Egypt, Senegal qualify for Cup of Nations

Egypt and Senegal qualified Saturday for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon after 2-0 away victories over Tanzania and Burundi respectively.

Roma striker Mohamed Salah scored during each half for the Egyptian Pharaohs in Dar es Salaam.

The Egyptians are back in the biennial African football showcase after failing to qualify for the last three tournaments having won the previous three.

English Premier League pair Sadio Mane of Southampton and Mame Biram Diouf of Stoke City were the scorers for the Senegalese Teranga Lions.

Senegal are seeking a first Cup of Nations title after coming closest in 2002 when they lost the final against Cameroon after a penalty shootout.

Egypt topped the Group G table with 10 points from a possible 12 — the points they dropped were away to Nigeria in a 1-1 draw.

Nigeria have two points and Tanzania one ahead of a September clash in West Africa to decide who finishes second.

Cash-strapped Chad withdrew halfway through the competition having lost to each of their three rivals.

Senegal are the only country with a perfect record — the Group K victory over Burundi in Bujumbura was the fifth in a row in a section completed by Namibia and Niger.

Salah curled a free-kick round a wall and past goalkeeper Deogratius Munish to put Egypt ahead as half-time approached.

He picked up an Abdallah El Said pass and held off a defender to double the lead midway through the second half.

Mane rounded the Burundi goalkeeper and calmly stroked the ball into the net to give Senegal an early lead.

Diouf scored late in the opening half, firing home from close range after a free-kick was not cleared.

A further 10 qualifiers are scheduled for later Saturday

Vardy to undergo Arsenal medical On Sunday

Leicester and England striker Jamie Vardy is due to undergo a medical with Arsenal on Sunday, according to an ESPN report.

Arsenal are trying to lure England striker Jamie Vardy away from Premier League champions Leicester City in a move worth around £20 million.

Vardy scored 24 league goals as Leicester, 5,000/1 rank outsiders, were crowned champions of England last season, finishing 10 points in front of second-placed Arsenal, one of the Premier League’s established powers.

His club form saw Vardy force his way into England’s squad for the upcoming European Championship.

Signing Vardy, who is already 29, would mark a major change in Arsenal’s transfer policy under long-serving French manager Arsene Wenger.

But the Guardian said “the striker’s availability for a relatively modest fee, and the alternative option that he provides in attack with his searing pace, has fuelled the manager’s interest”.

However, it was only in February that Vardy signed an improved three-and-a-half-year contract with Thai-owned Leicester.

The Guardian said Leicester could offer Vardy a new deal if they think that is what it will take to keep him at the Midlands club.

It seems the forward now has a momentous decision to make. As well as being a key figure on the field, Vardy is also a well-liked member of the Leicester squad — the players celebrated their title-winning success with a party at his house.

However, he only became a full-fledged professional player in 2012, after nine years in non-league football, and if Arsenal are offering significantly more money than he’s getting at Leicester, Vardy could find it hard to turn down the Gunners.

Arsenal’s reported interest in Vardy led to plenty of social media comment.

Broadcaster Piers Morgan, a Gunners fan, tweeted: “Come on @vardy7 – let’s do this”, only for former Leicester and England striker Gary Lineker to urge the forward against a move to the north London club by replying: “Stay with the Champions @vardy7 don’t join the perennial also-rans.”

Lineker, like Vardy, was a leading scorer for Leicester in the English top-flight. But his goals did not yield a title and he left to join Everton in 1985.

With the story on the Guardian’s website running well after the close of normal UK business hours on Friday, there was as yet no response from Leicester, Arsenal or Vardy’s management team.

Last month, Vardy indicated he had no desire to leave Leicester, saying: “We’ve just won the league and will be playing in the Champions League next year. I am happy here.”

But May also saw Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri say he would not stand in the way of any player who wanted to move on, although clearly the Italian would like to keep his title-winning squad intact.

“If they go away, it is not good for them. It is much better if they improve another year here and then go wherever they want,” said Ranieri.

“But I have said so many times if one player comes to me and says ‘Gaffer (manager), I want to go’, then I leave him to go because it is okay.

Buhari hale, hearty; Presidency declares, amid claims of ear ailment

The Presidency, yesterday, once again debunked media reports that President Muhammadu Buhari is seriously ill and soon to be flown out of the country to seek medical attention, saying that there was no truth in the reports.

Some online news platforms were awash with reports that the president had developed an ear infection, otherwise called Meniere Disease, a challenge that was said to have drastically reduced his outings in the last few weeks.

The reports indicated that the infection made the president develop hearing difficulties alongside severe pains and strange sounds in his tympanum.

But speaking to The Guardian in a telephone chat, the Special Adviser to the President, Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said on the contrary, Buhari was hale and hearty and was discharging his functions as the president of Nigeria.

He said, the report had no basis, adding, “you cover the president, you see him, so you should know that there is nothing wrong with the president, those inputting that he is not well and is about to be flown abroad are saying that from the figment of their imagination.”

Buhari had on three recent occasions cancelled official trips within and outside the country allegedly due to the infection and was represented at those events by his Vice, Yemi Osinbajo.

The first report linking the president with ear infection gained public consciousness following the last minute cancellation of the president’s scheduled visit to commission some projects embarked by Lagos State Government on May 23; Osinbajo was instead delegated, in spite, of the claims by his media handlers that attributed the president ‘s inability to visit to “scheduling difficulty”.

When the news of the “ear infection” became public, the photographs of the president with the visiting Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun and the Chief of Staff, (CoS), