Sanwo-Olu cancels Lagos public activities for train crash victims (Nation)
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has cancelled all of the State’s public activities scheduled for Thursday following the death of three persons in an accident involving a train and a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicle, along PWD railway crossing, Ikeja.
Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mr Segun Dawudu, stated this at a programme at the Point View Event Centre Ikeja, where the Governor was scheduled to meet over 2,000 youths.
Dawudu said the cancellation was in honour of the victims of the crash. Read more
Court order on Temporary Voter Cards goes against Electoral Act – INEC (Vanguard)
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it had not received the Certified True Copy, CTC, of the order of a federal high court mandating it to allow registered voters with Temporary Voter Cards, TVCs, to participate in the March 18 governorship and state assemblies elections.
Also, the Commission described the order as contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act 2033 (as amended), which provides that only voters with Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs, should be allowed to vote in the elections.
The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday (today), ordered INEC to allow the use of Temporary Voter Cards, TVC, in the March 18 governorship and state houses of assembly elections.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu made the order while delivering judgment in a suit filed by two aggrieved Nigerians seeking the use of TVCs in the general elections in the absence of Permanent Voter Cards, PVCs. Read more
Tinubu sympathises with victims of Lagos train accident (Guardian)
President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has sympathised with the families of victims of the Ikeja train accident in Lagos State.
“I offer my sincere condolences to the victims and families affected by the gory incident involving a train and a bus in the Ikeja area of Lagos State earlier today,” Tinubu tweeted.
“I am praying for all, including those who died and those who sustained injuries in the tragic and unfortunate incident. Read more
OAIC Lagos urges Nigerians to eschew violence, backs Sanwo-Olu for 2nd term (Sun)
The Organisation of African Instituted Churches (OAIC), a bloc of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the umbrella body for all registered African Independent Churches Lagos State Chapter has urged Nigerians to shun violence and desist from unguided utterances ahead of Saturday’s governorship elections while ensuring that their votes count.
This advice was given at a one-day prayer summit in Lagos which was organised by the Political Advisory Committee of the OAIC where they also declared their support for the re-election of Lagos state Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and his deputy, Kadri Hamzat for second term in office.
The State Chairman of OAIC, Lagos, Julius Opasola, who prayed for Sanwo-Olu and members of his cabinet also emphasised on the capacity, effectiveness and experience which he had demonstrated in the past three years as governor of the state. Read more
Orji Kalu loses mobile phone during certificate of return presentation in Abuja (Channels)
Recently re-elected Senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, Orji Uzor Kalu, says he has misplaced his mobile phone.
According to the lawmaker, his cell phone was stolen when he went to collect his Certificate of Return at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
In a post via his verified Facebook page on Thursday, the former Abia State Governor warned the general public to beware of any illicit activity involving his cell phone and numbers. Read more
Dogara dumps Bauchi governor, endorses APC’s Abubakar (Guardian)
In a surprise move, the immediate past Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Yakubu Dogara has endorsed the candidature of Air Marshal Sadiq Baba Abubakar (rtd) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for next week’s Governoship election in Bauchi State.
Dogara led a campaign team of Air Marshal Sadiq Baba Abubakar across some Bauchi local governments including Kirfi and Alkaleri where Governor Bala Mohammed came from where he urged the people to toe the path of honour by voting out Bala Mohammed from office.
Speaking to a mammoth crowd of supporters in Alkaleri Local Government Area of Bauchi State on Wednesday , Dogara maintained that the state is desirous of a change in leadership. Read more
PDP chieftains defect to APC in Ondo (Independent)
Ahead of the governorship/state Assembly elections, five strong and grassroots chieftains of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the three senatorial districts of Ondo State on Thursday defected to All Progressives Congress (APC).
Receiving the PDP chieftains at the state Secretariat of the party, state Chairman of APC, Engr. Ade Adetimehin stated that the chieftains were strong members of PDP giving his party a run for its money at every election.
