Labour Party senatorial candidate gunned down 48 hours to election (DailyTrust)
The violence in the Southeast region has continued even in the week of the 2023 General Elections.
Mr Oyibo Chukwu, candidate of the Labour Party in Saturday’s Enugu East Senatorial District election, was killed 48 hours to the election.
Chukwu was killed at Amechi, Awkunanaw local government area of Enugu while returning from a campaign rally.
He was murdered alongside five of supporters. Read more
Obi in ‘Buga mood’ as NLC endorses him for president (Tribune)
Nigerian workers under the umbrella of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have declared their support for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) Peter Obi.
This is coming a few days before Saturday’s presidential election.
The Labour Union declared its support for the LP flag-bearer during its inaugural meeting held on Wednesday by its National Administrative Council. Read more
Court decides Oluomo’s role in poll materials’ distribution Friday (Punch)
The Federal High Court in Lagos has fixed Friday, February 24, for judgment in the suit seeking to stop the Independent National Electoral Commission from engaging the Lagos State Parks Management Committee for transporting election materials in Lagos.
The Lagos State Parks Management Committee is headed by a transport union leader, Musiliu Akinsanya, alias MC Oluomo, who the plaintiffs in the suit said is a card-carrying member of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The plaintiffs in the suit are Labour Party, African Democratic Congress and Boot Party alongside their governorship candidates in Lagos State, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour; Funsho Doherty; and Wale Oluwo, respectively. Read more
Utomi faults INEC’s indifference on Lagos REC (Guardian)
The political economist, Prof. Pat Utomi, yesterday, lamented the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) nonchalant attitude to the call for removal of Lagos State Resident Electoral Commission (REC), Segun Agbaje.
Utomi, convener of The BIG-TENT Coalition of Political Parties, Social Movements and Civil Society Organisations for Obi-Datti, described such stance as a question mark on credibility of the election.
He urged the international community to take note of the attitude, insisting that the people want Agbaje redeployed, saying his skills can be as valuable in Jigawa State as they are in Lagos. Read more
Lagos State judiciary to explore digital technology with Cinfores CoMiS (ThisDay)
In support of electronic processes in government, the Lagos State judiciary has deployed Cinfores Court Management Information System, (CoMiS) to automate its court filing processes.
Cinfores is a Nigerian based Information and Communication Technology (ICT) company that produces cutting edge web-based and installed software packages tailored to make their clients relevant.
The Lagos State Courts Management Information System for Magistrate and Small Claims Court (LagosCoMiS), was formally launched recently at the Lagos State High Court in Ikeja, with the signing of the service level agreement between the Lagos State Judiciary and the Consultant firm, Cinfores Limited. Read more
Naira Swap: We refuse to be scapegoat, says Supreme Court (Leadership)
Nigerians from all walks of life, including consumers and business owners, professional and trade unions, looking up to the Supreme Court for a pronouncement that will ameliorate the precarious financial situation they are currently enmeshed in would have to wait a little longer.
The highest court in the land said yesterday that it will resist being used as a scapegoat in the scuffle over scarcity of Naira notes occasioned by the Naira swap policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Accordingly, it fixed March 3, 2023 for judgement in the suit filed by three states against the federal government over the Naira swap policy. Read more
Viral video shows thousands of voters’ cards recovered from bush in Anambra (Independent)
A radio presenter with Authority FM, a radio Station located in Nnewi, Wednesday morning stunned viewers in a video that has gone viral of a bag full of permanent voter’s cards (PVCs) said to have been found in a forest in the Nnewi area by an unnamed hunter.
This is coming just three days before the Presidential and National Assembly election in Nigeria.
According to the presenter, the hunter saw the bag containing the PVCs in a bush in Akamili, a community in Nnewi on Tuesday, and later took it to the premises. Read more
Varsities, schools shut down for 2023 general elections (Sun)
In compliance with the Federal Government directive, tertiary institutions and schools nationwide have shut down academic activities for the 2023 general elections.
The decision is to allow students exercise their franchise on Saturday, February 25 and Saturday, March 11 for the governorship poll.
The Federal Government through the National Universities Commission (NUC), National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) and National Commission for Colleges of Education (NCCE) had asked heads of institutions to shut down because of security reasons. Read more
Filming on “Rust” movie to resume this spring in US state of Montana (Standard)
Filming on the “Rust” movie will resume this spring in the US state of Montana, producers have announced.
Plans to complete the film, following the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, were announced earlier this month.
Alec Baldwin will remain in his starring role and as producer.
It comes ahead of the actor’s first appearance in US court on Friday over the fatal shooting, which occurred in October 2021, in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Read more
‘‘The Flash’’ to screen for the 1st time at CinemaCon (TheWrap)
“The Flash” will screen in its entirety for the first time at CinemaCon, the annual film exhibition trade show where studios present their biggest and best to theatre owners, according to an insider with knowledge of the project.
The superhero standalone film starring Ezra Miller is set to open on June 16, and will play at the Las Vegas convention two months before on April 25.
