Lagos-Apapa Expressway: Fashola wants Falana’s suit dismissed (Punch)
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, has urged the Federal High Court in Lagos to dismiss a suit filed by human rights lawyer, Mr Femi Falana (SAN), seeking to compel the Federal Government to fix the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and end the intractable gridlock on the road. In the suit, Falana urged the court to declare that the packing of tankers and trailers on the overhead bridges in Lagos was illegal and constituted a threat to citizens’ fundamental right to life. Read more
Sign Electoral Amendment Bill now, Atiku, Ezekwesili tell Buhari (Nation)
President Muhammadu Buhari is under intense pressure to sign the controversial Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill into law. Presidential candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar and the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN) Mrs. Obiageli Ezekwesili yesterday joined those urging the President to have a rethink on his decision not to sign the document. Both candidates spoke at the secretariat of the Gen. Abdusalami Abubakar National Peace Committee (NPC) in Abuja after signing the pact for all presidential candidates to make the 2019 hitch-free. Read more
INEC: we’ll conduct 2019 polls with existing laws (Nation)
Advocates of a new electoral law may have lost their battle. President Muhammadu Buhari has returned the Electoral Bill to the National Assembly, stating why he did not sign it. And yesterday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it was moving ahead with its preparation for next year’s general elections despite the President’s stand. INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said the commission would conduct next year’s election using the existing laws that are presently valid and in place. Read more
Poly lecturers begin indefinite strike (Nation)
The Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) has begun an indefinite strike over what it described as consistent failure on the part of the Federal Government to implement agreements it willingly signed with the union since 2010. Addressing a news conference in Abuja yesterday, ASUP National President Usman Dutse said since 2010 when the agreement was signed, they have consistently engaged with the government leading to the signing of several memorandums. But, he alleged that the government has failed to implement the agreement. Read more
Fight for your rights, NBA urges Nigerians (Punch)
The Nigerian Bar Association, Lagos branch has urged Nigerians to stand up and fight for their rights, particularly by ensuring the enthronement of a government that will provide their basic needs. According to a statement made available to our correspondent, the NBA made the call on Monday during a roadshow to mark the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The roadshow, according to the statement, was spearheaded by the Lagos NBA Human Rights Committee. Read more
EFCC releases Doyin Okupe (Nation)
A former aide to President Goodluck Jonathan Doyin Okupe, has been released by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, (EFCC). The PDP had on Monday night by its spokesman, Kolapo Ologbondiyan on his official twitter handle announced the arrest of the former presidential aide. The Nation had on the 9th of December reported that he was summoned by the EFCC for documentation ahead of his arraignment in court over alleged N162million illicit payments to him and his companies by a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and Chanchaga Local Government Area in Niger State. Doyin on his official twitter handle on Wednesday night announced his release by EFCC. Read more
History should return to school curriculum – Oyetola (Nation)
The teaching of history should return to school curriculum to correct “intellectual deficit” in the educational sector, Osun State Governor Gboyega Oyetola, has said. He spoke on Wednesday when he received the planning committee of annulal Iwude Ijesa led by foremost Industrialist Chief Olu Falomo. Iwude Ijesa is the annual festival celebrated by the Ijesa to promote the culture and tradition of the people. It has been held for more than 100 years. Read more
‘Two killed’ at DR Congo election rally (BBC)
At least two people have been killed and more than 40 injured after police attacked opposition supporters at a rally in the Democratic Republic of Congo second-largest city of Lubumbashi, rights activists say. Fifteen supporters of main opposition presidential candidate Martin Fayulu had bullet wounds, they say. Police deny anyone was killed but say two people were injured. President Joseph Kabila is set to step down after 17 years in power. His mandate ended in 2016 but he defied internal and external pressure to leave office. Read more
Burundi denies running secret torture houses (BBC)
Burundi’s authorities have dismissed a BBC investigation into alleged secret torture sites as “fake news”. The BBC Africa Eye report said the government was running secret detention houses to silence dissent. It showed footage, widely shared on social media, of blood flowing from the drain of a house in the capital. Prosecutor General Nyandwi Sylvestre maintained that the blood came from goats slaughtered to mark the Muslim festival of Eid. Since independence in 1962, Burundi has been plagued by ethnic tension. Read more
Jailed Cohen blames Trump’s ‘dirty deeds’ (BBC)
US President Donald Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen, who once said he’d take a bullet for him, has lashed out at his ex-boss’ “dirty deeds” as he was given a 36-month prison sentence. Cohen is the first member of Mr Trump’s inner circle to be jailed over the special counsel’s inquiry into alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 election. He admitted lying to Congress, campaign finance violations and tax evasion. In a New York court Cohen, 52, blamed his crimes on Mr Trump. Read more
