Tribunal: Tinubu, INEC kick as Peter Obi tenders total PVCs in 32 states (Vanguard)
The Presidential Petition Court, PEPC, sitting in Abuja yesterday admitted in evidence a bundle of exhibits containing the total number of Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs, collected in 32 states of the federation before the 2023 general elections.
Equally admitted in evidence by the Justice Haruna Tsammani-led five-member panel, was a bundle of documents that contained the total number of registered voters in the states.
The exhibits were brought before the court by the candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi, who alleged that the presidential election held on February 25, was rigged in favour of President Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC. Read more
Lagos plans to empower women (Punch)
The Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation says it is committed to programmes and policy geared towards women empowerment.
The Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mrs Oluyemi Kalesanwo, said, in a statement on Wednesday, that this was in line with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu administration’s policy direction.
The statement quoted Kalesanwo to have spoken while receiving a team from Niras International Consulting, a multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy, who paid a courtesy visit to the ministry. Read more
Sanwo-Olu launches N5b forward contact for Paddy supplies as Eko Rice hits market (Independent)
Rice produced from the Lagos State-owned 32-metric tonnes per hour Imota Rice Mill in Ikorodu has now hit the market, with the listing of the commodity for trade in Lagos Commodities and Futures Exchange (LCFE) on Tuesday.
This was followed by a formal launch of N5 billion Eko Rice Forward Contract Programme by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the floor of the commodities exchange market, UAC Building in Marina, on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone in the State Government’s efforts to promote agriculture and enhance food security in Lagos.
The Forward Contract, which is a joint initiative of the government-owned Lagos State Rice Company (LASRICO) and Commodities Tradenet Limited, is the first series of N30 billion Private Commodity Notes Issuance Programme facilitated by the Lagos State government to ensure undisrupted paddy supply, enhance quality management, transaction efficiency and transparency. Read more
X3M Ideas wins Nigeria’s 1st Cannes Lions Award (ThisDay)
Front-line Nigeria’s multinational agency, X3M Ideas has recorded yet another great feat as the agency became the first Nigerian agency to win the coveted Cannes Lions Awards. This is coming at the global creativity awards’ 70 years history and the Nigerian agency’s 10th year anniversary.
News of the agency’s impressive Cannes Lions nomination filtered in on Monday 19th June. It was indeed exhilarating for the sub-region to get a nomination at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
The ten years old agency which came on the scene with the fired ambition not to compete against any other but itself, enjoys shattering gas ceilings and breaking records without batting an eyelid. Read more
Shettima meets with British High Commissioner in Abuja (Channels)
Vice President Kashim Shettima has met with British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Richard Montgomery at the State House, Abuja.
In a chat with State House correspondents after the meeting on Wednesday, the British High Commissioner said the meeting with the Nigerian Vice President was fruitful, as it focused on how to ramp up bilateral relations between the two countries, particularly in the area of boosting economic engagements.
Montgomery said British ministers are “responding positively” to the policies of the President Bola Tinubu administration including removal of fuel subsidy and unification of foreign exchange rates. Read more
‘‘My purported EFCC appointment fake news’’ – Hakeem Odumosu (Vanguard)
A former Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, AIG Hakeem Odumosu, has debunked news circulating online that he has been appointed as chairman of Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
There were media reports circulating online on Tuesday that President Bola Tinubu had approved the appointment of Odumosu as the acting Chairman of EFCC.
But in a statement, Odumosu, who retired as an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, dismissed the media reports, saying he was not aware of such an appointment. Read more
What I will do if elected Secretary of NBA Lagos – Emuobonuvie Majemite (DailyTrust)
A candidate for Secretary in the forthcoming election of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Lagos Branch, Emuobonuvie Majemite, has said he will address the hiccups around delivery of lawyers’ stamp and seal.
He said if elected, he will deliver innovative and technology-driven service to the secretariat.
