We don’t have Oyo-Ita’s retirement letter —Presidency (Punch)
The Presidency on Monday said it was not in possession of any letter by the embattled Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita, indicating interest to go on retirement. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said this in a text message sent to our correspondent in response to earlier reports that Oyo-Ita had formally informed President Muhammadu Buhari of her desire to proceed on retirement. “Thanks. We have no such letter here, in the event that such a letter exists. This is our position,” he wrote. Read more
Court refuses to grant application stopping Buhari’s ministerial inauguration (Guardian)
The Federal High Court Abuja , on Monday, refused to grant a request stopping President Muhammadu Buhari from inaugurating the 43 ministerial nominees over the exclusion of an FCT indigene from his cabinet list. The applicant, Mr Musa Baba-panya, who was also the counsel in the case, had, on Thursday, approached the court with an exparte motion, asking the court to stop the president from going ahead on the inauguration. Read more
Court voids Okorocha’s in-law, Nwosu’s gov candidature (Punch)
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to remove the name of Uche Nwosu as a governorship candidate in the last election held in Imo State. Justice Inyang Ekwo voided Nwosu’s candidacy on the grounds of double nomination by two political parties, the All Progressives Congress and the Action Alliance, in violation of section 37 of the Electoral Act. Read more
How we investigated INEC officials, DSS tells tribunal (Nation)
The Directorate of Secret Service (DSS) has explained to the National and State House of Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Benin City how it investigated some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the February 23rd House of Representatives election in Ikpoba-Okha/Egor. It said it contacted the Nigeria Communications Commission to do proper confirmation of the phone numbers quoted in its statement of oath. Read more
Kano guber election dispute: INEC opens defence (Nation)
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC on Monday appeared before the Kano state Election Petition tribunal to flag off its defence against the allegations filed by Abba Kabiru Yusuf of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The counsel to the electoral empire, barrister Adedayo Adedeji led one Idris Mohammed to give evidence before the court. The witness told the court that he is the attached to Dala Local Government in his capacity as the Electoral Officer, stating that the March 23rd, 2019 gubernatorial elections were cancelled owing to cases of over-voting and violence in some polling units in the LG area. Read more
PDP lifts suspension on chairmen of five LG chapters, nine others in Kebbi (Guardian)
The Kebbi chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has lifted the suspension it clamped on 14 of its party members over alleged anti-party activities. Alhaji Haruna Saidu, state chairman of the party, made this known to newsmen on Sunday in Birnin Kebbi. He said that the lifting of the three-month suspension followed the intervention of the PDP elders committee which ensured the resolution of the matter. Read more
PDP to aspirants: stop attacking Dickson (Nation)
The Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has warned some governorship aspirants for the September 3 primaries to focus on their campaigns and stop attacking the state Governor, Seriake Dickson. The state Secretary of the party, Godspower Keku, insisted that the 21 aspirants should devote their energy and attention to their electoral campaigns instead of indulging in acts inimical to the unity of the PDP. Read more
My suspension by Kogi APC of no effect, says Sen. Kadiri (Nation)
Senator Alex Kadiri has described his purported suspension by the Kogi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as inconsequential. Report had it that the party suspended Kadiri over what it described as anti-party activities and attempt to sabotage the November 16 governorship election in the state. “This followed a letter addressed to the Chairman of the party in Dekina Local Government Area by executive members of Odu Ward I of the APC, signed by the ward chairman, Yakubu Echiye, the vice-chairman, Ademu Hussein and other exco members of the word”, it said. Read more
Results ranking didn’t emanate from us —WAEC (Punch)
The West African Examinations Council has distanced itself from the ranking of states according to their performance in the 2019 May/June examination. WAEC via it’s Twitter handle said that the ranking, which had been going around didn’t emanate from its office. Responding to tweets, where it was tagged on the social media platform in relations to the said ranking, WAEC said, “The State by State ranking did not emanate from the Council. Please, disregard.” Read more
NASU strike: Admission seekers stranded as varsity shelves screening (Nation)
Many admission seekers into the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom state were Monday frustrated and stranded as the university failed to conduct its earlier admission screening exercise. The development followed the strike embarked upon by the Non Academic Staff Union of Universities (NASU) which has crippled academic and administrative activities in federal universities nationwide. Read more
2019 BBNaija: Jeff reveals reasons for not having relationship (Punch)
Jeff Nweke, who was recently evicted from the Big Brother Naija house opened up about his personal life. Nweke revealed this to News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos State, on Monday. He said that one can’t have a real relationship in Big Brother Naija house because housemates tend not to show their true characters. “Its a game and everyone has a strategy, so you can’t play yourself by trying to decipher someone’s true character within that space of time. Read more
