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The European Golden Shoe is an award given out to the top scorer in European leagues since 1967/1968. The award is handed out by European Sports media.

Coefficients are given out to leagues based on their UEFA ranking. Hence, fewer goals scored in a tougher league are ranked higher than more goals in a weaker league.

The goals are multiplied by a factor of 2 in the leagues ranked one to five (LaLiga - Ligue 1), while leagues ranked six to twenty-one (Russian Premier League - Belarus Vyseyshaya) are multiplied by a factor of 1.5 and leagues ranked twenty-two and below are multiplied by one.

Lionel Messi is the current holder of the award, after winning it for a record fifth time at the end of last season.

Having entered the business end of the campaign, the race is beginning to narrow down to the usual suspects although there are still one or two surprises. In this piece, we present the top 10 candidates in the race for the 2019 European Golden Shoe.

Note - All stats correct as of February 4 2019

#10 Duvan Zapata (Atalanta)
Zapata in the colours of Atalanta BC
Zapata in the colours of Atalanta BC
League - Italian Serie A (X2)

15 GOALS (30 POINTS)

The 27-year-old has been in sensational form this season at Atalanta on loan from Sampdoria.

Earlier on in the season, he became the first Atalanta player in over 60 years to score 4 goals in a single Serie A match when he scored a quadruple in a 5-0 win away to Frosinone, while he had scored a brace in a 2-2 draw with Juventus in December.

He currently has 15 goals in the current campaign and is only two goals shy of top marksman Cristiano Ronaldo in the scorer's chart.

#9 Luis Suarez (Barcelona)
Luis Suarez
Luis Suarez
League - Spanish La Liga (X2)

15 GOALS (30 POINTS)

The Uruguayan international has been so adept at scoring goals throughout his career that he has arguably been the standout striker in the world over the last decade.

A serial winner at both club and international level, the 31-year-old built his legacy as a premier striker during stints with Ajax and Liverpool, but it is with Barcelona where he exploded to another level, helping the Blaugrana to a treble in his debut season with the club.

Suarez is also no stranger to finishing as top scorer, having won the Golden Boot in the Dutch League, La Liga and Premier League (the only man in history to have achieved such feat), while he is also a two-time winner of the European Golden shoe (the only man in the last decade to beat the eternal duo of Messi and Ronaldo to the award).

He has faced a lot of criticism in recent seasons for his tendency to start seasons slowly and laborious play, but players of the calibre of Luis Suarez have seen it all, and he took the criticisms square on the chin, bouncing back in the only way he knows how - scoring goals and silencing the critics.

Despite his slow start, Suarez has bounced back in recent months, and was one of the players who stepped up and helped Barcelona cope with Messi's injury enforced absence earlier in the season.

He has scored 15 goals in 21 La Liga matches this season, while also contributing five assists to help Barca consolidate their spot atop the standings in La Liga.

#8 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
League - English Premier League (X2)

15 GOALS (30 POINTS)

Establishing himself as an elite striker with his performances for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finished as the Bundesliga top scorer in 2017 with 31 goals from 32 matches ahead of Robert Lewandowski.

He fell out with the BVB board and agitated for a move away from Germany, pleading for one of Europe's big sides to come and take him away.

It therefore, came as a surprise when none of the established European clubs sought his services, especially when most of them, including Chelsea and Manchester United, had problems in the striking department.

As it happened, Arsene Wenger was the one with the foresight to bring the 29-year-old to the EPL, splashing a club record fee to sign him on transfer deadline day in January 2018.

To say that Aubameyang has repaid the investment would be a massive understatement, as he has scored 25 goals in just 37 EPL matches.

This season, Aubameyang has been exquisite, sitting second in the Premier League scorers chart with 15 goals (which is no mean feat when you consider the quality of attackers on display in the league). And in Arsenal's quest to reclaim a top-four spot, the Gabonese's goals would be crucial.

#7 Nicolas Pepe (OSC Lille)
Nicolas Pepe
Nicolas Pepe
League - French Ligue 1 (X2)

16 GOALS (32 POINTS)

Not much was known about Nicolas Pepe in seasons gone by (his wikipedia page is rather sparse), but this season, he has been breathtaking to say the least, and is one of the most sought after players in Europe, with most of the major clubs competing with each other to get his signature.

So far this campaign, the 23-year-old Ivorian international has scored 16 goals and registered eight assists from 23 Ligue 1 matches to help the 2011 league champions sit second in the current campaign.

Owing to his impressive form, it is no surprise to know that he is on the radar of major clubs in Europe, as reports have emanated that Arsenal have identified him as a priority signing ahead of next campaign, and if he is to keep up this from, it is hard to see Lille holding on to him for much longer.

#6 Edinson Cavani (PSG)
Edinson Cavani
Edinson Cavani
League - French Ligue 1 (X2)

16 GOALS (32 POINTS)

Long in the shadow of Zlatan Ibrahimovic ever since his 2013 arrival from Napoli, the Uruguayan international was forced to play out wide to accommodate the more established Zlatan for much of his early PSG career.

The Swedish record goalscorer's departure in 2016 offered Cavani the chance to be the main striker of the team, and he has flourished since then in his more preferred central role.

In each of the first two seasons following Ibrahimovic's departure, Cavani won the Ligue 1 Golden Boot, scoring 35 goals and 28 goals respectively.

He has however faced criticism for his non-performance in the Champions League knockout rounds (which is where PSG have their sights set on), and the arrivals of Neymar and Mbappe might have robbed him off his star status to some degree, but he is still delivering the goods.

So far this season, he has scored 16 goals in 15 Ligue 1 matches, helping PSG set a new French record of winning their first twelve matches consecutively, in what is likely to be a procession to an eighth French league title in the last nine years.

#5 Mo Salah (Liverpool)
Mo Salah in action for Liverpool FC in the Premier League
Mo Salah in action for Liverpool FC in the Premier League
League - English Premier League (X2)

16 GOALS (32 POINTS)

Having initially struggled to match the heights reached last season where he scored a whopping 44 goals across all competitions and had a clean sweep of all the individual awards in England, Mo Salah has settled back into devastating form.

The 25-year-old Egyptian currently has 16 goals from 24 EPL matches this season, while also contributing an impressive seven assists to help The Reds keep up their impressive run this campaign which currently sees them topping the Premier League table with a three-point gap over second-placed Manchester City.

Mo Salah's form was crucial to Liverpool's performance last season and this was evident by how they struggled in his absence after the Egyptian dislocated his shoulder in last season's UCL final with Real Madrid. With even more at stake this season, fans of The Reds would be hoping their number 11 can keep up his impressive form, as it could help end their three-decade wait for league glory.

#4 Fabio Quagliarella (Sampdoria)
Fabio Quagliarella in action for Sampdoria
Fabio Quagliarella in action for Sampdoria
League - Italian Serie A (X2)

16 GOALS (32 POINTS)

Even at the grand old age of 36, Fabio Quagliarella is still waxing strong, showing that he has not lost any of the predatory and finishing instincts he has acquired in 20 years of being a professional footballer.

The former Juventus, Napoli and Fiorentina man is currently representing his tenth different Italian club side and though he might be in the latter stages of his career, apparently, has plans of sailing off into the sunset with the Capocannoneire prize in hand.

He recently achieved the unique feat of scoring in eleven consecutive Serie A fixtures, which equalled the record set by the legendary Batistuta over 20 years ago and even though the run unfortunately came to an end in Sampdoria's 3-0 loss to Napoli over the weekend, it takes nothing away from the wonderful season which Fabio Quagliarella has had up until this point.

#3 Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Ronaldo is the highest goalscorer in Serie A
Ronaldo is the highest goalscorer in Serie A
League - Italian Serie A (X2)

17 GOALS (34 POINTS)

Are there still any words in the dictionary to describe this man?

Cristiano Ronaldo has broken, set and reset records throughout his career, and his personal milestones (alongside Messi) are so great that they have completely altered our perceptions of football over the last decade.

He is the all-time record goalscorer for Real Madrid, as well as the Portuguese national team and in the Champions League, as he seems to have mastered the art of goalscoring, making it look so easy.

His numerous Golden Boots serve as an illustration of his prowess in front of goal, and even at the grand 'old' age of 33, he still seems to be waxing strong.

When Ronaldo was transferred to Juventus for a club and league record fee in the summer, many scoffed at the Old Lady for expending such amount on a player many saw to be past his prime, and Ronaldo's early season struggles seemed to lay credence to their spurious claims.

However, keen followers of Ronaldo's career know that impossible as a word does not exist in his dictionary, and he uses criticism as a springboard to silence his critics.

He has rediscovered his scoring boots, and currently sits top of the Serie A scorers charts with 17 goals from 24 matches, and while he may have lost out on the individual awards to Luka Modric last year, his personal battle with Lionel Messi remains.

As such, the Portuguese would be keen to add a fifth European Golden Shoe to his burgeoning collection to match the Argentine's haul (and despite turning 34 in a few days, don't count against him achieving that).

#2 Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Mbappe in action for Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League
Mbappe in action for Paris Saint-Germain - UEFA Champions League
What a career Kylian Mbappe has had thus far.

The prodigiously talented Frenchman burst onto world consciousness with his performances for Monaco in their fairytale 2016/2017 season where they won the Ligue 1 title ahead of French moneybags PSG and made it to the semi-final of the UCL.

Mbappe broke a number of Champions League records in that magical run, and his performances sealed him a mega move to PSG which made him the second most expensive player of all-time (behind teammate Neymar), as well as the most expensive teenager in the history of football.

Since then, Mbappe's career rise can only be described as the stuff of legends. He has been named the Golden Boy, became a World Cup winner, he was also the first teenager to score in a World Cup final since Pele almost exactly sixty years ago, has been nominated for the Ballon d'Or, won the inaugural Trophee de Kopa, and been established as a bonafide global star - all before he turns 21.

Mbappe has achieved more than most people achieve in three generations in just three years of being a professional footballer, and with him firmly in the race for the 2019 European Golden Shoe, winning it would only serve as a sidebar in what is destined to be an illustrious career.

Kylian Mbappe is the next big thing in football, and it is safe to say that he has the world at his feet (literally).

#1 Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
Lionel Messi is looking to further extend his Golden Shoe record
Lionel Messi is looking to further extend his Golden Shoe record
League - Spanish La Liga (X2)

21 GOALS (42 POINTS)

Anyone anywhere in the world who does not instantly recognize Lionel Messi has probably been living under a rock for the last 15 years or had his/her memory wiped out - the Argentine's impact has been that far-reaching.

Ever since he burst onto the scene as a funny looking but mesmerizing talented 18-year-old at the 2005 U20 World Cup hosted in the Netherlands, it has all been an upward trajectory for Lionel Messi in a way arguably not ever seen before.

Messi's records are so numerous that repeating them here would be an exercise in futility, while his rivalry with Ronaldo has been the stuff of myths and legends, and if you did not witness it first hand, it would be tempting to discard it as an old wives' tale.

Lionel Messi is arguably the greatest player of all time, but beyond that, he is unarguably the greatest playmaker of his generation (and possibly in history), seeing spaces that no one else sees, and having the wherewithal to exploit them with pin-point dead accurate passes.

Beyond his playmaking abilities, Lionel Messi is also a goalscorer of the highest proportions, and this is perhaps best evidenced by the fact that he has won the European Golden Shoe a record-breaking five times.

Having been snubbed off the individual awards for the last couple of seasons (and not even making a podium finish this year), Lionel Messi has begun the season like a house on fire. He had a shoulder injury earlier in the campaign which halted his progress, but he returned earlier than expected and is almost on a one-man mission to restore his pride of place as the best player in the world.

In just 20 LaLiga matches, Messi has scored 21 goals, also adding 10 assists to help Barcelona sit top of the LaLiga standing. You can bet that he is the odds-on favourite to maintain the lead in this race to get his record-extending sixth European Golden Boot once the season comes to an end (although Ronaldo might have something to say about that).

Mbappe overtakes Ronaldo and is right behind Messi in European Golden Shoe race with 20 league goals.

article image
Kylian Mbappe continued his goal crusade for Paris Saint-Germain as he netted his 20th league goal of the season against Montpellier HSC. He has now scored more league goals than Cristiano Ronaldo this season and is only behind Lionel Messi in the race for the European Golden Shoe.

In case you didn't know...
PSG extended their lead to 15 points at the top of the Ligue 1 table, as they beat Montpellier HSC 5-1 in their league game at the Parc des Princes.

Layvin Kurzawa gave PSG the lead during the 13th minute of the game, which was nullified by Montpellier's Florent Mollet in the 31st minute. However, Angel di Maria restored the Parisiens' advantage just seconds before the half time break and Christopher Nkunku doubled his team's lead in the 73rd minute.

Montepellier's Vitorino Hilton puts the game beyond the reach of his team by scoring an own goal in the 78th minute and Kylian Mbappe finished the match in some style by finding the back of the net just one minute after Hilton's own goal.

The heart of the matter
Kylian Mbappe scored his 20th league goal of the season in PSG's 5-1 victory over Montpellier HSC and is now right behind Lionel Messi (22 goals) in the race for the European Golden Shoe.

The Frenchman is followed by Cristiano Ronaldo (19 goals), with Sergio Aguero, Krzysztof Piatek, Mohamed Salah and Edinson Cavani also not too far behind them with 17 goals each.

The 20-year-old is currently the top goalscorer in Ligue 1 and he also bagged four goals in PSG's European campaign. He won the Kopa Trophy 2018 and is also tipped to win the Ballon d'Or trophy in the future.

What's next?
Paris Saint-Germain will play Nimes next in the league before facing Dijon FCO at the Parc des Princes in the French Cup on February 27. Mbappe will be hoping to add to his goals tally in both these games.

THE National Chairman of the Door-to-Door Campaign of the All Progressives Congress, Presidential Campaign, Mr. Bola Ilori yesterday pleaded with Nigerians not to go back to Egypt as they go to the polls on Saturday.

Addressing youths in Akure, the Ondo state capital, Ilori said Nigerians should instead move to the promise land by reelecting President Muhammadu Buhari.

“God used Moses to take the Israelites from Egypt, he first led them into the wilderness, not five star hotel o. Some people complained about hardships in the wilderness and made another God to lead them back to Egypt, thereby unwittingly turned a journey of 40 days to 40yrs.

“Eventually Moses led them out of the wilderness and handed them over to a Joshua that led them to the promise land.

“It is clear that Nigeria has left PDP’s Egypt through Buhari, but currently in a wilderness and the Moses is laying a solid foundation for a Joshua to get Nigerians to the promise land.

“The Next Level is not to go back to Egypt but to move to the promise land and we shall get there”.

The Ex-Osun Commissioner for Regional Integration highlighted different achievement of APC led federal government ranging from huge infrastructural development, social investment programmes and far reaching reforms in other areas of the economy.

Ilori appealed to the people to cast their ballot for the party that centered its policies towards a better tomorrow.

The candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Abia North Senatorial District, Chief Orji Kalu, on Wednesday, claimed that traders at the Ariaria International Market, Aba, had promised to give at least 65 per cent of their votes to President Muhammadu Buhari in Saturday’s rescheduled poll.


Kalu said this in a statement he issued to newsmen in Umuahia, pointing out that the traders “unanimously agreed” to vote for Buhari and other APC candidates in Abia in the upcoming polls.

He said that the leadership of the market took the decision “after due consideration” of the integrity and capacity of all the candidates for the general elections across the different political parites.


According to Kalu , “the leadership of Ariaria, led by Chief Peter Iheke, has made the best choice with their resolve to give Buhari a minimum of 65 per cent votes.

“They told me that their decision to support the president is rational because no one has done for the market what Buhari did.

“You saw what happened, where the Aba people, majorly traders from Ariara market, came out in their numbers to welcome and thank the president, when he came to Aba.


“Aba North and South Local Government Areas will deliver Buhari and the Ariara market has vehemently assured me of their votes too.

“You know Aba people are my own people and we have emotional attachment to each other.

