UNVEILED: The Katsina politician named Tinubu’s running mate (DailyTrust)
Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Presidential Candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has dropped the name of Alhaji Kabir Ibrahim Masari as his running mate for the 2023 Presidential election.
Daily Trust understands that Tinubu dropped his name as a place holder ahead of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadline for parties to submit the names of their candidates for the 2023 elections.
Sources in the camp of Tinubu and Masari confirmed this to Daily Trust on Thursday evening.
The running mate of the APC Presidential Candidate hails from Masari, a village in Kafur Local Government Area of Katsina State.
He is the kinsman of Rt. Hon. Aminu Bello Masari, governor of Katsina. Read more
Why I chose Okowa as running mate, by Atiku (Nation)
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar has explained why he picked Delta Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate for the 2023 poll.
Atiku who spoke while unveiling Okowa at the PDP National Headquarters on Thursday, said Okowa has all the qualities to function as president.
According to him: “With the convention behind us, we have arrived at the stage for me to pick a Running Mate because this is a joint ticket. I am very happy to announce today that I have reached a decision on that.
“In arriving at the decision, I held wide consultations with various stakeholders in our party including our Governors, National Working Committee, Board of Trustees, and other leaders to seek their inputs and their wisdom. Read more
Lagos introduces online payment for cash transfer beneficiaries (Punch)
The Lagos State Government has said poor and vulnerable beneficiaries of the Conditional Cash Transfer will now be paid through the online system of digital accounts from their banks.
The Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Mrs. Yetunde Arobieke, made this known on Thursday during the distribution of ATM debit cards and activation pins to the beneficiaries in Agege.
She said, “I am elated that the beneficiaries of CCT in Lagos State have received the bi-monthly cash stipends from this programme.
“The programme is commencing full digitisation of its payment processes. This digitised method will use an online system of digital accounts (Nigeria Uniform Bank Account Numbers) opened by licensed payment service providers such as commercial banks, microfinance banks, payment service banks and mobile money operators. This arrangement has become necessary to ensure and further enhance transparency, accountability and integrity in the delivering of programme benefits to beneficiaries.” Read more
Sanwo-Olu, NCC, others review ease of doing business (Nation)
Lagos State Governor Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAF), Advertising Council of Nigeria (APCON) and Heads of Sectoral Groups (HASGs)are expected to review the progress made in the ease of doing business in the country.
Others expected for the forum being organised by the Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN) to discuss the role of regulators in the ease of doing business are Lagos State Commissioner for Trade and Industry and Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA).
Speaking during a press conference in Lagos yesterday, ADVAN President, Osamede Uwubanmwen said the dialogue will be an avenue to bring together stakeholders to discuss the way forward on how to move the industry forward, stressing that, the idea for industry regulators to brainstorm in a room to move the economy forward.
He said the event scheduled to take place on June 22, 2022 at Radisson Blu Hotel GRA Ikeja with the theme: ‘the Role of Government Regulations in the Ease of Doing Business’ will see the Special Adviser to the President on Ease of Doing Business, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole deliver the keynote address. Read more
Martins, Kukah, Odetoyinbo, others to grace unveiling of KSM logo, mascot to mark anniversary (Sun)
Archbishop of the Metropolitan See of Lagos, Alfred Adewale Martins, will tomorrow lead a team of bishops to Lagos for the unveiling of Logo and Mascot of the Order of the Knights of Saint Mulumba (KSM) Nigeria.
This is part of a one year bouquet of activities geared at celebrating KSM’s platinum jubilee (70th) anniversary.
The bishops include Mathew Hassan Kukah, Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Catholic Bishop of Abeokuta Diocese, Peter Olukayode Odetoyinbo, and his Ijebu Ode counterpart, Francis Obafemi Adesina.
The unveiling, which will hold at St Leo Catholic Church, Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos will be preceded by a Holy Mass to be celebrated by Martins. Afterwards, Kukah will deliver a lecture at the session. Read more
Man in police custody for strangling wife (DailyTrust)
The Gombe State Police Command yesterday paraded a 21-year-old man, Babangida Mohammed, of Zenge village in Kaltungo LGA for killing his wife.
Parading suspects before newsmen, the Commissioner of Police, Ishola Babaita, said Mohammed was reported at the Awak Division on June 12, by parents of the deceased who accused him of killing their daughter, Fatsuma Babangida.
“The parents said that Mohammed, on June 6, strangled Fatsuma to death and buried her at a cemetery without informing them of her death.”
The CP also said the command arrested one Ishaku Yila Manaseh (44), a personnel of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), for stabbing to death one Mela Andrews (30) of Awai Quarters in Billiri LGA. Read more
QuicktellerBarz and Notes showcase final six at talent unveiling event (Tribune)
After weeks of talent-honing by seasoned professionals in the Nigerian music industry, leading consumer digital payments platform, Quickteller, powered by Interswitch, showcased the talents of the young artistes that were groomed during the QuicktellerBarz and Notes music talent show and production camp.
At the talent unveiling event, held at the Landmark Towers, Victoria Island, Lagos on Sunday, June 12, the six finalists thrilled the audience with their original songs, which were produced by seasoned celebrity producers during the production camp.
The promising artistes include Ann Nankling Damar (Annie Daymar), Martins Osogwa (Marrz), Okechukwu Chiamaka Lovette (Amakarh), Prince. O. Macaulay-Smith (MillyMay Pod), Bobby Phillip Eze (Bobbi Phillie), and Emmanel Elijah (Eljay).
The talent unveiling party marked the beginning of the music careers of the rising stars with Quickteller as the accelerator through its support design. The recorded songs will be released in an EP which will be streamed across all major music streaming platforms. The artistes are also billed to perform at the One Music Africa Fest in Dubai later this year, alongside other African artistes. Read more
Police deploy 17,000 personnel for Ekiti poll (DailyTrust)
The Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Johnson Kokumo, has given assurance that there will be adequate security of lives and properties in Ekiti during and after the state governorship election.
Kokumo, who is in charge of securing the state during the Saturday governorship election, gave the assurance at a pre-election stakeholder security meeting in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital on Thursday.
The DIG disclosed that about 17,000 security operatives had been deployed for the poll to ensure that the state was properly secured to avoid any breakdown of law and order.
He emphasised that the deployed operatives were meant to secure the state and not for any form of intimidation of the citizens.
Kokumo added that soldiers would be at the borders of the communities to secure every corner of the state and prevent any type of intruders from entering. Read more
Police Academy lacks adequate manpower, sewage system, road network, Commandant tells Buhari (Vanguard)
The Police Academy in Wudil town, Kano State is said to be facing serious challenges that might affect performance of its trainees. The challenges include acute shortage of manpower in both academic and non academic sectors.
The attention of President Muhammad Buhari was drawn to the loads of problems facing the Academy, yesterday, by its Commandant, AIG Abdurrahman Ahmad, during the passing out parade of its fourth Regular Course Cadets.
Other deficiencies include “delay in payment of cadets’ stipends or allowances, lack of central sewage system to take care of cadets hostel and staff quarters.” Ahmad also spoke on the need to complete abandoned Police Reform Projects that include perimeter fence, faculty buildings and lecture theatres. He listed the challenges as “Poor road network and lack of drainages for easy flow of water within the Academy, lack of staff accommodation, desertification leading to destruction of roofs, inadequate power supply and lack of obstacles or training facilities.”
The commandant stated that it was not hyperbole to state that the annual budgetary allocation of the Nigerian Police Academy was grossly inadequate to finance development projects that will facilitate peaceful learning and a working environment, and appealed for support from government to increase the budget allocation to address the challenges of the Academy which is the first in West Africa and the second in Africa. Read more
Drake announces surprise new album ‘Honestly, Nevermind’ (NME)
Drake has revealed he’s set to drop a new album at midnight EST tonight (June 17), titled ‘Honestly, Nevermind’.
The rapper made the surprise announcement in an Instagram post earlier today, where he shared the album’s artwork, which features the record’s title in chrome lettering with pastel rainbow shadowing.
Drake has also since shared the tracklist to the album, revealing that it is 14 songs long. The album is executive produced by Drake himself, Noah “40” Shebib, Oliver El-Khatib, Noel Cadastre and South African producer and DJ Black Coffee, whom Drake worked with on 2017 project ‘More Life’.
‘Honestly Nevermind’ will mark his seventh studio record and the follow-up to last year’s ‘Certified Lover Boy’. Drake’s new radio show ‘Table For One’ on SiriusXM also premiered tonight at 11pm EST. Read more
FKA Twigs gets vulnerable on new single ‘Killer’ about the dark ‘effects of heartbreak’ (People)
FKA Twigs is back with an emotional new song.
On Thursday, the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter released “Killer,” a vulnerable, synth-laced electropop track about the end of a difficult relationship.
“Dancing in the dark, I can feel it in my heart / You’re a killer, but I didn’t wanna call it / Something in the way you put your hands on my waist / Pulled me nearer, no, I never wanna call it,” sings the 34-year-old musician, whose real name is Tahliah Debrett Barnett, on the track’s chorus. “Took your love for righteous and now I’m in a crisis with a killer.”
In a press statement, Twigs explained the inspiration behind the single. “When at its worst the effects of heartbreak can define one’s trajectory much more than the beauty of the love itself,” she wrote. “In my song ‘Killer’ I explore this concept.”