Inspired by the landmark comic “Flashpoint,” the film will see The Flash travel across various multiverses, encountering other versions of himself as well as a version of Supergirl from an alternate timeline. Read more
Rapper Nipsey Hussle’s killer Eric R Holder Jr gets 60 years in prison (BBC)
The man convicted of killing rapper Nipsey Hussle has been sentenced to at least 60 years in prison.
Eric R. Holder, Jr. was found guilty of first-degree murder last July for killing Hussle – whose real name is Ermias Asghedom – outside Hussle’s South Los Angeles clothing store in 2019.
Hussle, a Grammy-nominated artist, died aged 33.
Two bystanders were also hit and injured in the incident. Read more
LL COOL J trolls fans with explanation for ”cancelling” his new album (HipHopDX)
LL COOL J had presumably pumped the brakes on his upcoming album due to issues with the recording process, but now he’s given a more precise explanation of what happened.
The Queens rap legend took to his Twitter page on Wednesday (February 22) to announce that he would no longer drop his 14th studio album, stating that more work needed to be done on the album.
In a series of now deleted tweets, he revealed that he’s still “trying to figure this album out” and followed that up with a post that read, “just not feeling like this album is worthy of being released [facepalm emoji] I tried.” Read more
UN chief condemns Russian invasion as assembly votes on motion calling for peace (Guardian)
UN secretary general António Guterres has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as an “affront to our collective conscience” as the 193-member General assembly meets ahead of a vote that the US said would “go down in history.”
Speaking on Wednesday during a special session of the general assembly, Guterres called the anniversary of Moscow’s attack “a grim milestone for the people of Ukraine and for the international community.”
As fighting raged in Ukraine, the general assembly debated a motion backed by Kyiv and its allies calling for a “just and lasting peace.” Read more
Florida journalist gunned down while covering scene of earlier fatal shooting (NYPost)
A Florida journalist and a 9-year-old girl were gunned down Wednesday afternoon by a suspect wanted in an earlier fatal shooting at the same scene, authorities said.
Two others were also wounded, including a second News 13 journalist, in the 4 p.m. gunfire on Hialeah Street in Pine Hills, according to Orange County Sheriff John Mina.
The unthinkable horror began around 11 a.m. when the suspected gunman, 19-year-old Keith Melvin Moses, allegedly shot and killed a 20-year-old woman sitting in a car on the street, Mina said. Read more
U-20 AFCON: Flying Eagles defeat Egypt 1-0 (Leadership)
The Flying Eagles of Nigeria on Wednesday defeated the Young Pharaohs of Egypt 1-0, to record their first win at the ongoing U-20 Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt.
Solomon Agbalaka scored the lone goal through a header to give the seven-time champions the much needed victory, and get their campaign on track.
After losing their opening match at the tournament to Senegal, Nigeria knew they could not afford to stumble against Egypt on matchday two.
Champions League: RB Leipzig snatch draw against Manchester City (France24)
RB Leipzig defender Josko Gvardiol powered home a towering header in the 70th-minute to earn them a 1-1 draw against visitors Manchester City in their Champions League Round of 16 first leg on Wednesday.
The 21-year-old defender bagged the deserved equaliser after City’s Riyad Mahrez had slotted in following a Leipzig mistake in the 27th minute.
There was some controversy at the end with City wanting a penalty with the last kick of the game after the ball appeared to bounce off Benjamin Henrichs’ hands in the box. Read more
Haiti, Portugal earn 1st-ever qualifications to Women’s World Cup (CBC)
Haiti and Portugal qualified for the FIFA Women’s World Cup finals for the first time after winning playoff matches Wednesday in New Zealand.
Carole Costa scored a 94th-minute clincher in Portugal’s 2-1 win over the Cameroon “Lionesses” who have reached the round of 16 at the last two World Cups.
Haiti beat Chile 2-1 earlier Wednesday in an historic match it hopes will bring joy and “a breath of fresh air” to a strife-torn homeland. Read more
Alcaraz wins rain-delayed opener in Rio (StraitsTimes)
World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz overcame 556th-ranked Mateus Alves of Brazil in a rain-delayed opening match Wednesday to advance to the second round of the ATP Rio Open.
Reigning Rio champion Alcaraz, who returned last week after four months out because of injury, started his title defence at the clay-court tournament Tuesday.
However, he and Alves had their match interrupted by a torrential downpour with the 19-year-old Spaniard leading 6-4, 5-3. Read more
Warriors’ Curry to miss at least another week (RFI)
Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry is making “good progress” but will miss at least one more week as he recovers from left knee and leg injuries, the NBA team said Wednesday.
Curry suffered partial tears to his knee ligaments and membranes and a lower leg contusion in a February 4 game against the Dallas Mavericks.
He missed five games before the All-Star break. The team said in a statement posted on Twitter that he would be sidelined another week before he is re-evaluated, meaning he will miss the Warriors’ next four games. Read more