“One great thing about Aba is that they know their own people and as of today, the president has given Aba one of the important things they need.”

Kalu said that many traders did not know that the newly built Ariaria Independent Power Plant (IPP) was a Federal Government’s project until the president visited Aba on Feb. 19.

He said that Buhari’ s visit to Aba had helped to throw more light on some of the federal government’s projects in the state.

He said that about 30,000 shops, belonging to traders and small business owners in Ariaria market would soon be connected to the IPP dedicated electricity supply.

He listed other federal government’s projects, for which Aba people were grateful to the president, to also include the N-Power and Trader Moni which, he said, had several beneficiaries in Aba.

Meanwhile, the former governor has accused Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa, who is seeking re-election on the platform of PDP, of under performance.

He alleged that Ohuabunwa did not attract meaningful projects to the area.

He admonished the youths of the area not to allow themselves to be used as thugs during the general elections.

Kalu urged those plotting to recruit the hapless youths in the area as thugs to engage their own children instead.

“That politician that is plotting to recruit the youths of Abia north as thugs should bring back their own children from abroad and engage them as thugs for the elections,” he said.

He urged the youths to resist rigging and to report any strange face in your community on the election day to the security agencies

This is as a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, yesterday, barred the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, from accepting or listing the candidate of the APC in the rescheduled National Assembly election.

Now the hope of the ruling party of fielding any candidate for Okigwe South has been dashed with this development.


The spate of losses suffered by the party continues unabated as it is no longer news that the APC will not field candidates in Zamfara and Rivers states.

Justice Bello Kawu of the High Court declared as unconstitutional, illegal, null and void the primary election conducted for the federal constituency.

Recall that a House of Representatives aspirant, Mrs. Uzoma Chioma Ann, had filed a suit against the APC and two others, at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, in the Bwari Judicial Division, at Kubwa, Abuja, before Justice Kawu.


She was seeking the nullification of the nomination of Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba, as its candidate for the Okigwe South Federal Constituency, in Saturday’s elections.

According to her, Nwajiuba’s emergence violated the party’s rules and guidelines.

APC and INEC were joined in the suit as first and third defendants, respectively.

Justice Kawu in his ruling, cited various authorities and concluded that Nwajiuba’s nomination was “inappropriate, unlawful, null and void for failure to comply with the first defendants guideline for nomination of candidate.”

He also barred INEC “from further recognising, accepting or listing the second defendant’s name as the candidate of the first defendant in the 2019 ballot paper for Okigwe South House of Representatives election because the first defendant (APC) did not conduct primary for the office.”

Justice Kawu further held that having considered the case of the plaintiff and all authorities cited by the learned counsel, he was of the strong view that the question that calls for determination by the court was whether proper procedure was followed for selection or nomination of the second defendant as a candidate of the first defendant for Okigwe South Federal Constituency.

The court, which cited relevant sections of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and the APC constitution, said notwithstanding the provision of the Act or rules of political party, “an aspirant who complains that any of the provisions of the Act and the guideline of a political party has not been complied with in the selection or nomination of a political party for election, may apply to the Federal High Court as or the High Court of a state for redress.”

However, Nwajiuba, a lawyer and former lawmaker, had sensed the legal land mines and had smartly left the party to pick the ticket of the Accord Party on which he is presently running, while the incumbent representative of Okigwe South, Chike Okafor, took up the ticket after another controversial primaries.

A 38-year-old Islamic cleric identified as AbdulLateef Mustapha, has been arrested for allegedly defiling a six-year-old girl in his single room apartment in Bariga, Lagos State.

The suspect lured the girl into his room when his wife had travelled out of the state for a function on February 16, at Mojoyinola Street, Bariga.

The victim later told an elderly woman about the incident and the woman raised the alarm and brought it to the attention of a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Child Protection Network.

The Coordinator of Child Protection Network, Somolu Branch, Mr. Toyin Okanlawon, said: “Initially, when the suspect was arrested by policemen from Bariga Division, he denied the allegation.

He said how can he sleep with her wife’s cousin? But when the girl was brought before him, it was then he opened up that he only slept with her thrice.

When the girl was taken to the hospital, it was confirmed she was defiled and she had also being infected with s*xually Transmitted Disease (STD) and her bladder had been ruptured which made her to be bedwetting whenever she sleeps.” .

Some of the friends of the Islamic cleric berated him but were said to have pleaded with the DPO to pardon him. His wife also reportedly begged for mercy, saying that they would go home and resolve it amicably.

But the DPO was said to have told the suspect’s wife and friends that there was nothing he could do. According to the DPO, the matter is a state case which no one should toy with.

Chris Smith, immediate past chairman of the United States House Foreign Affairs Sub-committee on Africa, has alleged that presidential results are being tampered with.

In a message posted on the US house website, Chris Smith expressed concern on the delay in the announcement of results, calling on Secretary Michael Pompeo to hold accountable anyone who seeks to cheat the Nigerian people’s votes

In a statement signed by Smith on Sunday, he wrote: “Yesterday, Nigeria voted. Today, votes are being counted. I am very concerned by credible reports that the vote is being tampered with. To avoid any manipulation of the tally, it is critical that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announce without delay actual results which are certified by party agents and observers at each polling unit as the vote is tabulated.

“Well-placed sources report that in some states and localities including Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo, Abia INEC commissioners are receiving enormous pressure to alter poll results. This must not be allowed to happen.

“The eyes of the United States, of Africa, and the world are upon Nigeria and INEC. I also ask Secretary Michael Pompeo to hold accountable anyone who seeks to cheat the Nigerian people who have waited patiently of their vote or foments violence.”

Meanwhile, Nigerians are presently waiting on INEC to begin the announcement of results which was expected to commerce 11 am on Monday.

Source:
dailypost.ng/2019/02/25/buhari-vs-atiku-presidential-results-tampered-us-lawmaker-raises-alarm/

Dikategorikan Mirip Suarez, Dembele Terancam Sanksi 10 Laga. Mousa Dembele AFP<br />

Mousa Dembele is relishing facing former Tottenham Hotspur team-mate Paulinho when the duo go head to head in the Guangzhou derby in China.
The 31-year-old Belgian international Dembele revealed that he turned down offers from other Chinese teams to sign for Guangzhou R&F last month after six and a half years at Tottenham.

Dembele said that fellow midfielder Paulinho, a fulcrum at rivals Guangzhou Evergrande, had texted him to welcome him to the southern Chinese city.

Evergrande, the most successful team in Chinese Super League (CSL) history, host R&F on April 6 and Dembele is looking forward to his first Guangzhou clash.

“I love these kinds of games, these derby games. I still have contact with Paulinho and I’ve good memories of him because I played with him, he’s a very nice guy,” Dembele said.

“But obviously the derby will be something special and everyone wants to win the derby,” added the Belgian, who played with Brazilian international Paulinho at Tottenham from 2013 to 2015.

Explaining his reasons for choosing R&F, who finished just below mid-table last season, Dembele said: “There were some other options in China but for me it was very important to be in a club with a positive image.

“The environment was also very important for me because I’ll bring my family — people told me that Guangzhou is a good area to be with your family.

“I also heard some positive things about the team. Last year maybe they didn’t have the best season, but they played some positive football, and this was important for me.”

Dembele’s time in the Premier League came to an end after he suffered several injuries, the most recent an ankle problem.

The midfielder is unlikely to be fully fit for R&F’s season opener at Chongqing Lifan on Saturday.

“It’s getting there, I’m not 100 percent,” he said.



Source:
guardian.ng/sport/dembele-relishing-facing-former-tottenham-team-mate-paulinho-in-china/

The crisis in All Progressives Congress (APC) has taken a new dimension as two agents of the same party (APC) showed up at collation centres and attempted to sign result sheets.

Revealing this to the Resident Electoral Commissioner, Frankland Briyai in Calabar during the presentation of election results for Obudu, the Returning Officer, Dr Tony Inyang lamented that the two agents struggled to sign the result sheet.

“We refused them to sign because the document only has provision for one signature. We ask them to sort themselves out and come out with authenticated and accredited member but they were unable to sort themselves out hence, the result was brought in here without the APC agents signing it.

“However, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) agent signed his column. That was what happened in my area. The election was free and fair devoid of violence,” he stated.

Reacting, the agent for the APC, Pastor Usani Uguru Usani regretted the attitude of INEC, stating that INEC knew who was an authenticated agent of party as the party (APC) had written to INEC and given them lists of all the agents for the election.

“This shouldn’t be an issue as INEC was given lists of all the agents, they could not claim ignorant of not having the authenticated lists of our agents in this election. We can only accuse INEC of not doing it work well,” he said.

The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner however said that as far as the results were presented, the signing by agents of political parties does not make the result inadmissible.

“As far as the results had been submitted by the returning officer, the results have been admitted” and thanked the returning officers for doing their work.

DAILY POST gathered that similar struggle to sign results sheets occurred in other local government areas of the state.

Source:
dailypost.ng/2019/02/25/nigeria-election-drama-two-apc-agents-struggle-sign-results/

A pensioner has proven to have quite the iron stomach after he guzzled half a litre of paint thinking that it was yogurt.


Bobby, 90, became a viral hit after his granddaughter posted the hilarious picture of him covered in the mint green paint.

Alex Stein wrote on Twitter: “Sooo my grandpa ate half a quart of paint today thinking it was yogurt.’

Her post has already gathered over 486,000 likes with a collection of hilarious comments.

According to Alex, her plucky grandfather, who has his own Instagram account, was completely fine after his paint binge.


She posted another picture on her wall of her FaceTiming Bobby with the caption: “Update: his stomach’s completely unfazed.”

Source:

www.nationalhelm.co/2019/02/90-year-old-man-eats-half-litre-of-paint-after-mistaken-it-for-yogurt-photos.html

A judge in the US has set bail at $1m (£760,000) for R Kelly who is charged with 10 counts of s*x abuse.

The R&B singer is accused of the aggravated s*xual assault of four women between 1998 and 2010. His alleged victims include three who were aged between 13 and 17 at the time.

If found guilty, the 'I Believe I Can Fly' singer who turned himself in to Chicago police on Friday after an arrest warrant was issued against him could face up to 70 years in prison.

In a Chicago court on Saturday, Cook County judge John Fitzgerald Lyke Jr who presided over last week's bail hearing for actor Jussie Smollett said the bail amount represents $250,000 for each of the people he is charged with abusing.

The judge called the allegations "disturbing."

Source:

www.lindaikejisblog.com/2019/2/bail-set-at-1million-for-r-kelly-after-his-arrest-on-s*x-abuse-charges.html

R. Kelly turns himself in to the police in Chicago on Friday night to face s*xual abuse charges.

For more than two decades, the R&B singer R. Kelly has been trailed by allegations of s*xual misconduct. He was married to a young singer who turned out to be 15 years old. There were claims that he controlled women in a cultlike atmosphere. He was linked to an infamous s*x tape. None of it meaningfully stood in his way.
Then, on Friday in Chicago, after weeks of renewed scrutiny, Mr. Kelly was indicted.

The authorities accused him of aggravated criminal s*xual abuse involving four victims, three of whom were underage, according to the Cook County state’s attorney, Kim Foxx. Aggravated criminal s*xual abuse can carry a sentence of three to seven years in prison for each count. Mr. Kelly, whose real name is Robert Kelly, faces 10 of them.

“This was 30 years in the making,” said Jim DeRogatis, the music journalist who was among the first to document allegations against Mr. Kelly. The singer, 52, was tried on 14 counts of child pornography and ultimately acquitted in 2008.


But in the intervening years, the world around him has changed. The #MeToo movement has washed across the country. As the fallout from abuse by Catholic priests unspooled, statutes of limitations on the s*xual acts involving children have been raised or, in states like Illinois, abolished altogether. Women who were afraid to come forward or who were not believed are increasingly being heard.
Ms. Foxx said the events related to Mr. Kelly’s charges spanned from 1998 to 2010. Three of the victims were between the ages of 13 and 16 at the time of the events.

Mr. Kelly is accused of Ej*culating on one victim, identified by the initials L.C., in a forcible encounter, an attempted criminal s*xual assault. Court documents said she reported the offense to law enforcement officials within two years of its occurrence.

Prosecutors said that Mr. Kelly had oral s*x and intercourse with the other three victims, all of whom were less than 17 years old, too young to legally consent.

Mr. Kelly, who turned himself in to the police in Chicago on Friday night, is due in court on Saturday for a bail hearing.

After Mr. Kelly surrendered, his lawyer, Steven Greenberg, spoke to reporters for several minutes, fiercely maintaining Mr. Kelly’s innocence and blasting the state’s attorney for what he characterized as succumbing to public pressure by bringing charges against him. At one point he claimed that all of the women accusing Mr. Kelly are lying.

Source:
www.tori.ng/news/116919/singer-r-kelly-charged-with-10-counts-of-s*xual-ab.html

The Manager of Imo State Zoological Garden, Dr Francis Abioye, has cautioned Nigerians against killing protected animals including reptiles like python, saying doing so would attract jail term.

Abioye gave the warning on Thursday when he mobilised members of the zoo task force to arrest a resident of Nekede autonomous community in Owerri West Local Government Area of Imo, accused of killing a python.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the suspect, Mike Uzoma, allegedly killed the python and sold it on Wednesday.
The area where the python was killed is less than a kilometer away from the zoo.
However by the time the task force members got the community to effect the arrest, the suspect had fled.
The manager who addressed members of the community cautioned them against such act, explaining that all animals around the conservation area are protected by law.
Abioye warned that anybody who kills a python or any animal protected by the law will be arrested and prosecuted.
“I have come to educate all of you against the habit of killing animals that are protected by the law.
“Anybody caught killing such animal must be jailed because we cannot continue to watch people destroy our nature out of ignorance”
he said.
Abioye said rather than kill such animals, the residents should contact the zoo curator to capture them.
Some of the residents, who spoke, commended the manager for coming to educate them on why some special animals must be protected.
One of them, Mrs Angela Amaefula said she was ignorant of the law prohibiting the killing of some animals like python, and urged the zoo manager to make such enlightenment programme a regular event.
According to her, doing so would enable members of the public to become fully aware of the need to be friendly with such animals. (NAN)

Luis Suarez has been a great servant to Barcelona.

Signed in 2014 from Liverpool for £64.98 million, Suarez has played a key role as Barcelona have won three La Liga titles.

In his five seasons at the club, he has made 231 appearances and hit the back of the net 168 times.

However, at 32 years old, Suarez has recently shown signs that his age is catching up with him.

The Uruguayan international's goal tally has declined this season, 'only' scoring 16 times in 31 appearances.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW


While that is a decent return, it isn't quite good enough.

Barcelona fans have become extremely concerned with Suarez's form in recent weeks, with some even deeming him as 'finished'.

His failure to score away at Lyon earlier this week means he hasn't scored away in the Champions League for 16 games.

Indeed, amid his struggles, it is believed that Barcelona will sign a replacement for Suarez in the summer.

But who do the fans want the club to sign?

Mundo Deportivo have run a poll asking Barcelona fans who they want to replace Suarez.

Fans were given an option of 20 players, and here's how they voted...

Top 12:

Kylian Mbappe - 48%

Harry Kane - 14%

Luka Jovic - 7%

Maxi Gomez - 4%

Neymar - 4%

Mauro Icardi - 3%

Roberto Firmino - 3%

Timo Werner - 2%

Krzysztof PiÄ…tek - 2%

Andre Silva - 2%

Nicolas Pépé - 2%

Antoine Griezmann - 2%

So it seems Barcelona fans want the club to sign Mbappe more than any other striker.

He will not come cheap, though, and there are doubts whether he would even want to move to Barca at this stage in his career.

The second most popular choice was Kane but, again, he has only recently extended his contract at Tottenham and is unlikely to move in the summer.

Luka Jovic, though, is a much more realistic target.

The Benfica player, who is currently on loan at Frankfurt, has scored 20 times in 30 appearances for the Bundesliga club.