NFF in disarray as teams ‘pull out’ of Super 8 playoff (Guardian)
The crisis rocking Nigerian football over plans by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to stage a Super 8 playoff may be far from over.The Chief Executive Officer of the Bet9ja-sponsored Nigeria National League (NNL), former Ogun State Sports Commissioner, Bukola Olopade, had resigned his position a few days ago over what he described undue interference by the NFF in the running of the NNL, particularly its recent decision to go ahead with the Super 8 play-off, after the NNL had settled for promotion of eight teams to the elite division. Read more
100 children receive chess training in Ikorodu (Guardian)
Over hundred children in Majidun area of Ikorodu have received training in chess to enable them create a new way of life.An organisation called Chess In The Slums trained the kids on the game of chess at an event tagged ‘Chess without borders.’ It was to enable children in Majidun have knowledge about the game of chess. The orgainisers said that their key objective was to improve the educational and tactical reasoning of children living in rural areas, and to also discover talents. Speaking at the event, President of Chess In The Slums, Tunde Onakoya, stated that the purpose of the training was to redirect the aspirations of kids in the streets and slums so that they can attain their dream in life through the game of chess. Read more
Supersand Eagles qualify for World Cup (Punch)
Nigeria on Wednesday qualified for the Paraguay 2019 Beach Soccer World Cup after beating hosts Egypt 7-6 in the semi-final of the 2018 Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations. The Supersand Eagles will be making their sixth appearance at the biennial tournament. They will however wait for the winner of the second semi-final between Senegal and Morocco to fight for their third African title. The Egyptians were seeking to make it to the final on home-soil and guarantee their best-ever finish in the Beach Soccer AFCON as well as a first World Cup place. Read more
Flying Eagles whip Ghana 4-2 to reach WAFU Cup semi-finals (Nation)
The Flying Eagles on Wednesday rallied from behind to beat the Black Satellites of Ghana 4-2 and reach the semi-finals of the ongoing WAFU Under-20 Championship in Togo. After drawing goalless with Niger Republic on Sunday, the result took the seven-time African champions into the semi-finals as Group B winners on goals advantage. Niger Republic’s Junior Mena qualified in second place, also with four points as Nigeria, following their earlier 1-0 defeat of Ghana’s Black Satellites. The Ghanaians were eliminated without a point. Read more
Manchester United through as runners-up after limp defeat to Valencia (Guardian)
Manchester United squandered the chance to win their Champions League group on Wednesday after a lacklustre display got what it deserved in a 2-1 defeat to Valencia. Already through to the last 16, Jose Mourinho made eight changes at the Mestalla, including a return for Paul Pogba, but United were largely outplayed by their Spanish opponents, who sit 15th in La Liga. Read more
Qualification incredible, says Guardiola (BBC)
Pep Guardiola said Manchester City’s qualification for the Champions League last 16 was an “incredible success” as they finished top of Group F with a 2-1 win over Hoffenheim. Leroy Sane scored twice as last season’s quarter-finalists reached the knockout round for the sixth successive season. “The managers are so good and the best teams in Europe are here,” the City manager said. “Some big, big teams have gone out. Inter Milan are an exceptional team but they are in the Europa League. Read more
CSKA dumped out of Europe despite stunning win at Real Madrid (Guardian)
CSKA Moscow stunned a much-changed Real Madrid with a 3-0 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday, but still finished bottom of Champions League Group G as Viktoria Plzen beat Roma. The Russian side, who also downed Real 1-0 in the reverse fixture, had to better Plzen’s result to finish third and qualify for the Europa League. But Plzen edged out Roma 2-1 in the Czech Republic to render CSKA’s famous victory ultimately meaningless. Holders Real had already progressed to the last 16 as group winners, with Roma through in second place. Read more
LAUTECH undergraduate stabs boyfriend to death (Punch)
The Oyo State Police Command, on Wednesday, paraded an undergraduate of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Abiodun Olabisi, for allegedly stabbing her boyfriend, Lekan Adegun, to death. The victim, a graduate of the Department of Transport Management of the same institution, was waiting for his call-up letter for the mandatory National Youth Service Corps programme before the incident happened. The state Police Commissioner, Abiodun Odude, who paraded the suspects at a press conference in Ibadan, said the incident happened following a quarrel between the two as a result of petty jealousy. Read more
Court remands 16-year-old pupil who stabbed schoolmate to death (Punch)
An Ado-Ekiti Chief Magistrates’ Court, on Wednesday, ordered the remand a of 16-year-old pupil, Kehinde Timilehin, who allegedly stabbed his schoolmate to death. The Chief Magistrate, Mr Adesoji Adegboye, ordered that the accused be kept at the State Children Correctional Centre pending advice from the state Director of Public Prosecutions. Adegboye subsequently adjourned the case till January 18, 2019. Read more