but we have now targeted…
The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, said on Monday that a critical pillar of the Buhari presidency is transparency, especially in the extractive industry. “It is important for us that we handle our resources with transparency and good governance,” he told a delegation of the global body, Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), during a meeting at the Presidential Villa Abuja. The Minister of State for Budget & Planning, and the former Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), Mrs Zainab Ahmed, was also in attendance. “One of the objectives that we have set for ourselves is to…
The Federal Government of Nigeria has made known its plans to reduce the amount of borrowing needed to fund the 2016 budget from funds mopped up from government agencies through the implementation of the Treasury Single Account. Currently, the 2016 budget submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari has a deficit of N2.2tn. The deficit is to be realised be financed through the borrowing of N1.84tn made up of domestic borrowing of N984bn and foreign borrowing of N900bn. Due to the global fall in oil price, there are concerns that the deficit may rise to the tune of N3tn at a Benchmark…
The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Christine Lagarde, has pledged its support for Nigeria in case they need any financial assistance. She opined that devaluation might not be a good alternative for the country as it seeks to solve its current economic challenges. Lagarde stated, “The IMF remains available to all its members; so, the moment we are asked to help, we’ll do the best we can to help. Both countries, Azerbaijan and Nigeria, have been hard hit by the oil price decline shock, because their economies depend heavily on oil exports, both in terms of trade, and…
The Federal Government is taking its bid to improve its annual income very seriously. It has resorted to increase the salary of Custom officers in order to give motivation to men of the service. While at a senate hearing on the review of revenue projections in the 2016 budget in Abuja on Tuesday, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun said that the government was working on the introduction of performance-related pay for the NCS to motivate improved revenue collection and reduce corruption. She stated that, “This exercise found that the provision of modern equipment, elimination of inappropriate waivers and…
Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun during the Efficiency Unit, media round stated that it is highly important for the government to use its purchasing power to make beneficial bargains for the country and also further enhance transparency by introducing price guidelines. “We have some professionals working with us. We have people that will support, provide data to ensure that they conform to the guidelines, even in operations,” Adeosun said through her representative, Patience Oniha. Adeosun stated that, if a 5% discount was secured on the average annual expenditure of N83 billion on travels then the government would save N4.14 billion…
The senate president, Bukola Saraki has made known his assessment concerning the state of the economy when he revealed that poor budgeting has been the problem of the country in the last 16 years. Saraki made this known in a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary Sanni Onogu, during an interactive session with Civil Society Organisations on the 2016 budget in Abuja. He expressed that the National Assembly is making efforts to introduce legislations that will “boost internally generated revenues by plugging the loopholes that exist in our system and encouraging the small and medium-scale business owners in our…
Fresh reports hint that Senate President, Bukola Saraki has kicked off fresh moves to reach out to President Muhammadu Buhari and the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, over his Code of Conduct Tribunal trial. According to a report by Punch Newspaper, following the Supreme Court judgment on his trial at the CCT, the Senate President had began moves to seek favours from the President and Tinubu. Though the moves by Saraki are said to have been indirect, he is rumoured to be desperate to reach a favourable agreement with the top political figures before the…
Gov. Kashim Shettima of Borno has commended the Military for their sacrifice in restoring peace in the North-East. Shettima stated this while speaking with newsmen in Maiduguri. “ The military has recorded tremendous achievements in the past six months, we are now consolidating the emerging peace in the state. “It is wrong for anyone to say that the Boko Haram are in control, yes you might have pockets of them trying to foment mischief, but eventually, we shall overcome the hiccups. “We are all living witnesses to what is happening in Borno, you and I know that in the last…
Leader of the Senate, Ali Ndume, on Sunday said the Senate would strive to pass the 2016 Budget before the end of March. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), he said March was the deadline for the implementation of the 2015 budget, as such it was the desire of the Senate to pass the 2016 budget before that time The leader said that contrary to reports in the media, the Senate did not suspend its passage indefinitely, but only said that the 25th of February `may not be feasible’. He said it was the wish of…
