Lagos not under bondage, Adeola replies Agbaje (Guardian)
Sen. Olamilekan Adeola (Lagos West) on Thursday said Lagos had made continued progress owing to good governance delivered by the All Progressives Congress (APC). Adeola made the assertion in a statement issued in Lagos by Mr Kayode Odunaro, his Special Adviser on Media. He was reacting to a statement made by Mr Jimi Agbaje, Governorship candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that Lagos had been under APC bondage and needed to be freed by PDP in 2019. Read more
2019: Oba of Ojora, council of chiefs back Sanwo-Olu, Hamzat (Vanguard)
The Ojora of Ijora, Oba Fatai Aromire, yesterday, threw his weight behind the candidature of All Progressives Congress, APC, governorship candidate, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his running mate, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, with assurance to deliver the votes of the entire kingdom to all APC candidates in the 2019 general elections. Oba Aromire said this when Sanwo-Olu and Hamzat’s led a high powered delegation of the Independent Campaign Group, ICG, on a visit at his palace in Ijora.
Abacha loot: Buhari thanks Swiss govt for returning $322.5m (Punch)
President Muhammadu Buhari, on Tuesday, expressed his gratitude to Switzerland for returning funds stolen by corrupt government officials to Nigeria. He said Nigeria was “deeply grateful to Switzerland for its support in resuscitating the economy, especially the return of illegally stolen funds” and in helping to intervene in the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East. While receiving letter of credence from the Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, Mr George Steiner, at the Presidential Villa. Read more
Why I shunned the 2019 elections peace pact signing- Atiku (Guardian)
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, said he did not attend the signing of a peace pact for 2019 presidential elections in Abuja because he “did not receive any formal invitation.” “Following media enquiries as to the absence of HE @atiku from the signing of the Peace Pact, I wish to state that the PDP presidential candidate did not receive invitation to the event,” Atiku’s spokesman, Paul Ibe tweeted on Tuesday. The 2019 peace pact, convened by a former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, was to commit the candidates and the political parties to a peaceful poll. Read more
Ndigbo must return home during elections —MASSOB (Vanguard)
Movement for Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has insisted that the Igbo residing in diaspora, particularly in parts of Northern Nigeria must return during the unpredictable 2019 general elections. MASSOB’s insistence is coming on the heels of an alleged group’s opposition to Ndigbo making mass returns during the elections. MASSOB alleged that a group, Igbo Delegates Assembly, IDA, was against the mass return but warned the IDA to note that Igbo lives are precious. Read more
Dasuki’s fresh application stalls his trial-in-absentia (Punch)
The planned trial-in-absentia of the detained former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, before the Federal High Court in Abuja, was on Tuesday stalled as result of a fresh application filed by the ex-NSA. Justice Ahmed Mohammed on November 19, 2018 evoked the provision of section 352(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 by ordering that Dasuki’s trial would continue with or without him in court. The judge made the November 19, 2018 order following Dasuki’s refusal to be brought to court for trial by the Department of State Services, the agency that has held him in custody in defiance of various court orders. Read more
Police deny issuing report on Imo APGA guber primaries (Vanguard)
The Imo State Police Command, yesterday said it has not issued any report regarding the governorship primaries conducted in the state by the All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA. Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ikeokwu Orlando in a statement to newsmen in Owerri denied a report credited to the police on APGA primaries. Read more
Stop giving Obiano LG funds, group tells Buhari (Punch)
The National Coordinator of Corruption Watch, Chuks Ogbuka, has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to suspend local government allocations to Anambra State pending when the state Governor, Willie Obiano, conducts local elections. Ogbuka, who made the appeal to Buhari in Nnewi, Anambra State on Tuesday, described the failure to conduct council polls in the state for over five years as undemocratic and illegal. He said, “President Buhari should intervene by first stopping Anambra State local government allocations until democratically elected governments are put in place in the 21 council areas of the state.” Read more
Four killed in Makurdi cult clash (Nation)
Four persons have been reportedly killed in a clash between rival cult groups in Makurdi, the Benue State capital. Makurdi, Otukpo and Gboko towns are known for cult-related activities, which have recently increased. The incident, which occured around 7 p.m on Awe Street and around Benue State Library, Wurukum, was said to have been sparked off by the killing of a rival cult member who reportedly returned home from Abuja, the nation’s capital, for his father’s burial. Read more
Strasbourg gunman hunted after three killed (BBC)
Three people have been killed and 12 others wounded in a shooting in the eastern French city of Strasbourg. The gunman, known to security services, is on the run and is being hunted by police. “He fought twice with our security forces,” said Interior Minister Christophe Castaner. The shooting happened close to a Christmas market near one of the central squares, Place Kléber. France’s counter terrorism prosecutor has opened an investigation. Read more
Chukwueze targets African player of the year award (Vanguard)
Villarreal rave of the moment Samuel Chukwueze says he is confident that in the nearest future he will end the drought that Nigeria has endured when it comes to lifting the award for the best player on the African continent popularly called the African Player of the Year award. Kanu Nwankwo was the last Nigerian to win the award in 1999 and since then no other Nigerian player has won the award with Liverpool and Egypt forward Mohammed Salah the present holder of the award. Read more
Spurs achieve ‘mission impossible’ (BBC)
Tottenham achieved “mission impossible” by qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League, according to manager Mauricio Pochettino. Lucas Moura’s 85th-minute equaliser earned a priceless point at Barcelona, as Spurs completed an unlikely turnaround in Group B having collected only one point from their first three games. They needed to match or better Inter Milan’s result at home to PSV Eindhoven and had faced elimination when Mauro Icardi cancelled out PSV’s early goal. Read more
Salah goal sends Liverpool into last 16 (BBC)
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp said he “could not be prouder of a team” as Mohamed Salah’s goal and Alisson’s brilliant late save earned a place in the Champions League knockout stage with victory over Napoli. The Reds needed to win with a clean sheet or by two clear goals to make the last 16 – and in-form talisman Salah obliged by beating David Ospina at his near post in the 34th minute. Liverpool fully deserved their victory as Ospina partially redeemed himself with fine saves from Salah and Sadio Mane, with the latter and Virgil van Dijk also missing clear chances to extend the home side’s advantage. Read more
Racism is everywhere, says Manchester City boss (Guardian)
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says “racism is everywhere” following the alleged racial abuse of his forward Raheem Sterling in a game at Chelsea. A police investigation is under way into an incident involving Sterling during City’s 2-0 Premier League loss at Stamford Bridge on Saturday. “Racism is everywhere, it’s not just in football,” said Guardiola yesterday. “We have to fight to make a better future for everyone, not just in England but everywhere.” Read more
Dad hangs self after killing his four children (Nation)
ALESA, a community near Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, was yesterday the scene of horror sparked by a strange family tragedy. A resident, Achibong Patrick, strangled his four children, who were asleep. Achibong, 35, killed his children after chasing his hairdresser wife away from their two-room apartment. The Nation learnt that after killing the children, aged one, three, five and eight, he set his home on fire and hanged himself. Read more
Man gets five-month jail term for stealing iron rods (Nation)
A Karmo Grade 1 Area Court in the FCT yesterday sentenced a 28-year-old man, Ibrahim Hanuna, to five months’ imprisonment for stealing iron rods from a construction site. The judge, Alhaji Inuwa Maiwada, however, gave Hanuna an option of a N6, 000 fine. Maiwada warned the convict to desist from crime. Hanuna, of Jabi Garage, Abuja, had pleaded guilty to a two-count charge of criminal trespass and stealing and prayed for leniency. Read more