I may support Peter Obi in 2027- Atiku (Sun)
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar met with Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general elections in Abuja, earlier in the week.
The meeting sparked speculations about a merger of some opposition political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In an interview with BBC Hausa Service monitored by FRED EZEH, Atiku Abubakar explained the reasons for the meeting. Read more
Women protest alleged return of armed Okuama youths (Nation)
Women of Okoloba community in Bomadi local government area have protested what they called the return of armed youths of Okuama in Ughelli South local government area, threatening the peace of the riverine area in Delta States.
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The placard-carrying women, led by the chairlady of Okoloba community, Mrs Timipakebi Goodwin and secretary, Mrs Mary Koibi, staged a peace protest along the coastal fringe of koloba community, chanting against violence and bloodbath.
Goodwin told newsmen in an address made available to security apparatuses, including the police, DSS, NSCDC, JTF as well as the acting chairman of Bomadi local government council, that the latest killing by the youths of Okuama showed that they could kill human beings at the slightest provocation. Read more
Wale Edun: No attempt to illegally use pension funds (ThisDay)
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, yesterday, clarified that the federal government had no intention of illegally tapping into the N20 trillion pension funds for infrastructure development.
The clarification followed media reports quoting the minister as saying, after the last Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, that the federal government was considering tapping into the pension funds to drive investment in growth areas, including infrastructure and housing.
Edun had said the move to use the pension funds was part of the government’s efforts to bridge Nigeria’s estimated 20 million housing deficit, and to provide massive housing and mortgage loans at 12 per cent interest rates, with 25-year repayment plans.The minister’s comments immediately ignited serious reactions from notable Nigerians, including the former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who advised the federal government to suspend such a move. Read more
CIBN inaugurates Pius Olanrewaju as 23rd President (Independent)
Professor Pius Olanrewaju was inaugurated as the 23rd President and Chairman of the Council for the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) during a ceremony in Lagos on Friday.
The event was presided over by Justice Owolabi Dabiri and chaired by Wole Olanipekun, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
Following the swearing-in, Olanrewaju received the insignia of office. In a message of goodwill, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, represented by the Chairman of House Committee on Banking in the green chamber of the National Assembly, Nwachukwu Eze, commended the outgoing CIBN president, Ken Opara, and encouraged the new leadership to harp on technology for improved financial inclusion. Read more
7 injured as truck rams into BRT on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway (Punch)
A truck, on Saturday, rammed into a Lagos State BRT bus at Ibafo bus stop along the Lagos Ibadan Expressway, leaving at least seven persons injured.
Our correspondent, who went to the scene, gathered that the accident occurred around some minutes to 6am.
Officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps and policemen at the accident scene insisted that only their Public Relations Officers were authorised to speak. Read more
Obong of Calabar to Tinubu: Hire many contractors for swift completion of Calabar-Lagos highway (Tribune)
The Obong of Calabar Executive Forum (OCEF), a body that advises the Palace of the Obong of Calabar, has urged the President Bola Tinubu-led government to initiate the construction of the Calabar-Lagos highway simultaneously to accelerate the project’s completion and mitigate inflation-related risks.
During a press conference at the palace, OCEF recommended hiring numerous competent engineers and road construction contractors for the job.
They emphasised that if work starts on both ends and is divided among capable contractors with strict oversight by the Minister of Works, the project could be finished within the Tinubu administration’s tenure. Read more
Why CNG vehicles can’t work in Nigeria – Babachir Lawal (DailyTrust)
Former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Engr Babachir Lawal, has said the use of Compressed Natural Gas vehicles will not work in Nigeria except the federal government provides the framework for its functionality.
He said the government needs to put in place necessary infrastructure that will lubricate the effectiveness of the CNG vehicles, or else it will be catastrophic.
He said this during an interview on Daily Politics, a programme on Trust TV. Read more
Group alleges plots to undermine NSCDC operations (Channels)
AYoruba Apex Youth organisation, Igbimo Odo Yoruba Afenifere, has raised the alarm over an orchestrated plot to undermine the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and its leadership.
This, the group said, is part of the plot by some desperate politicians, to destabilise efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in addressing the nation’s security challenges.
The group described the plots as a deliberate smear campaign by those it called mischief makers hellbent on tarnishing the hard-earned reputation of the Commandant General of the NSCDC, Dr Abubakar Audi. Read more
Diddy & Cassie footage is “disturbing,” Los Angeles DA remarks in statement (hnhh)
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office explained that, even if the Diddy and Cassie footage is real, they would be unable to present a case.
Diddy is in hotter waters than ever on the Internet thanks to an alleged video of him supposedly assaulting Cassie in a hotel hallway. Moreover, this clip is quite the disturbing one, and spread virally online due to the scandalous nature of his numerous sexual assault and sex trafficking allegations, whose claims also include more abhorrent behavior.
However, it seems like this might not result in the immediate legal action that some users probably expected. Furthermore, the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office issued a statement on Friday (May 17) on the matter, explaining the situation. Read more
Jeremy Pope shares 2 new songs: ‘U, Lost’ and ‘What I Gotta Do?’ (RatedRnB)
Actor/singer Jeremy Pope has announced his debut EP, Last Name: POPE, will release independently on June 21.
The project will include the lead single, “U, Lost,” and its B-side, “What I Gotta Do.” Pope wrote and co-produced both songs.
“U, Lost” is a much-needed confidence booster following a breakup. Here, Pope reminds his ex of what they’ve lost and how he doesn’t tolerate any form of disrespect. Read more
Lily Tomlin among stars to pay tribute to late US actor Dabney Coleman (Standard)
Lily Tomlin and Morgan Fairchild lead tributes to “one-of-a-kind” American actor Dabney Coleman following his death aged 92.