“The navigation, the hunt and the kill. The death of promises, dreams and the future that was once promised,” the performer continued. “But like the wildest plucked roses, I find myself more beautiful, delicately wilted, in shadow, forced solace, darkened at the edges and achingly thirsting to be tended to again.” Read more
Mad Max prequel Furiosa to be filmed near Sydney’s Sutherland Shire (DailyMail)
A former sand mine in Sydney will play a crucial role in the fifth Max Mad movie, Furiosa, now currently in production.
The remote site in Kurnell, 33kms, south of Sydney’s CBD, has been turned into a giant movie set for the post-apocalyptic epic, which is a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road.
A large marquee and other buildings have been set up on the rugged location which has been cut-off to the public and is being guarded around the clock, reports The Leader.
The film’s biggest stars, Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth, who have been shooting scenes in Broken Hill with director George Miller since May, have not yet been reported on set.
Tom Hardy updates fans on ‘Venom 3’ progress with script photo (Deadline)
Venom franchise star Tom Hardy took to Instagram on Thursday and shared the cover page of what appears to be a script for Venom 3. While the image does not reveal the sequel’s name, where the title should be is a black box containing a crude illustration of the Symbiote with a long, red tongue sticking out of its fanged mouth.
The red of the tongue may not just be anatomically correct, it may also hint at what many fans have hoped for: a crossover film with the red-clad Spider-Man. Some also speculated that the “tongue” seems to end “in the shape of the letter ‘s,’ potentially again hinting at a Spider-Man crossover.”
Whatever the case, the image does seem to confirm that Hardy will again work with writer Kelly Marcel on the story, with Marcel penning the screenplay. The duo filled the same roles on Venom 2, which grossed $502 million worldwide in the midst of a pandemic last year. The two also served as producers on that film.
Venom 3 was first announced at CinemaCon in April when Sony offered the briefest of teases in its sizzle reel by flashing the pic’s logo. Read more
Tim Sale, DC Comics artist behind ‘Batman: The Long Halloween,’ dies at 66 (Variety)
Tim Sale, the acclaimed comic book artist behind classic DC Comics such as “Batman: The Long Halloween” and “Superman for All Seasons,” died on Thursday, DC comics confirmed in a press release. He was 66.
DC Comics publisher and chief creative officer Jim Lee announced that Sale had been admitted to the hospital due to health issues on Monday. The cause of death has not been announced.
In a statement for DC Comics, Lee said: “The entire DC family is heartbroken at the news of Tim’s passing. Tim was an extraordinary artist, who was masterful at storytelling and panel layouts and his compositions were second to none. I was always so impressed and inspired by his use of lighting and shadows which infused his work with foreboding gravitas and dramatic noir sensibilities.”
A veteran superhero artist who worked for both DC and Marvel Comics, Sale’s art was distinctive for its clean yet detailed compositions and his heavy use of color to convey mood and tone. Sale’s most consistent collaborator was comics writer Jeph Loeb, who he worked with on stories that aimed to capture the essence of the most famous superheroes of all time, including Superman, Batman, Spider-Man and Captain America. Read more
50 Cent shares stacked line-up for ‘Green Light Gang’ Malta experience (NME)
50 Cent has announced that Akon, Fat Joe, and Trina will perform at his ‘Green Light Gang’ entertainment experience in Malta.
Heartless Crew, Jeremih, DJ Premier, Remy Ma, and So Solid Crew are also among those slated to perform alongside the G-Unit head honcho, who will headline the event, which takes place September 22 – 26.
Teaming up with travel, music, and technology company Pollen, 50 has curated a series of events on the Mediterranean island. The four-day, four-night festival will include after-dark parties, cruises, and an outdoor cinema for screenings of the rapper’s hit STARZ TV series Power. Read more
Alabama church shooting: One dead, two wounded, with suspect in custody (NewArab)
A shooting at a church in a suburb of one of the US state of Alabama’s major cities left one person dead and two others wounded on Thursday evening, police said, adding that a suspect was taken into custody.
The shooting occurred at Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church in the Birmingham suburb of Vestavia Hills, Vestavia Hills Police Captain Shane Ware said at a briefing.
He said multiple law enforcement officers rushed to the site after dispatchers received a call of an active shooter at 6:22pm.
He said one person was dead and two others were wounded in the shooting and had been hospitalised. A suspect was in custody, but Ware declined to identify the person or the victims or describe how events unfolded. Read more
Brume, Ofili, six others ready for Commonwealth, World Athletics trials (DailyTrust)
Nigeria and African long jump record holder, Ese Brume, sprinter Favour Ofili, 400m barrier runner Nathaniel Ezekiel, and Javelin thrower Nnamdi Prosper will lead five other reigning record holders to Benin City for Commonwealth Games and World Athletics Championship trials, which begins next week.
