My Blog

Category: Breaking News

  • Man City beat Man United to win FA Cup

    *Pep’s lads are one away from the season’s treble

    Reigning Premier League champions, Manchester City on Saturday defeated neighbors Manchester United in the 2022/23 FA Cup final played at the prestigious Wembley Stadium.

    Manchester City Captain and match winner, Ilkay Gundogan, who scored the fastest FA Cup goal in less than a minute, told BBC Sport afterwards that he was happy to score and win for his club because they really deserve it. 

    “To win a final is always special. Every trophy is special. This group deserves it. We played really well, second half was amazing and we deserved to lift another trophy.

    “Obviously we know how we want to play the kick off and we aim to do that, to go long for Erling and try to get a second ball. It just placed amazingly for me and I just had to hit it. Obviously it was a quite good strike.”

    Gundogan, who has since been a target of almost champions Arsenal, said concerning his future that he would wait and see how things pan out at the end.

     “I don’t need these kind of days to feel appreciated and feel special in this club. I know that and that is why I have been here seven years. Nothing is decided yet, we will see what will happen.”

    Man City next face Italian giants Inter Milan in the Champions League final with a a chance to win a treble this season on the cards.

  • Fuel Subsidy: NLC declares nationwide strike

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Friday, declared a nationwide strike from Wednesday next week.

    The union disclosed this during its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting held in the Federal Capital territory, Abuja.

    According to Channels TV, the meeting was not unconnected to the fuel subsidy removal by President Bola Tinubu and the subsequent hike in the pump price of petrol.

    The NEC comprises all Presidents, General Secretaries, Treasurers of all NLC’s affiliate unions; State Chairpersons and Secretaries of the NLC State Councils, Chairperson of the NLC Youth Committee and members of the National Administrative Coucil.

    NIGERIAN ANCHOR had reported on Wednesday that the meeting between the federal government and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) over fuel subsidy removal ended without a consensus.

    The meeting began around 4pm on Wednesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Representatives of the Federal Government had included Dele Alake, the spokesperson for Tinubu; and the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Mele Kyari.

    Other government officials present were the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele; and former Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

    The Organised Labour was represented by the NLC National President, Joe Ajaero; and the President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Festus Osifo.

    After several hours of meeting with the Federal Government, the NLC had demanded that the Federal Government return to the status quo by reversing the price of fuel before resuming negotiations with the NLC.

    The National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, who criticised the removal of subsidy stated that the status quo returns before any formal engagement with the NLC to protect the Nigerian workforce and proffer additional solutions.

    The NLC insisted that the Federal Government did not enter into any conversation even on palliative measures for Nigerians, hence the rejection of the latest announcement.

    The union said it had decided to reconvene with its members to determine the next line of action.

    Meanwhile, Alake described the meeting as robust, adding that talks would continue. He expressed hope that the parties would reach a reasonable conclusion at its next adjourned meeting.

  • Tinubu confirms Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff, Akume SGF

    President Bola Tinubu has formalized the appointment of Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, as his Chief of Staff and former governor of Benue State, Senator George Akume as Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

    Also appointed as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, is former Benue State Governor, George Akume.

    These were contained in a statement issued on Friday by Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director, Information.

    It also announced Sen. Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia, a former Deputy Governor of Jigawa State, as Deputy Chief of Staff.

  • Tribunal: Again, Obi, LP legal team stall proceedings

    For the third time since the hearing of the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal began, the legal team of Mr. Peter Obi and his Labour Party have slowed down proceedings.

    The Tribunal court was forced to step down hearing in the petition against the election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, following a poor schedule of documents being sought to be tendered to establish the allegations of malpractices during the February 25 presidential election.

    At Thursday’s proceedings, the Court discovered that the documents were not properly scheduled as ordered by it.

    In the drama that ensued at the point of rendering the documents from the 23 local government areas of Benue, a lot of discrepancies were uncovered.

    All efforts to reconcile the anomaly and reschedule the documents were unsuccessful as the errors were beyond immediate solution.

    To save the situation, counsel to Obi and the Labour Party, Chief Emeka Okpoko SAN sought to use documents not filed to conduct the proceedings but the move was rejected on the ground of illegality.

    In the end, the Court stepped down the hearing of the petition, ordering the legal team to go and re-file the schedule of documents in line with the provisions of the pre-hearing report.

    The hearing of Obi’s petition had run into stormy waters three times, prompting the shift in the hearing of the petition.

    At the time of filing this report, Peter Obi and the Vice Presidential candidate, Datti Baba Ahmed were in Court as their lawyers were running helter-skelter to the Court’s Registry to file a new schedule of documents.

    Meanwhile, the five Justices led by Justice Haruna Simon Tsammani who are hearing the petition, have retired to their chambers to await the time the legal team will put its house in order.

  • CBN slams Daily Trust report, says we’ve not devalued the Naira

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has tackled Daily Trust Newspaper over its report on June 1 2023, that the apex bank has devalued the Naira. 

    In a statement on Thursday morning, the Ag. Director, Corporate Communications, Isa AbdulMumin, insisted that the report by Daily Trust newspapers bordered on wilful ignorance.

