National ID: Slow pace of delivery worries Lagos residents (Guardian)
Years after many began the process of obtaining the new General Multi-Purpose Cards (GMPC) better known as the national identity cards, they are yet to be issued the identification cards by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), which is administering the exercise, despite fulfilling all requirements. In fact, some of those who have supplied all required personal details, and got their images captured are upset that four years after they completed the process, they are still yet to be issued the cards owing to what they described as the sloppy, haphazard manner, which the agency goes about the exercise. Read more
Lagos cabinet members behind Sanwo-Olu, says commissioner (Guardian)
Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr. Abdul-Hakeem Abdul-Lateef, yesterday, said Lagos State cabinet members are behind the All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos governorship candidate, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu. Speaking at a rally, Abdul-Lateef said the event was to tell the world that the entire Lagos State cabinet is behind Sanwo-Olu, though a cabinet member recently resigned. “I want to assure you that we are mobilising Lagosians in favour of our candidate. Nobody should destroy the good works of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode. He is fully with Sanwo-Olu, just as the entire state cabinet is fully with Sanwo-olu.” Read more
Metele: Presidency, Atiku clash over Buhari’s absence at soldiers’ burial (Punch)
The absence of President Muhammadu Buhari at the burial of 19 soldiers, who were among the victims of Boko Haram’s attack on a military base in Metele, Borno State, has become another subject of conflict between the Presidency and the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. While Atiku had, on Saturday, berated Buhari for his absence at the burial of the soldiers, whose remains were interred on Friday in Maiduguri, the Presidency reminded the former vice president that Buhari had done better than him by visiting the soldiers after the attack. Read more
Boko Haram: It’s fight to finish, Buhari declares (Nation)
President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that the war against the terror group Boko Haram is a fight to the finish. He said this yesterday at an extra- ordinary meeting of Heads of State and Governments of the Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and Benin in Abuja. He declared, “The time has come for the evil of Boko Haram to be brought to a definitive end. I am sure that this summit will take the right decisions in this regard. This is a fight to the finish. We must, and we will, by the grace of God, wipe out terrorism from our sub-region.” Read more
2019: North has set conditions for Buhari, Atiku – Ango Abdullahi (Vanguard)
At 80, how does it feel like? Well, I feel what you see from outside and I also feel what I feel from inside. The other day a friend told me at the elders meeting ‘you don’t look the 80 years you are claiming or are you making it up?’ And I said no. You may be seeing something younger than 80 years but that is what you feel and you have to allow me to also feel what I feel inside that is commensurate with 80 years. There is nothing more to say but to thank God for His mercy, for His grace to spare my life from the cradle to 80 years in a country where life expectancy is 48 years. This is something that runs in the family. Read more
Electoral bill: APC reaches out to Senate, Reps caucuses to resist PDP’s plot (Nation)
In spite of its numerical strength in the National Assembly, the All Progressives Congress (APC) is not underestimating the threats by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to override President Muhammadu Buhari’s veto of Electoral Amendment Bill 2018 The party is reaching out to the leaders and members of its caucuses in the Senate and House of Representatives to resist plot by the opposition. The National Working Committee of APC will on Tuesday meet on the bill, reconciliation reports, and the 2019 poll campaign. Read more
Why we wanted Lawan as Senate President, by Tinubu (Nation)
The National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday revealed the reason the leadership of the party preferred Senate Leader Ibrahim Lawan to other contestants in leading the Senate. He explained that the senator is a great example of a very consistent and intellectually resourceful leader the country needs. He lamented that those he referred to as political prostitutes denied him of the opportunity to serve Nigeria in that capacity because of their selfish interest. Read more
Strike threatens presentation of 2019 Budget to NASS (Vanguard)
The formal laying of the 2019 Appropriation Bill by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday before a joint session of the Senate and the House of Representatives may not hold as the staff of the institution will tomorrow (Monday) embark on a four-day warning strike. Members of the House of Representatives had also threatened to boycott the presentation, same day, if the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma, refuses to tender public apology over the comments he reportedly made describing the lawmakers as unwilling to receive the document. Read more
Ryan Zinke: US interior secretary to leave administration (BBC)
US Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is leaving his post at the end of the year, President Donald Trump says, in the latest high profile departure from his administration. In a tweet, President Trump thanked Mr Zinke for his service, saying he had “achieved much during his tenure”. He said he would appoint a new interior secretary next week. Mr Zinke, an ex-Navy Seal and a former Montana congressman, has been embroiled in allegations of ethics violations. Read more
Catholic priest at teenager’s funeral condemns suicide (BBC)
Parents of a teenage boy who took his own life have complained after their Catholic priest criticised him at the funeral for killing himself. Father Don LaCuesta in the service questioned whether Maison Hullibarger, 18, would enter heaven, horrifying his parents and family. The Archdiocese of Detroit have relieved Father LaCuesta from funeral duties, but the family want him fired. Catholicism has traditionally taught that suicide is an unforgiveable sin. Only recently has the church said that extreme psychological stress could mean forgiveness for those who take their own lives. Read more
2019 FIFA WWC: Super Falcons won’t make up the numbers in France, Pinnick assures (Vanguard)
Nigeria Football Federation president, Amaju Pinnick has reiterated the federation’s desire to give the Super Falcons the best of preparations for the FIFA Women World Cup next in France. The Super Falcons have dominated the African continent for years, but have yet to translate that into the global scene. Pinnick, indicated that is about to change as the NFF remains focused on giving the nine-time African Women Cup of Nations champions a lift. Read more
Taking up Eagles job to rescue team was a mistake – Siasia (Punch)
You have been out of coaching since the 2016 Olympics. How has life been? It has been tough. It’s not been easy since then. Who said life is going to be easy anyway? When tough times come, we have to find a way to get out of it and that’s what I’ve been doing. I’ve been busy with schools, academies, and other things related to and outside sports. I have been leveraging on a lot of things and working with some grassroots initiatives to ensure that bills are paid. I have an academy with up to 400 kids in Abuja – the SiaOne Soccer Academy. I keep doing things to ensure that we help the young ones. Read more
Egypt or South Africa will host 2019 Africa Cup of Nations: CAF (Guardian)
The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations will take place in either Egypt or South Africa, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed on Saturday. They were the only two countries to announce their canditature publicly before the list closed Friday midnight. Cameroon had originally beaten bids from Algeria and the Ivory Coast to win the right to host the tournament but, citing construction delays and question marks over security, were withdrawn as hosts by CAF last month. Read more
Jesus scores twice to send Man City top (BBC)
Gabriel Jesus said his mother’s arrival in England has improved his confidence as he ended his Premier League goal drought to help Manchester City return to the top of the table. Jesus had not scored a league goal since August – a run of 11 games and 487 minutes – but netted twice before Raheem Sterling added City’s third. The Brazil forward, who signed for City in 2017 and extended his contract until 2023 earlier this season, has recently been joined in Manchester by his mother. Read more
Ronaldo penalty sees off Torino, Icardi gets Inter back winning (Guardian)
Cristiano Ronaldo scored from the spot as unbeaten Italian champions Juventus saw off city rivals Torino 1-0 to hammer home their domination in Serie A on Saturday Juventus travelled to the Stadio Olimpico after their year-long unbeaten record away from home ended with a shock 2-1 Champions League defeat by Young Boys in Bern. Ronaldo slotted in his 11th league goal this season, and 5,000th for Juventus in Serie A, after 70 minutes after Torino goalkeeper Salvador Ichazo fouled Mario Mandzukic. Read more
Girl, 6, Kidnapped in Church: ‘I didn’t steal her, I only kept her from straying — Woman (Vanguard)
Craze for money has reportedly pushed three siblings into kidnapping in the house of God. Their case is contrary to the saying that two siblings are not likely to encounter trials at the same time because they aren’t two but three. The siblings, in police custody, are Joy Ramond, 19, Peace Ramond, 24, and Ayomide Ramond, 16. Also in police custody is a suspected accomplice, Akinseye Oluwayomi, 18. Read more
Undergraduate’s murder: NBA demands prosecution of killer cop (Punch)
The Nigerian Bar Association, Sagbama branch, Bayelsa State, has demanded the immediate prosecution of a policeman, Timadi Emmanuel, for allegedly shooting and killing Tariela Nikade, a 300-level engineering student of the Niger Delta University, Amassoma. Nikade was on October 23, 2018 allegedly shot dead by Emmanuel, a police sergeant, who stormed a barber’s shop where the deceased was also training as a barber. The Bayelsa State Police Command had dismissed the trigger-happy policeman, promising to arraign him in court for murder. Read more
Police arrest 84-year-old retired headmaster, others for land dispute (Punch)
The people of Ubaru in Igbariam, Anambra East Local Government of Anambra State, on Saturday alleged that the police had laid siege to the community. They said no fewer than 16 persons from the community including an 84-year-old retired headmaster had been arrested and detained by the police in Abuja over a communal land dispute in the area. They claimed that seven houses were destroyed by some suspected hoodlums allegedly aided by some security operatives. Read more