At just 21 years old, he has his best years well ahead of him and could represent good value for money if they were able to seal a deal for him.

Other names that gained votes were Celta's Gomez, Icardi of Inter Milan and Firmino of Liverpool.

Who do you think should replace Suarez? Have your say by leaving a comment below.

The list of the 25 best penalty takers in Europe’s top 5 leagues has a conspicuous absentee as Lionel Messi doesn’t make the cut, with Cristiano Ronaldo barely scraping by as well.

Statistics as complied from Transfermarkt show that Lionel Messi is not present in the top 25 most efficient penalty takers in Europe’s top 5 leagues (Premier League, La Liga, Serie A, Ligue 1, Bundesliga).

Cristiano Ronaldo, who has a stellar record from spot kicks, himself weighs in only in the 23rd spot.

The list was compiled across all the players from the aforementioned leagues, with the player having to had taken at least 14 penalties across all competitions to qualify being on it.

It also only featured players who are currently active.

The player topping the list is Algerian attacking midfielder Ryad Boudebouz from Celta Vigo, who has converted 21 penalties out of 21 attempts to give him perfect 100% efficiency.

Following him in the second and third spots are Cristhian Stuani of Girona and Max Kruse of Werder Bremen, both of whom have converted 16 penalties with 100% efficiency.

Nabil Bentaleb of Schalke follows in fourth spot, also with a spotless record, having converted 14 penalties.

The fifth spot is occupied by Liverpool holding midfielder Fabinho, having scored 21 times out of 22 from the spot. Cristiano Ronaldo, who has accrued somewhat of a reputation of being a clinical finisher from the spot, barely makes it to the top 25 with 98 penalties scored from 114 attempts.

However, it is worth mentioning that he has attempted considerably more penalties than anyone else on the list, making his near 86% conversion rate extremely commendable.

Soldiers fighting Boko Haram kneel down, sing and pray with their riffles over deaths of their colleagues.

A video of the gallant soldiers have gone viral with many sympathizing with them.

They have been described as the heroes of Nigeria paying the ultimate price for the wellbeing of the nation.

See more images below:




Source:
www.tori.ng/news/116825/soldiers-fighting-boko-haram-kneel-down-sing-pray.html

Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman, disclosed this at a press briefing on the progress made by the commission in Abuja. on Wednesday.

The INEC chairman said the card readers were reconfigured to the new election date to make them impossible to be used illegally.

“They are configured to specific polling units and only open for use at 8 am on the election day; they will automatically shut down by 10 pm in order to forestall any illegal use before the appointed time for elections,” he said.

“Yesterday, I reported 95 percent completion of the configuration. I am pleased to report that we have now achieved 100 percent completion of the configuration. We are good to go on this call.”

Yakubu added that the electoral body had made progress on logistics. He disclosed that the deployment of materials in all states across the country and the federal capital territory (FCT) had been completed.

He also added that 10 states had already begun the movement of the materials to local governments while other states would do so and conclude on Thursday.

The states he listed include Adamawa, Anambra, Benue, Ekiti, Jigawa, Katsina, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, and Taraba.

The presidential and national assembly elections have been rescheduled till February 23 while the governorship and state house of assembly elections would hold on March 9.

The Nigeria captain has endeared himself to Boro fans who have labelled him the African Zidane on the back of his imperious displays since transferring to the club last month.

Rohr uncertain over Mikel’s int’l future

The Premier league, Europa and UEFA Champions League winner with Chelsea has played four league games for Tony Pulis’ side who are fifth in the table with 54 points after 32 matches. Making the cut alongside the Nigerian are Morecambe’s Mark Halstead, Notts County’s Sam Stubbs and Ben Barclay, Preston North End’s Ben Davies, MK Dons’ Jake Hesketh.

Luton Town’s George Moncur, Sheffield United’s Gary Madine, Southend United’s Simon Cox and the duo of Teemu Pukki and Emi Buendia, both Norwich City’s star players.

Mikel Obi touched the ball 63 times and made one key pass, he committed one tackle and cleared the ball twice according to information provided by Whoscored.com.

The Eagles skipper is expected to play in the Riverside team’s weekend clash against Queens Park Rangers featuring Ebere Eze and Bright Osayi-Samuel.

Source:
www.vanguardngr.com/2019/02/mikel-named-in-championship-team-of-the-week

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has disclosed the deadline for result declaration of the rescheduled 2019 presidential election, Www.starcoded.com.ng reports.

The electoral body assured that the results would not take longer than the 2015 elections in spite of the sheer number of presidential candidates, size of the result sheets and the increase in voters population.

The commission also stated that it had achieved a 100 per cent reconfiguration of its 180,000 card readers to be used during the upcoming general elections.

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman of the electoral body, said in Abuja today while briefing journalists on the state of preparedness of the commission for the polls.

“At yesterday’s briefing, we reported that we achieved 95% configuration of the Smart Card Readers SCR nationwide. The Card Readers were introduced in the 2015 general elections to facilitate the accreditation of voters using the PVCs. They are configured to specific polling units and only open for use at 8am on Election Day. They automatically shut down by 10 pm in order to forestall any illegal use before the appointed time of elections. I am pleased to report that we have now achieved 100% completion of the configuration. We are good to go on this score.

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“Similarly, I briefed you yesterday that our State offices had commenced the process of inviting stakeholders to the Central Bank of Nigeria to examine the retrieved materials deployed last week and to witness the batching of materials according to Local Government Areas (LGAs). Reports from the States indicate full compliance.

“I briefed you yesterday that having moved the sensitive materials to the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), the forward deployment to the 774 LGAs nationwide will commence today Wednesday 20th February 2019 and be concluded tomorrow Thursday 21st February 2019. Already, Adamawa, Anambra, Benue, Ekiti, Jigawa, Katsina, Osun, Ogun, Oyo and Taraba States have commenced the movement of materials to LGAs today. Other States will do so and conclude tomorrow. We will give a full rendition of movement to LGAs across all States of the Federation tomorrow.

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“We have been making good progress on logistics. Similarly, all other arrangements for the movement of personnel from the LGAs to the Wards are on course. We will fully brief you tomorrow at 3pm”, he stated.

Yakubu said the commission was working to ensure that it does not keep Nigerians waiting for days without declaring the results, saying the time limit would not exceed what obtained in 2015.

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In 2015, while the Presidential Election held on a Saturday, a winner was not declared until the following Wednesday.

“Even though this time around we have more presidential candidates than in 2015, we have more registered voters than we had in 2015, the size of the result sheet is bigger than we had in 2015, but we are committed to concluding the process for the Presidential elections roughly about the same time that we concluded the 2015 general elections. We will do whatever we can to ensure that we speedily conclude the process but we won’t sacrifice accuracy for speed”, he declared.

The commission’s Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu also stated that the fate of the APC candidates in Rivers state was already sealed by the Supreme Court, www.starcoded.com.ng reports.

The Co-Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Council and National leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has lashed out on the main opposition party in Nigeria.

Tinubu slammed the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for its approach to the Saturday’s presidential election, saying that despite their efforts they will lose the election as they lacked capacity to defeat the ruling APC, Daily Times reports.


Tinubu who spoke in Lagos during a stakeholders meeting of party supporters at the Acme Road, Ikeja secretariat of the party, stated that the PDP lacked the support across the country to win the general elections. The APC National Leader further urged party members to mobilise residents towards the victory of President Muhammadu Buhari and all APC National Assembly candidates, stressing that the party was not bothered about the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) an its antics, but was only interested in the PDP which is its main opponent in the general elections.

Image result for apc pdp
According to him, “Muhammadu Buhari is our President, we must mobilise from house to house for his victory. INEC is not our opponent it is PDP, that is our opponent and we would join hands and beat them at the polls. They don’t have our strength in North-West, North-East, in South West and North-Central, where are they going to pass, we are going to win. “All of you that have problems go and see the leaders in your wards; you must have the membership register of people in the wards, tonight there must be meeting of your wards and you must give instruction to all members in the wards, we know how many polling booths are in your areas you must deliver them.” Tinubu said.


The APC leader also used the opportunity to appeal to Igbo indigenes resident in Lagos State to vote for candidates of the APC in the general elections, unlike what most of them did in 2015, stressing that he had also helped to block action against them in the state in recent years. “We appeal to our Igbo brothers, this is the state where you are doing business, working, your children are in our schools, we don’t discriminate against them.


“We don’t discriminate against them in WAEC fees in our school, we don’t discriminate against them in NECO exams, we don’t discriminate against them in JAMB, they are in our university we don’t discriminate against them, now this is the time we say help us, vote for APC. “I was the one who saved ASPAMDA from demolition, if you are now doing this rubbing insult on injury, we know how to behave,” Tinubu added.

What Koke said in response to Cristiano Ronaldo gesture during Atletico Madrid clash with Juventus
It was a night to forget for Cristiano Ronaldo and Juventus as they slipped to a 2-0 defeat to Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie.

The Portuguese superstar unsurprisingly got a hostile reception from the home fans on his return to the Spanish capital, following his trophy-laden stint at rivals Real Madrid.

SEE MORE: Video: Cristiano Ronaldo trolls Atletico Madrid fans on his return to Spain

Having won five Champions League trophies already during his career, Ronaldo was keen to remind those giving him stick of his achievements, as seen in the video below.

Koke was asked about the gesture after the game, and the Atleti ace seemingly had a little fun in having a dig at the Juventus forward.

“I don’t know why Cristiano did that gesture, maybe he wanted to say hello to someone,” he is quoted as saying by Calciomercato.

The two sides meet again for the second leg on March 12, with Juve now having it all to do to turn the tie in their favour and advance to keep Ronaldo’s hopes of adding a sixth trophy to his collection alive.

For now though, it sounds as though Koke is enjoying the moment and the fact that his side hold a commanding lead after an impressive performance on Wednesday night, with Ronaldo arguably better off focusing on the tie in front of him as opposed to the past.

The African woman in the viral video that broke the internet with her football juggling skills and caught the attention of U.S. President Donald Trump has been found after a search for her identity.

She is Hadhara Charles Mjeje, a Tanzanian mother who is juggling footballs professionally in Malawian capital of Lilongwe, reports German video news agency Ruptly which spoke with her on Tuesday.



Wearing her usual African wrap skirt and flipflops while she juggles a football amid a cheering crowd, the 29-year-old viral sensation said she started juggling to earn money for her two sons.

She told Ruptly in a video that she has juggled professionally in several countries across the continent including South Africa, Gabon, Cameroon, Ethiopia, Malawi, Kenya and Mozambique.

“Some people think that I use black magic but I don’t. There is nothing in this ball. I use my talent which I have developed for six years of practice. It is pure talent, not black magic,” she said.

She added that she wishes to become a professional football player and she admires players like Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Ronaldinho.

Hadhara Charles Mjeje is reported to have in Malawi since January where she charges about $4 for each two-minute performance. The money she earns foots her rent and buys food to support her family, she claims.

The viral video was shared by Twitter user Akin Sawyerr on Saturday with the caption, “Talent is evenly distributed, opportunity isn’t”, shows Hadhara juggling the football with her legs, head, shoulders, knees, hands and neck, as many people cheered.

ALL Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman Adams Oshiomhole is not done with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the stoppage of the Presidential and National Assembly elections last Saturday.

Oshiomhole believes that some elements within INEC are colluding with “anti-democratic forces” to push the general elections to a point where it becomes impossible to hold as guaranteed under the law.

The chairman, who spoke at the emergency National Caucus meeting of the ruling party, also said that the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has no legal power to stop parties from continuing with their campaigns.

He said that the APC, as a law abiding party, will go ahead with its campaigns until Thursday – in line with the 48-hour before election, as provided for by law.

The APC chairman insisted that some of the staff deployed by the commission have been identified as working with the opposition in their states. He cited Akwa Ibom.

Oshiomhole said that allowing the “anti-democratic forces” to have their way would give victory to those calling for an interim government. He urged the President to act.

“The President should invoke the powers of state to ensure that any institution of state that has misbehaved, anybody that is involved in that act, particularly actions that weaken the fabrics of our democracy, you have a duty to trigger the process that will compel everyone involved in this to account,” he said.

The APC chair said he was sure INEC knew it was going to postpone the elections and shared the information with the PDP, while pretending that all was well.

He said: “As a governing party with huge a support base, we were determined not to disappoint our members and those who believe in our party. We mobilised our members to ensure that on Saturday, the 16th of February, all our polling points were manned by people who are competent and passionate about our party to function as agents of our party.

“We did what is expected of a responsible political party. Unfortunately, we saw INEC magic. Gradually, as if it is a joke, we woke up to the worst; INEC postponed the elections by one week without adducing conducive reasons.

“In moments like this, those who are weak hearted will give up while those determined will fight on. Whoever is involved in this action designed to frustrate our party and members as well as the electorate, it is our collective duty to put them to shame by using the period we have effectively to assure Nigerians that one setback cannot be the end.

“Our commitment to democracy is not negotiable. Our people’s determination to re-elect Mr. President is not at the mercy of anybody, including INEC. Many have resolved that the more INEC tries to frustrate our people, the more determined we are. We want to assure Nigerians that we are committed to a free and fair election and we are not going to compromise on that.

“It will be out of place to ignore all the hidden speculations surrounding the unjustified postponement of the election by INEC. This date was fixed by INEC about two and half years ago. It was not imposed on them and it was difficult to accept that in all of the period at their disposal, INEC did not know what ought to be where and at one time or the other to guarantee free and fair election.

Read also: PDP alleges plots by Buhari, APC to truncate democracy
“INEC chairman talked about the huge challenges of managing an election like this. In 1999, we conducted election and there were lessons to learn from that and we have had elections thereafter.

“One had expected that 19 years down the road, INEC would have studied the process of its predecessor and it turned out not to be so. As we speak, we have questions we want INEC to provide answers to. For election to be free, fair and credible, the man with the key responsibility is INEC.

“We have conveyed to INEC, the need to move some officers who have stayed too long in particular locations and have become part of the establishment in those locations and therefore may not be able to co duct free and fair election.

“We have pointed out some Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) who have become so comfortable in their current states who are embedded in the state authority in their respective states.

“In the past, when issues like this are raised, particularly when they can be proven, INEC leadership is known to have used administrative mechanism to change and redeploy. This INEC insists and the more you complain about a compromised officer, the more they are determined to keep the compromised officer.

“For example, an officer in the Southsouth, a REC, chose to use the governor’s special assistant to superintendent over the training. How can our brother and sisters in Akwa Ibom State have confidence when the recruitment, process and deployment of the ad hoc staff is done between INEC and the government of Akwa Ibom State.

“What we are expected to do is to point out what will be unhelpful and draw the attention of the authority. As we speak, that problem persists.

“From what we now know, INEC leadership knew they were going to postpone the election and they shared the information with the PDP and advised them not to waste their resources while pretending to us that they are on top of the situation. I think that INEC deserves to make explanation to us, not because we are the governing party, but because we are a major player.

“What INEC is doing in collusion with PDP is to get the opposition party to be shouting that they want INEC chairman removed under fake attack. If you ask me, I would say that as APC chairman, I second Secondus.

“I have no difficulty seconding Secondus in having a new INEC chairman, if that is what it means to have a credible election. But this is fake; it will be a tragedy if, as a governing party, we cannot complain of being rigged out and yet, the early warning signals are there.

“There are reports of elements in INEC working with anti- democratic forces to gradually move us to a situation where elections will become impossible, having regards to the provisions of the law. Those anti-democratic forces calling for interim government will, therefore appear to be winning.

“It is time to assert the authority of state and direct INEC to begin to do what they need to do and if they don’t do it, they must be made to understand that that there are huge consequences. Whoever will preside over Nigeria must do so on the basis of one man, one vote. Those who want short cut to power must be identified and flushed out.

“We must now go back and renew the campaign with the additional cost it entails. INEC again took a wrong decision to attempt to amend the law through mere administrative pronouncements that campaigns are frozen. INEC is not in a position to make law and the laws made by our parliaments are superior to the opinion of the INEC chairman.

