Okorocha withdrew N17bn from banks in three days, Imo PDP alleges (Punch)
The Imo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party has accused Governor Rochas Okorocha of withdrawing N17bn from four banks in three days and converting government property to personal use. The state PDP Chairman, Mr Charles Ezekwem, said this on Saturday in Owerri, the state capital, during a press conference. The PDP alleged that between Tuesday, March 12, 2019 and Thursday, March 14, 2019, Okorocha made withdrawals from Access Bank, Zenith Bank, Unity Bank and Skye Bank (Polaris) amounting to over N17bn. Read more
You lack capacity to govern Imo, Okorocha fires Ihedioha (Nation)
Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, on Sunday said that the governor-elect, Chief Emeka Ihedioha lacks the capacity to govern a “complex” state like Imo. The Imo governor who was reacting to the allegation by the governor-elect that the state government withdrew N17 billion shortly after the governorship election, stated that he (Ihedioha) has never had any corporate experience apart from being a professional politician. He described the allegation as frivolous and cheap blackmail. Read more
APC in UK says Nigerians will not regret re-electing President Buhari (Guardian)
The United Kingdom Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has assured Nigerians that they will not regret re-electing President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term. Mr Ade Omole, the leader of the chapter, gave the assurance in a statement made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Sunday. He thanked Nigerians for voting for President Buhari and all APC candidates in the just concluded elections, saying they made it happen in spite of the antics of opposition political parties. Read more
If men were God, I won’t be Governor-elect, says Abiodun (Nation)
Winner of the March 9, governorship election in Ogun state, Prince Adedapo Abiodun, on Sunday declared that if some “men were God,” he would not have become the Governor – elect of the state. Abiodun who revealed that what had kept him going in the journey of life despite daunting challenges is his absolute and unshakeable faith in God, saying such faith was anchored on the message of Christ in Mark 11:23, which assured that an unwavering faith could relocate a mountain from one point to another. Read more
We’ll probe FSARS killing of PDP agent in Rivers, says Wike (Punch)
The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, said on Saturday that the state government would inaugurate a panel to ensure that the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad personnel, who killed Dr. Ferry Gberegbe, a PDP agent in Khana Local Government Area of the state, was brought to justice. This is as the governor announced N200m scholarship for the four children of the deceased, directing Gberegbe’s widow to open bank accounts for each of the four children. The governor spoke on Saturday in Port Harcourt when he led leaders in the state on a condolence visit to the family of the slain lecturer. Read more
No nation can grow with election rigging – Peter Obi (Nation)
The vice presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 23, 2019 presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi has said that no nation can grow nation can grow with election rigging. In a statement Sunday by his media office, Obi described election rigging as the worst form of vices, as he decried the “rigging” recorded in the 2019 general elections. The former Anambra State Governor said that the process through which people come into office is far more important than what they do thereafter, adding that the process forms the basis of their integrity. According to him, election rigging is the root of corruption, as it goes to impact negatively on the political and economic growth of the country. Read more
Sugar’s killing: I am innocent, Oyo lawmaker tells police (Guardian)
The Chief Whip of Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr Olafisoye Akinmoyede, has exonerated himself from the killing of a member of the House of Representatives, Mr Temitope Olatoye. Olatoye, popularly known as ‘Sugar’, was killed by unknown gunmen during the March 9 Governorship and House of Assembly elections at Lalupon Area of Lagelu Local Government area of the state. Akinmoyede contested for the Lagelu State Constituency seat for the second time under the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but lost to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate. Read more
Gunmen shoot ex-NHRC boss in Benue (Punch)
Suspected gunmen on Saturday shot a former Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe. Angwe was said to have been shot at a filling station in Gboko town, headquarters of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State about 10am. It was learnt that the former NHRC boss was shot in the leg around Gyado area of the town. Read more
Abductors of Kano cleric Sheikh Ahmad demands N300m ransom (Guardian)
Abductors of Kano-based Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Sulaiman are demanding N300,000,000 as a ransom for his release and that of five other persons kidnapped along with him. Sheikh Ahmad, a famous Quranic reciter and chairman, Kano state Council of Prerogative of Mercy, was kidnapped Thursday, along Sheme-Kankara highway in Katsina State. They were all returning from the annual First Aid Camp of Jama’atu Izalatil Bid’ah Wa’ikamatis Sunnah (JIBWS), a Northern based Islamic propagation movement held in Sokoto. Read more
Police vow to fish out perpetrators of Kaduna attack (Punch)
The Police Command in Kaduna State on Sunday vowed to fish out the attackers of Nandu village of Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State and bring them to justice. The Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, said the command had mobilised operatives to the scene of the incident and taken the injured and dead to the hospital. Sabo said that a joint patrol team of the Police and the Army were in the area to forestall possible break down of law and order. Read more
Three Nigerian poachers arrested in Niger with massive haul (Guardian)