So far this year, Ofili has been in impressive form, setting new national marks in the 200m indoors (22.46s) and outdoor (22.46s) (21.96s).
The 19-year-old silver medallist in the 200m at the 2022 NCAA indoor and outdoor championships is also the fastest Nigerian woman this year and will be one of the stars to watch when the competition begins.
Nathaniel, a Baylor University freshman who improved from 51 seconds in the 400m hurdles at this time last year to 49.89 seconds two months later at the World U20 Athletics Championships in Nairobi, will also be the focus of attention. Read more
Arsenal ready to break bank for Osimhen, offer Napoli €100m (ThisDay)
English Premier League giants, Arsenal, are set to break their transfer record to lure Super Eagles star, Victor Osimhen, who is one of the most talked-about players in this summer window, to North London.
The Gunners are believed to be ready to offer Napoli €100million for the services of the Nigerian international striker.
Osimhen was in stellar form for the Partenopeans last season, scoring 18 goals in 32 appearances. And his performances have attracted some of Europe’s big boys-mainly from the Premier League.
Newcastle United, Manchester United, and Arsenal are the front runners for the 23-year-old’s signature. Nonetheless, Napoli’s price tag has been a major setback for suitors. Read more
FIFA picks 2026 cities, predicts soccer will be ‘no. 1 Sport’ in US (VOA)
The 16 cities of the first World Cup spread across three nations were revealed, and FIFA President Gianni Infantino made a bold statement summing up the goal of the 2026 tournament, to be played largely in the United States.
“By 2026, futbol — soccer — will be the No. 1 sport in this country,” he proclaimed.
Roughly four years before soccer’s showcase comes to the U.S., Mexico and Canada, there already were winners and losers Thursday: Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Philadelphia, Seattle and Kansas City, Missouri, were picked after missing out on hosting the 1994 tournament.
Baltimore, Cincinnati, Denver, Nashville, Tennessee, and Orlando, Florida, missed the cut. Read more
Nottingham Forest in talks to sign Mainz defender Moussa Niakhate (DailyMail)
Nottingham Forest are in talks to sign Mainz centre-back Moussa Niakhate.
The 26-year-old centre back is out of contract at the Bundesliga side next summer and so while he would be available on a free in 2023, Forest are keen to do a cut-price deal in the next few months.
Steve Cooper’s side are looking for defensive reinforcements following their promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.
Niakhate has been plying his trade at Mainz for four seasons, in a time when he has made an impressive 135 appearances for the side. Read more
No. 1 seed Ons Jabeur praises qualifier after surviving last-16 test in Berlin (TennisWorld)
World No. 4 Ons Jabeur said qualifier Alycia Parks was a difficult opponent to play against but added she was glad that she was able to close out the match in two sets. First-seeded Jabeur entered the match as the big favorite but Parks refused to easily go down.
However, Jabeur was able to avoid a shock loss as she handed the American qualifier a 6-2 7-6 (8) loss and progressed into the Berlin quarterfinal. “[It was] difficult to play with that [low] amount of rallies. Especially her serve is really fast, so I had to adapt my return.
The second set, she started to play much better, and I had to take my chances when I had the break,” Jabeur said after her win, per the WTA website. “It’s tough, I should have taken my chances when I was serving [in the tiebreak].
I knew if it was gonna be 6-5 it would be really tough for me. But I’m glad I stayed calm afterwards.” Read more
Fiery Rory McIlroy off to strong US Open start amid quest to break major drought (NYPost)
Rory McIlroy is sick and tired of his major championship drought, which dates back to his 2014 victory at the PGA Championship.
That PGA victory came just a month after his 2014 British Open victory, and it gave him four major championships at the age of 25. At that point, there was talk in golf circles that McIlroy was on the chase after Tiger Woods for majors and double-digits seemed imminent.
But McIlroy has been starved for a fifth since, stuck on four. He’s now 33 and married with a child. Since that ’14 PGA, he’s played in 28 majors without hoisting a trophy.
He figures it’s time to end that drought. Read more
Azteca Stadium one of 16 venues for 2026 World Cup (BBC)
Mexico City’s iconic Azteca Stadium and the Los Angeles Rams’ multi-billion dollar SoFi Stadium are among 16 venues to host games at the 2026 World Cup.
The first 48-team World Cup will be held in 16 venues across 11 US cities, along with three venues in Mexico and two in Canada.
It marks the first time three countries have hosted the tournament.
The Azteca Stadium will also be the first venue to feature in three separate World Cups.
Los Angeles’ Pasadena Rose Bowl, which hosted the 1994 World Cup final, has not been included. Read more