“The law is clear that when you postpone election, you are entitled to renew campaign up to 24 hours to the day of election. Therefore, as a law abiding party, we will proceed to re-energise our members to continue with the campaign and come out in huge numbers.

“When you have a low voter turnout; that is when election rigging is most easy. Voter turnout and voter apathy can result from the confusion. We need to remind them across the country that elections have been rescheduled and they should have faith and be determined to vote.

“We will resume the campaigns between now and Thursday because Friday is not a campaign day. Not going out to campaign can be good for parties without a support base. So, we want to inform INEC that we are proceeding with campaign and we are ready to meet them in court because they cannot, by administrative fiat, amend or distort the provisions of the Electoral Act and those laws are not secret to INEC.

“INEC, having violated our confidence, must now earn it and sustain it every inch of the way. We have been told they will reconfigure card readers and we are told that they are about 180,000. Has it started and when will it be concluded?

“Since we have about 176,000 polling points, it would mean that we have 4000 extra. Is INEC assuring us that the failure rate of the card reader will be about two per cent? What is the basis for making allowances for only 4000?

“Should there be failures above 4000, what is INEC contingency plan? We do not want staggered election, but nationwide election on the same day. So, they need to speak to us on the basis of this small addition. I would have thought that every card reader should have a spare. What they have done create room for suspicion.

“From what we now know, in some states, INEC materials have been distributed, some people have cited some of the result sheets and some ballot papers. What is INEC doing differently to ensure that those who have seen those samples will not go and print them.

“Are they telling us that they have taken care of some of the things that happened last Friday? For example, the materials meant for Edo state were delivered to another state, the ones meant for Delta state were delivered to Edo state.

“Mr. President, I believe that because you are the President, you have dual responsibilities. One is to ensure that any institution of state that has misbehaved, anybody that is involved in that act, particularly actions that weaken the fabrics of our democracy, you have a duty to trigger the process that will compel everyone involved in this to account. We cannot be helpless because at the end of the day, all fingers will point at you.

“We should insist that the election must be conducted properly and those RECs that have been compromised, we will impress on the INEC leadership that they don’t have the right to impose a corrupt or compromised REC on us.

“When sufficient doubts have been raised on the character of a referee, no responsible match official will impose that referee on the players. We don’t care where people are posted to but INEC has the responsibility to move people around.”

The governors at the meeting include: Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), Abiola Ajimobi (Oyo), Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo), Umar Jibrilla Bindow (Adamawa), Yahaya Bello (Kogi), Akinwunmi Ambode (Lagos), Tanko Al Makura (Nasarawa), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Abubakar Sani Bello (Niger), Kashim Shettima (Borno), Mohammed Abubakar (Bauchi), Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti) and Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara).

Also at the meeting were: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; former Lagos Governor Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha; former Senate President Ken Nnamani; Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan; Power, Workers & Housing Ministers Babatunde Fashola; Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi and Information, Culture & Tourism Minister Lai Mohammed were also at the meeting.

Also at the meeting were: former Zamafara State Governor Ahmed Sani Yerima; former Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio as well as governorship candidates of the party.

Barcelona legend Lionel Messi has revealed Ousmane Dembele could be the best player in the world if he gets his attitude right. The La Liga champions attacking talisman has been talking up his team-mate during an interview with Marca (h/t FourFourTwo). Messi said it’s up to 21-year-old Dembele how far he wants to go in the game.

Image result for Messi
“On the pitch (Dembele) is a phenomenon and it depends on him (how good he becomes). He has all the opportunity in the world to do what he wants. He can be one of the best. “On the other hand, he’s a young guy who is adapting to the city and the club. The less you speak about it, the better. It’s necessary to leave him so he can be calm. “He has already realised his mistakes and has rectified them. We are going to help him focus on football.”

Image result for Dembele
Messi’s reference to possible distractions away from the pitch is a timely one for Dembele. Former France international and Barcelona defender Lilian Thuram recently offered Dembele advice along similar lines. Speaking to Marca‘s Luis F. Rojo, World Cup-winner Thuram cautioned Dembele about the need to follow the examples of more experienced players around him.

Thuram has also spoken of Dembele's need to stay focused both on and off the pitch.
However, Thuram also said Dembele’s off-pitch antics shouldn’t be blown out of proportion: “Nor should we make a drama out of this subject. If I started talking about the players I saw in my career who didn’t do everything right, I wouldn’t be able to stop talking for a month.” Dembele and Barcelona return to action when the La Liga resume again on January 3rd.

On Wednesday, the head of the federal health watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, Anna Popova, said that the Russian Central Research Institute of Epidemiology has developed a new gene therapy medicine for people living with HIV.

“The Central Research Institute of Epidemiology of Rospotrebnadzor created a fundamentally new drug for gene therapy, gene prophylactic treatment and molecular vaccination against HIV.

Related image
Photo credit: thesource.com
“A highly active antiviral drug called Dinavir, which will soon be clinically tested, has been created,” Popova said on the sidelines of an international conference on HIV and AIDS in Moscow.

The official noted that Russia was facing a number a number of problems related to treatment of HIV and AIDS, including high prices for treatment and lack of proper medications.

This is very much similar to the problems posed by HIV treatment in Nigeria.

Millions of people have been infected with HIV since it was first discovered in early 1980s, prompting the development of drugs that would help tackle the deadly virus.
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Photo Credit: Anova
This is good news to Nigeria where it is estimated that every 5 out of 100 persons (5%) has HIV/AIDS. The number of people living with HIV vary from 1 to 12 in every 100 persons in the various states of the the country. In 2004, an estimated 3.2 to 3.8 million Nigerians have been infected by HIV making Nigeria the third highest prevalence rate worldwide; next to South Africa and India.

Though the rate of daily infection of HIV has dropped significantly due to efforts of the federal government, civil society organizations, multinational organisations, private individuals, among others; people living with the disease in Nigeria are desperately looking for “HIV cure.

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Photo Credit: Medical News Today
HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It harms your immune system by destroying the white blood cells that fight infection. This puts you at risk for serious infections and certain cancers. AIDS stands for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. It is the final stage of infection with HIV. Not everyone with HIV develops AIDS.

HIV most often spreads through unprotected s*x with an infected person. It may also spread by sharing drug needles or through contact with the blood of an infected person. Women can give it to their babies during pregnancy or childbirth.

The first signs of HIV infection may be swollen glands and flu-like symptoms. These may come and go within two to four weeks. Severe symptoms may not appear until months or years later.

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Photo Credit: AIDS Info
A blood test can tell if you have HIV infection. Your health care provider can do the test, or you can use a home testing kit

Wife of the Nigerian President, Aisha Buhari, has applauded her husband for warning that death awaits anybody who foments trouble during the rescheduled general election.

The Nigerian leader had earlier on Monday, during a caucus meeting of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), said he had ordered security operatives to be “ruthless” in dealing with anybody who decided to snatch ballot boxes during the polls.

Buhari and his party’s chieftains met over the postponement of Nigeria’s general election by the country’s electoral umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The National Chairman of the commission, Mahmood Yakubu, had on Saturday shocked many Nigerians by announcing at about 2:40 a.m., a few hours to the commencement of the polls, that the elections had been postponed over logistic problems.

According to Yakubu, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will now hold on Saturday, 23 February.

“I have briefed the law enforcement agencies and the military. They have identified the hot spots, flashpoints,” Buhari warned.

“They should be prepared to move. We have made as much arrangement as possible and resources provided as much as the country can afford.

“Anybody who decides to snatch ballot boxes or lead thugs to disturb it, maybe this is the last lawful action you will take.

“I really gave the military and the police (order) to be ruthless. We are not going to be blamed that we want to rig election. I want Nigerians to be respected. Let them vote whoever they want across the parties.”

And Aisha, in a Twitter post, gave her husband and Nigeria’s number one citizen her full backing.

Saudi Arabia has pledged investment deals worth $20bn (£15.5bn) with Pakistan which is seeking to bolster its fragile economy.



It comes as part of a high-profile Asian tour by the kingdom’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.



Pakistan urgently needs to address a balance of payments crisis and is looking to international backers for support.



The deals include an $8bn oil refinery in the key port city of Gwadar.



The two sides signed several other provisional agreements and memorandums of understanding in the energy, petrochemicals and mining sectors, according to reports.



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“It’s big for phase one, and definitely it will grow every month and every year, and it will be beneficial to both countries,” the crown prince said.



Pakistan rolls out red carpet for Saudi prince

Who is Saudi’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman?

Pakistan is desperate for cash. The south Asian country’s central bank has only $8bn left in foreign reserves and faces a balance of payments crisis.



Prime Minister Imran Khan has been seeking help from friendly countries in order to cut the size of the bailout package his country is likely to need from the International Monetary Fund, under very strict conditions.



The country is seeking its 13th bailout since the late 1980s and Saudi Arabia has already provided a $6bn loan.



Charm offensive

Pakistan is the first stop on an Asian tour by the crown prince, known as MBS. He is scheduled to be in India by Tuesday and will visit China on Thursday and Friday.



The prince is seeking to recast his international image in the wake of the Jamal Khashoggi affair. The journalist was murdered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in October.



The Jamal Khashoggi story so far

Image caption

Pakistan needs Saudi money to stave off a huge IMF bail-out – but this is not a one-way relationship

Against this backdrop, the current tour can be seen as a charm offensive by MBS, who is seeking to bolster relationships with dependable allies as he doles out cash, says the BBC’s Abid Hussain.



While Pakistan stands to benefit from Saudi Arabia’s largesse, the south Asian country is also important to the kingdom.



The two countries have a long-standing military relationship and the MBS visit comes at a time when geopolitics in the region are shifting – including concerns over the influence of Iran

Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says threatening people with death in context of election is incitement to electoral violence.

Atiku was reacting to a statement credited to President Muhammadu Buhari that ballot-snatchers will pay with their lives.

In a statement on monday, Phrank Shaibu, aide to Abubakar, quoted his principal as saying Buhari’s comment is an offence going by the electoral act and that the retired general is only showing his true colours.

Atiku said the president has “complete” disregard for the country’s laws.

“We were shocked to hear General Buhari live on national television threatening to kill people for an offence where no such proscription exists under law. The last time we looked the death-penalty was not a sanction of the 2010 electoral act,” he said.

“In fact, threatening people with death in the context of an election is incitement to electoral violence, which is an offence under that act.

“Once again General Buhari is showing his true colours and complete disregard for our constitution and the laws of this country. He is getting confused with when he was President under military rule.

“His fig leaf of being a ‘reformed democrat’ has been blown away by this latest statement leaving his democratic credentials as naked as the day he was born.”

Abubakar said he would establish Electoral Fraud Commission (EFC) to check malpractices during polls.

“I have always been a democrat and defender of our laws and constitution,” he said.

“So rather than make up new penalties on the spot in a press conference, our plans to establish the EFC by using the framework of the 2002 establishing act of the EFCC have been well researched so that we can introduce this new entity within days of assuming office.”

“Likewise, we do not believe in the principle of retrospective legislation so it will be empowered to investigate and prosecute electoral malpractice based on the 2010 Electoral Act. Any person considering conducting electoral malpractice, inciting violence or the illegal arrest of political opponents should be put on notice that my administration on entering office will apply the full force of the law on them.

“We do not believe that one illegal act deserves another so a PDP government will always operate within the framework of our legal structures and laws.”

While warning against the use of the military for “mundane” matters, he said the over-exposure of the military in a democracy has its inherent dangers.

Tinubu: President didn’t order Nigerians to be shot summarily •Comment to scare riggers, says Falana

•When it’s legal, by Ogunye

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday warned would-be-ballot box snatchers —it may be your last unlawful action.

He spoke in Abuja at the opening of an emergency National Caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the party’s secretariat.

The President also warned politicians, who may be angling to sponsor thugs to disrupt the rescheduled elections. He said that such sponsors would be doing so at a great risk.

Besides, the last may not have been heard of the 11th hour postponement last Saturday of the Presidential and National Assembly polls by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Buhari hinted yesterday that the electoral umpire will have to explain what went wrong – after the elections.

The President, who got the news of the shift at 4.30am on Saturday described the action as “most unfortunate” because INEC had all the time and the resources to deliver on its mandate.

“After the elections, we have to know exactly what happened; we cannot accept incompetence,” Buhari said.

The APC Caucus is a statutory organ of the party chaired by the President.

Its members include the vice president and all the party’s former and serving governors and members of its National Working Committee (NWC), among others.

At yesterday’s meeting were: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan; Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; National Chairman Adams Oshimhole; governors and senators.

The President, who had ordered security agencies to ensure free and fair elections, said that such act would be the last unlawful act the ballot snatcher will engage in.

According to him, he had garnered adequate support of the electorate to guarantee his electoral victory.

He, however, stressed the need for APC members to reassure their constituents to come out and vote on the rescheduled dates.

The President said: “I do not expect anybody to cause any disturbance. The security agencies have identified hot spots and flash points and should be prepared to move. We have made as much arrangement as possible for them as much as the country can afford.

“Anybody who decides to snatch ballot boxes or lead thugs to disturb the process, may be that will be the last unlawful action you will take.

“We have directed the military and other security agents to be ruthless. We are not going to be blamed that we want to rig elections.

“I want Nigerians to be respected and let them vote whoever they want across the parties. I am not afraid of that. I went round the 36 states and the FCT (Federal Capital City) and I think I have enough support across the country.

“So, I want to warn anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs to snatch ballot boxes or disturb the voting system, he will do it at the expense of his own life.”

The President also explained that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had all the time and resources and didn’t have to wait for only six hours to cancel the elections and tell the public it was impossible.

He said: “Definitely, the reason such incompetence manifested has to be explained to the nation. After the elections, we have to know exactly what happened and who is responsible.

“Otherwise, our efforts to make sure that this system is acceptable would have been eroded. The constitution and the law protected INEC. But they must not take us for granted.

“If, for example, the National Assembly refused to approve what they wanted, INEC would have had moral reasons why they couldn’t perform. If the time of four years of election was not constitutionally obeyed by the government, INEC would have a case.

“But we don’t understand the reason for this inefficiency and we have to go into details after the election to find out who is responsible.”

Lauding the party leadership for its commitment, the President said: “That was why we sat and said we must have committed leaders in all constituencies to be our agents. We also sat down and worked out the least the party should do for our agents so that they will not depend on anybody or say I am going to drink water or I am going to toilet.

“We made all those arrangements and put it before the governors and chairmen of the parties. Where the APC has no governors, the governorship candidate and state chairmen were given that assignment.

“I am satisfied that this instruction has been passed down. Right now, we have so much to do and so, we should now go back to our loyal members in all constituencies so that if anything happens, we will know who to blame.

“We have told our constituents to be patient and react in very mature way by going peacefully and vote and depend on party representatives in the polling units.”

Police in New York are investigating claims a senior officer told members of his team to "shoot" the rapper 50 Cent.

It's alleged Deputy Inspector Emanuel Gonzalez made the remark in June last year at a police roll-call for a boxing match which the star was due to attend.

50 Cent said on Sunday he was taking the threat "very seriously" and was consulting with his lawyers.

The New York Police Department told Radio 1 Newsbeat the matter "is under internal review".


The New York Daily News reported that Deputy Inspector Gonzalez told his officers to shoot the rapper "on sight" but later tried to pass it off as a joke.

It's claimed at least one other person at the event reported the comment to the NYPD internal affairs department.

One month before, Dect Insp Gonzalez reportedly filed an aggravated harassment complaint against 50 Cent.

He said the rapper had threatened him on Instagram - in response to claims that Dect Insp Gonzalez had unfairly investigated one of 50 Cent's favourite nightclubs.

50 mocked the complaint in posts online, suggesting the police get "back to fighting crime".

Writing on social media following news of the internal NYPD investigation into Dect Insp Gonzalez, 50 Cent said he was concerned that he was "not previously advised of this threat by the NYPD".

