APC suspends Amosun, Okorocha (Punch)
The All Progressives Congress has suspended the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, and his Imo counterpart, Rochas Okorocha. The two men were suspended for alleged anti-party activities at the National Working Committee meeting held on Friday in Abuja. The meeting is still in session as of the time of filing this report. Read more
Akala rejoins APC, dumps gubernatorial ambition (Nation)
A former Governor of Oyo State, Adebayo Alao-Akala, has returned to the All Progressives Congress (APC). He is the governorship candidate of the Action Democratic Party (ADP) in the March 9 governorship election. The former governor, The Nation learnt, made the decision earlier today after meeting the APC National Leader Asiwaju Bola Tinubu in Abuja and Lagos. A reliable source within the party confirmed that the Ogbomoso-born politician will make a statement on his new decision today for his supporters across the state to understand the reasons for his move ahead of the March 9 governorship and House of Assembly election. Read more
Niger police arrest 10 suspects for alleged electoral offences (Punch)
The Niger State Police Command has arrested 10 suspects over alleged electoral offences during the Saturday, February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections in different parts of the state. Alhaji Sabo Ibrahim, the State Commissioner of Police, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria in Minna on Friday. Sabo said that the offences ranged from ballot snatching, unlawful possession of Permanent Voter’s Cards, destruction of ballot papers and disruption of peaceful conduct at polling units. Read more
Again, lawyer’s absence stalls Evans’ trial (Nation)
For the second time in 30 days, the trial of suspected billionaire kidnap kingpin, Chukwudumeme Onwuamadike alias Evans, failed to go on at a Lagos High Court in Igbosere on Friday, following the absence of a defence counsel. Evans’ lawyer, Chino Obiagwu SAN, did not make an appearance but sent a letter informing Justice Adedayo Akintoye of his absence. No member of Evans’ legal team, including Olanrewaju Ajanaku, was present. Consequently, the judge adjourned till March 22 at 10am for address by counsel for trial within trial. Read more
Lawyer threatens to sue INEC for using corpers as ad hoc election workers (Punch)
A Human Rights Lawyer, Dr. Kayode Ajulo, has threatened to sue the Independent National electoral Commission over its use of the National Youth Service Corps members to conduct elections. Ajulo, who made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Abuja, said that the use of corps members by INEC was against the law. Ajulo said that he was against corps members being used to conduct elections, adding that the law setting up the scheme frowned against it and must be stopped forthwith. Read more
Court orders arrest of A/Ibom commissioners for alleged money laundering (Nation)
The Federal High Court in Lagos on Friday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of two Akwa Ibom State commissioners. They are Commissioner for Finance, Nsikan Nkan and Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Uwemedimo Nwoko. Justice Rilwan Aikawa also ordered the arrest of Akwa Ibom State Accountant-General, Mfon Udomah. Their arrest followed an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which said they were at large. They were charged along with Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) president Mr Paul Usoro (SAN) for alleged N1.4billion fraud. Read more
23 new cases of Lassa fever recorded in seven days —NCDC (Punch)
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control has confirmed 23 new cases of Lassa fever that were recorded between February 18 and February 24. NCDC’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja. Ihekweazu said that 1,279 suspected cases had been reported from 32 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from January 1 to February 24, 2019. He said that 381 of this figure were confirmed positive, 15 probable and 858 negative. Read more
Malawi offers $7,000 reward to stop killing of albinos (Punch)
Malawian Government has offered cash rewards of 7,000 dollars for information about abductions and killing of people with albinism as anger over government inaction grew ahead of national elections. Belief in witchcraft is widespread in rural Malawi, one of the world’s poorest countries, fuelling ritual killings particularly targeting people with albinism because of the belief that their body parts can increase wealth. The renewed focus on albino murders comes after the New Year’s Day killing of Yasin Phiri in the presence of his young son. Read more
DRCongo faces fresh Ebola risk after attacks on health centres (Guardian)
Health authorities in DR Congo warned Friday of a “serious” new Ebola outbreak after a medical centre at the heart of the epidemic was attacked. Aid agency Doctors Without Borders (MSF) temporarily suspended treatment in two centres in Butembo city and Katwa district, both in the northeast of the country, after they were struck by arson attacks on Wednesday and Sunday. Butembo is the epicentre of DR Congo’s latest Ebola outbreak. Read more
Trump on Kim Jong-un: ‘Why shouldn’t I like him? (BBC)
US President Donald Trump has again heaped praise on Kim Jong-un, defending his bilateral talks with the North Korean leader. Mr Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity, a vocal Trump advocate, that Mr Kim was “sharp as you can be” and “a real leader”. “Some people say I shouldn’t like him,” he said. “Why shouldn’t I like him?” Mr Trump’s second summit this week in Vietnam with Mr Kim ended without agreement. The president told Mr Hannity in an interview aired late on Thursday that he gets along “really well” with Mr Kim, describing him as “a pretty mercurial guy”. Read more