Syrian civil war: ‘Three killed’ in attack on Turkish convoy (BBC)
A Syrian government air strike aiming to stop a Turkish convoy reaching a rebel-held town in northern Syria has killed three civilians, Turkey alleges. Another 12 people were injured in the attack in Idlib province on Monday, the Turkish defence ministry said. Idlib, one of the few areas not under government control, was supposed to be protected by a buffer zone agreed with rebel-backing Turkey last year. Read more
Macron presses Putin for Ukraine progress ahead of G7 (Guardian)
French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday hosts Vladimir Putin for a rare bilateral visit by the Russian strongman to a major EU power, seeking to press the Kremlin to help end the conflict in Ukraine. The relationship between a youthful French leader who regards himself as a champion of European liberalism and Putin, in power for two decades, has been marked by wariness and tensions. Read more
Boris Johnson orders action to stop measles spread (BBC)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is ordering urgent action to ensure that children and young people in Britain are protected against measles. The disease can be stopped through two doses of the MMR vaccine, but immunisation rates have been falling for a number of reasons. And the UK has lost its measles-free status, three years after the virus was eliminated in the country. In the first quarter of 2019, there were 231 confirmed cases in the UK. Read more
Pakistan extends military chief’s tenure amid Kashmir row (Guardian)
Pakistan extended its military chief’s tenure Monday, ensuring stability in what is arguably the country’s most powerful position as tensions soar with rival India and Washington is expected to announce a withdrawal deal in Afghanistan. “General Qamar Javed Bajwa is appointed as chief of army staff for another term of three years,” read a statement signed by Prime Minister Imran Khan and released by his office. “The decision has been taken in view of the regional security environment.” Read more
Indonesia Papua: Local parliament torched in Manokwari unrest (BBC)
Indonesian authorities say they have regained control after protesters set fire to a local parliament building in the eastern province of West Papua. Businesses, trees and vehicles were also damaged in the unrest in the capital Manokwari. Violence broke out on Monday over claims of racism toward Papuan students elsewhere in Indonesia. Comprising what are now Papua and West Papua provinces, Papua became part of Indonesia controversially in the 1960s. Read more
Boy, 2, targeted by bullies five times older than him because he’s only got one arm (Metro)
Hunter Beeton is normally a happy-go-lucky child who has never thought of himself as being different. The two-year-old was born with only one fully developed arm but has never let his missing hand affect him. That was until recently when the toddler was taunted by older kids on two separate occasions at local parks. Read more
Kabul wedding blast: Groom has ‘lost hope’ after deadly attack (BBC)
The bridegroom whose wedding was targeted by a suicide bomber in the Afghan capital Kabul says he has “lost hope” after the deadly attack. In a TV interview, Mirwais Elmi said his bride survived but his brother and other relatives were among the 63 people killed in Saturday’s attack. The Islamic State (IS) group has admitted carrying out the bombing, which also wounded more than 180. President Ashraf Ghani described the attack as “barbaric”. Read more
Notre-Dame works resume in Paris after lead scare (Guardian)
French workers on Monday resumed efforts to secure the cathedral of Notre-Dame following the devastating April fire, after a three-week pause due to the risk of lead contamination. France’s culture ministry told AFP that the works had resumed at 0500 GMT with around 50 people involved. Restoration of the cathedral after the fire has yet to begin, with efforts focused entirely on securing the building. The culture ministry has warned it is still at risk of collapse. Read more
US silicone death: Briton Donna Francis extradited (BBC)
A British woman accused of killing a patient by giving her botched bum enhancement injections has been extradited to the US to face trial. Kelly Mayhew, 34, died in 2015 after silicone was injected into her buttocks in the basement of a house in New York. Former hairdresser Donna Francis, 38, of Loughton, Essex, is charged with criminally negligent homicide and unauthorised practice of a profession. Ms Francis contested her extradition but the High Court rejected her case. Read more
Boy, 9, died four days after being sent home with ‘insect bite’ (Metro)
A father has said a ‘hospital has blood on its hands’ after his son died after being sent home by doctors. Austin O’Dowd died on June 2 after returning home when doctors told his parents his swollen eye was the result of an insect bite. He had been battling mysterious symptoms for nearly a year and was in-and-out of A&E. Austin’s father Vincent O’Dowd, 64, later confirmed he died from meningitis. Read more
US gives Huawei 90 day reprieve on ban: Ross (Guardian)
The United States gave Huawei a 90-day reprieve Monday on a ban against buying US technology but added nearly four dozen subsidiaries of the Chinese telecoms giant to the prohibition. “As we continue to urge consumers to transition away from Huawei’s products, we recognize that more time is necessary to prevent any disruption,” Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a statement. Read more
Sardinian sand theft: French tourists face jail term (BBC)
