Lagos APC Primaries: Karma waiting for you this weekend, Kperogi blasts Tinubu (DailyTrust)
Popular columnist and fierce critic of the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government, Prof. Farooq Kperogi, has slammed the national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, over the outcome of the Lagos APC governorship primary.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, whom Tinubu endorsed for a second term, clinched the party’s ticket at the primary, which was fraught with controversies over the exclusion of the two aspirants who bought forms to challenge Sanwo-Olu.
The duo of Wale Oluwo, a former Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources in the state, and Abdul-Ahmed Mustapha, a former Permanent Secretary, were barred from Mobolaji Johnson Arena (Onikan Stadium), venue of the primary.
Adamu Yuguda, chairman of the five-man electoral committee, later said only the incumbent governor was cleared for the exercise. Read more
Police nab fake revenue collectors in Lagos (Punch)
The Lagos State Police Command has arrested four suspects for extorting motorists in the State while posing as officials of the disbanded Lagos State Committee on the Removal of Abandoned Vehicles.
The suspects were arrested by Operatives of the Rapid Response Squad, according to a statement on Friday by the command’s Police Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin.
The arrested suspects are Taiwo Falodun, aka Biggy (48), Adedire Olaniyi (42), Femi Osunkoya (53) and Olalekan Edu (51).
According to Hundeyin, two of the suspects, Adedire and Osunkoya, were apprehended yesterday after impounding the vehicle of a motorist for changing lanes at Alausa. Read more
Mass Metering: CBN disburses N40b to IKEDC (Leadership)
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said it has disbursed N40 billion through its Real Sector Support Facility Discretionary Cash Reserve Ratio (RSSF- DCRR) to Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) to aide its mass metering projects and other developmental projects to enhance electricity distribution and productivity.
This is as it said, it expects both the red and blue line rail projects of the Lagos State government to kick off operations by the first quarter of next year.
CBN director, Development Finance Department, Mr. Philip Yila Yusuf, speaking during the CBNs on-site monitoring and evaluation of IKEDC, Eko Electricity Distribution Company, and the Red and Blue rail projects in Lagos yesterday, noted that, its interventions towards boosting infrastructure in the country is part of ways to stimulate growth and development.
“The central bank as part of this development, finance efforts does disburse funds to different sectors for energy as part of our N8.8 trillion portfolio, 24 per cent has gone into this sector,” he said. Read more
Singer Patoranking recalls humble beginnings with mum on birthday (Nation)
Singer Patoranking has recalled the days of his beginning with his mother playing important roles.
He shared a throwback video of his beginning in the ghetto where he asked his mum for prayers as he got ready for a shoot.
The singer jokingly said his mom could spend a whole day praying, claiming she could exhaust as much as N5,000 airtime offering prayers.
Celebrating his birthday, he wrote: “Na this compound I go do roll show them make dem see. Because very soon, I go buy house for VGC. Read more
Abaribe joins APGA, dumps PDP (Vanguard)
Senate Minority Leader Enyinnaya Abaribe, has finally dumped the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
Senator Abaribe on Friday, confirmed to Vanguard in Umuahia that he had joined the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA.
He said he would be seeking re-election into the senate on the platform of APGA in 2023.
Abaribe, had on Tuesday, withdrawn from the PDP governorship race, alleging lack of transparency and non conduct of three-man delegate congress. Read more
Restore morals among children, govt tells parents (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has challenged parents on the retrieval of moral values which are fast eroding in the society.
The state Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, who gave the challenge, said a society desirous of bequeathing a dignified and peaceful generation must be deliberate about preserving its culture and religion, indigenous languages, propagate the family system, invest time to train youths in addition to enshrining a tradition of integrity.
According to a statement on Thursday by the ministry’s Public Affairs Officer, ‘Remi Oladeinde, the commissioner stated this at a lecture organised to commemorate World Culture Day in Ikeja.
Akinbile-Yusuf who spoke on the theme, Evaluating our moral values to tackle the spate of violence and other vices in the society, was represented by the Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Council for Arts and Culture, Mr Oladusi Komolafe. Read more
Court rules that NBC can’t regulate advertising in Nigeria (Channels)
The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has held that the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) acted beyond its powers in seeking to regulate the practice of advertising in Nigeria contrary to the provisions of the extant Advertising Practitioners (Regulation) Act of 2004.