He described Dept Insp Gonzalez as a "gangster with a badge" but told his Twitter followers: "Keep in mind there are some good people working in law enforcement.

"Like the officers that reported what he said to them."

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Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here .

Lionel Messi was back on the scoresheet on Saturday as Barcelona extended their lead at the top of La Liga with a 1-0 win over Real Valladolid.

He remains three goals clear at the head of the European Golden Shoe standings after Kylian Mbappe and Cristiano Ronaldo also both found the net at the weekend for Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus, respectively.

Krzysztof Piatek continued to make a move up the standings as he netted twice in AC Milan's 3-1 win at Atalanta on Saturday.

He is now on 17 goals for the 2018-19 Serie A season having scored four in four in the league since moving to the San Siro on loan from Genoa in January.

Here are the latest standings after the weekend's action:



1. Lionel Messi, Barcelona: 22 x 2.0 difficulty factor = 44.0

T2. Kylian Mbappe, Paris Saint-Germain: 19 x 2.0 = 38.0

T2. Cristiano Ronaldo, Juventus: 19 x 2.0 = 38.0

T4. Mohamed Salah, Liverpool: 17 x 2.0 = 34.0

T4. Edinson Cavani, Paris Saint-Germain: 17 x 2.0 = 34.0

T4. Sergio Aguero, Manchester City: 17 x 2.0 = 34.0

T4. Krzysztof Piatek, Genoa/AC Milan: 17 x 2.0 = 34.0

T8. Fabio Quagliarella, Sampdoria: 16 x 2.0 = 32.0

T8. Nicolas Pepe, Lille: 16 x 2.0 = 32.0

T8. Duvan Zapata, Atalanta: 16 x 2.0 = 32.0

Rules: Each European league is assigned a difficulty factor between one and two by UEFA, which is multiplied by a player's goal tally to calculate a points total.

For example, the Estonian Meistriliiga has a factor of just one, so Liliu's 31 goals for Kalju are worth just one point each, whereas Messi's are worth double that because of La Liga's factor.



Messi, 31, had scored in eight La Liga games in a row before Barca's 0-0 draw with Athletic Bilbao last time out.

He made sure his scoring drought in the Spanish top flight lasted just one game as he netted the only goal of the match to seal all three points for the league leaders against Real Valladolid.

The Argentinian converted from the penalty spot just before half-time, tucking a fine spospam blocked by adminick into the corner after Gerard Pique had been fouled in the area by Michel.

In the second half Messi and Luis Suarez were then regularly denied by the impressive Jordi Masip, who saved the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's second penalty in the 85th minute. But Barca had enough to claim the win anyway.

With Real Madrid squandering a 1-0 lead to lose 2-1 at home on Sunday to Girona, the victory means Barca have now stretched their lead at the top of La Liga to seven points:


PSG have a 12-point lead at the top of Ligue 1 and have two games in hand over closest challengers Lille.

They followed up their impressive 2-0 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Tuesday with a 1-0 triumph at Saint-Etienne on Sunday.

As with the clash against United, Neymar and Edinson Cavani were both sidelined for the Saint-Etienne match, so the onus was on Mbappe to provide the attacking spark.

And again the 20-year-old Frenchman did not disappoint as he made the vital contribution in the 73rd minute, finishing superbly on the volley after Dani Alves' ball over the top of the defence.

Mbappe is now just a goal away from his first-ever 20-goal season in the league with 15 matches still to be played:


Ronaldo, meanwhile, also needs just one more strike to hit 20 goals in the league for the 10th season running.

The 34-year-old's 19th Serie A goal came as Juve beat Frosinone 3-0 on Friday to extend their lead at the top the table to 13 points.

PSG are reportedly wanting Barcelona to include either Lionel Messi or Arthur Melo in a deal for world class attacking talent Kylian Mbappe.

According to Don Balon, PSG are ready to let Mbappe leave to join Barcelona, however the French giants would be after either Messi or Arthur in return, a deal that just doesn’t seem worth it from Barca’s point of view.

The report also notes that Barca would only be willing to let Arthur leave and not Messi, with it also being noted that whether the Brazilian in included in a deal or not, Mbappe is still going to cost around €200M.

Giving up Messi would seem like suicide from the Blagruana’s point of view, and we’re sure all of the clubs fans would be in uproar if the Argentine were to be used in a deal for Mbappe.

Arthur has been in terrific form for the Spanish giants ever since he joined the club in the summer, however letting him go in order to get Mbappe may be a deal worth going through with.

Kylian Mbappe PSG
Barca are going to have to think about replacing Luis Suarez and Messi in the near future, and if there’s one player who be capable of replacing either, it’d be Mr Mbappe.

The Frenchman is almost certainly going to be a world beater one day in the future, and paying €200m for his signature seems like a move the Spanish giants should definitely consider going through with…

Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has ruled out a return to the Nou Camp for Paris Saint-Germain forward Neymar. Neymar left the Nou Camp for £200m to join PSG in 2017, but has often been linked with a return to Catalonia. But Bartomeu, speaking to Spanish radio station Radio Kanal Barcelona, said: “I’ve spoken with Neymar, we’ve seen each other a few times, but his people have never told me he wants to come back.

Image result for neymar jr
“No one’s called us about it. Neymar has a contract with PSG. It’s his second season there and it’s very difficult (to imagine) they want to sell. We didn’t want to. “We have the disadvantage of the (release) clause here. European clubs (can) take advantage of that. That’s not the case (in France) so it’s not possible for him to return.

Image result for neymar jr
“The club’s taken another path, with (Ousmane) Dembele, (Philippe) Coutinho. We have to move on with them. They’re the two biggest investments in the club’s history and we back them 100 per cent.” That statement appears to have opened the door for Manchester United to make a move for the attacker this summer.

Image result for neymar jr
The Red Devils were strongly linked with a move for Neymar at the beginning of the week, and would make a real statement if they managed to land the brilliant Brazilian

Abuja, Nigeria - Gunmen have killed more than 60 people during attacks on two communities in Nigeria's northwestern Kaduna state.

A government statement on Friday, which confirmed the attacks, said security personnel had been "deployed to the area and arrests have been made".

"Security agencies today reported the recovery of 66 bodies that were killed in attacks by criminal elements on various dispersed hamlets in the Maro Gida and Iri axis of Kajuru," Kaduna governor's spokesperson Samuel Aruwan said.

"Among the victims were 22 children and 12 women. Four wounded persons rescued by the security agencies are now receiving medical attention," he added.

The attack has caused panic among residents of the state.

"I hope the security agencies can step up their plan and ensure there are no more killings, especially this election period to reduce the tension," Kaduna resident Abdulkadir Inuwa told Al Jazeera.

The incident comes hours before the presidential and legislative elections on Saturday.

Election boycott
The senior Nigeria researcher of the International Crisis Group, Nnamdi Obasi, told Al Jazeera that the attacks may affect the elections.

"These attacks and the fear of reprisal will certainly affect voter turnout in Kajuru local government area. following similar killings in 2018, they have also heightened long-running tensions in parts of Kaduna state, creating a more combustible atmosphere around the elections," Obasi said.

Security is a major concern before Saturday's vote.

Kaduna has a history of election violence.

In 2011, hundreds were killed in the state during post-election violence after acting President Goodluck Jonathan beat Muhammadu Buhari to the presidency.

Thousands of mourners lined the streets today for Emiliano Sala’s funeral in Argentina.

An emotional service took place inside the footballer’s boyhood club of San Martin de Progreso, in the province of Santa Fe.

His coffin was then carried to a waiting hearse and taken to Santa Fe for a cremation ceremony.

The 28-year-old died in a tragic plane crash over the English Channel on January 21.

After weeks of searching, his body was retrieved from the underwater wreckage on February 7.

Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock said Sala’s family have had ‘some comfort’ in the fact they can have closure over his death, Wales Online reports.

Speaking at the vigil, he said: ‘I have been a manager nearly 40 years and I’ve never known anything like this.

‘It has been so emotional. People say “he never played for you” but he was my player. I chased him, I wanted him.

I’ve got goose pimples talking to you. He was my type of player – a scruffy player with a big heart. As a person I don’t know anyone who has a bad word to say about him.’

Sala’s farewell began with a public wake at 7am, in the gymnasium of San Martin de Progreso.

Outside banners declared the footballer would ‘never walk alone.’

The children of the football club then lined streets as his coffin was taken away to a private cremation service.

Nantes footballer Nicolas Pallois carried the coffin alongside Sala’s relatives, including his brother Dario and father Horacio.

Pilot David Ibbotson, who was flying the plane carrying Sala across the Channel, has still not been found.

His family have now launched a crowdfunding appeal in a bid to restart the search to find his body.

‘We can not bare the thought of him being alone,’ they wrote online.

‘We need him home so that we are able to lay him to rest to be able to say goodbye

Freddie Flintoff smashed into a market stall while filming for BBC show Top Gear on Sunday.

The presenter had been in a race around Mansfield town centre with seven other electric cars when he crashed through the safety barrier.

It is believed the sequence, featuring fellow presenters Paddy McGuinness and Chris Harris, will be screened as part of the next series later this year.

Despite some criticism on social media about the disruption, mayor Kate Allsop said the exposure would be good for the Nottinghamshire town.

She said: "To know this is the town where Freddie Flintoff drove into a market stall. We should actually name that stall after him - it's going to be such an icon."

President Donald Trump spoke at a campaign rally in Texas, as it emerged an agreement in principle has been reached over border security to fund the US government and avert another partial shutdown.

Speaking late on Monday, he did not say whether he would back the deal.

He told supporters who had gathered in El Paso, "we're building the wall anyway."

Armed bandits have killed nine people and kidnapped 15 others in a recent attack in Banda, Malfa and Tunga villages in Kurebe and kwaki wards of Shiroro local government area of Niger state.

It was learnt that 11 women and girls were raped and injured and are currently hospitalized in critical condition after the attack which occurred over the weekend.

In a press statement by the Senator representing North East Senatorial District, Senator David Umaru, he revealed that last week, several attacks were carried out in some villages across the district.

According to him, a woman, her daughter and a Royal Prince were abducted at Kwararamai, three persons were killed whilst three others were abducted in Malfa adding that villages like Kwararamai, Jankuta and Marraraban Bataro were also attacked as 17 persons were abducted in one night.

“It is with a heavy heart and a very sad mood that I issue this statement today on a most callous and brutal armed attack on my good people of Badna, Malfa, Tunga villages and surrounding communities in Kurebe and Kwaki wards of shiroro area within Niger East Senatorial District.

“I am particularly saddened and shocked at the cruel massacre of nine people of my constituents, the kidnap of 15 innocent people mostly women and girls in an attack in which several others were raped, injured and hospitalized with 11 in critical condition.

“It is painful to note that this incident which occurred not more than 36 hours ago is just one amongst several other brazen attacks that have been carried out in the area in recent times.”

The Senator who called for urgent security intervention and sufficient security personnel to be drafted to these villages stated that the areas are no longer safe for the people to live in.

“These incidents which are still very fresh our memories are quick reminders of the present reality in this area that lives and properties of the inhabitants of these communities are no longer safe. There is, therefore, the need for urgent intervention by security agencies.

Read Also: NAF kills scores of bandits in Zamfara
He called on security agencies to give priority again to securing lives and properties of the villagers in order to build on the peace that have prevailed in the area before the gangsters resurfaced recently, “All the Security and relevant Government agencies should focus attention on the worst affected areas in Shiroro, Munya and Rafi Local Government areas.

“I therefore humbly call on the Niger state Commissioner of Police and the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1st Div. Kaduna to deploy sufficient personnel to the hot spots particularly in surrounding villages in kurebe/Kushaka, and kwaki/chukuba, wards of shiroro local government area of Niger state. Attention should, nonetheless, also be given to areas under serious threats in Munya and Rafi LGAs.”

IMMEDIATE past President, Goodluck Jonathan has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of setting the nation back as he observed that all indices of development have not made progress since the advent of the present administration.

Speaking at the presidential rally of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Port Harcourt on Monday, he recalled that he had warned the country in 2015 to choose between going forward and moving backwards.

He said: “All of us know that from May 29, 2015, till date, the number of things that have never happened in this country has been happening. And in 2015, I did mention that the choice before Nigerians was either to move forward or backward. And within these past years, you can attest for yourself. Are we going forward, backward or static?

“All the indices of development be it unemployment, poverty, health status, happiness; everything that is mentioned, none of them that we have made any progress.

“And I believe that you all know that we cannot as a nation continue to stay where we are. And we believe very sincerely that the only person among all those who are interested now that can lead us and get us out of this quagmire that we are is Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.”

The former president told the cheering crowd at the Amiesimaka Stadium that the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, will change the situation of elected as the president.

Jonathan stated: “He will lead Nigeria forward. He will not discriminate against you. He will not have a ratio of 97 % vs 5%. Every part of this country will be treated equally.

“If your son or daughter qualifies to be an IG, he will be appointed. If your son or daughter qualifies to be appointed as the Chief of Army Staff, he will be appointed. You will not be discriminated against. And that is the person that we are all supporting. He has been tested.

“When he was the Vice President to Olusegun Obasanjo, they did very well. They never discriminated against any part of this country. And that is why the country was relatively stable. I believe – and I am sure you all believe – that a vote for Atiku, a vote for PDP is a vote for progress.”

Jonathan praised the people of Rivers state for standing firm with the PDP, praising Governor Nyesom Wike for his numerous achievements in office.

“Rivers State is total for PDP. And there is nobody that can distract us. Rivers State has been a PDP State and we will continue to thank you for your commitment, no matter the challenges for you to be very firm to support the governor and push the agenda of the PDP,” Jonathan stated.

In his remark, Atiku accused President Buhari of inciting Nigerians to violence especially with his speech at his Zamfara presidential rally on Sunday.

The former Vice President said no matter what Buhari may do, Nigerians want to live together.

He stated: “You know what the President said in Zamfara? He said Zamfara people, let us pray for rainfall, let us pray we grow food, let us pray we eat well and then we can make trouble. Is that what a President should say? Buhari I am addressing you. This is a President who is preaching violence and this is not the first time he is doing this in this country. We are not going to allow anybody to make us fight.

“We want peace, we want development, we want prosperity, we want jobs. That is what we want for this country. We are not ready to fight each other again. So, any leader who has come to instigate us to fight each other, we will use the ballot paper to chase them out. So, Buhari must go.”

Atiku remarked that as the apostle of restructuring, he will restore Rivers state and the south south to their pride of place through the revival of ports, creation of jobs and provision of road infrastructure.

The former Vice President further said: “If you elect PDP, which am sure you will do. If you elect Atiku, first of all you know am the author of restructuring. I will give it to Niger Delta, I will give it to all parts of this country. We must restructure.

“Secondly, it is the Obasanjo/Atiku administration that started the East-West high way, up till now, it is not finished. It is not finished because we did not vote for PDP to continue. APC came and halted it. If you vote for PDP again we are going to finish it.

“Number three, you see your ports that do not work, do not create job. We will complete them so that we can create thousands of jobs for young men and women in the country.

“You have seen that APC has not done anything for you, they have not done anything for Niger Delta, they have not done anything from South-South. Every development that you have got in South-South, Niger Delta or River state is PDP. You road PDP, hospital PDP, water PDP. What do you want again? Please continue voting for PDP.”

He also vowed to observe the principles of separation of powers and respect the independence of other branches of government.

Atiku added: “I want to assure you, that I will protect the constitution. No one goes to the court to protect the Nigeria constitution more than me. I go to court to protect our constitution. I will protect separation of powers, I will not interfere with National Assembly, because I believe in checks and balances. I will not interfere with the judiciary, because it is part of our checks and balances. I will uphold the rule of law, I will not allow anyone to trample on the rule of law.”

Also speaking Governor of Sokoto state, Aminu Tambuwal, alleged that President is not in charge of the nation’s affairs but a cabal, saying that Nigerians are therefore waiting to send him packing from Aso Rock.

