SDP expels Jerry Gana, suspends Donald Duke (Guardian)
The Social Democratic Party (SDP) Tuesday expelled its presidential aspirant Jerry Gana and suspended its presidential candidate Donald Duke, party’s Yemi Akinbode told newsmen in Abuja. Akinbode also stated that SDP’s national chairman Supo Shonibare was also suspended with immediate effect. The party’s spokesman said Gana and Shonibare were expelled for engaging in anti-party activities. He alleged that Shonibare was the arrowhead of a splinter group, while Gana was accused of setting up a parallel National Executive Committee (NEC) in the party. Read more
APC threatens to punish Amosun for instigating violence at Ogun rally (Punch)
The All Progressives Congress has vowed to punish the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, for allegedly hiring thugs that attacked President Muhammadu Buhari and party leaders at Monday’s campaign rally of the party in Abeokuta. Expressing regrets at the disruption of the campaign, the APC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, in a statement on Tuesday said that those responsible for the “premeditated attacks” would be dealt with. The party said the sanction would be delayed till after the elections. Read more
JAMB board expresses concern over low turnout, extortion in Abia (Daily Trust)
The Chairman, Governing Board of Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, Dr Emmanuel Ndukwe has expressed concern over low turnout, extortion of candidates at registration centers in Abia State. Dr Ndukwe, who made the assertion in Aba and Umuahia today while inspecting some designated Computer Based Test (CBT) centers, warned that the board would not extend its closing dateline of February, 2019. He expressed worries over collaboration between owners of tutorial classes to extort candidates in Aba and Umuahia, adding that the owners of CBT centres were claiming ignorance of the extortion. Read more
Amaechi talks tough, says whatever PDP wants in Rivers, we are equal to the task (Punch)
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, has accused the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, of influencing a high court judgment against the All Progressives Congress in the state. Amaechi, who spoke at the River State presidential campaign rally in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, alleged that the governor had betrayed him after being recommended for ministerial appointment during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. According to the minister, the army also attempted to arrest him in 2015, despite having immunity as a sitting governor, adding that he was ready for battle with Wike. Read more
Venezuela crisis: Maduro condemns ‘extremist’ Trump (BBC)
Venezuela’s embattled President Nicolás Maduro has called Donald Trump’s government a “gang of extremists” and blamed the US for his country’s crisis. In an interview with the BBC, Mr Maduro said he would not allow humanitarian aid into Venezuela as it was a way for the US to justify an intervention. “They are warmongering in order to take over Venezuela,” he said. The US and most Western governments have recognised opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president. Read more
Russia moves to isolate self from global internet (Punch)
Russia’s Lower House of Parliament on Tuesday gave tentative approval to draft legislation for the country to instate measures to isolate itself from the global internet. The bill is intended to position the country to fend off potential cyber-attacks from abroad, particularly from the United States, the legislature said in a statement. The concept appears similar to China’s Great Firewall, which regulates internet operations in view of reinforcing national sovereignty. Read more
Bonsai theft: Japanese couple robbed of 400-year-old tree (BBC)
Two Bonsai enthusiasts have launched an emotional plea to thieves who stole seven trees from them, offering care instructions for their “children”. Seiji Iimura and his wife Fuyumi said the prized miniature trees were taken from their garden in Saitama, near Tokyo. “There are no words to describe how we feel,” Mr Iimura wrote. “They were precious [to us].” The tiny trees are worth at least 13m yen ($118,000, £91,750), CNN reports. Read more
Teacher told boy that wearing tracksuit to school made him look like prison inmate (Metro)
A father has hit out at a teacher for telling his 10-year-old son that wearing a tracksuit to school made him look like a prison inmate. Billy Byrd was horrified when his son Nathan came home from school last Friday and recalled how the substitute had likened his athletic wear to ‘prison attire.’ He took to Facebook to rage at the music teacher – who he named as Elizabeth Temple – writing: ‘She told my son and his fellow male peers of color that their clothing marked them for PRISON…..YES PRISON! Read more
Confident Man Utd can inflict more Champions League pain on PSG (Guardian)
Paris Saint-Germain must cope without the injured Neymar and Edison Cavani to halt the surge of a revitalised Manchester United if the French champions are to avoid more pain in the Champions League last 16. PSG’s trip to Old Trafford Tuesday’s first leg could not have come at a worse time for Thomas Tuchel’s side as injuries to key players have pilled up for the Parisians, just as United have hit form under caretaker boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Neymar will miss both legs of the tie due to a foot injury and will joined on the sidelines by Cavani due to a hip problem and Belgian international Thomas Meunier with concussion. Read more
Pochettino faces defining moment in bid for first trophy at Tottenham (Guardian)
Mauricio Pochettino faces a defining moment in his Tottenham reign as the in-demand Argentine tries to keep his bid for a first major prize alive against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League. Pochettino has taken to defending his failure to win silverware in almost five years at Tottenham by insisting he values qualification for Europe’s elite club competition more highly than success in the domestic cups. But for all of Pochettino’s protestations that reaching the Champions League is his primary goal, that claim rings a little hollow when they never make it to the business end of the tournament. Read more
Two men face trial over alleged operation of fake clinic, impersonation (Punch)
Two men, Paul Kahomen and Ettenne Hounsa, who allegedly set-up a clinic and pretended to be doctors appeared before an Ogudu Magistrates’ Court in Lagos State on Tuesday. The defendants, Kahomen, 30, and Hounsa, 20, who both reside at Ferry Street, Oworonshoki, Lagos State, are facing a three-count of conspiracy, unlawful possession of medical instruments/drugs and impersonation. They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges. The Police Prosecutor, Inspector Lucky Ihiehie, had told the court that the defendants committed the offences on February 4 at the Oworonshoki area of Lagos State. Read more
Man divorces wife over her mother’s interference in marriage (Punch)
A Badagry Customary Court in Lagos State on Tuesday dissolved the marriage of one Sunday Olu-Obafemi over the interference of his mother-in-law in the marriage. The court ruled that there was no longer love in the union between Olu-Obafemi, 53, and Juliana, 31, his wife of six years because of Juliana’s mother’s persistent interference. Olu-Obafemi had filed for divorce, citing unnecessary interference and threat to his life. The President of the court, Mr Shakirudeen Adekola, dissolved the union and awarded the custody of the only child of the union to the respondent. Read more