He assured the defectors of equal treatment in the party, saying they were all entitled to goodies available in the party. Read more
The life and legacy of Christopher ‘Notorious B.I.G.’ Wallace (NewsOne)
Christopher “Notorious B.I.G.” Wallace was gunned down on March 9, 1997, just two months shy of his 25th birthday. With fame and all the perks that came along with his stellar rapping ability, he was destined to achieve so much more. Thursday marked the 26th anniversary of the death of, Biggie Smalls, as he was also popularly known. NewsOne takes a look back at the life and legacy of the heavyweight Brooklyn rap legend.
Hip-hop music was in a curious place, as many were still mourning the death of Wallace’s rival, Tupac “2Pac” Shakur, who was killed a mere six months prior on September 7, 1996, in Las Vegas via a drive-by shooting. Because of the tensions between East and West Coast rappers at the time, many fans thought 2Pac’s death was a fatal warning serving as a salvo for the escalating coastal war. Dying in a similar fashion, Biggie’s murder left a foreboding cloud over the industry as it suddenly became less about the music and more about the violence it inspired.
Born Christopher George Latore Wallace to Jamaican parents George Latore and Voletta Wallace, the future Bad Boy star was raised in the Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn. Read more
Ed Sheeran previews single “Eyes Closed” from new album on TikTok (Variety)
British musician Ed Sheeran has previewed his new single “Eyes Closed” exclusively on TikTok. Live now, the single is from Sheeran’s final album in the mathematical album era, “Subtract.”
The six-day TikTok preview features Sheeran performing an acoustic performance of “Eyes Closed.” The single will drop March 24. The album, which will release on May 5, was produced and written with Aaron Dessner of the National and follows his latest release “F64,” which dropped Jan. 19 and memorialized his friend and SBTV founder Jamal Edwards, who died last year at 31.
“Subtract” was written against a backdrop of grief and hope. “As an artist I didn’t feel like I could credibly put a body of work into the world that didn’t accurately represent where I am and how I need to express myself at this point in my life. This album is purely that. It’s opening the trapdoor into my soul. For the first time I’m not trying to craft an album people will like, I’m merely putting something out that’s honest and true to where I am in my adult life,” Sheeran said in a message about the album. Read more
Georgian police use water, tear gas to break up 2nd day of protests (VOA)
Police in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi, used tear gas, water cannons and stun grenades late Wednesday as they moved to break up the second straight day of protests against a “foreign agents” law that critics say signals an authoritarian shift.
Hundreds of police converged on streets around the parliament building in a bid to disperse the protesters. Unlike clashes Tuesday night, there were no signs of demonstrators throwing petrol bombs or stones, although at least one police car was overturned.
Tear gas billowed down Tbilisi’s central Rustaveli Avenue, where parliament is located, forcing at least some of the thousands of demonstrators to move away. Read more
International Women’s Day: Istanbul women defy ban on protests (BBC)
Thousands of Turkish women have defied a ban on protests on International Women’s Day and rallied in the city of Istanbul for what they called a “feminist night march”.
Police prevented them from reaching Taksim Square in the city centre but allowed them to carry on with their march for a while, although later they used tear gas to disperse them.
Several people were detained by police at the march. Read more
Muhammad Ali series in development at Peacock from Regé-Jean Page, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Willmott (Variety)
An eight-part event series about boxing icon Muhammad Ali is in the works at Peacock from Regé-Jean Page, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Willmott, Variety has confirmed.
Titled “Excellence: 8 Fights,” the scripted drama series hails from Oscar-winning writer Willmott (BlacKkKlansman, Da 5 Bloods) and is based on Jonathan Eig’s definitive biography “Ali: A Life.” “Bridgerton” breakout Page and Freeman are both on board as executive producers, as well as Willmott, Lori McCreary for Revelations Entertainment and Emily Brown. Eig will serve as a producer, with CBS Studios and UCP. Read more
Michelle Yeoh deletes post about fellow Oscars nominee Cate Blanchett (DailyMail)
Michelle Yeoh has deleted a ‘forbidden’ Instagram post which may have violated the Academy Awards rules.
The Everything Everywhere All at Once star, 60, re-shared and later removed a post featuring a Vogue article that highlighted the lack of representation at the ceremony, and mentioned fellow Oscars nominee – and two-time winner – Cate Blanchett, 53.
