INEC delists Ebonyi PDP Gov, NASS candidates (Nation)
There is anxiety in Ebonyi following the delisting of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) candidates by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from the governorship and National Assembly election.
A check by The Nation on INEC’s website shows the governorship and deputy governorship candidates of the party, Ifeanyi Ọdịi and Senator Igwe Nwagu were conspicuously missing from the updated list.
The three senatorial candidates of the party, Senator Sam Egwu (Ebonyi North); Lazy Ogbe(Ebonyi Central) and Senator Ama Nnachi(Ebonyi South) were also missing from the list.
Five out of the six House of Representative candidates were also not included in the updated list.
Those whose names were missing are Idu Igariwey (Afikpo North/South); Jerry Obasi (Ọhaozara/Onicha/Ivo); Ogbonnia Nwanne (Ikwo/Ezza South); Chukwuma Ofoke (Abakaliki/Izzi), and Victor Aleke (Ebonyi/Ohaukwu). Read more
CBN Gov, Emefiele resumes duty after annual leave (Vanguard)
The Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, has resumed duty after his annual vacation abroad.
Emefiele, who proceeded on leave in December 2022, resumed work today, Monday, January 16, 2023.
The Governor resumed with renewed vigour to perform his duty ahead of the first Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting of the year scheduled for January 23 to 24, 2023.
Disclosing this in a statement, Osita Nwanisobi Director, Corporate Communications said Emefiele remains committed to performing the task before him in line with his oath of office and the policy direction of President Muhammadu Buhari. Read more
How cop Vandi killed Raheem during stop-and-search – Police witness (Punch)
An Inspector of Police, Matthew Ahmen, who is a colleague of Drambi Vandi, who allegedly killed female lawyer Bolanle Raheem, told a Lagos State High Court sitting at the Tafawa Balewa Square on Monday that they were conducting a stop and search when the incident happened.
He said Vandi, who was the leader of their team, was behind while he was in the middle, and another colleague, Inspector Dimini, was in the front.
Ahmen who was the first prosecution witness said when Dimini saw a car coming, he flagged it down but the car didn’t stop, and when the car got to where he was standing, he also flagged the car down but the car didn’t stop as well.
He said, “The next thing I heard was a gunshot and I looked back to see what was happening and I saw that a windscreen was falling. Read more
Succour for Ikeja communities 30 years after as Kosile sinks boreholes (Vanguard)
Succour smiled on residents of Ikeja communities in Lagos as the SDP candidate for the House of Assembly in Ikeja Constituency 1, Mr Olakunle Kosile built and commissioned two boreholes to intensify public access to potable water, 30 years after.
Kosile who pledged his readiness for selfless service at the inauguration of the borehole systems said,”I came through the community, Johnson and Onilekere, a few months ago and realised that it’s an eyesore. The people told me one of their major problems travelling a long distance to access water.
“It just shows how ineffective our representation within this area has been over the years. Despite being close to the airport, minimal infrastructural development is not in place”.
Through his OK Movement initiative, Kosile who donated the boreholes said it is not just about playing politics and that beyond this, the plan was to keep empowering the local communities”. Read more
IPOB rejects Soludo’s offer to be Nnamdi Kanu’s surety (Tribune)
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has rejected the promise of the governor of Anambra State, Chukwuma Soludo to stand as surety for its leader, Nnamdi Kanu to be released.
IPOB said the stage where its leader needed surety for any bail has passed, and that at this point, Kanu has been discharged and acquitted of every charge, and that the call should rather be for the federal government to respect its own court and grant the detained separatist freedom.
The media and publicity secretary of the group, Mr Emma Powerful in a press release made available to journalists said IPOB ”welcome the call by the Governor of Anambra State-Governor Charles Soludo for the unconditional release of our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“But the said call for the unconditional release of our leader is belated, and coming three months and one day, after the Court of Appeal, Abuja judicial division, in its erudite judgement delivered on the 13th day of October 2022, discharged and acquitted the leader of IPOB and all the remaining 8-Count amended charge preferred against him. Read more
FUOYE raises ASUU members’ hope on salaries (Punch)
The Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Prof Abayomi Fasina, has lauded members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities for showing commitment to work despite the unresolved issues of salary arrears.
Fasina assured the lecturers of light at the end of the tunnel, saying, all was set for the resolution of the matter between the Federal Government and ASUU.
The FUOYE VC, who spoke at Oye Ekiti during the matriculation of the fresh students for 2022/23 session of the school, assured the freshers that the university is committed to ensuring a stable academic calendar.
He said, “I want to thank ASUU for showing understanding. Their salary issues will be resolved. I am sure that very soon, there is going to be a new salary package for the lecturers. Read more
Alleged Corruption: Tinubu demands immediate arrest of Atiku (Leadership)
Presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, over a recent revelation of alleged collusion with former President Olusegun Obasanjo to fleece and loot public funds when they were in power.
