FG to quiz Atiku (Nation)
The Federal Government is set to quiz the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, over an alleged N156million payment from the defunct Bank PHB. Atiku, according to Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed, allegedly benefitted from the payment that led to the demise of the bank. The former vice president is currently on a visit to the USA. But Mohammed said yesterday that “any time Abubakar returns home, he has questions to answer following the fresh evidence that we have that he benefitted from ‘slush funds’ that led to the collapse of the former Bank PHB.” Read more
Why Atiku travelled to USA —Obi (Nation)
The running mate to Alhaji Abubakar Atiku in next month’s presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi,said yesterday that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag bearer is not in the USA to prove any point to anyone. Obi told reporters at the Murtala Muhammed Airport,Ikeja, that Atiku travelled to Washington DC because it was necessary for him to do so. The former governor of Anambra State expressed surprise at the dust generated by Atiku’s trip. His words: “Though he does over 90% of his consultations at home and among Nigerians, but now and then, he has to travel to meet different groups, especially those that will be of assistance in the new Nigerian project.” Read more
Show gratitude to Atiku for grooming you, group tells Tinubu (Punch)
A pressure group, Vote for Atiku Initiative, has advised the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to show gratitude to the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for grooming him to become what he currently is in politics. The group maintained that but for Atiku, Tinubu would have sunk into political oblivion 16 years ago. “If not for Atiku, Tinubu would have sunk into political oblivion since 2003,” the group said. The group frowned on the way the APC leader had been attacking Atiku since the campaigns started. Read more
Oshiomole, El-Rufa’i, rap Atiku over US trip (Nation)
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, yesterday derided the celebration in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the US trip of its presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. Oshiomhole and El-Rufai said in Kaduna that instead of the celebration, Atiku should explain to Nigerians why he could not go there over the last 12 years. They both spoke at the presidential campaign of the APC. El-Rufai said: “It is disturbing that, people in the PDP are celebrating instead of crying. Read more
I’ll end farmers, herders incessant clashes, says President (Nation)
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday made a fresh appeal for accommodation and tolerance among herders and farmers across the country. He said this was necessary to end the incessant clashes between the two sides in some parts of the country. Receiving leaders of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) who visited him in Abuja, Buhari pledged to give equal respect to all citizens irrespective of their ethnic, religious and geopolitical backgrounds. He urged the herders to support him in the task of bringing lasting peace to the country. Read more
Aisha Buhari, Dolapo Osinbajo, governors’ wives for Ibadan APC rally (Nation)
Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, will today play host to the wife of president, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, Vice President’s wife, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo, and wives of All Progressives Party (APC) governors across the country for the South West Women and Youth Presidential campaign rally. Other women and youths as well as their leaders across South West will also join them at the rally scheduled for the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Oke Ado, Ibadan at 10am. The wife of the Ekiti State Governor, Mrs. Bisi Fayemi, who is the South West Zonal Chairperson of the Media Committee of the APC Women and Youth Presidential Campaign Team, said yesterday that the wife of the Oyo State Governor, Mrs Florence Ajimobi, is coordinating the event in her capacity as the South West Coordinator for Women and Youth Presidential Campaign. Read more
INEC chair lacks courage to conduct free, fair poll—Secondus (Nation)
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday accused the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of putting President Muhammadu Buhari under undue campaign pressure. Secondus said those he called power grabbers in the ruling party were bent on returning Buhari to power for their interest. The PDP chairman spoke in Abuja on Friday while inaugurating the party’s 27 presidential election campaign committees at the party’s campaign office. Read more
Zimbabwe blocks WhatsApp amid crackdown (BBC)