The court also declared that the NBC lacks the power to prohibit exclusivity on privately acquired intellectual property right in programme contents of a right holder viz a viz the salient provisions of the Constitution and the Copyright Act.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa also set aside the proposed amendment to the 6th Edition of the NBC Code for being ultra vires, incompetent null and void, and perpetually restrained the Commission from implementing it.
The court delivered the judgment, in a suit filed by a Lagos based journalist, Mr Femi Davies. Read more
FG files 23-count charges against late Osinachi’s husband (Leadership)
Attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, has dragged the husband of late popular gospel artist, Osinachi, Peter Nwachukwu, before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Osinachi died in April after she was allegedly assaulted by her husband.
The case with charge number, CR/199/2022, was filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, on May 20, 2022, by the head, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, Department of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Ministry of Justice, Mrs Yewande Gbola-Awopetun.
Nwachukwu was charged with 23-count charges under sections 104 and 379 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 and culpable homicide contrary to section 221 of the Penal Code which is punishable with death. Read more
How I was swindled by politicians after retirement – Okiro (DailyTrust)
A former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mike Okiro, has revealed how some politicians “swindled” him and collected all his savings when he contested a senatorial election.
He said some group of persons tricked him to join politics after his retirement and gradually collected his money till he was left with nothing.
Okiro spoke in Abuja at a programme tagged ‘Presidential aspirants’ media interactive platform’ organised by New Nigeria Dream Initiative (NNDI).
He said: “Nigerians will talk about the leadership deficiency, but I say no, that is not enough. It takes two angles. If leaders have deficiency, we have followers’ complacency. Read more
Farounbi, don urge Africa to tackle socio-economic, political challenges (Guardian)
A former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr. Yemi Farounbi and a lecturer of African Studies at the University of Ibadan (UI), Dr. Ayo Adeduntan, have stressed the need for Nigeria and Africa to tackle socio-economic and political challenges for meaningful development.
They said Africa and Nigeria had to work towards development of the continent amid societal, political and economic failures.
The duo spoke during a symposium to mark the African Liberation Day organised by the Pan African Movement of Nigeria, which was held at the Dapo Aderogba Hall, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan.
Farounbi said some African countries were still joined to their colonial masters in such a way that they could not do anything without the help and assistance of their colonial masters. Read more
Alec Baldwin’s mother dead as actor announces tragedy in emotional tribute (Mirror)
Alec Baldwin has shared the sad news that his beloved mother Carol Baldwin has died at the age of 92.
The actor, 64, took to Instagram to inform 2.4 million of his mum’s death in her hometown of Syracuse, New York, on Thursday.
Alongside two images of Carol, Alec paid an emotional tribute and shared a short obituary of her life.
He explained it was with “the deepest regret” that his family had to confirm the death of Carol. Read more
115 Russian national guard soldiers sacked for refusing to fight in Ukraine (MSN)
More than 100 Russian national guardsmen have been fired for refusing to fight in Ukraine, court documents show, in what looks to be the clearest indication yet of dissent among some parts of security forces over Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
The cases of the 115 national guardsmen, a force also known as Rosgvardia, came to light on Wednesday, after a local Russian court rejected their collective lawsuit that challenged their earlier sacking.
According to the court’s decision published on its website, the lawsuit was dismissed after the judge determined that the soldiers had been rightfully fired for “refusing to perform an official assignment” to fight in Ukraine and instead returned to a duty station.
The appeal took place in Nalchik, the capital of the Kabardino-Balkarian republic in the Russian Caucasus, where the unit is based. Read more
Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro praise Ray Liotta following actor’s death (IrishIndependent)
Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro have led tributes to Goodfellas star Ray Liotta, who has died aged 67.
Scorsese, who directed both actors in the 1990 film, praised the “uniquely gifted” and “courageous” performer, adding he would “always be proud” of the work they had done together.
Liotta’s publicist Jennifer Allen confirmed to the PA news agency the actor had died in his sleep in the Dominican Republic, where he was filming his latest movie Dangerous Waters.
