Fast-track demolition of marked buildings, Tinubu urges Lagos govt (Punch)
All Progressives Congress National Leader, Bola Tinubu, urged the Lagos State government to fast track the demolition of buildings marked as structurally unfit. Tinubu said that the children who died in Wednesday’s building collapse on Lagos Island did not deserve to die the way they did, describing the incident as tragic. In a condolence message made available by his Media Adviser, Mr Tunde Rahman, on Thursday, Tinubu, commiserated with the families of the victims, praying that God would comfort them and grant repose of the souls of the young ones. Read more
INEC planning special event to issue me certificate of return – Okorocha (Guardian)
Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo, says the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may be planning to organise a special event to issue him a certificate of return. Okoricha stated this on the backdrop of the omission of his name from those that INEC issued certificates of return. He stated this on Thursday in Abuja while speaking with newsmen in reaction to the development. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Okorocha was suspended from the All Progressives Congress (APC) on March 1 over alleged anti party activities by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC). Read more
Oyo governor-elect, Makinde, visits Obasanjo (Punch)
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on the people of Oyo State to cooperate with Mr Seyi Makinde, the governor-elect of the state. A statement issued by Obasanjo’s Media Aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, said that the former president made the call when the Oyo State governor-elect visited him in Abeokuta on Thursday. According to Obasanjo, the love and votes of the people of Oyo State have ensured the emergence of Makinde, adding that their continued support was necessary to make him succeed as a governor. Read more
Nine corps members to repeat service for absconding in Kano – NYSC (Guardian)
The Coordinator, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Kano, Alhaji Ladan Baba says nine corps members from the 2018 Batch A are to repeat the one year national service. The Coordinator said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the passing out of 2,682 Batch A corps members on Thursday in Kano. According to him, the corps members absconded completely for more than three months from their places of primary assignments. Read more
PDP optimistic of success in supplementary polls (Nation)
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), says it is optimistic of victory in states where the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is to hold supplementary governorship elections on March 23. The party’s National Working Committee (NWC), expressed the optimism in a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, after the committee’s emergency meeting held on Thursday in Abuja. Ologbondiyan expressed the party’s readiness for the supplementary elections. Read more
I’ll repay Ogun voters with good performance – Abiodun (Punch)
The governor-elect of Ogun State, Adedapo Abiodun, has promised to repay residents who voted for him during the last governorship election with good performance that will improve their standards of living. Abiodun promised to pay teachers’ salaries and arrears, adding that local government areas would be autonomous and strengthened. He spoke during visits to the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, and the Osile Oke Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuosho. Read more
Boeing 737 Max aircraft grounded ‘until May at least’ (BBC)
All Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 aircraft will remain grounded at least until May after the fatal Ethiopian Airlines crash on Sunday, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has said. The aircraft will not fly until a software update can be tested and installed, the US regulator said. Sunday’s crash, shortly after take-off from Addis Ababa, killed 157 people from 35 nations. It was the second crash involving a 737 Max in six months. Some people have pointed to similarities between the incidents, with some experts citing satellite data and evidence from the crash scene as showing links between Sunday’s disaster and October’s crash in Indonesia of the Lion Air jet that killed 189 people. Read more
Polish church admits clergy abused hundreds of children (Guardian)
Poland’s powerful Catholic church on Thursday published a report admitting that nearly 400 of its clergy had sexually abused children and minors over the last three decades, reflecting findings published last month by a charity focused on abuse in the church. The Polish Bishops’ Conference said in its report that it found 382 clergy sexually abused a total of 624 victims, including 198 under 15 years of age and 184 adolescents between the ages of 15 and 18. The statistical report which covers the period between 1990 and 2018, did not include the names of perpetrators. Read more
Senate Republicans revolt against Trump over border (BBC)
Rebel members of President Donald Trump’s party have helped pass a vote to reject his declaration of an emergency on the US-Mexico border. Twelve Republican senators broke party ranks to side with Democrats, approving a proposal to revoke the proclamation by 59-41. The Democratic-controlled House of Representatives last month backed the measure. Following Thursday’s vote, Mr Trump tweeted: “VETO!” Congress needs a two-thirds majority of both chambers to override a presidential veto, which is viewed as unlikely in this case. Read more
Amid turmoil, Facebook chief product officer quits (Punch)
