FIFA Secretary-General Jerome Valcke could run for the post of FIFA President in the forthcoming election. According to the BBC Sport, the world football governing body chief scribe has met at least one regional confederation and national association to assess his chances. Valcke has also consulted several FIFA officials, though some senior officials are said to have advised him against running. The United States Department of Justice is investigating top FIFA officials and a number of football officials in connection with allegations of bribery, racketeering and corruption. Valcke’s candidacy is understandably deemed a decision to undermine Fifa’s resolve to proof…
Author: Wale Adebayo
Fabricio Coloccini’s own goal handed Arsenal their second win of the Premier League season away to ten-man Newcastle on Saturday. Newcastle had to defend in numbers without having a single shot on target after losing Aleksandar Mitrovic to a straight red card with just 16 minutes of the time being played at St. James’ Park. Arsenal dominated throughout the encounter but another resilient defensive display – this time with too many nerves – resulted to a decent final score. Coach Steve McClaren gave a first Premier League start to French winger Florian Thauvin. Arsene Wenger named Theo Walcott in his…
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested a fourteen-year-old boy, Sulaiymon Abdulraman alias Sunday Ajayi, who was working for the Boko Haram sect at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. The suspect, a native of Kogi State, was arrested by the DSS in liaison with Aviation Security while controlling a spy network mounted by the Boko Haram terrorists. On interrogation, Abdulrahman disclosed that he infiltrated the airport with the assistance of a certain Dauda Sadiq (Peter), whose is presently at large. A statement signed by Tony Opuiyo of the DSS quoted the suspect as revealing that he was directed…
The immediate past governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, has disowned a report alleging that he expressed disappointment in President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) for not appointing him Secretary of the Government of the Federation (SGF). The president appointed Babachir David Lawal from Adamawa State as the new SGF on Thursday, ending speculations that the position had been reserved for either of Amaechi or former national chairman of the defunct All Nigeria Peoples Party, ANPP, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu. But the ex-Rivers governor insisted he never spoke to any media organization and described the story published by an online blog as…
Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has said that nobody has the right to pocket public funds and described corruption as inimical to national development. He made this remark at the State House Thursday night when Yoruba traditional rulers in the northern states and Abuja, paid him a courtesy visit at the State House, a statement by his spokesman, Laolu Akande, said yesterday. The vice president said all Nigerians should uphold truth and justice for the country to make progress in the ongoing anti-corruption war, stressing that no nation in the world became great through corruption. “The history of the…
Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has directed the immediate payment of the outstanding two months’ salaries owed civil servants in the state. His directive followed the state government’s receipt of bailout funds from the federal government. Kwara is one of the two states said to have met the requirements for accessing bailout funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The governor, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant, Media and Communications, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, thanked the workers for their patience during the salary delay and pledged that his administration’s renewed IGR drive would ensure that the state government…
The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to extend his probe of corrupt public office holders to the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. SSANU President, Mr. Samson Ugwoke, asked the president not to spare anybody involved in the looting of the country’s resources. While declaring the association’s support for the anti-corruption war, Mr. Ugwoke also asked the president to avoid being selective in the ongoing probe. He spoke at a meeting of the National Executive Council and pre-National Delegates’ Conference of SSANU in Jos, Plateau State, on Friday. President Buhari has limited his ongoing…
President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday said he welcomed an assurance from the management of the Centenary City Plc that all the original inhabitants of the site in Abuja have been fully compensated. The president was quoted in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, as speaking after being briefed by the Chairman of the company’s board of directors, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd), and members of its management team. Shehu said Buhari praised the Centenary City’s main development partners from the United Arab Emirates for having enough confidence in Nigeria to agree to invest about…
Senate President Bukola Saraki and a contingent of Senators, yesterday met with the newly appointed Ambassador from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Mr. Fahad Abdullah Sefyan. According to the Senate President, the importance of Nigeria and Saudi Arabia building a stronger relationship that is founded on the shared values of both our nations was discussed at the meeting. “We also hope to see more co-operation in the area of economic development and investment,” Saraki said. The senate president said that the Ambassador assured the senators that he would work to enhance the relationship between Saudi Arabia and Nigeria. “We also…
A northern youth group, the Arewa Youth Parliament, has urged Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo state to put a stop to what the group termed his unguarded utterances and media attack on the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. Insisting that the attacks are unacceptable, the AYP noted that the current mood of the nation dictates that all Nigerians move away from unprogressive lamentations and hauling of unfounded allegations. The Edo governor has in recent weeks been vocal in his verbal attacks on the Jonathan administration, adding that for the timely emergence of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) as President, the…