His fiancee Jacy Nittolo was on location at the time of his death, Ms Allen said. Read more
Revisiting Fergie’s ‘Glamorous’ as Jack Harlow’s ‘First Class’ Interpolation takes the 2006 hit to new heights (Variety)
In 2006, Fergie summoned long-time collaborator and record executive Ron Fair to help produce her first solo album, “The Dutchess.” The 13-track collection included the singer’s now-quintessential No.1 hit, “Glamorous,” which has recently found itself buzzing again thanks to Jack Harlow’s interpolation of the track for “First Class,” the Louisville rapper’s first solo No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
When “The Dutchess” was released in September of 2006, the new millennium had heralded a change for R&B and hip-hop with artists like Keyshia Cole, Mary J. Blige and Mariah Carey driving the fusion on genres into the mainstream.
The success of “First Class, which has amassed over 200 million streams to date (according to data from Luminate), is easy to comprehend when you take a look at the framework of the sample which sits at the heart of the song. From the artists to the music executives and even down to the surroundings — the first decade of the 2000s was emblematic as ’90s slow jams gave way to a glossy stir of pop, R&B and hip-hop.
“I met Will.i.am at studio in North Hollywood which was like the epicenter of a certain phase of hip-hop,” recalls Fair of the intimate Enterprise studios where “on any given night, you could find Timbaland or Missy Elliot and in some cases even Kanye West – everybody was hanging out there and every single room had some kind of hit banging out of it.” Read more
Noah Cyrus reflects on substance abuse struggles during Covid-19 lockdowns (MusicNews)
Noah Cyrus battled substance abuse while spending time at home during the Covid-19 pandemic.
During an interview with Fancy Hagood for Trailblazers Radio, the Make Me (Cry) singer promoted her upcoming debut album The Hardest Part and new single Mr. Percocet, in which she refers to her addiction to the prescription painkiller.
Noah admitted her issues with drugs became particularly apparent at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, when she and her partner at the time “leaned in” to substances.
“I think in my experience, the people I knew that were dealing with that as well, all of us really went into that addiction and gave into it even more during the pandemic, because you felt so lonely and bored and sad and depressed and anxious that really you just leaned on the substances in my case, and in my partner at the time’s case,” she said. Read more
North Korea escapes further sanctions as Russia, China wield veto (Aljazeera)
China and Russia have vetoed an effort to tighten United Nations sanctions on North Korea after a spate of missile launches this year, in the first split among the five veto-wielding permanent members of the UN’s most powerful body since it began sanctioning Pyongyang in 2006.
The remaining 13 council members all voted in favour of the resolution that was drafted by the United States and proposed banning tobacco and oil exports to North Korea. It would also have blacklisted the Lazarus hacking group, which the US says is tied to North Korea.
A united Security Council imposed sanctions after North Korea’s first nuclear test explosion in 2006 and tightened them over the years in a total of 10 resolutions seeking – so far unsuccessfully – to rein in its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes and cut off funding. This year alone, the country has carried out a total of 23 missile launches, three of them in the space of less than an hour on Wednesday morning.
US Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield described the vote as a “disappointing day” for the council. Read more
Injured South Korean fighter back from Ukraine faces investigation (StraitsTimes)
A South Korean volunteer fighter returned home from Ukraine on Friday (May 27) saying he had to recover from injuries and was ready to face a police investigation on suspicion of breaking the law by defying a government ban on travel to Ukraine.
Volunteers from around the world have flocked to Ukraine to help it fight Russian forces that invaded on Feb 24. Russia calls its action in Ukraine a “special operation”.
Mr Rhee Keun, a former member of South Korean naval special forces who is also known as Ken Rhee, flew back to South Korea with the media broadcasting his return live on television.
“I haven’t left the battlefield completely but came to recover from injuries. I want to go back… because the war has not ended, there’s still a lot to do,” Mr Rhee said at the airport. Read more
Moses Simon dispels injury fears, hits Super Eagles camp (Independent)
Moses Simon has arrived the Super Eagles camp, touching down Dallas, and dispelling concerns of initial injury fears ahead of Nigeria’s preparation for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifiers. Simon was rested for Nantes last Ligue 1 game on Saturday, and listed as injured.
It sparked concerns he could miss Nigeria’s International friendlies against Mexico and Ecuador.
But on Thursday morning, the team camp confirmed the winger was among 13 players who had arrived.