The Akwa Ibom Fire Service Department said on Sunday that the government lost property worth N897.13 million to fire in the state in 2015. The Director of Fire Services in the state, Mr Ndareke Ukpe, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo that some of the incidents occurred in 71 residential buildings. Ukpe said that others occurred in 59 market stores and 42 government buildings. ADVERTISING He, however, said that the department was able to save property worth N94.06 billion during the period. He attributed the fires to carelessness by the residents and the use of fake or…
Barcelona striker Luis Suarez would only return to the English Premier League if it was to rejoin former club Liverpool, he revealed in a British newspaper interview published on Saturday. “I’d prefer to stay here (Barcelona) for many more years,” he told the Daily Mail. “I know it doesn’t always turn out that way. But if I had to return to the Premier League, I would only go to Liverpool. “I wouldn’t go to another team. It wouldn’t be a move for money. I’d also love to play again for Ajax as they allowed me to develop as a player…
Substitute Danny Welbeck scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Arsenal resurrected their Premier League title challenge with a heart-stopping 2-1 Valentine’s Day victory over leaders Leicester City on Sunday. Down to 10 men following Danny Simpson’s 54th-minute dismissal, Leicester were clinging on at a tension-bound Emirates Stadium when Welbeck headed in a 95th-minute winner from Mesut Ozil’s free-kick on his return after 10 months out with a serious knee injury. The England striker’s goal lifted Arsenal to within two points of Leicester and also gave hope to Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City, five and six points off the pace respectively,…
Louis van Gaal admitted that Champions League qualification will be “very difficult” after a shock 2-1 defeat at second-bottom Sunderland increased the pressure on the Manchester United manager. A late own goal from goalkeeper David de Gea at the Stadium of Light on Saturday condemned United to a first loss in the league on Wearside for 19 years. It leaves the 20-time English champions six points adrift of the top four with 12 games remaining after a display described by captain Wayne Rooney as “not good enough”. Anthony Martial’s 10th goal of the season pulled United level before half-time, cancelling…
Luka Modric believes Real Madrid team-mate Gareth Bale has what it takes to win the FIFA Ballon d’Or in the future. The Wales international had to settle for 16th place in this year’s edition of the prestigious individual award and also missed out on a place in the FIFPro World XI. However, Modric has little doubt Bale will make it to the Ballon d’Or ceremony at some stage. “I told him that if he keeps playing like this then I do not see any reason why he can’t make it into the World XI and then go on to win…
Luka Modric has played under four different managers at Real Madrid but the Croatian has singled out Carlo Ancelotti as his favourite. Jose Mourinho signed Modric in 2012 in a £22.5million deal from Tottenham, however it’s Mourinho’s successor, Ancelotti, which Modric ranks as his favourite. Ancelotti spent two seasons in Madrid between 2013 and 2015 and the Italian manager guided the club to four trophies, including their record 10th Champions League crown. “I had a great relationship with them and they helped me, all of them, to improve, but if I have to pick one, I would pick Mr Ancelotti,”…
Lionel Messi has reacted to the reports that he outbid Cristiano Ronaldo to buy one an expensive car. Messi and Real Madrid forward, Ronaldo were said to be interested in a 1957 Ferrari 335 S Spider Scaglietti which cost around €32 m ($36m). Reports have it that Messi outbid Ronaldo to get his hands on the car that was put in the market by car selling firm Proto Organisation owned by Italian billionaire Alessandro Proto. A press release from the Italian company sparked the reports that it was Messi who bought the car. Ballon d’Or winner however took to his…
Zinedine Zidane feels Cristiano Ronaldo proved his worth on the wing as the Portugal star scored twice in 10-man Real Madrid’s 4-2 La Liga win over Athletic Bilbao on Saturday. Ronaldo’s double helped Madrid negotiate a difficult test against Athletic at the Santiago Bernabeu, which saw the visitors cancel out his early opener through Javier Eraso before Aritz Aduriz rattled the crossbar. James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos scored to make it 3-1 before Raphael Varane’s second yellow card – with Ronaldo and Gorka Elustondo then on target in the final stages of an entertaining contest. Ronaldo has often been used…
Gary Neville oversaw a La Liga victory for the first time in 10 attempts as Valencia came from behind to defeat Espanyol 2-1 at Mestalla on Saturday. The Englishman’s future has been under heavy scrutiny after his struggles in the league were followed up by a 7-0 defeat at Barcelona in the first leg of his side’s Copa del Rey semi-final this month. Neville had conceded that the contest against struggling Espanyol, who had lost their previous two league games 6-0 and 5-0, was a must-win game. It looked like Valencia were set for another miserable day when Oscar Duarte…