History was made on Friday in the Nigeria Police Force when the Inspector General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase, ratified the appointment of Ag. ACP Olabisi Kolawole as the first Female Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO. The Ogun State University Law graduate, who is also a graduate of the Nigeria Police Academy, was called to the Nigerian Bar in 2002. Here are 10 things you probably did not know about the new Force spokesperson: 1. She is a holder of a Masters’ Degree in Police Leadership and Management (PLM) from the University of Leicester, United Kingdom. 2. She has held…
Jose Mourinho’s treatment of Chelsea team doctor, Eva Carneiro, is to be discussed during next month’s Fifa’s regular quarterly meeting. Carneiro was demoted after she and head physio Jon Fearn rushed on to the pitch to treat Eden Hazard during the 2-2 home draw with Swansea on 8 August. Chelsea, who had lost goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to a straight red card in the 51st minute, were reduced to nine men, owing to the team doctor’s move, which angered Mourinho. The Portuguese coach criticised the club medical staff, saying: “They were impulsive and naive.” Fifa’s medical committee, scheduled to meet on…
President Muhammadu Buhari, has directed the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele to ensure the outstanding tuition, stipends and allowances of all amnesty beneficiaries were paid without further delay. This was confirmed in a statement yesterday by the Head of Communications, Amnesty Office, Mr. Daniel Alabra. Following the directive, Alabra said the CBN has successfully credited the accounts of students in the following 10 institutions: Nilai University, Malaysia, universities of Strathclyde, Westminster and Dundee in UK, Liberty University, Virginia, USA, New York Institute of Technology, University of Arizona, Lynn University, USA, Edinburgh University, UK, and University of…
A human rights lawyer and activist, Festus Keyamo, has faulted the anger that trailed the recent government appointments made by President Muhammadu Buhari. In a statement Friday, Keyamo said majority of Nigerians are only interested in good governance and not the ethnic origin of a government appointee. “The so-called ‘uproar’ over the perceived ‘lopsided’ appointments made so far by President Buhari is nothing but an orchestrated frustration of a few jobless politicians who depend only on government appointments as their means of livelihood and, of course, the noise of the latest opposition party in town”, Keyamo said. President Buhari had…
The Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, yesterday, said his administration will introduce strategies to reduce unemployment in the state. Explaining some of the strategies, Ambode said “the government will be introducing new incentives for businesses in Lagos to enable them grow, support the society and take more of our youths off the streets. As a government, we will continue to explore ways to create an enabling environment to make your businesses thrive.” Meantime, Ambode approved the appointment of Mr. Ayo Agbesanwa as the Director General, Lagos State Sports Commission. The governor, who disclosed this while commissioning the newly reconstructed…
Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka has labelled Nigeria’s former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo an indescribable liar, who deserves no respect. The two elder citizens have a long history of squabbles and public disagreements, but on Friday night, when he was responding to questions during a programme tagged: ‘An evening with Wole Soyinka’, organised by Globacom, the Nobel Laureate said whatever comes out of Obasanjo’s mouth should be taken with a pinch of salt. Asked to respond to Obasanjo’s assessment of him in the former president’s three-volume autobiography ‘My Watch’, where he notes that Soyinka is a good hunter and connoisseur…
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), yesterday, stated that it has shut down the Warri Refineries over shortage of crude. Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Mr. Ohi Alegbe, who disclosed this, noted, however, that the refinery is expected to be reopened for operations on Tuesday. “They are supposed to have at least a 25-day sufficiency in the supply of crude. So because of the depletion in the volume of crude they have had to temporarily shut down. “It was shut down on Monday. This is a temporary measure and it should be up and…
The handsome and rich Koko master, Dbanj has revealed why he is still single despite been linked to several beauties and celebrities. He said: “While growing up, there were some goals I set for myself and at 35; I have accomplished most of them. Sadly, I have not accomplished the primary goals. The main one is marriage. By now, I thought I would have been married. I had always thought I would have a child before the age of 30. That fantasy did not become a reality because I wanted to strengthen my brand. I wanted to be sure that I was…
Daughter of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and newly appointed Commissioner of Health in Adamawa State, Dr Fatima Atiku, has forfeited her salary and allowances. Fielding questions from journalists in Yola, the state capital on Friday after being sworn-in along with 21 other commissioners, Fatima, a Medical Consultant, said she was making the sacrifice because of the numerous challenges in the health sector. “I am very grateful to the governor for appointing me to head the Health Ministry. “The ministry is the most challenging because of the insurgency problem that had caused some damage to the health system in the…
The Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, has appointed a 72-year-old Carpenter, Mr Olatunde Afolayan as the caretaker chairman of Moba Local Government, reports have said. This happened, Friday, when Fayose also swore in members of the State Independent Electoral Commission, headed by a retired Chief Judge of the State, Justice Kayode Bamisile to be able to conduct local government elections before the end of the year. After administering the oaths on the appointees, Fayose urged President Muhammadu Buhari to remove Mrs Amina Zakari as the Acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He also urged him to…