Facebook said Thursday its chief product officer Chris Cox was leaving the company, becoming the highest-ranking executive to depart amid the turmoil at the leading social network. Cox made his announcement in on his Facebook page, saying he was leaving “with great sadness” after 13 years. While Cox gave no specific reason for his move, he noted that Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg has unveiled a new direction away from being the “digital town square” to focus on smaller-scale, private interactions. Read more
CAF appoints women officials for men’s youth tournament (Punch)
The Confederation of African Football will include three women among the officials for a men’s youth tournament in Tanzania next month. In a statement, CAF said one referee and two assistants will handle matches at the under-17 African Cup of Nations from April 14-28. “The historic decision is a testament to CAF’s commitment to developing women’s football,” CAF said on its website this week. Read more
Giroud hat-trick in thumping Chelsea win (BBC)
Olivier Giroud scored a hat-trick as Chelsea thrashed Dynamo Kiev to move into the Europa League quarter-finals with an 8-0 aggregate win. The France forward’s early effort from Willian’s corner set the tone for the Blues, who arrived in Kiev with a commanding 3-0 lead from the first leg. Giroud swept in his second of the night from Marcos Alonso’s sublime cross to register his eighth goal in the competition this season. With the visitors in total control, Alonso tapped in a third goal from Callum Hudson-Odoi’s cross before the break. Kiev captain Serhiy Sydorchuk went close to a consolation for the hosts in the second period, hitting the post from close range. Read more
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on Black Panther celebration: It represents me (Metro)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang revealed the Black Panther celebration was a nod towards his national team and his identity after the Arsenal forward scored twice against Rennes. Arsenal dumped Rennes out of the Europa League thanks to a fightback at the Emirates, scoring three times without reply to overturn a 3-1 deficit from the first leg. Aubameyang scored twice during the win and treated fans to a new masked celebration for his second goal. Read more
Gareth Bale: Real Madrid forward wants to ‘play all his career’ at club (BBC)
Gareth Bale wants to “play all his career” at Real Madrid despite the return of Zinedine Zidane as manager, says his agent Jonathan Barnett. The Frenchman’s appointment is “bad news” for the Welsh forward because Zidane “does not want to work with Bale”, according to Spanish football expert Guillem Balague. The 29-year-old has been booed by home supporters this season. Barnett said Bale is “very happy at the moment” but “we will see what goes on”. Asked if Bale will stay at Real, Barnett replied: “Yes, why not? He wants to play all his career for Real Madrid and if it does not work out, we will talk again. Read more
Final decision on 48-team 2022 World Cup set for June —FIFA (Punch)
FIFA chiefs will decide on Friday whether to back an expansion of the 2022 World Cup to 48 teams but a final decision will only be taken at a meeting in Paris in June, sources said Thursday. The FIFA Council meeting in Miami on Friday will give its verdict on an internal feasibility study which supported increasing the number of teams at the 2022 tournament in Qatar from 32 to 48. However a final vote on increasing the number of teams at the football showpiece would only be taken at a full Congress meeting of football’s global governing body in June. Read more
Scholes quits after 31 days as Oldham boss (Guardian)
Former Manchester United star Paul Scholes quit as Oldham manager on Thursday after just 31 days in charge of the League Two club. Scholes has walked away from Boundary Park over claims of broken promises from his hometown team. The 44-year-old took charge at Oldham last month and won his first match, but the ex-England midfielder failed to pick up another victory in his next six games and leaves with the side languishing in 14th place. Read more
Birmingham, Arsenal charged over pitch invasions (Punch)
Birmingham and Arsenal have been charged by the Football Association after separate pitch invasions that included the shocking attack on Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish. Birmingham were hit with a charge of failing to ensure fans conducted themselves in an orderly fashion during the Championship fixture against bitter rivals Aston Villa on Sunday. Villa captain Jack Grealish was punched and knocked to the turf by a Birmingham fan in the ninth minute of Sunday’s 1-0 victory over the Blues in the ‘second city’ derby at St Andrew’s. Read more
Defeated Djokovic will regroup at the double (Guardian)
World number one Novak Djokovic was trying hard to take his shock loss at the ATP Indian Wells Masters in stride on Tuesday, but it wasn’t easy. “To be honest, I don’t enjoy losing,” Djokovic said after falling 6-4, 6-4 to 39th-ranked German Philipp Kohlschreiber in the third round. Kohlschreiber notched his first ever victory over a number one-ranked player, ending Djokovic’s bid for a sixth Indian Wells crown. Read more
Schalke sack coach after 7-0 thrashing (Punch)
Schalke 04 fired coach Domenico Tedesco two days after they lost 7-0 to Manchester City in the Champions League last 16 second leg, the German club said on Thursday. The mauling in Manchester, completing a 10-2 aggregate loss, was the fifth consecutive defeat for a side lying fifth-bottom of the Bundesliga. “Head coach Domenico Tedesco and assistant coach Peter Perchtold have been relieved of their duties with immediate effect,” Schalke said in a statement. Read more
