January 2, 2019
Dr. Adegbola Dominic, Lagos State chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday said he was surprised Governor Akinwunmi Ambode could not muster the resources at his disposal and the power he enjoys as governor to confront Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.
Speaking in an interview with Daily Independent, Dominic said Tinubu’s overbearing nature and the fact that he wants all the resources of Lagos State to come to him made him fallout with Ambode. Read more
Lagos pays N41.8b to 10,286 retirees (Nation)
The Lagos State government has paid accrued pension rights of N41.812 billion to 10,286 retirees under the Pay As You Go pension scheme in the last 41 months, the Commissioner for Establishments, Training and Pensions, Dr. Akintola Benson, has said.
He spoke at the 58th edition of Retirement Benefit Bond Presentation Ceremony held at the LASPEC Complex, NECA House, Ikeja, Lagos.
He said another 139 public service retirees were presented retirement benefit bond certificates worth N632.3 million for the month of December. Read more
Agege LG Boss urges residents to abide by New Year’s resolutions (Vanguard)
The Executive Chairman, Agege Local Government Area of Lagos State, Alhaji Ganiyu Kola Egunjobi, has advised residents of the area to abide by their New Year’s resolutions.
Abdulganiyu Kola Egunjobi A New Year’s resolution is a tradition in which a person resolves to change an undesired trait or behaviour, to accomplish a personal goal or otherwise improve their life. Read more
Ambode mourns Professor Femi-Pearse (Leadership)
Lagos State governor, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, has expressed sadness over the demise of Professor Ayodeji Femi-Pearse, founder of popular Badagry resort, Whispering Palms.
Femi-Pearse, a former Provost, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Acting Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Pro-Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU) died last Friday at the age of 86 after a brief illness.
Ambode, in a statement by his chief press secretary, Mr. Habib Aruna described the death of the late professor of Medicine as a great loss to the academic community as well as the hospitality industry. Read more
Caretaker drags tenant to court over gossip (Nation)
A caretaker Abdul Bello on Wednesday dragged Khadija Afolabi, a tenant, to a Sharia court sitting at Magajin Gari, Kaduna, demanding her evacuation from the compound over gossiping.
The complainant accused the defendant of not keeping to her promise of packing out of the house three months ago when she was served with a notice from the landlady, Hajiya Farin-Dutse.
Bello explained that the house located at No 24, Yoruba road, contained two flats. Read more
Labour Congress pledges commitment to workers welfare, new minimum wage (Guardian)
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has pledged commitment to workers welfare while appealing to the Federal Government to urgently transmit the bill on the new national minimum wage to the National Assembly.
NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, made the pledge in a New Year Message yesterday in Abuja, saying 2018 was one of the most traumatic year for workers, especially given the failure of government to enact and implement the new national minimum wage of N30,000. Read more
Mbaka endorses Buhari’s second term bid (ThisDay)
Fiery Catholic Priest and the Spiritual Director of Adoration Ministry, Enugu, Nigeria (AMEN), Reverend Fr. Ejike Mbaka, yesterday urged Nigerians to support President Muhammadu Buhari’s second term bid in order to continue with his good works.
“A president that is fighting corruption need to be supported,” Mbaka said as he delivered his New Year Prophetic message to Nigerians.
The Catholic cleric, however, predicted that the country would face an unimaginable difficulty in 2019 and therefore charged Nigerians to brace up to the situation. Read more
Adeboye codes 2019 prophecies, Olukoya sees strange happenings (Punch)
The General Overseer, The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, on Monday night refrained from giving straightforward prophesies for 2019 for fear that politicians might twist the prophecies to suit their purposes.
While preaching during the evening service to herald the new year, the cleric said when enquiring from God what 2019 held in stock, he expressed fear that “if you (God) tell me, and I tell them, it could be twisted; in Nigeria, this is an election year, and anything I say will be twisted by politicians.”
