NJC sends report on Onnoghen, acting CJN probe to Buhari (Punch)
The National Judicial Council said on Wednesday that it had concluded investigation on the petitions written against the suspended Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen, and the Acting CJN, Justice Tanko Muhammad. A statement by the Director, Information of the NJC, Mr. Soji Oye, said the council had sent its report to President Muhammadu Buhari. The council said it considered it inappropriate to share the report with the public before Buhari received it. Read more
Gov Wike declared winner of Rivers poll (Guardian)
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has been declared the winner of the state’s governorship election. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, the People’s Democratic Party candidate, Wike, polled 886,264 votes against his closest rival Awara Biokpomabo, governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), who scored polled 173,859. The exercise was suspended by the electoral body on March 10 following reports of violence in the state. Read more
Nigeria needs men like you, Atiku congratulates Wike (Punch)
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has said that Nigeria needs men like the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike. He stated this while congratulating the governor for emerging victorious in the state governorship election. Atiku, who was the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the recently concluded election, said the former ruling party, “is blessed to have men like Wike as its member.” Read more
PDP, Secondus congratulate Wike, others on victory (Nation)
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has congratulated Gov. Nyesom Wike of Rivers on his victory in the just-concluded governorship election in the state. The governor was declared winner of the poll by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday in Lagos after a resumed collation of ballots of the poll held across the country on March 9. Collation of the votes was suspended by the INEC, which cited violence and other electoral irregularities during the election in the state, as reason for the action. The PDP in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondiyan, described Wike’s re-election as “victory for the people of Rivers and triumph of good over evil.” Read more
Osun APC hails court judgement nullifying Adeleke’s candidacy (Punch)
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Bwari, Abuja, on Tuesday nullified the nomination of Senator Ademola Adeleke as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for the September 2018 governorship election in Osun State. Delivering a judgment in a suit challenging Adeleke’s qualification to contest for the office of a governor, Justice Othman Musa held that the plaintiffs were able to prove that Adeleke did not possess the minimum qualification of being educated up to the secondary school level as stipulated under Section 177 of the 1999 Constitution, to be eligible to contest governorship poll. Read more
Abuja-Kadunna Highway kidnapping: NAF to provide geospatial intelligence (Nation)
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has reiterated its commitment to support the Police and other security agencies with imagery intelligence to tackle security challenges in Nigeria. NAF Spokesman, Air Commodore Ibikunle Daramola, made this known in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja. He said this was part of inter-agency cooperation to address security challenges in the country, especially, the issue of kidnapping and banditry along the Abuja-Kaduna highway and Kaduna-Birnin Gwari axis. Daramola said the Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, disclosed this when the Acting Inspector General of Police, (I-G), Mohammed Adamu, and the Director-General DSS (DG DSS), Yusuf Bichi, visited him at NAF Headquarters, Abuja. Read more
Policeman attacked by scavenger dies in Kwara (Punch)
A policeman attached to Omu-Aran Police Division in Kwara State, who was attacked by a suspected mentally unstable man, is dead, the News Agency of Nigeria reports. The deceased, simply identified as Sgt. Abu, was said to be within the premises of the police station when he was attacked on Tuesday afternoon by the assailant. The assailant, who was armed with a cutlass and other dangerous weapons, was said to be showing signs of insanity before the attack. Read more]
EFCC nabs five internet fraud suspects in Uyo (Nation)
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) says it has arrested five suspected internet fraudsters in a sting operation in Uyo, Akwa Ibom. Spokesman of the commission, Mr Tony Orilade, in a statement in Abuja on Wednesday, said that the suspects were Uchendu Denis, Osinachi David, Chikezie Bright, Francis Martins and Okafor Emmanuel. He said that the suspects were arrested by EFCC personnel of Uyo Zonal office, at Nsini Odeyop Street, Shelter Afrik Estate, Uyo, following intelligence report. “At the time of arrest, it was discovered that the suspects, who were lodging in a three-bedroom flat, used one of the rooms for cyber-crime activities. Read more
Lalong to rebuild multi-billion Jos Main Market (Nation)
The Plateau Government says it is set to start rebuilding the multi-billion Jos Main Market burnt in 2004 The state government had earlier engaged experts to conduct an integrity test of what was left of the burnt market and advise it appropriately. mMr Yakubu Dati, Commissioner for Information and Communication told newsmen on Wednesday in Jos after the State Executive Council meeting presided over by Gov Simon Lalong. He said that traders selling within the market had been notified to vacate the area as work was billed to commence soon. Read more
Bouteflika asks Algerians for ‘forgiveness’ (BBC)
Outgoing Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has asked his country for “forgiveness” in a letter published by the Algerian Press Service. The president, who has been in power for 20 years, said he was “proud” of his contributions but realised he had “failed in [his] duty”. He added that he was “leaving the political stage with neither sadness nor fear” for Algeria’s future. His resignation on Tuesday came after six weeks of anti-government protests. Last week, Algeria’s army chief, Lt Gen Ahmed Gaed Salah, had called for him to stand down. Read more