LEADERSHIP recalls that one Michael Achimugu, who called himself a former aide of Atiku, had released a video in which he gave details of how Atiku allegedly used phony companies called ‘‘Special Purpose Vehicles’’ (SPVs) to receive bribes and divert public funds when he was vice president of Nigeria under Obasanjo.
In the video, which went viral on social media, Achimugu warned Nigerians against voting Atiku as president on the grounds of his alleged corrupt tendencies. Read more
New Presidential Amnesty boss leads staff to bid predecessor farewell (ThisDay)
The lnterim Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Major-General Barry Tariye Ndiomu (rtd), has led other staff of PAP to the farewell organised in honour of his predecessor, late Professor Charles Quaker Dokubo, in Abuja.
According to a release issued by PAP Acting Head of Information, Lawson Alaenetonwa, the service of songs held at the weekend in honour of the former Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Dokubo, attracted a full house of present and past PAP management and staff, family, friends and other sympathisers to the Musa Yar’Adua Event Centre in Abuja.
The deceased’s widow, lbila Quaker Dokubo and two of his children attended the afternoon of songs, prayers, tributes and well-wishes for Dokubo’s final journey.
In his homily, the officiating minister, Pastor Obinna Obioma, who spoke on the need for man to always strive to live a worthy life that is kind, pleasant and imbued with the fear of God cautioned against waiting until the last minute before man turns his life to God. Read more
Jo O’Meara teases S Club 7 reunion and admits she’d love to get band back together (Metro)
Jo O’Meara hinted at an S Club 7 reunion amid revelations she would love the group to reform for another run.
The 43-year-old singer claimed she would be keen to get the old gang together again despite her health complications potentially putting an end to her dancing career.
Since avoiding surgery on her back when she was in her early 20s, the star has endured a world of pain and four operations to fix slipped disks that worsened over the years.
Revealing she pushed through shows with steroid injections and pain medication, Jo is now in danger of never performing the way she used to again. Read more
Former Home and Away star Sharni Vinson returning to screens with reality TV role (DigitalSpy)
Former Home and Away star Sharni Vinson has landed herself a new reality TV project.
The actress played Cassie Turner in the soap between 2005 and 2008. Cassie was involved in some major storylines addressing several serious topics, including abuse in childhood, domestic abuse and living with HIV.
After her departure from the soap, Vinson went to Hollywood, starring in films from Step Up 3D to horror movie You’re Next.
Now, it has been revealed that she is returning to Australian screens in Survivor: Heroes v Villains, which premieres on Channel 10 on January 30. Read more
Al Brown, best known as Stan Valchek in The Wire, dead at 83 (CNN)
Veteran actor Al Brown, who became famous for his role in the hit TV show The Wire, has died at age 83.
Brown made his name playing police commander Stanislaus “Stan” Valchek in the blockbuster HBO show about the Baltimore drugs trade.
News of Brown’s death was announced on his YouTube channel and Facebook page.
His Facebook page was updated on Saturday night to read: “My name is Michael. I manage Al’s Facebook page. Read more
Tom Cruise helped Tár director save debut film from Harvey Weinstein (NME)
Tár director Todd Field has recalled how actor Tom Cruise helped to save his debut film from Harvey Weinstein.
Field knew Cruise from the time they starred together in Stanley Kubrick’s 1999 film, Eyes Wide Shut and sought out advice from his former co-star after his debut film was acquired by Weinstein’s company Miramax.
In a new interview, Field revealed how Cruise helped to save his debut film, In The Bedroom, from significant interference from Weinstein, who has since been convicted for multiple counts of rape and sexual assault.
Speaking to The New Yorker, Field said he was concerned about Weinstein’s reputation for imposing multiple edits on films distributed by his company and feared his film might be subjected to similar. Read more
Fall Out Boy’s new album is ”made with love” (MusicNews)
Fall Out Boy’s new album was “made with love”.
Frontman Patrick Stump has admitted it was important to create a follow-up to 2018’s ‘Mania’ that can be “savoured” by fans.
Speaking at the 2023 iHeartRadio ALTer Ego festival at the weekend, he said of the five-year wait for the LP: “It’s so wild that it’s been that long [since ‘Mania’].
“It didn’t really feel that long, and we’ve been kind of tossing ideas around for this record since then. But it was really important to me that we made something that we savoured … we wanted to make this like you’re making dinner for your family, you know?” Read more
Co-pilot of doomed Nepal flight lost pilot husband in 2006 plane crash (NYPost)
The co-pilot of the flight that crashed in Nepal Sunday, killing at least 68 people on board, was the wife of a pilot who lost his life in a plane crash nearly 17 years ago.
Anju Khatiwada, 44, joined Nepal’s Yeti Airlines in 2010, following in the footsteps of her husband, Dipak Pokhrel, who was killed four years prior when the small passenger plane he was piloting for the air carrier crashed minutes before landing.
On Sunday, Khatiwada was in the co-pilot’s chair on a Yeti Airlines flight from Kathmandu that went down into a gorge as it approached the city of Pokhara, in what was Nepal’s deadliest aviation disaster in three decades.
