Osinbajo tasks editors on values, ethics of journalism profession (Nation)
The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on Thursday, tasked the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) to save the journalism from total collapse by enforcing the rules and values of the profession. Osinbajo gave the advice in a goodwill message at the opening of the 14th All Nigeria Editors’ Conference (ANEC) in Asaba, the Delta capital. Read more
Our fears for 2019 general election, by INEC (Sun)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday in Asaba, Delta State said the desperation of politicians to win elections at all costs resulting in do or die mentality is a serious threat to the 2019 general election. Besides, the commission said the growing epidemic of vote buying, incendiary speeches by contestants and the atmosphere of mistrust resulting in security challenges were threatening the credibility of the forthcoming poll. Read more
I have forgiven you wholeheartedly, Obasanjo tells Atiku (Punch)
Former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo says he has forgiven his former vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, wholeheartedly, describing him as “president-to-be.” Obasanjo said this while addressing journalists after the closed -door meeting with the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate. The meeting held at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library Complex. Read more
Senate passes N189bn 2019 election budget (Punch)
The Senate on Thursday passed the sum of N234 billion for the Independent National Electoral Commission in the 2018 budget. The figure comprises the N189 billion requested by INEC to conduct the 2019 general elections, and N45 billion provided for the commission under statutory transfer. The lawmakers approved that the N189 billion be vired from both recurrent and capital components of the Special Intervention Programme captured in the Service Wide Vote of the 2018 Appropriation Act. Read more
Crisis in Ekiti Assembly, speaker, deputy Removed (ThisDay)
Crisis Thursday hit Ekiti State House of Assembly, as the speaker, Hon. Kolawole Oluwawole, and his Deputy, Hon. Sina Animasaun, were removed by lawmakers. Subsequently, the lawmaker appointed Hon Ebenezer Alagbada, representing Ise/Orun constituency as the new speaker. The Assembly also reinstated the former deputy speaker, Hon Segun Adewumi, to his former position. Read more
Boko Haram attack leaves 15 soldiers dead (Vanguard)
At least Fifteen soldiers were killed in a Boko Haram jihadist attack on a military base near the Niger border and in the Lake Chad region on Wednesday, the military said Wednesday. Seven Nigerian soldiers and 8 Chadian soldiers killed in Boko Haram attacks. Read more
Airlines make alternative flight arrangements as unions continue picketing of MMA2 (Guardian)
Airlines operating at the Murtala Muhammed Airport 2 (MMA2) Lagos, have been forced to make alternative arrangements to fly their passengers as aviation unions continued their picketing of the terminal on Thursday. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that the airlines have moved their passenger boarding and processing to the General Aviation Terminal (GAT) operated by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). Read more
Sierra Leone Cancels China-funded Airport Project (ThisDay)
Sierra Leone has cancelled a $400m (£304m) Chinese-funded project to build a new airport outside the capital Freetown. Former President Ernest Bai Koroma signed the loan agreement with China before he lost elections in March. At the time, the World Bank and the IMF warned that the project would impose a heavy debt burden. Read more
Judge dismisses one charge against Harvey Weinstein (Punch)
A New York judge on Thursday dismissed one charge against Harvey Weinstein, but left the disgraced Hollywood titan facing five other charges in connection with alleged sexual assault. The 66-year-old father of five, out on a $1 million bail and forced to wear a GPS monitor, attended the latest court hearing and denies any non-consensual sexual relations. “This is obviously a very positive development,” Weinstein’s defense lawyer, Ben Brafman, told reporters outside the court. Read more
Eagles’ Rohr warns coach’s departure may motivate Libya (Vanguard)
Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr believes the sudden resignation of Libya coach Adel Amrouche could motivate their rivals even more ahead of a crucial 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Saturday. Amrouche quit as Libya coach just days before the clash in Uyo, southern Nigeria, over unpaid wages. Read more
Boxing in Nigeria needs more promoters, official says (Nation)
Rafiu Ladipo, the President of Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), on Thursday in Lagos said more promoters were needed to contribute to the boxing sport’s development in Nigeria. Ladipo told the News Agency of Nigeria he was however pleased with latest developments in boxing as the sport was gradually getting the attention it deserves. Read more
Ronaldo’s lawyer says rape claims ‘fabricated’ after ‘data hack’ (CNN)
The controversy over the rape allegations surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo has taken a new twist. Ronaldo’s US-based lawyer has released a statement saying that the acknowledgment by the Portuguese star that he’d had non-consensual sex with Kathryn Mayorga in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009 had been “altered” by hackers. Read more
UEFA to pay countries more for Nations League participation (Vanguard)
European football governing body UEFA has said 55 national teams currently participating in the inaugural UEFA Nations League would see a 50 per cent increase in solidarity fees paid to them. The 12 strongest teams, based on UEFA rankings divided into four groups of three in League A, will each receive 2.25 million euros ($2.6 million) in solidarity fees. Read more
FUTA Lecturer, graduate arrested for alleged blackmail of school (Nation)
Ondo State Police Command has arrested a graduate and lecturer of the Federal University of Technology, Akure,( FUTA ) for allegedly blackmailing on social media a private school at Arigidi- Akoko. The suspect who graduated from FUTA in 2011, Hakeem Badmus was apprehended in Ibadan for posting a fake information on Twitter against Great Cornerstone International Science college, Arigidi Akoko. Read more
Man sues mother-in-law over wife’s inheritance (Punch)
A widower, Isah Sulaiman, has dragged his mother-in-law to a Magajin Gari Sharia Court in Kaduna State, over his late wife’s inheritance. Sulaiman told the court his mother-in-law, Khadija Ibrahim, had allegedly confiscated his late wife’s inheritance meant for his children. The plaintiff is asking the court to compel the respondent to hand over the house documents of his late wife, Aisha, to her surviving three children. Read more
42-year-old man allegedly steals N112,000 motorcycle, gets N50, 000 bail (Vanguard)
A 42-year-old man, Opeyemi Kazeem, on Thursday appeared in an Ijede Magistrates’ Court in Ikorodu area of Lagos State for allegedly stealing a motorcycle valued at N112,000. Kazeem is being tried for stealing to which he has pleaded not guilty. The accused, according to Police Prosecutor Aminu Isaac, committed the offence on Oct. 2 at 9.00 a.m. at Agbaje Street in Pacific area of Ijede. Read more
19-year–old jailed one year for drug trafficking (Independent)
A Federal High Court Ibadan, on Thursday sentenced a 19-year-old teenager, Ibrahim Ojo, to one year imprisonment for drug trafficking. Justice Joyce Abdulmaleek convicted and sentenced Ojo after he had pleaded guilty to a one-count charge of unlawful dealing in illicit drug. “Due to the dangerous effect of smoking Indian hemp in the society and to serve as a deterrent to others, Ojo is sentenced to one year imprisonment. Read more