He said: “From Kano to Kaduna, Zamfara to Sokoto, Katsina to Kebbi, we are all Atikulated and we are only waiting for February 16 to send them packing and ensure that we take our country back from the hands of the cabal.

“The man there is no longer in charge of our country and we are aware of that. We are appealing to you to very vigilant because they are planning to rig the election. Resist rigging, stand by your vote, your vote must count. We must send away prison democracy, what is not working is not good for us.

“This government at the centre is not working, you must change analogue for digital system.”

The National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, reiterated that President Buhari will be voted out on Saturday having demonstrated lack of awareness of his surrounding.

Secondus stated: “Buhari has no other choice, he is leaving the Villa on the 29th of May, and they are so confused because he is not aware of anything that is going on.

“He is not aware that he is losing the election, he is not aware that there is insecurity in our country, he is not aware that the hunger in the land is too much, he is not aware of what is happening around him. “

“He is not aware of any decision, he is not aware that the National Assembly has been assaulted, he is not aware that the Chief Justice of the Federation has been suspended, he is not aware of anything. Is that the kind of President you want, No!!!!!!

“You have to vote him out. That is the only lesson he can learn so that he can go back to Daura.”

Senate President, Bukola Saraki, who is the Director General of the PDP Presidential Campaign Council, praised Rivers people for coming out in large numbers for the PDP.

He was confident that they will vote en masse for Atiku, Wike and all the party candidates in the elections.

President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday charged Ogun State residents to vote for the candidates of their choice.
He gave the advice during the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential campaign rally at the M.K.O Abiola Stadium in Ogun State.
But proceedings at the rally were interrupted severally by the fans who were divided over who the next Ogun State Governor should be.
While Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun is supporting the reelection of President Buhari and the Ogun State governorship candidate of the Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Adekunle Akinlade, the National APC and former Ogun State Governor, Olusegun Osoba are behind the APC Governorship candidate in the state, Dapo Abiodun.
The atmosphere was tensed throughout the duration of the rally.
The fans intermittently disrupted the speech of those opposed to their candidates by booing them and shouting ‘Olee’, ‘Olee’, ‘Olee’.
They also threw empty water container and their placards at the pavilion, where the dignitaries were seated.
The ugly treatment was meted out specifically to the former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aragbesola and the National Chairman of the APC, Adams Oshiomhole when they were called forward to make their remarks.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Amosun took time to appeal to the fans to let peace reign.
The dignitaries at the pavilion gently filed to their buses and jeeps as the rally was coming to end with the President’s speech to avoid the missiles from the aggrieved fans.
The President stressed that it is the right of the residents to vote for the candidates of their choice.
He urged them to come out on Saturday in high number to exercise their civic right.
“I appeal to you to vote whoever you like. It is your right,” he said
Noting that Nigeria is now virtually self-sufficient in rice production, he said that Ogun State, Lagos State among other states have been doing well in rice production.
According to him, his administration has done well in the three areas of security, economy and fighting corruption.
He said that his administration is poised to take the nation to the next level in the next four years.
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo promised that the government will specifically create more jobs, fix electricity and give more money to traders in the next four years.
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He pointed out that nothing can be done to develop the nation except honest leaders are voted into power.
According to him, President Buhari has an honest character and all those opposing him are well aware of the President’s unique qualities.
“We have to vote for the President on Saturday,” he said
Amosun urged the residents to vote for President Buhari on Saturday but that they know what to do concerning the governorship election and other elections in the state.
Pleading with the angry fans to swallow their anger in the interest of APC, he said that the state is supporting President Buhari of his love for Ogun State people and because of his performance in governance.
He said that those opposing him, are doing so because they want to loot the treasury.
Amosun also noted that President Buhari is the only President that acknowledged and recognized the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola, who was son of the soil.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and Oshiomhole urged the crowd to vote for APC from the top to the bottom.
At the rally were the National Leader of APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Vice President Osinbajo’s wife, Mrs. Dolapo, Ogun State APC Governorship candidate, Dapo Abiodun, former Ogun State Governor, Olusegun Osoba.
Others include Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, Ondo State Governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi.

After Fire Razed Office, See Steps INEC Is Taking To Meet Up With Saturdays Elections
dailyadvent.com Feb 11, 2019 9:54 AM

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said that it will reprint and deliver Permanent Voters’ Cards that were destroyed in recent fire incidents at two of its Local Government Offices in Abia State and Plateau State respectively.

This was disclosed in a statement on Sunday by Festus Okoye, a spokesperson for the commission.


INEC said it has notified the Acting Inspector General of Police of the emerging trend of the burning of the Local Government Offices of the Commission close to the conduct of the elections and at a period when the Commission is engaged in the massive movement of election related materials nationwide.


The Commission also noted that it has directed the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Plateau State to open a register for all those in the affected Local Government Area who approach the Commission to collect their PVCs within the specified period.

The electoral umpire further informed that the two fire incidents did not affect the Smart Card Readers that are presently being configured in the respective state offices of the Commission.


INEC assured all Nigerians that it will not succumb to the antics of arsonists whose motive might be to create fear in the minds of voters and sabotage the conduct of the 2019 polls.

The Commission’s full statement reads:

“THE FIRE INCIDENTS IN INEC LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES

The fire incident that occurred at the Qua’an Pan Local Government office of the Commission in Plateau State on Saturday 9th February 2019 is the second of such incidents in less than a week. The first incident occurred in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government office of the Commission in Abia State on Saturday 2nd February.


Some of the items destroyed in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government include 2979 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) and other materials. At the Qua’an Pan office, items destroyed include 5987 uncollected Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs), 380 Voting Cubicles, 755 ballot boxes, 14 generators, election forms and official stamps.

The Commission has notified the Acting Inspector General of Police of the emerging trend of the burning of the Local Government Offices of the Commission close to the conduct of the elections and at a period when the Commission is engaged in the massive movement of election related materials nationwide.


In view of these developments, the Commission has taken the following steps:

Notified the Inspector General of Police of this new trend and requested that additional security measures be provided to enhance security around INEC Offices and other critical structures of the Commission.

Directed the Resident Electoral Commissioner for Plateau State to open a register for all those in the affected Local Government Area who approach the Commission to collect their PVCs within the specified period. The Commission will print the PVCs and make them available for collection in good time before the elections.


Reprinted and delivered the Permanent Voters’ Cards of the affected registered voters in Isiala Ngwa South in Abia State.

Made temporary arrangements for the relocation of the burnt offices of the Commission. The said offices will be ready for the conduct of the February 16 and March 2, 2019 elections.

The Commission will proceed as planned in the affected Local Government Areas and all the burnt materials will be replaced in good time and as such will not affect the conduct of the elections.


All relevant security agencies have been requested to arrest and bring to justice, persons or groups involved in the attacks on the offices of the Commission.

The two fire incidents did not affect the Smart Card Readers that are presently being configured in the respective state offices of the Commission.


The Commission wishes to assure all Nigerians that it will not succumb to the antics of arsonists whose motive might be to create fear in the minds of voters and sabotage the conduct of the 2019 general elections.

At least 99 people have died and scores have been hospitalised in northern India after drinking toxic alcohol, triggering a crackdown against bootleggers, officials said Monday.

News of the deaths in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand has trickled in over the past three days, with police suspecting the moonshine had been cut with methanol.

Authorities said many victims had complained of dizziness and were taken to hospital writhing in pain after consuming the illicit alcohol.

Cheap, locally-made liquor is common in parts of rural India and bootleggers often add methanol — a highly toxic form of alcohol sometimes used as an anti-freeze — to their product to increase its strength.

If ingested in large quantities, methanol can cause blindness, liver damage and death.

In one district of Uttar Pradesh 59 people had died after consuming toxic alcohol, police spokesman Shailendra Kumar Sharma told AFP.

In a neighbouring district a senior police officer said nine had died, adding that 66 suspected bootleggers had been arrested in the state and samples of the liquor sent to a laboratory for testing.

Police said at least 31 people died in neighbouring Uttarakhand state and that two had been arrested on suspicion of supplying the liquor. Four suspects have been arrested in the state.

“We are trying to find out the main source of this illicit liquor. We will soon nab the main culprit behind this tragedy,” Janmejay Khanduri, senior Uttarakhand police official told AFP.

Newspaper reports said around 3,000 people linked with the illegal trade were arrested across Uttar Pradesh in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Hundreds of poor people die every year in India due to alcohol poisoning, mostly from consuming cheap alcohol.

In 2015, more than 100 people died in a Mumbai slum after drinking illegal moonshine.

Of the estimated five billion litres of alcohol drunk every year in India, around 40 percent is illegally produced, according to the International Spirits and Wine Association of India.

Six people have been arrested and released on bail in connection with last month’s killing in Ghana of an undercover journalist who exposed a high-ranking official at FIFA as corrupt, police said on Friday.

David Eklu, director general of police public affairs, said the arrests on Thursday were “preliminary arrests based on reasonable suspicion.”

Police did not identify any of the suspects. Eklu said there was “no strong evidence for now.”
Another three people, including the now-banned FIFA official Kwesi Nyantakyi, were previously questioned as police sought information in the killing of journalist Ahmed Hussein-Suale. Hussein-Suale was shot dead by two gunmen on a motorbike while driving near his home in Accra on Jan. 16, a killing that shocked a country considered one of the most stable democracies in West Africa.

The killing, called an assassination by the media house Hussein-Suale worked for, immediately raised speculation that his work exposing high-level corruption and the threat of match-fixing in soccer might be the reason behind the shooting. Hussein-Suale was shot twice in the chest and once in the neck at close range while driving in the Madina suburb. He died immediately, according to police.

Hussein-Suale set up the undercover television sting that showed Nyantakyi, then a member of the FIFA council, accepting $65,000 in cash from reporters posing as unethical businessmen and promising to use his position as the head of Ghanaian soccer to secure favourable deals for them.

READ MORE: FIFA quietly drops ‘corruption’ as code of ethics offence

Nyantakyi was found guilty of bribery, corruption, and conflict of interest in a FIFA ethics investigation prompted by the documentary. He was banned from soccer for life last year having already resigned from his roles as president of the Ghana soccer federation, as vice-president of African soccer, and as a member of FIFA’s top panel.

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Hussein-Suale worked for the Tiger Eye PI media house run by Anas Aremeyaw Anas, a renowned Ghanaian investigative journalist who has used undercover television documentaries to expose graft and organized crime in Ghana and across Africa.

The 2018 documentary that brought down Nyantakyi also exposed wider corruption and the threat of match-fixing in Ghanaian and African soccer. The film showed dozens of referees from across Africa taking money from the undercover reporting team, allegedly in return for promises they would help fix games in the future.

Thugs have attacked the residential home of a former Commissioner for Education to Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Professor Adeniyi Olowofela, and killed one of his supporters.

Olowofela, who is the Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the forthcoming elections, narrowly escaped the attack.


The attack claimed the life of one of the strong members of his campaign team, Alhaji Salau Salimon Alade.

According to a witness, the incident occurred shortly after the State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi and the APC Gubernatorial Candidate, Chief Adebayo Adelabu left the Omi-Adio resident of the former commissioner after a campaign tour.


Among the properties attacked by the thugs were his Omi-Adio house located in Ido Local Government Area of Oyo state where no fewer than six vehicles and campaign office were vandalized.

Meanwhile, Olowofela in a statement issued by his media aide, Comrade Idowu Ayodele, yesterday said the opposition cannot change the resolve by Ibarapa East /Ido constituents to vote for Olowofela and all the APC candidates in the forthcoming polls billed for February 16.


According to the statement, the ex -Commissioner for Education said, “though, I was surprised with the degree of damages done by these criminals, but it has also confirmed our resounding victories as a party and further proven that I remain the people’s choice.

“The oppositions should endeavour to endear themselves to the good people of Ibarapa East/Ido Federal constituency, through humane and civilized manner, rather than resort to desperate tactics that threaten the lives and property of the citizens,” the statement added.


While commending the Omi-Adio Divisional Police Headquarters for its quick response, Olowofela, however, demanded that the perpetrators of this heinous crime and their sponsors be brought to book.

He, however called on party faithful, supporters as well as good and peace-loving people of Ibarapa East/Ido federal constituency to remain calm and maintain order.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned registered parties to submit the names and appropriate details of their poll agents for the governorship election within the given time limit.

This was contained in a statement signed by Festus Okoye, the national commissioner and chairman, information and voter education.

This decision, according to the statement, was from INEC’s meeting with Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) from all the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory on Friday in Abuja.

“All Political Parties are reminded that February 16, 2019 is the last day for the submission of the names, photographs and specimen signatures of poll/party agents for the Governorship, State Assembly and Area Council elections.”

According to section 45 (1) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), each political party should by notice in writing addressed to the Electoral Officer of the Local Government Area or Area Council, appoint a polling agent for each polling unit and collation centre in the Local Government Area or Area Council for which it has a candidate and the notice.

This is to contain the name and address of the polling agent, accompanied with two passport photographs of each polling agent and sample signature of the polling agent.

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This should be given to the electoral officer at least 14 days before the date for the election.

This warning is coming amidst concern by the commission that a week after the deadline for the submission of the list of poll agents for presidential and national assembly elections, only a few parties have complied.

The commission noted that out of the few submitted, most of the lists submitted are not accompanied by the photographs and specimen signatures of the poll/party agents, as required by law.

The commission, in its timetable for the election, fixed February 1 as the last date for the submission of the poll agent names for the Presidential and National Assembly Elections and February 16 for the governorship elections.

It is now less than three weeks to the deadline for the submission of poll agents for the governorship and state assembly elections.

Following this warning, the commission asked all political parties that submitted incomplete applications without the specimen signatures and photographs of the poll/party agents to regularise this, on or before the close of work on Monday, February 11.

INEC also said any list of poll agents not accompanied by specimen signatures and photographs will be rejected.

According to the commission, it is unlawful for political parties to deploy poll agents whose names have not been forwarded to the Commission and duly accredited in accordance with the law.

In line with this, the commission said it has informed security agents so no recognition, right or privilege will be accorded to anyone not accredited by the commission.

The Presidential Campaign Council of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was all fury yesterday after the authorities of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) allegedly denied it the use of its facilities for a rally to be addressed by its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

They claimed to have booked and paid for the use of the Old Parade Ground at Garki, Abuja, a few days ago, only for the FCT management to deny it access at the last minute.

The party said the FCT management informed it 24 hours to the event that the facility could no longer be available.

The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, blamed President Muhammadu Buhari for engineering the cancellation of the booking.

Ologbondiyan said the action signified a morbid fear of the rising profile of the PDP presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, by Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Ologbondiyan warned that any further attack on PDP campaign will attract very dire response from Nigerians, who, he said, look up to Atiku to salvage the nation from the social, economic and political despondency, which he said President Buhari has plunged the country into.

“From reports reaching us, it is not also out of place for the Buhari Presidency and the APC to use this measure to test the will of Nigerians as precursor to their rigging plots.

“We want to place on record, once again, that any attempt to rig the February 16 election will be vehemently resisted by Nigerians, across board, who have reached a consensus to rescue their nation from the stranglehold of the Buhari Presidency.

“In any case, let it be known to President Buhari and the APC that the PDP and the people’s candidate will definitely hold our presidential mega rally in Abuja irrespective of any further encumbrance they may attempt to foist.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has denied an allegation that its operatives poisoned the Chairman of the defunct Skye Bank, Tunde Ayeni.

A statement by the commission’s acting spokesman, Tony Orilade, in Abuja on Saturday dismissed the allegation as a “false alarm is to incite public opinion against the EFCC.

“The attention of the EFCC has been drawn to a report in Thisday newspaper of Saturday, February 9 with the headline: “EFCC Has Poisoned Tunde Ayeni in Custody, Allege Opposition Parties.”

“The report according to the author, followed a press release issued on Friday, February 8, in Abuja by the spokesman of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) CUPP, Mr Ikenga Ugochinyere.