A French couple who were caught with 40kg (90lb) of Sardinian sand in their car could face up to six years in jail. They say they wanted to take the sand home as a “souvenir” and did not realise they had committed an offence. Sardinia’s famed white sand is considered a public good and it is strictly forbidden to remove it from the island. For years, residents have complained about the theft of natural assets including sand. Read more
‘Priest’s “racist” dog stopped him hiring a black woman as a cleaner’ (Metro)
A Catholic priest raised eyebrows after it was claimed his ‘racist’ dog prevented him from hiring a black woman as a cleaner. Church staff in Memphis, Tennessee, reportedly told African American trainee cleaner LaShundra Allen ‘I’m sorry, we are not trying to be rude, but the dog doesn’t like black people.’ That was a reference to Reverend Jacek Howal’s German shepherd Ceasar, with staff also reportedly describing the dog as ‘kinda racist.’ Read more
Olivia Colman is keen to land a role with Daniel Craig in Bond 25 (Metro)
Olivia Colman really wants a part in Bond 25 and we would love to see this become a reality. The actress admitted she’s trying to pull as many strings as she can to nab herself a role in the highly-anticipated flick and is desperate for her pal Phoebe Waller-Bridge – who has been working on the script – to write in a cheeky part for her. ‘Trust me, I’ve tried! I’ve asked!’ the 45-year-old admitted to Entertainment Weekly. Read more
Justin and Hailey Bieber to host ‘wedding party to mark one-year anniversary’ (Metro)
Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin are finally having a wedding party next month. The singer – who hasn’t released an album since 2015 – tied the knot with Hailey Baldwin at a New York City courthouse on 13 September last year in a famously low-key wedding and are now ‘eyeing a date in September’. An insider source told TMZ: ‘Justin is in a great space both personally and creatively and couldn’t be happier. Friends say he and Hailey are a perfect fit.’ Read more
Arsenal preparing incentive-based contract offer to keep Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the Emirates (Metro)
Arsenal are hoping to persuade Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to sign a new contract with the club by offering him a deal which includes huge Champions League related bonuses. The 30-year-old has been a huge success in north London since making a £56m move from Borussia Dortmund in 2018, winning the Premier League Golden Boot in his first full season. Read more
Ashley Cole tells Frank Lampard to have a word with ‘rusty’ Chelsea star (Metro)
Ashley Cole admits former Chelsea team-mate Willian looked ‘rusty’ off the bench in the side’s 1-1 draw with Leicester. Mason Mount broke the deadlock in the 7th minute of the Premier League clash, dispossessing Wilfred Ndidi and finding the net, before the Leicester midfielder redeemed himself with a second-half equaliser. Willian, who missed Chelsea’s entire pre-season after picking up a knee injury while on international duty, came on as a substitute in the 71st minute at Stamford Bridge. Read more
Trippier and Morata combine to give Atletico winning start (Guardian)
Alvaro Morata headed in a sumptuous Kieran Trippier cross to ensure a new-look Atletico Madrid beat Getafe 1-0 on Sunday and made a winning start in La Liga. Trippier looked right at home at the Wanda Metropolitano when his bending ball was nodded in by Morata before two red cards in four minutes, one for each team, made it 10 against 10 before half-time. Read more
Billie Simpson: Cliftonville Ladies player nominated for world goal of the year (BBC)
Cliftonville Ladies’ Billie Simpson has joined Lionel Messi and Zlatan Ibrahimovic in being nominated for the World Goal of the Year Puskas Award. Simpson volleyed from her own half against Sion Swifts in the Northern Ireland Premiership in August 2018. Andros Townsend’s volley for Crystal Palace against Manchester City in December is also on the shortlist. Read more
Spurs midfielder Harry Winks sends Premier League title warning to Manchester City and Liverpool (Metro)
Harry Winks has fired a warning to last season’s runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City and Liverpool by stating that they should be worried about Spurs this season. Spurs maintained their unbeaten start to the campaign by securing a hard-fought 2-2 against City at the Etihad on Saturday, becoming the first team to deny them a victory in 16 league matches. Read more
Corinthians women equal world record for number of wins (BBC)
Corinthians have become the first professional women’s team to equal the world record for the number of consecutive wins by a top-flight side. The Brazilian side beat Ferroviaria 4-0 on Sunday to claim their 27th win in all competitions. The record was held by Welsh Premier League side The New Saints (TNS). TNS broke Ajax’s 44-year record in December 2016, but Corinthians can set a new record by beating Sao Jose at home on Wednesday. Read more
Tennis: Injured Osaka maintains top spot (Punch)
Naomi Osaka holds on to the top of the WTA rankings on Monday despite injury and elimination from the Cincinnati Masters. The Japanese lost to 20th placed Sofia Kenin in the quarter-finals on Sunday due to a knee injury. Her participation at the US Open is still uncertain. Madison Keys jumped eight spots and is ranked 10th after she won Cincinnati on Sunday. Read more
Laurence Vincent-Lapointe tests positive for banned substance & will miss World Championships (BBC)
Canada’s 11-time world champion Laurence Vincent-Lapointe will not compete at this week’s Canoe Sprint World Championships after testing positive for a banned substance. Vincent-Lapointe will remain provisionally suspended until a full hearing is held. The 27-year-old has won six C1-200 world titles, four C2-500 golds and is the defending C1-5000 champion. Read more