North Korea’s Kim kicks off official Vietnam visit (Guardian)
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un kicked off an official visit to Vietnam Friday, three days after arriving in the country for a nuclear summit with US President Donald Trump that ended deadlocked. Kim put aside the troubled negotiations for the pageantry of a formal diplomatic occasion in Hanoi, where — accompanied by his sister and close aide Kim Yo Jong — he was received by Vietnam President and Communist Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong. The smiling leader walked before rows of children waving Vietnamese and North Korean flags outside the mustard-yellow colonial-era Presidential Palace, before inspecting an honour guard. Read more
Avengers Endgame: Samuel L. Jackson insists he’s not in new movie (Metro)
Samuel Jackson insists that he is not in Avengers: Endgame following his appearance in the post-credit scenes of Infinity War. The 70-year-old – who has played Nick Fury in over 10 Marvel films said on The Jonathan Ross Show that he would not be in Avengers 4 despite some very recent ‘hints’ that he would be. Almost forgetting the title of the movie he asked: ‘What’s the name of that? End Game?’ ‘No [I’m not in it.] No, why would I be? I don’t have any superpowers; I can’t fight battles. No, I’m not in it,’ he added when probed. Read more
Cyprus Cup: Super Falcons bounce back beat Slovakia 4-3 (Nation)
Super Falcons grabbed their first victory at the ongoing Cyprus cup with a 4-3 defeat of Slovakia at the Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium Friday. The Thomas Dernneby tutored side approached the game with all the seriousness it deserved from the first blast of the whistle and their efforts yielded fruits as the scored three quick goals in the first half. Rita Chikwelu opened the floodgate of goals for the Falcons in the 7th minute. Osinachi Ohale increased the tally in the 28th minute before Chikwelu who from all indications was not satisfied with having only one goal in her name grabbed a second in the 38th minute even as the Falcons held to their 3-0 lead till the end of first 45 minutes. Read more
Lukaku revival can aid United’s top-four bid (Guardian)
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer hopes Romelu Lukaku is ready to seize a starring role in his Manchester United revolution after the Belgium striker finally showed signs of emerging from his prolonged slump. United extended their impressive Premier League run with a 3-1 win at Crystal Palace on Wednesday that puts a third-place finish in their sights ahead of struggling Southampton’s visit to Old Trafford on Saturday. That is a stunning turnaround given the troubled state the club was in when Solskjaer took over from the sacked Jose Mourinho in December. Read more
Maurizio Sarri reveals when Kepa Arrizabalaga will next play for Chelsea (Metro)
Maurizio Sarri has confirmed that Kepa Arrizabalaga will return for Chelsea in one of their next two matches versus either Fulham or Dynamo Kiev. Kepa, 24, was dropped for Chelsea’s victory over Tottenham on Wednesday night after refusing to be substituted in the side’s Carabao Cup final defeat to Manchester City. Chelsea fined Kepa week’s wages for defying Sarri’s orders at Wembley and Willy Caballero impressed in place of the Spaniard against Spurs, coming away from Stamford Bridge with clean sheet. Read more
Fellaini hits winner on China debut following Man Utd move (Guardian)
Marouane Fellaini needed just 50 minutes to make his mark in Chinese football, scoring the winner on his debut for Shandong Luneng on Friday following his move from Manchester United. The 31-year-old midfielder was not always popular at Old Trafford because United fans felt that his awkward style was not in keeping with the Premier League giants’ attacking traditions. But the Belgian international appears at home already in the Chinese Super League (CSL), taking a touch with his right foot before swivelling and slotting home with his left from just outside the six-yard box. Read more
Guardiola urges Mahrez to step up as City chase quadruple (Guardian)
Pep Guardiola has challenged Riyad Mahrez to play a key role in Manchester City’s quadruple bid as the club’s record signing struggles to live up to his £60 million ($79 million) price tag. City were far from their imperious best in Wednesday’s narrow 1-0 win over West Ham, but the result kept the champions just one point behind Premier League leaders Liverpool ahead of their trip to Bournemouth on Saturday. Guardiola has stressed his concerns over fatigue affecting his squad, with last weekend’s League Cup final win over Chelsea coming at a cost as Fernandinho and Aymeric Laporte both suffered injuries that will sideline them for several weeks. Read more
No more Monday La Liga games, says Spanish FA president Luis Rubiales (BBC)
La Liga games will no longer take place on Mondays, says the Spanish FA’s president Luis Rubiales. Alaves supporters held a mock funeral during their La Liga win over Levante in protest at the match being switched to Monday night for live TV coverage. Alaves fans also protested about fixture changes during their game against Athletic Bilbao, held on a Monday in December. “Business is important, but fans more so,” Rubiales said on Twitter. He added: “There will be no more football on Mondays. From next season in La Liga, there will be football on Saturdays and Sundays. We will see what happens on Fridays, if we reach a good agreement for all.” Read more