Coleman was best known for portraying villains such as the sexist boss in the 1980 hit comedy 9 To 5 and the nasty TV director in the 1982 satire Tootsie.
Tomlin, who also starred in 9 To 5 with Jane Fonda and Dolly Parton, said of Coleman “we just loved him”. Read more
Amy Winehouse’s viral hot-mic moment from 2008 Grammys about Justin Timberlake cut from Back to Black biopic (People)
Amy Winehouse was almost as beloved for her unapologetic frankness as she was for her hit music.
The English singer-songwriter, who died of alcohol poisoning at age 27 in 2011, shot to international superstardom with the success of her 2006 album, Back to Black, which included the hit single, “Rehab.” Combining the sounds of jazz, 1960s-esque pop and soul, Winehouse didn’t shy away from infusing her lyrics with the trauma and heartbreak she experienced as she struggled with drug and alcohol addiction. Read more
Paul Weller is more “open-minded” and “experimental” in later life (MusicNews)
Paul Weller has gotten more daring and experimental with his music the older he’s got.
The Modfather is set to mark his 66th birthday (25.05.24) with the retrospective collection, ’66’, which is due for release the day before he reaches the milestone, and he has admitted he’s “more open-minded” creatively later in life.
He told Record Collector magazine: “I don’t want to keep going on about my age but one thing that is very nice about getting older is that you can experiment
The older I get, the more open-minded I get.” Read more
CNN orders US version of Have I Got News For You (MediaMole)
News broadcaster CNN has ordered a US version of Have I Got News For You to air in the run-up to this year’s election.
The satirical news panel quiz show has been a staple of the BBC schedules in the UK since 1990 and has run for an impressive 67 series to date.
The US version – to be made by the same team behind the UK show – will go out on Saturday nights in the weeks before the November 5 showdown between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. Hosts and panellists have yet to be confirmed. Read more
Gunmen kill 3 Western tourists, translator in central Afghanistan (VOA)
Taliban authorities in Afghanistan said Friday that unknown assailants fatally shot three Western tourists and their local translator in the central city of Bamiyan.
The late-afternoon shooting in a busy central market also injured four people, including a foreigner, a spokesman for the Taliban-led Afghan Interior Ministry said.
Abdul Mateen Qani shared the details on his official account on the social media platform X, but he did not disclose the foreigners’ nationalities. Read more
NWFL Super 6: Edo Queens thrash Confluence Queens 5 – 1 (Leadership)
Edo Queens got their Nigeria Women Football League, NWFL, Super Six campaign off to a perfect start after thrashing Confluence Queens 5-1 in the first game of the tournament in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Saturday.
A brace from Emem Essien and Goodness Osigwe and a solitary strike from Chioma Moses secured the comfortable win.
Confluence Queens’ only goal was scored by Merit Offor. Read more
Tiger Woods misses cut at 2024 PGA Championship (ABC)
After posting his 11th consecutive round of par or worse in a major championship with a 6-over 77 in the second round of the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club on Friday, Tiger Woods is headed home on the weekend again.
With a 36-hole total of 7-over 149, Woods was well above the projected cut line of 1-under 141. In his past 22 starts in majors, he has missed the cut 10 times and withdrawn twice.
Still, the 15-time major champion said he is getting stronger from injuries suffered in a car wreck in February 2021 and believes his game will get better as well. Read more
Man City’s Foden named Premier League Player of the Season (France24)
Manchester City’s Phil Foden has been named the Premier League’s Player of the Season.
Saturday’s announcement meant the 23-year-old England midfielder completed an awards double after being voted Footballer of the Year by the English Football Writers’ Association earlier this month.
Foden has scored a career-best 17 Premier League goals so far this season ahead of champions City’s final league game of the campaign. Read more
Police arrest 3 people after incidents at Southampton vs West Brom (DailyMail)
Three people have been arrested as a result of incidents at the Championship play-off semi-final clash between Southampton and West Brom on Friday night.
The Saints won 3-1 at St Mary’s to secure a place at Wembley in the play-off final, where they will take on Leeds next Sunday.
However, the match – which came after Sunday’s first leg was drawn 0-0 – was marred by nasty post-match scenes when several Southampton fans invaded the pitch to celebrate. Read more
Tyson Fury’s next fight after Oleksandr Usyk has already been announced (Mirror)
Tyson Fury knows he will have to rematch Oleksandr Usyk regardless of the result in their first fight tonight.
Fury takes on Usyk to crown the first undisputed heavyweight world champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999. They will do so at the third attempt after delays in first December and then February, but are set to meet again in October after signing a two-fight deal last year.
And Fury said of the rematch: “Double bubble, innit? What are we in this for? Money. So if I can get a double bubble for one job, fantastic. Not much more to be said. I’ll take a double bubble out of everything, if I can. I took the treble bubble out of the Wilder one!” Read more
Alex Albon photo raises questions amid new F1 contract (Newsweek)
Alex Albon has left people scratching their heads after he uploaded a variety of pictures to Instagram amid the news of him signing a new Formula One contract.
The 28-year-old racing driver has dispelled uncertainties surrounding his tenure at Williams Racing by signing a multiyear contract extension. Although the length of the F1 contract has not been confirmed, it will see him into the next regulation change in 2026.
The Thai British driver joined Williams in 2022 and quickly became a cornerstone of the team’s rebuilding efforts. His involvement has been critical, along with that of team principal James Vowles, who joined the team at the beginning of 2023. Read more