“Ugochinyere claimed that a credible source revealed to him that Ayeni was currently undergoing treatment “in an undisclosed medical facility after he was poisoned in the detention cell of the EFCC.

“We found it compelling to state in no unclear terms that Ayeni upon arrest and conveyance to the commission was neither offered food nor drink by our operatives.

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“There was also nothing consumable: food, drink or water that was brought to him within the brief period he was with his interrogators.

“When he complained of illness and opted to see a doctor, he was promptly obliged.

“We also wish to state that so far, there has not been any report of any dire health condition on Ayeni and it’s likely there would not be.

“The public may wish to know that the commission in the course of its duties has become conversant with all manners of theatrics from some suspects who would elect not to cooperate.

“It is also our desire to inform CUPP that as a commission, we follow due process, and that we are a law-abiding entity and as such, will not keep Ayeni longer than required by law.

“We also give our word that he will have his day in court as and when due.

“We, therefore, wish to clarify that Ayeni has allegations of corruption to thrash out with us. It was strictly for this purpose that he became our guest.

“It is important at this point that we restate that the commission under the leadership of its Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu is well insulated from going-ons in the political space and that our mandate is well cut out for us by constitution.”

GOVERNOR Abdul Aziz Yari Abubakar of Zamfara State has again, spit fire over non-inclusion of lists of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He said without APC candidates on the ballot, there would be no elections in the state.

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Governor Yari, who was speaking during an APC campaign rally at Talata Mafara Local Government Area of the state, said it was a costly mistake for INEC to have excluded Zamfara APC candidates from contesting the forthcoming general election in the state.

According to him recent court judgment has made it clear that there were primary elections in Zamfara State and that candidates were presented to the INEC, but yet the lists were not released for reasons best known to it.

The governor reminded INEC national chairman, Professor Mahmud Yakubu of his responsibility of accepting lists of candidates from parties, which he said APC had since sent to INEC but up till today, no name of APC candidates was shortlisted.

“We would not accept any election to hold in the state without APC candidates,” he said.

He explained that Zamfara State was a stronghold of APC and besides, “all our actions were based on court order; we are advising INEC to obey the order and come out with the list of APC candidates in the state”.

The governor appealed to the supporters of APC in the state to always remain resolute and support the party’s candidates in all elections.

The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, has welcomed all foreign observers ahead of the up coming general election in Nigeria.

Tinubu, speaking at the presidential campaign rally of the APC in Lagos, urged them to steak to their primary assignment.

He said: “Observe, write your report and go home. This is our democracy. We are watching Trump and China.”

The former governor described Obasanjo as a master rigger, whose legacies in office were electoral fraud.

“CNN asked the late President Umaru Yar’Adua about election. He said the election that brought him to power was severely flawed.

Who conducted the election? Obasanjo is the greatest election rigger. He has expired. Confine him to the dustbin,” he said.

A former governor of Oyo State, Chief Rashidi Ladoja, who was accused of N4.7billion fraud, was on Friday, acquitted by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos of the 11-count charge levelled against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Ladoja’s travails began 11 years ago when he was charged before the court

The presiding Judge, Justice Mohammed Idris held that the commission did not prove the case beyond reasonable doubt.

He said the prosecution, led by Festus Keyamo (SAN), who handed over to his junior Olabisi Olufemi, failed to prove a single ingredient of the 11-count charge.

Justice Idris, who was elevated to the Court of Appeal last June but concluded the trial through a fiat, found Ladoja and his co-accused not guilty in all the counts.

He faulted the prosecution’s handling of the case, saying that EFCC shielded the main culprits from prosecution while meting “absolute injustice” to the defendants.

Justice Idris is the third judge to adjudicate on the case after Justices I. M Sanni and A. R. Mohammed.

Nigerian Tribune recalls that EFCC had last year November 5 re-arraigned Ladoja following an amendment of the charge.

He was charged alongside his former Commissioner for Finance Waheed Akanbi on 11 counts of money laundering and unlawful conversion of N4.7 billion state funds.

In the amended charge, EFCC said Ladoja “compelled” a broker to sell the state’s shares and converted it to personal use instead of remitting N1.9 billion realised from the sale to the state.

Justice Idris held that the prosecution’s evidence was full of inconsistencies.

“The prosecution was not consistent in the amount of money allegedly missing in the sale of Oyo State’s shares. These contradictions were not explained during the trial,” the judge noted.

According to him, EFCC’s witnesses failed to provide credible evidence in the course of trial.

“The highest burden of proof before getting to ‘beyond reasonable doubt’ is of course clear and convincing evidence. The case of the prosecution is too low on credible evidence.

“The failure on the part of the prosecution to prove even one count of several ingredients of an offence means it has failed to prove the guilt of the offence beyond all reasonable doubt,” Justice Idris held.

He said EFCC called witnesses who he said ought to have been charged with the alleged offence.

“I must state that this country cannot sustain the fight against corruption in the manner in which this case has been prosecuted, where those that should be proper defendants to the case are shielded away from prosecution and kept away from facing the law. This is unacceptable. This is injustice. And this court will not partake in injustice.

“There is no doubt that corruption affects us all. It threatens sustainable economic development, ethical values and justice. Corruption distabilises society and endangers the rule of law. Therefore, there is a need for a fair and just prosecution of criminal cases in the fight against corruption,” the judge said.

“Prosecutors in this fight must be committed to promoting a justice system founded in fairness, equity, compassion and responsibility.

Buhari’s rally: Hold APC responsible for eventual increase in crime in Lagos ― PDP
“In the light of all I have said, I find that the prosecution has not established counts 1 to 11 against the defendants herein beyond reasonable doubts.

“I am unable, in the circumstances, to find any of the defendants guilty on any or all of the counts as charged. The first and second defendants are, therefore, hereby discharged and acquitted on all counts,” the Judge held.

EFCC had accused the defendants of converting N1,932,940,032.48 belonging to Oyo to their personal use through the Guaranty Trust Bank account of a company, Heritage Apartments Limited, despite knowing that it was proceed of crime.

The prosecution said Ladoja sent £600,000 state fund to his daughter Bimpe in London in 2007 and bought an armoured Land Cruiser jeep with N42million for himself using public funds.

EFCC said he converted N728,600,000 and another N77,850,000 at different times in 2007, and allegedly transferred N77, 850,000 to Bistrum Investments, which he nominated to help him purchase a property named Quarter 361 in Ibadan, Oyo State capital.

Ladoja and Akanbi had pleaded not guilty to the offence, which EFCC said contravened sections 17(a) and18 (1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004, punishable under sections 14(1), 16(a) (b) and 18(2).

A couple got divorce three minutes after getting married in Kuwait



– According to reports, the decision was made by the bride after the groom called her stupid for falling over



– Their marriage is believed to be the shortest in Kuwait’s history



For better for worse, till death do us part. This is part of the vows couples exchange at wedding and most times, try to live up to it. For this Kuwaiti couple however, the vows held little significance as their marriage ended almost immediately after it started.



The couple got divorce three minutes after they got married. Reports reveal that the groom mocked her as they were leaving the courthouse as man and wife.



After the legal proceedings ended the couple turned to walk out of the courthouse, but the bride tripped over. According to reports, the groom called her stupid for falling over.

According to Q8 News, the bride extremely angered by her husband’s behaviour, demanded the judge end their marriage immediately. The judge served an annulment just three minutes after he joined them as husband and wife.



The couple, who live in Kuwait, entered the courthouse with the intent to be legally joined as one and left, divorced.



Their union is believed to be the shortest marriage in the country’s history.

“I had all my children at home with the assistance of traditional birth attendants (TBAs). Luckily, there were no complications, and so I am alive with my children. However, many women in this community who developed complications and died during childbirth were buried with their children, dead or alive,” said a nursing mother, Hajia Hassan.
A mother of four, Hajia Hassan lives in Bassa Kuomo, an ancient community in Gwagwalada Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The people in this community are said to be the original inhabitants of Gwagwalada before it became the Federal Capital Territory. The community of about 12,000 inhabitants lacks government’s presence; be it healthcare, water, light, roads and other amenities. Poverty is well pronounced as it stinks in the air in this community made up of people predominantly peasant farmers with low yields.
“Many of our women die from complications arising from childbirth. In Bassa Koumo, if a woman delivers and dies during childbirth, the child will be tied to the body of the dead mother and buried alive with her. If the nursing mother should die of any cause without weaning the baby, the baby will be accused of having strange powers that killed the mother; the penalty for this is also death.” One of the people who chose to be anonymous said.
However, these deaths are majorly caused by lack of functional, accessible and affordable healthcare services. Women don’t get antenatal care; they deliver through the help of TBAs and herbalists who lack the technical know-how of taking delivery or what to do in case of emergencies. When death occurs, they say it is the bad luck of the baby that caused the death and the penalty is also the death of the baby.
Saturday INDEPENDENT’s investigation reveals that the inhabitants are glued to this age long traditional practice and the advent of other religions such as Christianity and Islam, has not made much impact in the people’s culture and belief.
Our reporters found out that there are shrines of gods which the people believe could spell doom on the community if evil newborns are not made to pay the price. Although, no one is willing to speak on this frontally, they all confirmed a very high rate of maternal and infant mortality in the area, which they blamed on the absence of health facilities in the community.
Saturday INDEPENDENT, during the course of this investigation, discovered a village square in Bassa Koumo, where all decisions are taken. Most scary of it all was that, at the centre of the square are situated two big trees. It was gathered that the trees are husband and wife. One produces its fruits before the other. The community shrine is located there and that is where the dwellers perform the rituals as members of the community are predominantly traditionalists.
At the palace of Aguma of Gwagwalada, His Royal Highness Mohammed Magaji, represented by Alhaji Muhammad Lakaiye, the District Head, Gwagwalada Town, expressed grave concern about the loss of promising young ladies to deaths arising from complications during childbirth.
He appealed to the Area Council Chairman to provide the community with a Primary Healthcare facility to promptly manage cases of complications among women in labour in Bassa Kuomo.
“The lives of many women are cut short in their prime along with their children because of lack of functional, accessible and affordable healthcare services. This has been ongoing for too long a time. I appeal to the government to wake up to their responsibility by providing us with a Primary Healthcare centre,” he appealed.
The agonising situation of people of Bassa Koumo does not stop at just lack of these essential facilities. Even when they travel the distance to obtain care, they return home with disappointment and frustration.
“The only Township Clinic in Gwagwalada Area Council has been overstretched as it plays host to every community resident in Gwagwalada and its environs. This makes it extremely difficult for our pregnant women to access antenatal care and give birth with the help of skilled birth attendants. Our pregnant women will transport themselves to the Township Clinic as early as possible and will not return until evening; at times they return unattended to. This has discouraged many who now prefer to be delivered through Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) who don’t have the technical knowhow to take delivery,” Lakaiye said.
The spokesman of the Aguma, blamed the unfortunate loss of pregnant women and their babies on the complete neglect of the area by the government. But he would not confirm or explain how the babies who might have survived are put away.
“The case of Bassa Kuomo is most pathetic as we lose many vibrant young women to the cold hands of death including their children every now and then.”
Lakaiye stressed the need for government to urgently provide the community with public, portable drinking water as the communities don’t have access to safe drinking water.
“It takes about N40,000 to N50,000 to connect water and Bassa Kuomo people are predominantly farmers and cannot afford it or buy a keg of water for N50. As such, they resort to stream water.”
Another issue that worries Lakaiye is the unavailability of access roads in the community. “Even when we want to quickly rush a complicated matter to the hospital in town, the roads are not motorable and climbing Okada (commercial motorcycle) worsens the situation. Most of the time, we lose the two of them, the mother and the baby,” Lakaiye said, profusely sobbing.
Although the community is facing these challenges, some of the women are fortunate to survive even without any form of medical care or attention. One of such women is Mrs Jemila Shuaibu, a trader. She said through an interpreter that she had all her seven children at home assisted by the TBAs. According to her, maternal deaths are caused by complications from childbirth.
“We do not have a hospital in Bassa Kuomo and when women have complications during childbirth, they are just at the mercy of God and often time they die with their babies.”
According to her, “most women would have loved to have their babies in the hospital, but there are no hospitals here, the closest to this place is in faraway Gwagwalada town. Everyone knows, there is nothing like having access to antenatal and delivery of the baby at the health centre, but what do you do when there is none, the alternative is to go to TBAs and herbalists to have your baby.”
On why she advises pregnant women to go to the hospital when she did not go to the hospital for delivery of her babies, she said she was just lucky.
“Hmm, well, it was God. I tell you it was just God. During my days, women suffer so much in delivering their babies, some died through bleeding with their babies. But those who managed to have access to hospital facilities were very okay, even those who had haemorrhage after childbirth were spontaneously managed and they came back home hail and healthy with their babies. Those who could not afford it died here with their babies. So delivery in the hospital still remains the best option if you ask me,” she said.
Sadly, she recalled how five women died in the hands of TBAs during childbirth, with their children. Again, she would not confirm or talk about how the babies were buried.
Also, a nursing mother, Mrs Salamatu Alhassan, a firewood seller and a mother of four said she had all her children at home with the help of the Traditional Birth Attendants and there were no complications. However, she said. “I did not go to the hospital because people are too many in the hospital and that place is far from our community. It cost N200 to and fro. Most of us don’t have that kind of money to transport ourselves and when we manage to go there, sometimes because of the crowd, they won’t attend to us, we just go there and wait for hours without seeing the doctor and come back home with nothing

Popular Telugu television actress Naga Jhansi committed suicide at her house in Hyderabad on Wednesday, police said. Jhansi was found hanging in her flat in an apartment building in Sri Nagar colony. According to the police, the actress was alone in the flat. Her brother Durga Prasad alerted the neighbours when she did not respond to door knock. They broke open the door and found her hanging from the ceiling fan. Her body was shifted to government-run Gandhi Hospital for autopsy and a case was registered in Punjagutta police station.
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The 21-year old actress is said to have taken such an extreme step over a failed relationship with her boyfriend Surya aka Nani. Jhansi and Nani are said to have been in a relationship for a while now but Nani’s parents were against their relationship. They were unhappy with him planning to get married to Jhansi and this did not go down well with her. Police officials reached her residence after they were informed by neighbours of the actress’ death. Jhansi is known for her role in popular Telugu daily soap Pavitra Bandham. The actress hails from Krishna district in Andhra Pradesh and lives alone in Srinagar Colony in Hyderabad. Jhansi’s mobile phone has been seized and police is examining the call data and chat records.

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Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one’s own death. Mental disorders, including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, and substance abuse—including alcoholism and the use of benzodiazepines—are risk factors. Some suicides are impulsive acts due to stress such as from financial difficulties, troubles with relationships, or bullying. Those who have previously attempted suicide are at a higher risk for future attempts. Effective suicide prevention efforts include limiting access to methods of suicide—such as firearms, drugs, and poisons; treating mental disorders and substance misuse; proper media reporting of suicide; and improving economic conditions. Even though crisis hotlines are common, there is little evidence for their effectiveness.

Image result for suicide
The most commonly used method of suicide varies between countries, and is partly related to the availability of effective means. Common methods of suicide include hanging, pesticide poisoning, and firearms. Suicides resulted in 828,000 global deaths in 2015, an increase from 712,000 deaths in 1990. This makes suicide the 10th leading cause of death worldwide. Approximately 0.5-1.4% of people die by suicide, roughly 12 per 100,000 individuals per year. Three quarters of suicides globally occur in the low and middle income countries. Rates of completed suicides are generally higher among men than among women, ranging from 1.5 times as much in the developing world to 3.5 times in the developed world. In the Western world, attempts are more common among young people and among females. Suicide and attempted suicide, while previously illegal, are no longer so in most Western countries. It remains a criminal offense in many countries.

