Only those doing well should be called ‘Excellency’ – Sanwo-Olu (Punch)
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State says the appellation, ‘Excellency’, should only be used for executive officers who have performed well.
Sanwo-Olu said he was working on an executive order to ensure that a person will be referred to as ‘Excellency’ only after doing well.
The governor said this while addressing a congregation at the King’s Court Parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Lagos, on Sunday. Read more
Supreme Court to hear Atiku’s appeal Wednesday (Nation)
The Supreme Court will on Wednesday hear the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the last presidential election, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
They are praying for a reversal of the September 11 decision of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) upholding President Muhammadu Buhari’s victory.
The Supreme Court is expected to hear a cross-appeal filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) challenging a portion of the verdict.
It was learnt that counsel to both parties have been notified of the hearing date.
The PEPC resolved the five issues raised for determination in favour of the respondents – the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Buhari and the APC. Read more
IPPIS: No pay, no work, ASUU tells FG (Punch)
The Academic Staff Union of Universities has said that it would maintain its “no pay, no work” stance, if the Federal Government go ahead with its threat not to pay anyone not registered on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System by October 31.
ASUU and FG have been at loggerheads over the compulsory migration of lecturers to the IPPIS platform by the end of the month.
ASUU leaders from the South-West during a press conference held at the University of Ibadan described the IPPIS as “a one-size-fits-all approach tainted with corrupt tendencies.” Read more
Fix federal roads, senator urges Buhari as 9 Ondo teachers die on highway (Punch)
Following the death of nine teachers from Ondo State in a fatal motor accident on Saturday, the senator representing Ondo South Senatorial District at the Senate, Nicholas Tofowomo, has called on the Federal Government to urgently address the poor condition of federal roads in the country.
It was gathered that the general atmosphere in Okitipupa, headquarters of Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State, was mournful as a result of the death of the teachers, who hailed from the local government.
The teachers reportedly died in a fatal road accident, which occurred on Ore-Shagamu Expressway in Ijebu Ife town, Ogun State. Read more
Remains of Balewa’s last surviving widow buried in Bauchi (Punch)
The remains of Hajiya Jummai Abubakar, wife to Nigeria’s first prime minister, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, has been buried on Monday at the Bauchi Central Cemetery in Bauchi State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the funeral prayers, presided by the Chief Imam of Bauchi Central Mosque, Mallam Bala Baba-Inna, took place at exactly 2.15 p.m at the Palace of the Emir of Bauchi with Gov. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state and other dignitaries in attendance. Read more
Why Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom lead other states (Nation)
Each election year, politicians fight with all their might to occupy their states number one seat. In doing this, they promise the people heaven on earth. But, when they get elected, they speak differently because they now have access to the figures. Many realise that without the monthly cash from the Federation Account and loans their state would have long become bankrupt.
A report by BudIT, a Non-Governmental Organisation, which monitors governance in Nigeria, shows that were states businesses only Lagos, Akwa Ibom and Rivers will remain operational.
Without lifelines, such as loans by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Paris Club refund, budget support funds, as well as a refund to states for federal road projects, to mention but a few, many states would have died. Read more
Minimise night journey, FRSC advises motorists (Guardian)
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ogun Command, has advised Nigerians to minimise traveling at night, especially as 2019 gets to an end, to curb road crashes.
Mr Clement Oladele, Ogun Sector Commander of FRSC, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ota, Ogun.
Oladele spoke while reacting to the two accidents that happened on Saturday, claiming nine lives and injuring 12 others on Sagamu-Ijebu Ode-Benin Expressway. Read more
Woman marries three husbands at once (Punch)
A Ugandan woman, Ann Grace Aguti, 36, from the Ngora district of the country has been trending on social media, over her decision to marry three men, Richard Alich, John Peter Oluka and Michael Enyaku at the same time.
All the men live in the same compound as her.
Local newspaper, New Vision, broke the news of the unconventional arrangement on Sunday after Aguti’s father, Pastor Peter Ogwang mobilised family members to evict the husbands of his daughter. Read more
Rogue doctor infects almost 1,000 children with HIV (Independent)
Nearly 900 children in a Pakistani city have tested positive for HIV after a rogue doctor reused infected syringes on the innocent children.
Earlier this year, it was reported that there had been an outbreak of 500 cases of the virus in Ratodero.
But now the figure is as high as 1,100, with 900 children, with health officials fearing hundreds more after pediatrician Dr. Muzaffar Ghanghro allegedly used infected syringes.
The doctor was charging 16p a visit and was one of the cheapest in the city. Read more
California fires: Los Angeles hit by new blazes (BBC)
Thousands of Los Angeles residents have been told to evacuate because of a fast-moving wildfire that began in the early hours of Monday morning.
The Getty Fire started near the Getty Center arts complex and spread to about 500 acres (202 ha), close to some of the city’s most expensive homes.
California’s governor has declared a state-wide emergency as wildfires continue to rage in many other areas.
NBA star Lebron James was among those forced to flee the LA fire. Read more
EKO Basketball League final dunks off Nov 3 (Independent)
The inaugural Eko Basketball League season closes with a battle of perennial foes, First Bank and Dolphins clubs in the women’s final, while Hoops & Read take on Raptors in the men’s final at the Teslim Balogun Stadium on Nov. 3.