Zimbabwe has blocked Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp messaging app amid a crackdown on days of violent protests. A coalition of local human rights groups says at least 12 people have been killed and many more beaten and tortured by security forces this week. The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum accused the authorities of cutting off the internet “to mask the massive human rights violations”. The protests were sparked on Monday by a sharp rise in the price of fuel. Read more
Mueller disputes Buzzfeed’s Trump report (BBC)
US special counsel Robert Mueller has disputed a claim that President Trump told his long-time lawyer Michael Cohen to lie to Congress. Mr Mueller’s office said the report by by Buzzfeed News was “not accurate”. The website said that Cohen had told investigators that Donald Trump had instructed him to lie about plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow. Mr Trump later denied the report saying his ex-lawyer had lied to investigators to “reduce his jail time”. Read more
Lukaku big part of squad – Solskjaer (BBC)
Romelu Lukaku still has a key role to play at Manchester United despite starting just one match since Jose Mourinho was sacked as manager, says interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The £75m ex-Everton striker has played for just 74 minutes in Solskjaer’s six league games in charge, but started the FA Cup third-round win over Reading. Solskjaer has favoured Marcus Rashford, Jesse Lingard and Anthony Martial. But the Norwegian said Lukaku, 25, remains “a big part of the squad”. Only Rashford and midfielder Paul Pogba have scored more than the three goals Lukaku has managed since Mourinho was sacked on 18 December. Read more
German coach says player selection is based on penis size (Guardian)
German coach Imke Wubbenhorst had the perfect answer to a sexist question asked by a journalist. She responded sarcastically that she selects her team’s list based on the penis size of the players. Imke Wubbenhorst, who is the first female to coach a male team in Germany’s fifth tier side BV Cloppenburg, said this while responding to questions from journalists. She told a German TV Welt how one journalist had asked her whether she warned players to put their pants on when she entered the dressing room. “Of course not, I’m a professional,” she responded, sarcastically. “I pick my players based on their penis size,” Wubbenhorst said. Read more
Bayern win to cut Dortmund’s lead (BBC)
Leon Goretzka scored twice as Bayern Munich beat Hoffenheim on their return from the winter break and cut Borussia Dortmund’s lead to three points. The German midfielder gave visitors Bayern the lead in the 35th minute when he converted the rebound from Robert Lewandowski’s saved header. The 23-year-old made it 2-0 just before the break with a low finish. Nico Schulz fired in to reduce the deficit, before Lewandowski struck late to seal the points for the champions. Moments earlier, Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer had made a superb point-blank save to keep out a header from Hoffenheim striker Adam Szalai. Read more
EFCC seizes $49,000, N300m mansion from suspected Yahoo boy (Punch)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it has recovered a sum of $49,000 (about N17m) and five exotic cars from the mansion of a suspected Internet fraudster (popularly known as Yahoo boy), Tomilola Owootomo. The vehicles are two Bugatti cars, a Mercedes Benz GLK, a Mercedes Benz car and a Porshe, while the house, a duplex, was valued at N300m. It was learnt that EFCC operatives had raided the suspect’s house at Gwarimpa, Abuja, on a tip-off. However, Owootomo, 22, evaded arrest. Read more
EFCC arrests 6 suspected internet fraudsters (Nation)
Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested six suspected internet fraudsters in separate raids carried out in Abuja. Acting Head Media and Publicity of the Commission, Mr Tony Orilade, listed the suspects as Chemezie Ezeife, Onwochei John, Onwochei Joel, Marvin Nwankwo, Prince Ojenike, and Jude Olatekobowale. He said they were arrested following a tip-off. In statement in Abuja, yesterday, Orilade said that Ezeife was arrested on Jan.16, at the Life Camp residential area in Abuja following intelligence reports of shady activities traced to him. Read more
Tricycle operator in police net for defiling 10-year-old girl in Akwa Ibom (Punch)
A tricycle operator, one Edet Edem, is currently in police custody for allegedly defiling a 10-year-old girl (name withheld) in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. Edem, 27, who hails from Oku Iboku in Itu Local Government Area of the state, was apprehended for allegedly committing the crime, by youths of Use Offot village, where he rented an apartment. It was gathered that the tricycle operator, after committing the crime, took the girl to Use Offot market square and dumped her there while she was bleeding. It was further gathered that the girl was later rescued by a passerby, Mariam Daniels, who rushed her to Anua Hospital, along Nwaniba in Uyo for medical treatment. Read more