No survivors have been found so far among the 68 passengers and four crew members. Read more
Opera superstar Placido Domingo faces new accusations of sexual harassment (France24)
Opera star Placido Domingo faced new accusations of sexual harassment from a fellow Spanish singer in a television programme broadcast on Sunday, three years after such claims prompted an apology and curtailed his career.
In a 2020 investigation, more than three dozen singers, dancers, musicians, voice teachers and backstage staff said they had witnessed or experienced inappropriate behaviour by Domingo, 83, over three decades. Domingo has not admitted any wrongdoing.
The latest accusation came from an unidentified singer in Spain’s La Sexta television channel. Appearing as a dark figure, she said Domingo allegedly asked to touch her at a theatre in Spain at the start of the 21st century. On another occasion, he tried to kiss her, she said.
“One of the first things they tell you is don’t go up in the lift alone with Placido Domingo,” the woman told La Sexta television channel. Read more
Australian Open: Nadal defeats Draper, reaches round 2 (Punch)
Defending champion Rafael Nadal admitted he had been far from perfect after grinding down a man 15 years his junior to kickstart his bid for a 23rd Grand Slam title Monday.
The Spanish top seed unleashed some of his trademark hammer forehands, but also made 46 unforced errors, before defeating Briton Jack Draper 7-5, 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 at the Australian Open.
It put him into the second round for a 17th time and stretched his win-loss record at Melbourne Park to 77-15.
He will next play Mackenzie McDonald, who beat fellow American Brandon Nakashima in a five-set thriller.
“Super-happy to be back here in Australia one more time. It’s like the 19th season in the professional tour so very excited about this new beginning,” Nadal said after the 3hrs 41mins test in blistering heat on Rod Laver Arena. Read more
Napoli fans to miss Osimhen for 2 months (Sun)
Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen and Napoli have been deprived of the support of their darling hardcore fans on away grounds over the next two months.
Italian authorities on Saturday barred Napoli and AS Roma fans from travelling for two months, with the ban taking effect immediately.
The ban was put in place after serious clashes between Napoli’s ultras and their Roma counterparts last weekend, a mass brawl at a service station that temporarily shut down one of Italy’s most important motorways.
Manager Luciano Spalletti will hope that his high-flying Napoli can maintain their charge towards a historic Serie A title even in the absence of their beloved fans. Read more
Shakhtar Donetsk owner donates €25m of Mykhailo Mudryk transfer fee to help Ukraine war victims (IrishIndependent)
Shakhtar Donetsk owner Rinat Akhmetov will donate more than £20million (€25m) of the transfer fee received from Chelsea for the sale of Mykhailo Mudryk to help support those affected by the war in Ukraine.
The 22-year-old winger was unveiled at Stamford Bridge during the Blues’ 1-0 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday, following his £62m transfer from the Ukrainian champions, a fee that could rise to £88m depending on performances.
It is the highest transfer fee ever received by a Ukrainian club, and comes as a financial boost for Shakhtar after the Court of Arbitration for Sport last week ruled that FIFA acted legally in allowing foreign players to cancel their contracts at Ukrainian clubs following Russia’s invasion last February. Shakhtar claimed they had lost out on more than £35m in transfer revenue.
“I can confirm that Mykhailo Mudryk is leaving FC Shakhtar to play at Chelsea Football Club in the English Premier League, the strongest national championship,” Akhmetov said in a statement. Read more
William Saliba explains why Arsenal feel “no pressure” in Premier League title race (Mirror)
William Saliba insists Arsenal are not feeling any pressure despite now being made red-hot title favourites.
Bookies have made the Gunners odds-on to clinch their first Premier League in 19 years after Mikel Arteta’s men went eight points clear after winning at Tottenham. Saliba says Arsenal can handle the expectation levels but also claimed that he always knew they could do something special this season.
The defender said: “There’s no pressure because we play for that. It’s better to have this pressure when you are at the top than when you are down at the bottom. It’s better to keep going like this and we don’t have to have pressure.
“After the summer, when I saw the team and the mentality, I told myself, ‘Yeah, we can do something this season’. We are focused on ourselves. We are not focused on our rivals. We have to keep going like this and stay focused only on ourselves. Read more
Mercedes tease first images of W14 (RN365)
Mercedes has teased the first images of their 2023 Formula 1 challenger being built at their factory.
The W14 will be officially revealed on the 15th February in an online reveal ahead of pre-season testing.
It is expected to be a significant improvement on the failings of the W13, which plagued them during last season.
The car is set to retain the ‘zero sidepod’ design, with the main changes being under the bodywork and floor which will be redesigned. Read more
Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk: Ricky Hatton makes his prediction (GMS)
Tyson Fury ended 2022 very much how he started it, on top of the world.
He once again retained his WBC heavyweight championship at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, putting down Derek Chisora in the 10th round.
As a result, talk once again turns to what comes next for the Gypsy King.
Negotiations are ongoing for a bout with Oleksandr Usyk, the Ukrainian whose last two victories were both over Anthony Joshua, putting any chances of a Battle of Britain fight on ice for the time being. Read more