Adeboye said God, however, said the prophecies would be coded instead. Read more
NASS Will Ensure Speedy Passage Of 2019 Budget – Reps Member (Independent)
The member representing Arewa/Dandi Federal Constituency, Alhaji Hussaini Kangiwa, says the National Assembly would ensure speedy passage of the 2019 budget.
Kangiwa told newsmen on Wednesday in Birnin Kebbi that the lawmakers would avoid the mistakes that delayed the passage of the 2018 budget.
According to him, the passage will be in contrast to that of 2018 that was passed amid controversies and disharmony between the executive and the legislature. Read more
Articulated lies don’t win elections (Leadership)
You don’t have to be a psychologist to see through the phoney personality stunts with which the PDP presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar is desperately struggling to get noticed by Nigerians.
Quite apart from the PDP’s legacy of political liabilities that have rendered it an abomination for a return to power, Candidate Atiku’s baggage of political and occupational contraband just cannot get clearance from Nigerians whose eyes have been shining with renewed focus on best attributes of the leader the nation needs since President Buhari’s 2015 emergence changed the agenda radically. Read more
Boko Haram not better equipped than us – Nigerian Army (Punch)
The Nigerian Army on Wednesday denied claims that it was using inferior weapons to fight the Boko Haram terrorist group.
It said it would continue to fight the insurgent group until it won despite all challenges.
“Boko Haram terrorists are not better equipped than the Nigerian Army. Nigerian Army is the pride of the nation,” the army said on its social media pages. Read more
Our Embassy, Consulate remain open-US (Nation)
The United States (U.S) government has said its Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will remain open while the US government shutdown lasts.
In a statement on Monday made available to journalists in Abuja, the Embassy said earlier report to the contrary was incorrect.
The terse statement reads: “The U.S. Embassy in Abuja and the Consulate General in Lagos will remain open during the U.S. government shutdown. This includes the Consular Sections. Prior reports to the contrary were incorrect. Read more
Sharp rise in the number of deaths caused by air crashes last year, figures reveal (Telegraph)
There has been a sharp rise in the number of deaths caused by air crashes last year, new figures have revealed.
Airliner accidents killed 556 people last year compared with 44 in 2017, the Netherlands based Aviation Safety Network (ASN) reports.
It means that 2018 was worse than the five-year average of 14 accidents and 480 fatalities. Read more
Arsenal, Leicester table N17b for Chukwueze (Nation)
Villarreal of Spain winger, Samuel Chukwueze has gained another heavy transfer boost to his growing value, as sports247.ng learnt he is now on the radars of Arsenal and Leicester City for a fee of N17b (£36m).
So soon after reports emerged that former La Liga champions, Atletico Madrid are also interested in snatching Chukwueze from Villarreal, the Chile 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup revelation is now wanted in England. Read more
Serena Williams tells working parents ‘anything is possible’ (Mail&Guardian)
Serena Williams has posted an inspirational New Year message to mums and dads juggling parenthood with work, saying “anything is possible”.
The 23-time Grand Slam champion began 2019 in Perth at the mixed teams Hopman Cup, with baby Alexis Olympia in tow.
She posted a picture of herself and her daughter to her 10.4 million followers on Instagram, holding her child as she stretched her leg. Read more
Most memorable football moments in 2018 (Guardian)
It has been a pretty eventful year in football, with more incidents than you can shake a stick at.
We have come up with what we think are the most memorable football moments of the year, including maybe the most incident-packed Champions League final ever and four (well actually five) from the World Cup.
Mohamed Salah’s 32-goal Premier League golden boot-winning season was amazing but lacked one great ‘moment’, so it misses out. Read more
Funmilayo Ajala targets 2019 African Games spot (Nation)
National Sports Festival female table tennis bronze medallist Funmilayo Ajala says she has set her sight on making Nigeria’s team to the 2019 All Africa Games in Morocco.
Although sports247.ng reports that Ajala was disappointed to fall short at Abuja 2019, she is excited with the strides she made in the doubles and believes that has set her on the path to the national team. Read more