At a briefing in Lagos, Majemite, a Partner at one of Nigeria’s oldest and biggest law firms, Punuka Attorneys & Solicitors, vowed to bring his leadership experience to bear on branch activities. Read more
Court restores Mahdi Gusau as Zamfara deputy governor (Nation)
A Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja, on Wednesday, gave an order restoring Mr Mahdi Gusau as the deputy governor of Zamfara following his impeachment by the state’s House of Assembly on Feb. 23, 2022, in spite of a subsisting court order.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgement, also set aside all the steps and actions taken by the House of Assembly, former Gov. Bello Matawalle and the state’s chief judge in the purported impeachment of Gusau during the pendency of the suit in court.
Justice Ekwo, who held that the act of the then assembly’s speaker, ex-governor, chief judge and indeed others was an aberration and cannot be allowed to stand, described it as “null and void and of no effect whatsoever.” Read more
Dr Dre to receive 1st Hip-Hop Icon Award at ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards (NME)
Dr Dre is set to be awarded the first-ever Hip-Hop Icon Award at the 2023 ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards.
The ceremony for the awards is set to take place tomorrow (June 22) in Los Angeles, and the event is a celebration of 50 years of the hip-hop genre.
At the 2023 edition of the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Music Awards, the 58-year-old music and tech mogul will be awarded for his contributions to the industry and his impact on the genre. Read more
Kevin Costner’s estranged wife Christine seen out in Santa Barbara amid divorce from actor (People)
Kevin Costner’s estranged wife Christine was seen out in Santa Barbara on Tuesday amid her contentious divorce from the actor/director
The handbag designer, 49, filed for divorce on May 1 after 18 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences and listing their date of separation as April 11. The pair share three kids: Cayden, 16, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 13.
Christine and Costner, 68, are currently in a legal back-and-forth over whether she can continue to live in the home they shared amid their ongoing divorce. Read more
Harry Styles stops Cardiff show to let a pregnant woman go to the bathroom (MusicNews)
Harry Styles paused his Cardiff gig to let a pregnant woman go to the bathroom so that she wouldn’t miss the show.
The Grammy winner was performing at the Principality Stadium as part of his world tour when he noticed expectant mother, Sian, and her partner Elliot in the crowd.
During a break in the show, the couple had thrown a cup onto the stage which had “name our baby” written on it. Harry, 29, dutifully agreed to help them out. Read more
David Zaslav calls meeting with Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson after TCM layoffs (Deadline)
Filmmaking titans Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson will convene with Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav today for an “emergency call” concerning the future of Turner Classic Movies following a recently announced set of layoffs at the beloved pay-TV network, according to a report from Deadline’s sister site Indiewire.
Among the execs laid off at TCM, as we reported earlier in the week, were EVP and General Manager Pola Changnon, SVP of Programming and Content Strategy Charles Tabesh, VP of Brand Creative and Marketing Dexter Fedor, VP of Enterprises and Strategic Partnerships Genevieve McGillicuddy, and VP of Studio Production Anne Wilson.
The layoffs have spurred speculation that Turner Classic Movies’ future may now be short-lived. Spielberg, Scorsese and Anderson come to the call as three of the most prominent advocates in the industry for film preservation, and as creatives convinced of the significance of TCM in connecting film lovers to the history of the medium. Of note is the fact that both Spielberg and Anderson are on the board of The Film Foundation, the film restoration and preservation organization founded by Scorsese. Read more
Modi in US: Elon Musk says Tesla to come to India “as soon as possible” (BBC)
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said the electric carmaker will be in India “as soon as humanly possible”.
His comments followed a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a state visit to the US.
The Indian government said it had invited Mr Musk to explore investment opportunities in electric mobility and the commercial space sector.
Mr Musk said he was “trying to figure out the right timing” to make that happen. Read more
Jonathan Majors appears in court over assault charges, trial date set for August (NME)
Jonathan Majors made his first appearance in court on Tuesday (June 20) in Manhattan, New York as part of an ongoing assault case.
