Just In: Lawan is APC’s consensus candidate, Adamu declares

Just In: Lawan is APC’s consensus candidate, Adamu declares

Coming shortly after a meeting President Muhammadu Buhari held meeting with Northern governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the National Chairman of the party has announced Senate President Ahmed Lawan as the consensus candidate of the party.

Adamu made the announcement at the meeting of the National Working Committee (NWC) on Monday in Abuja, according to The Nation Newspaper.

Other aspirants including Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Dr Kayode Fayemi and David Umahi, among others will, however, be allowed to contest the primary at the convention holding tomorrow at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

Meanwhile, Buhari’s meeting is coming just hours ahead of the APC’s presidential convention, which is scheduled to take off today at the Eagle Square, Abuja.

Although there was no official note to the reason for the meeting with the governors, it was suggested it may not be unconnected with preparations towards assuring a successful convention and narrowing down on who takes the flag of the party tomorrow.

It is the fourth meeting between the President and party stakeholders in relation to the primary.

Aside from his meeting with APC Governors last Tuesday, Buhari has met with the party’s presidential aspirants where he urged them to consult and pick a formidable candidate from among themselves.

On Sunday night, the President also hosted members of the National Advisory Council to a

Those in attendance are Chairman of Progressive Governors Forum Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi); chairman of Northern Governors Forum Simon Lalong; Abubakar Baduru (Jigawa) and Babagana Zulum (Borno).

Others are: Aminu Bello Masari (Katsina); Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa); Bello Matawale (Zamfara); Mallam Nasir el-Rufai (Kaduna); Abdullahi Ganduje (Kano); Yahaya Inuwa (Gombe); Abubakar Bello (Niger) and Mai Mala Buni (Yobe).

Source

Owo Church Killings A Sacrilegious Attack From Enemies Of Nigeria – Omi-Agege Says

Owo Church Killings A Sacrilegious Attack From Enemies Of Nigeria – Omi-Agege Says

Last Sunday’s dastardly attack on worshippers at St Francis Catholic Church, Owo may be a calculated attempt to provoke massive crisis in Nigeria and all security agencies must work together in investigating it, Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege has said.

Reacting to the sad incident through a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yomi Odunuga, the Deputy Senate President noted Ondo State Governor, Chief Rotimi Akeredolu’s suspicions that the assailants could be foreign trained anarchists, adding that the investigators must spread their tentacles beyond Nigeria in order to bring them and their facilitators to justice.

“I commiserate deeply with His Excellency, Governor Akeredolu, the Catholic Church, families of innocent victims and the entire citizens of Ondo State over this unprecedented gruesome attack aimed towards shattering the peace of Nigeria.

“There is much more to the attack than what many can immediately see or understand; therefore, I join other well-meaning people in pleading that no one should contemplate reprisal attacks that will only affect innocent persons.

“If the aim of these terrorists and anarchists is to set us against one another across Nigeria, we must collectively remain firm in rejecting their nudging towards violence against one another.

“My deepest condolences to the traditional ruler, Chiefs, the people of Owo and families of all those affected during the criminal incident. May God and the hard work of our security agencies unmask the perpetrators of evil and all those associated with them,” Senator Omo-Agege stated.

Tampering Of Delegates List Tears Anambra APC Apart

Tampering Of Delegates List Tears Anambra APC Apart

…. Party stalwarts stranded, following frequent change of names

…Blame Sen. Uba and state chairman, Basil Ejidike, for the tampering

The camp of Anambra State delegates to the ongoing presidential primaries of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC), is now in turmoil following the random change of delegates ‘elected’ to represent the state. The state has a total of 63 national delegates, three each from the state’s 21 local government areas.

Over the last three weeks, our sources say, there has been at least three different lists emanating from the Anambra State chapter of the APC.

Although the authentic list of delegates has since been filed with the APC headquarters and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, leaders of the party in the state remain determined to effect changes to the already established list. Besides the removal of certain individuals due to political exigencies, the latest attempt to foist a change is been championed by members of the state working committee, SWC, who insist on being accommodated.

Tempers, however, flared last night as the chapter met at the Maitama office of the acclaimed leader of the party in the state, Senator Andy Uba. Sources close to the meeting disclosed that many party stalwarts were shocked during accreditation, when they discovered that their names had disappeared from the list. In their place were SWC members from each LGA.

Some of those whose names were tampered with include Chief Johnbosco Onunkwo, a frontline gubernatorial aspirant and financier of the party, BenChuks Nwosu, a former speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Chief Chibuzor Obiakor, the party’s state agent at the last governorship election in the state, Hon. Chizoba Obidigwe, a former member of the House of Representatives and leader of the party in Ayamelum LGA, and Chief Dubem Obaze, a leading stalwart.

In fact, matters nearly degenerated into fisticuffs after representatives of APC National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu visited the Anambra delegation and announced a welcome package of N250,000 for each delegate.