The article, titled ‘‘It’s Been Over Two Decades Since We’ve Had a Non-White Best Actress Winner,’’ was first shared by Yeoh just hours before Oscar voting was set to end on Tuesday. The star then promptly deleted the post. Read more
GloRilla concert venue where 2 died in crowd surge has license revoked by rochester police (RollingStone)
The police chief in Rochester, New York, has revoked the entertainment licence of the venue where two people were killed during a crowd surge at a GloRilla concert Sunday.
The Rochester Police Department’s Licensing Unit was scheduled to meet with the owner of the Main Street Armory Wednesday in the aftermath of the incident, where false reports of gunfire resulted in a stampede within the venue already known locally as a “death trap.”
However, when the venue’s owner didn’t show up for the meeting, Rochester police immediately revoked its entertainment license and halted its upcoming renewal. Read more
Handball: Nigeria beat Nicaragua 46-30 at International IHF Tourney (Punch)
The national U-18 male team on Wednesday began their IHF Trophy Intercontinental Championship campaign with a 46-30 win over Nicaragua in San Jose, Costa Rica.
Cosmos Chukwuemeka, the Media Assistant, Handball Federation of Nigeria, stated this in a statement in Lagos on Thursday.
He said the team started the match with a lot of zeal which ensured they had over 81 per cent near shot efficiency from players like Tahir Ahmed Lawal and Olawale Ajibike. Read more
Summer transfers: Lion-hearted Osimhen good for Man United, says Ighalo (Nation)
Odion Ighalo believes Victor Osimhen is a ‘good fit’ for Manchester United and says he would urge the Napoli striker to join Erik ten Hag’s side this summer.
Osimhen has been in sublime form for Napoli with 21 goals in 26 appearances so far this season.
Ten Hag is keen to sign a new striker this summer and the Nigeria international, who is valued in excess of £100 million, is on United’s shortlist alongside Harry Kane. Read more
Ferdinand tells Mbappe to move to Man Utd as PSG are savaged by the French media (Football365)
Former Man Utd defender Rio Ferdinand thinks Kylian Mbappe should leave Paris Saint-Germain and move to Old Trafford in the summer transfer window.
The Ligue 1 giants lost 2-0 on the night – and 3-0 on aggregate – to Bayern Munich in the last 16 of the Champions League with former PSG striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting scoring the opening goal of the game before Serge Gnabry added another late on.
Bayern’s defensive resilience in Europe this season – this was their seventh clean sheet in eight matches – meant even a side featuring Mbappe and Lionel Messi faltered as PSG failed to get past the last 16 stage for the fifth time in seven years. Read more
France federation sack women’s coach Corinne Diacre following hearing (ESPN)
With just four months to go until the Women’s World Cup, the French federation (FFF) have parted ways with women’s national team coach Corinne Diacre on the recommendation of the executive committee, the federation said on Thursday.
The move comes amid controversy after Diacre faced opposition from several players. France captain Wendie Renard said last month she will skip this year’s Women’s World Cup because she’s unhappy with the team’s set up.
Renard did not go further into detail, but there have been strong tensions in the France squad for years between the players and Diacre. Read more
Deni Avdija, the Israeli NBA Wizard, Still Can’t Believe His Luck (Haaretz)
Deni Avdija is living the dream, as cliché as that might sound. At 22, in his third season with the Washington Wizards, he’s already considered a mainstay in the best basketball league in the world.
“I can tell you I didn’t believe I’d be a legitimate player in the NBA,” he told Haaretz, speaking from the perspective of someone born on a kibbutz near the Sea of Galilee with a population of around 600.
Avdija, a forward and the only Israeli in the NBA, has had his share of injuries, but he has persevered. “I think my next stage is to be more consistent in all my games,” he says. Read more
FIA president Ben Sulayem’s son loses life in road crash (AutoSport)
Saif Ben Sulayem, the son of FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, has lost his life in a road car accident in Dubai.
The tragic news has been confirmed by the FIA, but there will be no further statement from the organisation and it has indicated the president has asked for privacy.
The younger Ben Sulayem had followed his father in having a passionate interest in cars and motorsport, and he had even tried to forge his own path as a racing driver.
He competed in the 2016-17 UAE Formula 4 championship in a field that included future Formula 1 drivers Logan Sargeant and Oscar Piastri. Read more