Three Nigerian poachers were arrested in Niger with a massive haul of slaughtered game from W National Park which straddles the borders of Niger, Burkina Faso and Benin, officials said Sunday. Forestry agents discovered elephant tusks, giant snake skins and the carcasses or heads of various animals including buffalos and monkeys loaded into two vans in Niger’s southwestern Dosso region bordering the park, a statement said. They also seized a dozen hunting rifles, machetes, six bicycles and various chemical substances, it said. Read more
I’m a living witness to his kindness and love for others —Pius Adesanmi’s wife, ’Muyiwa (Punch)
Barely a week after the death of 47-year-old Nigerian-born Canadian professor, writer and literary critic, Pius Adesanmi, his wife, Olumuyiwa Balogun-Adesanmi, has paid a tribute to him via a press release. Entitled, Press release by Olumuyiwa Balogun-Adesanmi on the death of Prof. Pius Adesanmi, Mrs. Balogun-Adesanmi states, I have no words to describe the depths of my pain on the untimely passing of my husband, Pius Adesanmi. Read more
Ethiopian Airlines crash: Ceremonies for Boeing 737 MAX 8 victims (BBC)
Ceremonies have been held in Ethiopia and Kenya for the 157 victims of last week’s Ethiopia Airlines plane crash. Relatives wept and threw themselves on the red coffins of the Ethiopian victims at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in the capital, Addis Ababa. Some of the coffins contained charred earth from the crash site because it has not been possible to recover the bodies. Families have been told it could take up to six months to identify remains. Read more
737 MAX disaster pushes Boeing into crisis mode (Guardian)
After a second air disaster involving the 737 MAX 8, aviation giant Boeing swung into crisis mode, losing $25 billion of market capitalization and suffering a severe hit to its reputation. That was made worse by the company’s response, according to industry experts, who described their efforts variously as “terrible,” and “rough.” The tragedy of the Ethiopian Airlines flight on Sunday, in which all 157 people on board perished, renewed fears about the safety of the plane, and led to it being grounded worldwide — although the US decision was not made for three days. Read more
Christchurch shootings: Stories of heroism emerge from attacks (BBC)
Stories of heroism have emerged from Friday’s attacks at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in which 50 people died and dozens were wounded. A worshipper says he confronted the gunman and threw a credit card reader at him. Two police officers, one of them armed with only a handgun, chased and arrested Brenton Tarrant, 28. The suspect had explosives in his car and was planning more attacks that day, said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. Read more
Wife complains that husband has picked a name for their future daughter chosen by his ex-girlfriend (Metro)
When we heard that a man wanted to name his daughter after his ex-girlfriend a few months ago, we were shook. Does he still love her, we asked? But apparently, men wanting some sort of connection to their ex-partners through their children is not a new or unique thing. One man has decided that he wants to give his unborn daughter a name that he and his ex-girlfriend picked for their own children. The man’s current wife revealed the whole thing on Reddit, horrified at the thought of giving their future daughter a name picked by another woman who’s had sexual relations with her husband. Read more
Africa Cup of Nations host Egypt bogged down in domestic football crisis (Guardian)
Little more than three months before it hosts the Africa Cup of Nations, Egyptian football has been plunged into its latest crisis with major clubs squabbling, games regularly called off and security services intervening amid ongoing safety concerns. “This is the hardest season in the history of Egyptian football,” Amer Hussein, chairman of the domestic league’s competition committee which schedules matches, told AFP. With leading top-flight clubs also involved in African and pan-Arab competitions, the knock-on effect on the domestic calendar has this year thrown the Egyptian league into disarray. Read more
Celtic 10 points clear after 96th-minute winner (BBC)
Odsonne Edouard’s 96th-minute goal moved Celtic 10 points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership as Dundee’s relegation fears worsened. James Forrest and Scott Sinclair had multiple efforts as the visitors dominated at Dens Park. Scott Wright could have put Dundee in front, the midfielder going through on goal only to be denied by Scott Bain. It looked as though the hosts had done enough to earn a point until Forrest squared for Edouard to convert. With nearest challengers Rangers drawing on Saturday, Celtic extend their lead and could stretch it further when they host the Ibrox side after the international break. Read more
Ronaldo rested as Genoa inflict Juve’s first Serie A defeat (Guardian)
Juventus suffered their first Serie A defeat of the season on Sunday losing 2-0 to Genoa with late goals from former player Stefano Sturaro and Goran Pandev. Ronaldo missed the trip to Genoa after firing the Serie A side to the Champions League quarter-finals with a hat-trick over Atletico Madrid during the week. Sturaro and Pandev came off the bench in the second half scoring on 72 minutes and 81 minutes respectively to inflict the first league defeat on Massimiliano Allegri’s side since April 2018 against Napoli. Read more
Jamie Carragher has advice for ‘selfish and greedy’ Mohamed Salah (Metro)
Jamie Carragher was not impressed with ‘selfish and greedy’ Mohamed Salah in Liverpool’s win over Fulham on Sunday afternoon. The Reds beat the west Londoners 2-1 thanks to goals from Sadio Mane and James Milner after Ryan Babel had worried the Merseysiders with a second half equaliser. Jamie Carragher was not impressed with ‘selfish and greedy’ Mohamed Salah in Liverpool’s win over Fulham on Sunday afternoon. The Reds beat the west Londoners 2-1 thanks to goals from Sadio Mane and James Milner after Ryan Babel had worried the Merseysiders with a second half equaliser. Read more