Although the state chairman had earlier announced a 15 percent deduction from every monetary gift to the delegates, he ended up deducting N50,000, instead of N37,500 from the money donated from the Tinubu team.

For now, delegates wait for the accreditation process to commence, even as they continue to grumble over the contentious Anambra delegates list.

Jose Peseiro loses first two games in charge of Super Eagles

Super Eagles of Nigeria lost 1-0 in their 2nd friendly game against Ecuador at the 25,000 capacity Red Bull Arena stadium in Harrison, New Jersey. 

This is the second friendly game the Portuguese coach Jose Peseiro is handling after a 2-1 loss to Mexico on Saturday.

Speaking after the game, Peseiro stated that his side deserved at least a penalty in the course of the game, but admitted his side struggled during the encounter. 

He also stated “Of course, I don’t want to speak about the referee but at least one penalty. No VAR but at the start of the show, there was a clear penalty. The goalkeeper touched the foot of our striker. “I don’t know but I was told we had another penalty also but the referee didn’t give it to us. But it is okay, anybody can commit mistakes. Even the players can make mistakes also”

“Today in the first half we didn’t do well but in the last 25 minutes. Only in the first 50 minutes, we didn’t play like we should but they commanded the match after 50 minutes. 

The second half much better but it is not easy to put pressure on opponents for 90 minutes. Today, we played better than against Mexico. I hope we will take this today to our AFCON match against Sierra Leone.” 

Next game up for the Super Eagles is a 2023 African Cup Of Nations qualifying match against Sierra Leone at the MKO Abiola National Stadium Abuja,on Thursday 9th June.

Abuja Agog As Ejike Ugboaja FC Scouting Program Kicks Off On Sunday

Abuja Agog As Ejike Ugboaja FC Scouting Program Kicks Off On Sunday

The Federal Capital City, Abuja will from Sunday, June 5, 2022 host about 28 teams from across the country at the Goal Project, Parkage B, MKO Abiola National Stadium as Ejike Ugboaja FC is organising a-5-day scouting program.

The program will feature about five hundred players across the country. However, scouts from ten clubs across the Europe including Arsenal, Chelsea among others have already confirmed their participations.

Speaking ahead of the scouting program, the chairman of the organising club, Ejike Ugboaja FC, Christopher Ejike Ugboaja said, the idea behind the five-day scouting program was to give Nigeriian young players the opportunity to be seen by those super clubs in Europe.

He said, talents are abound in Nigeria, but how do they get to be recognise has been the problem, therefore, in his quest to give back to the society he has chosen to organise the scouting program so that they can come together showcase their talents before the scouts and the lucky ones could be spotted and giving a contract immediately.

“As I keep saying, they are good players in Nigeria but, the issue has been who will help expose them to these foreign scouts? And that is the reason I came in, because having played basketball to it’s pinnacle and coupled with the facts that I have helped over two thousands Nigerian basketball players and America footballers schools in the United State of America and clubs too, I thought it wise to replicate same in football “

“We have concluded all arraignment concerning the program. The scouts will be in the country on Saturday and leave for their respective clubs on June 9, after the closing ceremony

“Our prayers are that they should be able to identify and sign as many players as possible, so that at the end we would have empower the young players because that is the reason behind the program.,” Ugboaja said.

Depp Wins Defamation Case Against Heard by Francisca Ogar

Depp Wins Defamation Case Against Heard by Francisca Ogar


When jurors delivered their verdict, Johnny Depp was awarded $10m (£8m) in compensatory damages and $5m (£4m) in punitive damages.

But punitive damages in the state of Virginia are capped at $350,000.

US media reports that Judge Penny Azcarate has now reduced the size of Depp’s punitive damages award to meet that legal limit.

Depp will therefore receive about $10.4m in total,

Amber Heard – who won one of her three counter-claims against Depp – was awarded $2m in compensatory damages but received no money for punitive damages.

Amber Heard supporter Sydni Porter, carrying a flag with messages from other fans, says she is “disappointed and confused” by the verdict:

“It doesn’t make sense. Johnny Depp had already been on the downfall with his career, so I don’t think she had anything to do with it.

It’s disappointing for women going forward and how they have to bring evidence to court. Especially against someone as high profile as Johnny Depp.

The #MeToo movement seems to have separated themselves from [the trial] so I don’t think it’ll be affected.

It was very hard to watch even if I believed Johnny was the one who was abused. It shouldn’t be a spectacle for us all to watch.”
Johnny Depp fan Diana Merlo, 24, followed live coverage of the case on her phone and via TikTok:

“I’m happy for Johnny. He won his case, he was always being truthful and Amber Heard wasn’t.

I was nervous. When it comes to domestic abuse, we always hear about women not men.

Women can be just as abusive. Feminism is standing with people, not just women.”
Source: BBC