Manchester United legend George Best kicked the bucket in 2005, at 59. The reason for his demise was said to be intricacies from the immunosuppressive medications. He expected to take them after a disputable liver transplant in 2002. All came because of liquor. He was a football virtuoso who never truly gave us everything in his vocation. Today we can just contrast him with Lionel Messi. When you take a gander at his recordings, you will in general trust he would have gone above and beyond, however just in the event that he could’ve avoided ladies and liquor. Give us a chance to take a gander at footballers whose professions were somehow annihilated totally by liquor and substance misuse;

6. Mario Balotelli-Present

He is a standout amongst the most famous footballers in the World today. Be that as it may, Balotelli vocation is going down the channel. The Olympique de Marseille striker signed for AC Milan in 2015 on a season-long loan deal yet the conditions in the deal will make you snicker.


In the deal, he was prohibited from smoking, visiting clubs and unrestrained haircuts. The deal couldn’t spare his profession either. He needed to come back to Liverpool however Jurgen Klopp did not need him. Nice spared his vocation however at the point he needed to leave once more. It is a disgrace that such a capable player isn’t probably going to understand his maximum capacity. He luckily signed for the French side in the January 2019 transfer window

5. Tony Adams-Arsenal legend


Arsenal legend Tony Adams is most likely another footballer who battled with liquor addiction. In any case, he acknowledged his concern and turned out to concede he was battling with the alcohol abuse in 1996. He got help and was fortunate to keep playing until 2002.


4. Diego Maradona-Argentina

1986 World Cup champ Diego Maradona is never far from embarrassments. In 2018 finals in Russia, FIFA restricted him from the Stadium for swearing at whatever point his nation scored a goal. The amazing footballer has dependably pulled in discussion.


The world thinks about his cocaine habit that came about to a boycott. In any case, in his account, he said he trusts things could’ve been exceptional for him on the off chance that he kept away from a bourbon bottle he delighted in consistently. It is stunning to hear that given how extraordinary he was on the pitch. He helped Napoli lift UEFA Cup just as Serie A crown twice.

3. Paul Gascoigne-England

Paul Gascoigne is one more British star who has battled with liquor abuse. The previous Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle and Lazio midfielder is depicted by England Football Museum as “the most normally talented English midfielder of his age”

Liquor did obliterate his vocation as well as his instructing profession after retirement. He has been in and out of recoveries however the issue never appears to leave. Nowadays he is showing signs of improvement however no one realizes to what extent the circumstance will stay that way.

2. George Best-Died 2005


The former Manchester United striker is most likely the best case of what liquor and substance misuse can do to a footballer. He drove the club to 1968 European Cup and was named the European Footballer of the Year and FWA Footballer of the Year. He was a mavel and a virtuoso.

@jharrisfootball George Best. One of the best to ever play . Died of liver failure due to alcohol abuse pic.twitter.com/hF9Sa3BWXI

— Chris Checketts (@ChrisChecketts) May 29, 2013

Be that as it may, liquor and ladies finished his vocation rashly predominantly as a result of absence of wellness. The more he scored objectives on the pitch, the more popular he ended up and this implied significantly more ladies and more liquor. He once stated, “I spent a ton of cash on liquor, winged animals (ladies) and quick vehicles – the rest I simply wasted”. The specialists and savants said he could’ve won a lot more honors had he not celebrated to such an extent.


1.Garrincha-Died 1983

Brazil best player before Pele rose was called Garrincha. The star was in the group that lifted the World Cup in 1958 and 1962. The amazing story is utilized in all institutes in the nation for instance of how terrible life can get if a footballer needs discipline. He devoted his life to liquor and ladies. Like George Best, he passed on in 1983 from a liver illness matured just 50 years of age. He deserted 14 known youngsters. There is no uncertainty he had more.

Justice Mojisola Olatoregun of a Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos on Thursday threatened to send to prison, the former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, over failure to appear before the court.

Obanikoro was billed to continue his evidence under cross-examination in the money laundering trial against the immediate past Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

At Thursday’s proceedings, Obanikoro was conspicuously absent.

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By way of explanation, Counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) informed the court that Obanikoro has been hospitalized.

The SAN thereafter presented a medical report from a clinic located at Ikoyi, as evidence.

But Justice Olatoregun observed that if the court is to verify the medical report and it turns out to be false, then the doctor and the hospital that issued the report might have to lose their licenses.

“But I will just allow adjournment because of Mr. Jacobs who is a very responsible senior member of the Bar and not because of this worthless pieces of papers,” the Judge said.

The judge went further to state that if Obanikoro fails to appear at the next adjourned date might attract a committal sentence of three months imprisonment. So that he can be coming to court in black maria.

“He must present himself to the court at the next adjourned date or be compelled to do so,” the Judge said.

Justice Olatoregun thereafter adjourned until March 18, 19 and 20, 2019 for ruling on the admissibility of Justine Erukaa’s statement which was objected to by the EFCC.

At the last sitting, Obanikoro said he was testifying against Fayose reluctantly.

Obanikoro said despite testifying against Fayose, he wouldn’t want their relationship to be destroyed.

Fayose was alleged to have received a cash payment of the sum of five million dollars, (about N1.8 billion) from Obanikoro, without going through any financial institution and which sum exceeded the amount allowed by law.

The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has condoled with the families and friends of those died in the tragic incident at the presidential rally of the ruling party, APC, in Jalingo, Taraba State.

The Thursday accident happened due to a stampede at the venue of the APC presidential rally. PREMIUM TIMES reported how President Muhammadu Buhari earlier condoled with the families of the victims.

A statement signed by Mr Abubakar’s media adviser, Paul Ibe, quoted the PDP presidential candidate to have expressed sadness over the loss of lives.

“All Nigerian lives matter whether they are of the APC, PDP or any other party,” he quoted Mr Abubakar as saying from Katsina where he was holding a rally himself.

Mr Abubakar also expressed his deepest condolences to the APC and its presidential candidate and the government and people of Taraba State over the tragedy.

The PDP presidential candidate prays for strength and comfort for the affected families and for God to grant the deceased eternal rest, Mr Ibe wrote.

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has assured members of the Administrative Board of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria on the Commission’s resolve to conduct free, fair and credible 2019 general elections.

Speaking at an interactive meeting with the Catholic in Abuja, as part of the nationwide consultation with stakeholders on the Commission’s readiness for the general elections, Prof. Yakubu gave a detailed background of the measures already put in place to ensure a successful outing. He said the Commission was determined to improve on the gains recorded in the 2015 general elections, just as he affirmed that only the votes cast by citizens would determine the eventual winners at the polls.

The INEC chairman debunked insinuations in certain quarters over alleged centralisation of the recruitment of Collation and Returning Officers for the elections. He said there was no basis for the allegation in the first place since Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) had never handled the recruitment of such officers.

He said: “In order to protect the sanctity of the electoral process, INEC took a decision in 2011 not to recruit Collation and Returning Officers from among its staff, but from senior lecturers and professorial cadre in our Universities. This is what the Commission has done consistently.

The Chairman of the Commission handles this responsibility. He liaises with Vice Chancellors under specific criteria. The Vice Chancellors submits names directly to the INEC Chairman, the submitted names are further vetted before we finally engage and post them to the states. It is after we have finished with the process of engagement that we liaise with the RECs who then assign the Collation and Returning Officers to local government areas and constituencies where they are going to work.

“There was a reason why the Commission took that decision. There was a time in the past when, particularly in the recruitment of Collation Officers and most especially the Returning Officers, some people pandered to the wishes of politicians. The Commission then decided to centralise it and involve not only the Universities but also the Academic Staff Union of the Universities (ASUU).”

“Since 2015, we have conducted elections into 195 constituencies and not on one occasion did the headquarters ask the RECs to recruit Collation or Returning Officers. This is what the Commission has been doing since 2011. I was surprised when I read the report.”

However, RECs have the responsibility of recruiting Supervisory Presiding Officers, Presiding Officers and Assistant Presiding Officers, mainly from the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, and when we have a shortfall, we make it up with students of tertiary institutions. So, there is no change of policy and there is no new policy. There is no truth in the allegation.”

He equally dismissed the allegation of registration of underage or ineligible persons and boasted about the fidelity of the process.

He said: “It is robust and easily the largest database of citizens in the country with photographs and full biometrics. We believe that we should continue to clean it up instead of throwing it away and starting a new registration process.”

Prof Yakubu also told the Catholic Bishops that the allegations about the existence of under-age persons in the Voters’ Register gained currency after the Local Government election conducted by the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC), when the social media was awash with stories, pictures and clips of under-age persons either registering to vote or actually voting during elections.

“There was a composite picture on the social media. When we saw it, we were surprised because, before the local government election, the Commission had conducted a bye-election in the Minjibir State Constituency in Kano. In that election conducted by INEC, there was no single allegation of the prevalence of underage persons.”

Besides, the INEC Chairman observed that each of the registered political parties got a copy of the Voters’ Register since 2011 and none of them had ever complained of the prevalence of under-age voters in the Register.

“We set up a committee to investigate it. We asked the committee to decompose the composite picture that circulated on the social media and then, we saw surprises. All the pictures (on social media) had nothing to do with the Kano local government election. Some were pictures of events that happened 11 years ago.”

The most interesting for me was the queue of young small boys at an Internally Displaced Camp (IDP) in Bornu state. They were given handouts. They cut the head and tail of the queue and it was presented as young persons voting in the Kano local government elections from the INEC register.

“Now, even if you have underage persons, you cannot have a polling unit of exclusively for underage persons. We saw this and we responded. I addressed a press conference, and when the agitation continued that we should publish the entire report of the committee, we published it online in March 2018 and since then, we have not heard a single comment.”

He also argued that the responsibility of cleaning the Voters’ Register was not handled by INEC alone. He said while the law requires the Commission to paste the Register at each polling unit nationwide before the general election for claims and objections, Nigerians and political parties also owe it a duty to draw the Commission’s attention to the names of ineligible persons for rectification.

He said: “We have been doing so consistently. After the last one, we received only a few comments from the states, I think 48,000 out of 84 million registered voters. Part of the difficulty is that we are very careful if someone says that one person is dead, because of the experience the Commission had in 2015.”

“We received a letter from one particular political party that a candidate was dead and they submitted a Death Certificate obtained from a government hospital. They also went to court, swore to an affidavit and his family also attested to the fact that the candidate was dead. They filed all these documents at the Commission. A week later, the supposedly dead candidate turned up and said he was alive.”

On the National Collation Centre, Prof Yakubu reiterated the difference between the actual collation of the 2019 general elections results and the ad-hoc committee established to put the Collation Centre in place. He likened the Centre to an ordinary Event Centre that would house the Situation Room among others, for which the constituted ad-hoc committee has been saddled with the responsibility to put all the structures and amenities it needs to function effectively in place.

ABUJA – The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Wednesday called on the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to extend the collection of Permanent Voters Card PVCs, by three days.

PVC
The party in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the demand was informed by reports across the nation that “some compromised INEC officials at the collection centres are deliberately refusing to issue the PVCs to voters thereby frustrating millions of registered voters from getting their voters cards.

“The PDP believes that this deliberate refusal to release the PVCs is part of the wider plot by the All Progressives Congress (APC), to disenfranchise millions of Nigerians and frustrate their eagerness to vote out President Muhammadu Buhari at the February 16 Presidential election and elect-in the peoples’ candidate, Atiku Abubakar.”

The party called on the electoral umpire to advance reasons for turning back registered voters who went to collect their PVCs and directing them to come at a later date for an exercise that is slated to end on Friday, February 8, 2019.

Footballers are known for their flamboyant and extravagant lifestyle and always don’t hesitate to enjoy the little time when it comesby considering their tight schedules. When it comes to alcohol consumption which is seen as a major mode of ‘socialization’ footballers are big consumers but there are some that have said NO to the trend.

Alcohol consumption is a major trend in this present society and it is one of the major substance that brings friends together for socialization purposes. It is invariably abnormal to have an event without alcoholic beverages for consumption.

This trend is not unfamiliar with footballers but these few have boldly come out to denounce the consumption of alcohol.

Let’s view their list below:

01. Gareth Bale


The Real Madrid once said: “I just don’t like drink, to be honest. it’s not the fact that I choose not to drink Alcohol. I just don’t like the taste of it. I ‘ve obviously tasted it, but I just don’t like it so it doesn’t do anything for me to be honest. In a way, it probably helps me though.”

02. Javier Hernandez


Javier’s grandfather, Tomas Balcazar once said that “Javier has his diet, he doesn’t eat just anything. He never drinks even a drop of alcohol. He doesn’t stay up late for any reason.” What a virtuous grandson, I must confess.

03. Djibril Cisse


The retired footballer turned DJ doesn’t drink alcohol too. That’s incredible right?

04. Frank Ribery


Ribery converted to Muslim in 2006 after getting married to a Muslim woman of Morrocan origin. And he once told his Bayern Munchen teammates to keep the alcohol, which is forbidden by his religion.

05. Darren Fletcher


The Scottish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for English club Stoke City and the Scotland national team is another lucky footballer to part the company with the beer.

06. Cristiano Ronaldo


This great footballer does not drink alcohol at all because his father died after years of alcohol abuse.


Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro was born in São Pedro, Funchal, on the island of Madeira, Portugal, and grew up in Santo António, Funchal. He is the fourth and youngest child of Maria Dolores dos Santos Aveiro (b. 1954), a cook, and José Dinis Aveiro (1953–2005), a municipal gardener and a part-time kit man. His second given name, “Ronaldo”, was chosen after then-U.S. president Ronald Reagan. His great-grandmother on his father’s side, Isabel da Piedade, was from the island of São Vicente, Cape Verde. He has one older brother, Hugo (b. 1975), and two older sisters, Elma (b. 1973) and Liliana Cátia “Katia” (b. 1977), who is a singer. Ronaldo grew up in a Catholic and impoverished home, sharing a room with all his siblings.

07. Harry Kane


“If I need to relax, I take my dogs out for a walk or I play round of golf. I can’t remember the last time I went to a club. Obviously, everyone is different but I love just settling down and having a barbecue with friends at my house,” said Kane.

Harry Edward Kane was born in Walthamstow, London to Kim and Patrick Kane and has one older brother, Charlie. He has Irish ancestry through his father who is from Galway. The family moved to Chingford where he attended Larkswood Primary Academy until 2004, followed by Chingford Foundation School (also attended by David Beckham). He played football from a young age, joining a local club, Ridgeway Rovers, when he was six in 1999. Kane talked about footballing in the family:


“ I think the sporting genes come from my Mum’s side of the family although the topic is a hot debate in the Kane household. Dad probably won’t like me saying that, but I think my granddad Eric on my Mum’s side was quite a good footballer, and played at a decent level. ” Kane also said: “Most of my family were Spurs fans and I grew up 15 minutes from the ground, so I was always going to be a Spurs fan”.

He named former Spurs striker Teddy Sheringham his childhood idol, and saw him as a “great finisher” and a role model in his ability to get in the box and score goals. Other childhood sporting influences he cited include David Beckham and Jermain Defoe. Kane has also spoken of his admiration for the former Brazil forward Ronaldo, adding that he loved to watch footage of him on YouTube: “He was one of the first ones I looked at and thought, ‘Wow. He’s a goalscorer, I want to be a goalscorer.'”

08. Yaya Toure


Yaya Toure is a footballer who is also of a Muslim background. He once said: “Sorry I don’t drink because I’m Muslim.”

The Nigerian Presidency has thrown its weight behind Nasir El-Rufai’s comments that foreigners who seek to intervene in the nation’s forthcoming elections will leave in body bags.

Mr El-Rufai, the Governor of Kaduna State, said the country will not accept any foreign intervention during the forthcoming general elections.

He said this while appearing on a Tuesday Live program which aired on the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).

“Those that are calling for anyone to come and intervene in Nigeria, we are waiting for the person to come and intervene. They would go back in body bags because nobody would come to Nigeria and tell us how to run our country,” he said.

Many interpreted his remarks to mean calling for violence against foreigners during the elections but Mr El-Rufai later said he was only insisting that Nigeria’s sovereignty be respected.

The presidency, in an email to PREMIUM TIMES Wednesday, said it is satisfied with the clarifications made by Mr El-Rufai.