    According to him, the report by the newspaper is riddled with outright falsehood and destabilizing innuendos which reflect wilful ignorance by the revered news medium.

    “The attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been drawn to a news report by Daily Trust Newspaper of June 1, 2023, titled “CBN Devalues Naira to 630/$1”.

    “We wish to state categorically that this news report, which in the imagination of the newspaper is exclusive, is replete with outright FALSEHOODS and destabilizing innuendos, reflecting potentially willful ignorance of the said medium as to the workings of the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, the exchange rate at the Investors’ & Exporters’ (I&E) window traded this morning (June 1, 2023) at N465/US$1 and has been stable around this rate for a while. 

    “The public is hereby advised to ignore the news report by Daily Trust in its entirety, as it is speculative and calculated at causing panic in the market,” the statement said. 

    The Apex Bank further urged media practitioners to verify their facts from the Central Bank of Nigeria before publishing in order not to misinform the public. 

  • Tinubu picks Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff

    Current Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila has been appointed as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    This decision means that Gbajabiamila will not be participating in the upcoming 10th National Assembly.

    Gbajabiamila, who recently secured his sixth term as the representative of Surulere Federal Constituency in Lagos State, made the announcement through his Chief of Staff, Olanrewaju Smart Wasiu, on his official Facebook page on Thursday morning.

    In the statement, it was revealed that President Bola Tinubu selected Gbajabiamila as his Chief of Staff after careful deliberation and consultations.

    The President considered several potential candidates within his loyalist circle before making the decision.

    This move marks a significant change for Gbajabiamila, as he is yet to receive his certificate of return from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    By accepting the role of Chief of Staff, he will be foregoing his sixth term in the House of Representatives to join the executive branch of the government.

    Sources mentioned in the statement disclosed that President Tinubu chose Gbajabiamila over James Faleke, the representative of Ikeja Federal Constituency and a dedicated campaigner for Tinubu.

    The President’s decision was motivated by the desire to have someone who could effectively persuade lawmakers in the National Assembly to support his proposed policies.

  • Founder of Daar Communications, Raymond Dokpesi is dead

    Founder of DAAR Communications and African Independent Television (AIT) Raymond Dokpesi is dead.

    Dokpesi died on Monday, May 29 2023, his son Raymond Dokpesi jnr said in a statement.

    “High Chief Dokpesi was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him,” Dokpesi said.

    “High Chief Dokpesi was also a respected and accomplished businessman, a pioneer in the media industry, and a philanthropist who dedicated his life to the service of his country and his community. His legacy will live on through the impact he made on the lives of many.”

    According to him, the family is grateful for the outpouring of love and support during their difficult time.

    “We ask that you keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we mourn the loss of our patriarch. We also ask for privacy during this time as we grieve together as a family,” Dokpesi said.

    “The family will release further details on the funeral arrangements in due course,” he added.

  • I’ll revisit naira redesign policy, says Tinubu

    President Bola Tinubu, has promised to revisit the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    Tinubu, who said this in his inaugural speech in Abuja on Monday, however, said that his administration would treat both the old and the new naira notes as legal tender.

    He said that the policy was harshly applied by CBN, given the number of unbanked Nigerians.

    “Whatever merits it had in concept, the currency swap was too harshly applied by the CBN,” he said.

    Tinubu said that the country’s monetary policy needed thorough housecleaning.

    He urged the CBN to work toward a unified exchange rate.

    “This will direct funds away from arbitrage into meaningful investment in the plant, equipment, and jobs that power the real economy.
    “The interest rate needs to be reduced to increase investment and consumer purchasing in ways that sustain the economy,” he said.

  • Subsidy is gone, Tinubu declares in inaugural speech

    *Says hope is back for Nigeria

    Nigeria’s new President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu has said that his government will not continue with the current fuel subsidy regime, declaring that “Fuel Subsidy is Gone!”

    Tinubu said those seeking redress in court concerning his election are doing so within their constitutional rights and he wishes them well.

    According to the new President, his government is going to concentrate on revamping the economy, and he would work on providing a unified exchange rate for the economy.

    “Subsidy is gone! It can no longer be justified. We shall channel our efforts toward education, infrastructure, and other areas to ameliorate any suffering. We shall work towards a unified exchange rate and meaningful investment.

    More details later…

  • Buhari, former first family leave for Daura

    Buhari, former first family leave for Daura

    Former President Muhammadu Buhari and his family have left Abuja en route their country home in Daura, Katsina State.

    Buhari, who handed over power to new President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the ongoing inaugural ceremony at the Eagle Square, Abuja, left the venue of the inauguration with his family and was seen on television with boarding a private aircraft home, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe, International Airport, Abuja.

    Recall that Muhammadu Buhari had said that he had done his best and left the country better than he met it in 2015.

    According to the former President, he would be retiring to his home in Daura to take his much-needed rest after serving the nation for eight years.

    His departure signifies the end of an era in Nigeria and the beginning of a new one to be anchored by new President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.