Among the players who are already in camp are William Troost-Ekong, Ola Aina, Oluwasemilogo Ajayi and Alex Iwobi. Read more
Kwara United deny appointing Biffo replacement (Punch)
Nigeria Professional Football League side, Kwara United, has debunked claims that the club had signed a new coach in place of Abdullahi Biffo, who travelled to the United States for medical treatment.
According to club chairman, Kumbi Titiloye, the former Abia Warriors and Katsina United gaffer was granted some days off to travel abroad for urgent medical treatment.
“We are not hiring another coach because Biffo will soon return after his treatment in the US, with his assistants in charge in subsequent games,” Titiloye said.
With this, Lukman Ijaiya and Mukaila Iyala are expected to be in charge of Kwara United’s NPFL match-day 30 encounter against Akwa United on Saturday in Ilorin. Read more
Liverpool’s Mo Salah eyes Champions League ‘revenge’ against Real Madrid (NewArab)
Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah has his eyes focused on Champions League ‘revenge’ against Real Madrid on Saturday following the Reds’ 2018 defeat against the Spanish club.
“We have a score to settle,” Mohamed Salah posted on social media moments after Real Madrid set up a re-match with Liverpool in Saturday’s Champions League final.
Salah’s first appearance in European club football’s showpiece game came to an agonisingly premature end in Kyiv four years ago.
The Egypt forward made a tearful first-half exit after suffering a shoulder injury in a challenge with Real defender Sergio Ramos, who was accused of cynically slamming his opponent into the turf. Read more
Wolves transfer confirmed as Bruno Lage makes Daniel Podence demand (BirminghamLive)
Romain Saiss has all but confirmed his departure from Wolverhampton Wanderers after six years with the club.
Saiss is set to follow John Ruddy and Marcal out of the door after confirming he has failed to ‘reach an agreement’ over a new contract. The defender, christened the ‘Moroccan Maldini’ by Bruno Lage, was a regular in Wolves’ starting line-up last season and will need to be replaced.
Joao Moutinho remains in contract talks with Wolves, who are keen to keep the veteran midfielder. Bruno Lage told BirminghamLive last week that it’s a case of putting ‘all the parts’ together.
But Saiss’s future now looks certain to be away from Molineux. The 32-year-old has offers from numerous clubs around Europe, with a return to France on the cards. Read more
Golden State Warriors eliminate Dallas Mavericks with Game 5 win (ABC)
The Golden State Warriors are heading back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2019 and for the sixth time in the last eight years.
The Warriors punched their ticket with their 120-110 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 of the Western Conference Semifinals on Thursday night.
Klay Thompson played his best game of the series, finishing with a game-high 32 points on 12-of-25 shooting, including eight 3-pointers.
Golden State took control of the game early, building an 18-point lead in the second quarter — the largest first-half lead for the Warriors and the largest first-half deficit for the Mavericks this postseason. Read more
Altomare upsets top-seed Minjee in LPGA (WA)
Top-seed Minjee Lee has suffered a shock loss at the LPGA Tour’s Match Play, going down to Brittany Altomare in the second round of group play.
Altomare rallied to beat Lee 2 and 1 on Thursday in hot conditions at Shadow Creek, with the Australian now in a must-win contest against unbeaten German Caroline Masson.
Lee grabbed a 3-up lead through the first five holes and still had a three-stroke advantage through seven holes.
Altomare then began her surge, claiming five of the next seven holes with birdies for a 2-up lead. She halved Nos.15, 16 and 17 to seal the victory. Read more
Bernard Tomic challenges Nick Kyrgios to million-dollar grudge clash (IOL)
Their bickering reignited this week with Kyrgios calling Tomic “the most hated athlete in Australia” after his former Davis Cup teammate claimed he had a better playing record.
Tomic, who reached a career-high 17 but is now playing the lower-level Challenger circuit and is ranked 418th in the world after his game collapsed, challenged Kyrgios to put his money where his mouth was.
“I’ll put up a million and you put up a million, let’s see who is the better player,” the 29-year-old Tomic told the Gold Coast Bulletin, his local newspaper.”Let the public see who is better for once and for all. I’ve beaten you easy before and I’ll do it again. Plus we’ll play on grass so you don’t make any excuses. Anywhere, anytime.” Read more