German charity ship rescues 64 migrants off Libya (Punch)
A German charity rescue ship has picked up 64 migrants, including women and children, stranded off Libya while trying to cross the Mediterranean and enter Europe. The Watch the Med association said it received a call for help from the stricken inflatable at around 0830 GMT on Wednesday. “The authorities were unreachable,” Watch the Med said of the Libyan coastguard charged with search and rescue operations in the zone off Zouara. Charities frequently accuse the Libyan authorities of failing to rescue migrants, while rights groups say migrants face abuses in Libya. Read more
Joe Biden pledges to respect women’s ‘personal space’ (BBC)
Joe Biden has pledged to be “more mindful” about physical contact with women, hoping to draw a line under a controversy that has cast a cloud over his expected White House bid. The former US vice-president posted a video on Twitter saying he will in future respect personal space. Mr Biden stressed he has only ever intended to build a “human connection”, rather than make anyone uncomfortable. He has not yet announced whether he will join the 2020 Democratic field. Read more
College admissions scandal: Judge warns defendants (BBC)
Parents including two US actresses accused in a college admissions scandal have been warned about broaching the case with their children. A judge told defendants including Felicity Huffman and Lori Loughlin they should take care not to obstruct justice during family discussions. They were among 13 wealthy parents who made their first appearances in Boston federal court on Wednesday. Some 33 parents are charged in the investigation. It is alleged they paid $25m (£19m) to bribe their children into top universities and conspired to cheat on their college entrance exams. Read more
Ghosn: Renault piles pressure on former chief executive (BBC)
Renault’s board has accused former chief executive Carlos Ghosn of “questionable and concealed practices”. The French carmaker also said it would stop Mr Ghosn’s pension, thought to be worth €765,000 (£653,00) a year, adding that it reserved the right to bring action against him in the courts. It is the first time Renault has publicly criticised its former star executive, currently on bail in Japan. On Wednesday, he vowed to hold a press briefing next week to “tell the truth”. Mr Ghosn ran the Renault-Nissan alliance until he was arrested in Tokyo and held in jail last year on claims of financial misconduct. Read more
Boys aged just 17 fatally electrocuted while trying to save pet dog from canal (Metro)
A 17 year-old boy and his friend were both fatally electrocuted trying to save his pet dog after it fell into a canal. Jacob Hourmousuz and Jacob Schneider, both 17, were severely shocked when they grabbed onto an electrically charged bridge over the canal in Northern California on Monday, authorities say. Schneider’s dog, Ranger, either fell or jumped into the water, police said. The pair tried to pull the dog out of the rushing water by grabbing onto the bridge, which had an electric current running underneath it. Read more
Chelsea young guns torment Brighton to ease pressure on Sarri (Guardian)
Chelsea eased the pressure on under-fire boss Maurizio Sarri as Callum Hudson-Odoi’s influential display and sublime strikes from Eden Hazard and Ruben Loftus-Cheek sealed a 3-0 win over Brighton on Wednesday. Sarri couldn’t afford a negative result against struggling Brighton at Stamford Bridge after being subjected to fresh calls for his sacking during Sunday’s unconvincing win at Cardiff. The angry Chelsea fans who showed their displeasure at the weekend were in part motivated by Sarri’s refusal to select England winger Hudson-Odoi. Read more
Callum Hudson-Odoi reveals what Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri told him before first Premier League start (Metro)
Callum Hudson-Odoi has revealed what Maurizio Sarri told him before making his first Premier League start for Chelsea in the victory over Brighton. Hudson-Odoi, 18, has impressed for the Blues in Europe this season but was yet to start a league fixture before Wednesday’s home match against the Seagulls. After being named in Sarri’s starting XI, the teenager grasped his opportunity with both hands, setting up Olivier Giroud for Chelsea’s opener. Read more
Spurs snap winless streak to open new stadium (Guardian)
Tottenham celebrated the opening of the club’s state-of-the-art new stadium by ending a five-game winless Premier League run with a 2-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Wednesday. Second-half goals from Son Heung-min and Christian Eriksen ensured Spurs got off to the perfect start at their new home and moved Mauricio Pochettino’s side back up to third at the expense of north London rivals Arsenal. The Gunners have a game in hand over Tottenham, but victory also maintained a slender one-point lead over fifth-placed Chelsea and opened up a three-point advantage over Manchester United in the race for a top-four finish. Read more
Manchester City beat Cardiff to return to Premier League summit (Guardian)
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City eased to a 2-0 win over Cardiff at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday to retake top spot in the Premier League from title rivals Liverpool. Goals from Kevin De Bruyne and Leroy Sane were enough to lift City back into top spot, at least until Friday, when Jurgen Klopp’s team visit Southampton. City now have a maximum of 13 games remaining in a potentially historic season that could see them add the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League to the League Cup they lifted against Chelsea in February. Read more
PSG beat Nantes to reach cup final (BBC)
Paris St-Germain set up a French Cup final against Rennes after easing past 10-man Nantes in the semi-finals. PSG are record 12-time winners of the cup and will be looking to triumph for the fifth consecutive season at the Stade de France on Saturday, 27 April. Marco Verratti drilled in a low finish, Kylian Mbappe added a penalty – having earlier missed a retaken spot-kick – and Dani Alves lobbed home the third. Kalifa Coulibaly was sent off for Nantes for two yellow cards. Read more