The Technical Coordinator of the Eko Basketball League and Vice-Chairman of Lagos State Basketball Association (LSSBA), said the association would be putting up a grand event to entice the fans of the sport and players in Lagos.
“The 6-month Eko Basketball League organised by the Lagos State Basketball Association led by its Chairman, Ms Barbara Harper, had five of the six elite women’s club in the country resident in Lagos, including reigning runners-up of the 2019 National Women’s League. Read more
Pogba return delayed until December, says United boss Solskjaer (Guardian)
Paul Pogba will remain sidelined until December, Manchester United coach Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admitted Sunday.
The 26-year-old French World Cup winner has not played for the club since September 30 due to an ankle injury and was missing again as United won 3-1 win at Norwich, their first Premier League away win of the season.
“I don’t think we’ll see him maybe before December,” said Solskjaer.
“He’ll be out for a while. He needs time to fully, fully recover, so don’t think he’ll be back… maybe Sheffield United (on November 24) after the international break but probably December before you can see him.” Read more
James ‘Buster’ Douglas tips Ruiz Jr. to beat Joshua again (Guardian)
Andy Ruiz pulled the greatest upset since James ‘Buster’ Douglas beat Mike Tyson when he toppled Anthony Joshua in June. And now, Douglas has predicted that the Mexican-American will get the better of Joshua for a second time because the Brit cannot take a shot, reports dailystar.co.uk.
Joshua’s shock defeat at the hands of Ruiz in June is considered the greatest boxing upset since Douglas knocked out Tyson in 1990. Despite coming in as a last-minute replacement for the drug-shamed Jarrel Miller, and being priced at odds of 10-1, Ruiz sent shockwaves rippling through the sport when he climbed off the canvas and knocked Joshua down four times before stopping him in round seven. Read more
Why I prefer to be benched – Lionel Messi (Independent)
Lionel Messi has said he does not like to be substituted and would rather start the game from the bench.
In the past, the Barcelona captain has refused to be taken out of a game even when his team is winning by a big margin.
“I don’t like to be replaced,” Messi told TyC Sports. “I prefer to come from the bench and play less than to be taken out.
“I say that because a lot of games are resolved near the end of the game, or you find more spaces then because you have more rivals that are tired. I prefer to come in and enjoy it than to leave and miss out on the best.” Read more
Air Warriors, MFM bag FIBA Africa Club championship tickets (Sun)
Two Nigerian women clubs, Air Warriors and MFM Queens of Lagos will not be participating in the FIBA zone 3 Women Club Championship elimination series, having been handed automatic tickets to the 2019 FIBA Africa Club championship to be played in December.
According to a memo from the FIBA Africa zone 3 office headed by Col Sam Ahmedu (rtd), the 2019 Zenith Bank Women Basketball League winners, Air Warriors of Abuja and MFM Queens alongside Energie Club of Cotonou had qualified for the final round. Read more
Yaya Toure says FIFA ‘don’t care’ about racism in football (Guardian)
Yaya Toure says FIFA is not doing enough to stamp out racism and that England should have walked off the pitch in the face of monkey chants during their Euro 2020 qualifier in Bulgaria.
The 36-year-old former Barcelona and Manchester City midfielder made the comments to AFP after Qingdao Huanghai clinched promotion to the Chinese Super League at the weekend.
England’s 6-0 victory in Sofia earlier this month was marred by racist chants and Nazi salutes from a section of Bulgarian fans. Read more
Doubles for Icardi, Mbappe as PSG outclass old rivals Marseille (Guardian)
Mauro Icardi and Kylian Mbappe both scored twice as Paris Saint-Germain demolished their old rivals Marseille 4-0 on Sunday in a game that further laid bare the gulf that exists between the sides and allowed the reigning champions to extend their lead at the top of Ligue 1.
Icardi scored twice in the first 26 minutes at the Parc des Princes and Mbappe, on his return to the starting line-up after a recent struggle with injury, added a brace of his own before the interval against Andre Villas-Boas’s hapless visitors in the ‘Classique’.
Again preferred to all-time club record goal-scorer Edinson Cavani in the attack, on-loan Inter Milan striker Icardi now has seven goals in PSG’s last five games. Read more
Ronaldo set for recall as Atalanta boss cools title talk (Punch)
Cristiano Ronaldo is in line to return from a brief rest on Wednesday as Serie A leaders Juventus host a Genoa side reinvigorated by the appointment as coach of former Italy midfielder Thiago Motta.
Ronaldo forward sat out Saturday’s 1-1 draw at promoted Lecce with fatigue, although coach Maurizio Sarri refused to blame Ronaldo’s absence for the dropped points.
Juve will face city rivals Torino this weekend before a trip to Lokomotiv Moscow in the Champions League on November 6, and defender Leonardo Bonucci urged his team-mates to swiftly move on from the Lecce disappointment. Read more
Sports ministry earmarks N9.04m for refreshment, others (Sun)
There will be enough merriment in the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development next year, as the ministry has earmarked N9.04 million in the 2020 annual budget to take care of refreshment/meals and settlement of honorarium and sitting allowances for the eggheads and other stakeholders.
In the ministry’s Annual Appropriation Bill before both chambers of the National Assembly, the ministry revealed that it had also set aside N140.6 million to embark on local and foreign trips within the year under consideration. Read more