As reported by Variety, the actor attended proceedings with his girlfriend Meagan Good to hear the charges against him. A judge set his trial date to begin on August 3.
Majors was arrested on March 25 on multiple charges of assault and aggravated harassment following a domestic dispute with a 30-year-old woman. According to police, she was later taken to a local hospital in Manhattan “with minor injuries to her head and neck”. Read more
3 students abducted in deadly school attack rescued by Ugandan forces (CNN)
The Uganda military has rescued three students, who were kidnapped Friday in an attack on a school, along with a woman and two kids who were previously abducted by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebel group, inside the Virunga National Park in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo, authorities told CNN.
Military spokesman Brigadier Felix Kulayigyesays said “two terrorists” were killed and two guns recovered from them inside the Virunga National Park in neighboring Democratic Republic of Congo,
Around 42 people, including 37 students, some as young as 12, were killed on Friday when members of the ISIS-linked ADF attacked the Lhubirira Secondary School in Mpondwe, hacking some of their victims to death with machetes and setting off fire at the dormitories. Read more
Fed Cup: Bendel Insurance beat Enugu Rangers 1-0 to lift trophy (Punch)
Bendel Insurance FC of Benin has won the 2023 Federation Cup with a lone goal victory over Rangers International FC of Enugu.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the match was played at the main bowl of the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, on Wednesday.
The only goal of the encounter came in the last minute of added time of the first half through a penalty converted by Insurance’s Imade Osarenkhoe. Read more
Asamoah Gyan retires from football (TheSouthAfrican)
Former Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan has made the decision to retire from football at the age of 37.
Gyan, who last played for Legon Cities FC, announced his retirement this week following an illustrious career spanning over two decades.
The striker played for Udinese, Rennes, Sunderland and United Arab Emirates side Al Ain FC. Read more
Europa League final: Roma manager Jose Mourinho handed 4-game UEFA ban for Anthony Taylor comments (Sky)
Jose Mourinho has been banned from four UEFA matches for directing abusive language at referee Anthony Taylor at the Europa League final.
The Roma manager and his staff were verbally abusive towards the Premier League official numerous times during their loss to Sevilla in Budapest.
After the game, footage on social media showed Mourinho directing a string of expletives towards the officiating team in the car park, labelling their performance a “disgrace”. Read more
Arsenal agree fee with Chelsea to sign Germany forward Kai Havertz
(BelfastTelegraph)
Arsenal have agreed a fee with Chelsea for the signature of Germany forward Kai Havertz.
The 24-year-old has emerged as a top target for the Gunners in recent weeks as they look to improve a squad that finished second in the Premier League last season.
The PA news agency understands a deal has now been struck between the London rivals, allowing Havertz to discuss terms and undergo a medical. Read more
French World Cup winner Kante joins Saudi champions Al Ittihad (RFI)
France’s World Cup-winning midfielder N’Golo Kante has joined Saudi Arabian champions Al Ittihad, the club said in a statement on Wednesday, joining up with compatriot Karim Benzema.
“Kante is an Ittihad player now!” the club said on Twitter, while chairman Anmar al-Hailee tweeted: “Welcome to our new tiger Kante,” a reference to the team’s nickname.
The 32-year-old becomes the latest in a line of European stars choosing to ply their trade in the desert kingdom, which is making big-money moves across elite sport. Read more
Adrian Newey makes admission about quitting Red Bull (F1News)
Sunday’s Canadian Grand Prix was a huge one for everyone involved at Red Bull, as Max Verstappen claimed the team’s 100th victory in Formula 1.
The reigning World Champion stormed to his fourth consecutive win and his sixth of 2023, whilst the result also marked his 41st career victory at the pinnacle of motorsport.
This puts him level with three-time World Champion Ayrton Senna, meaning he could surpass the legendary Brazilian at the team’s home race next weekend. Read more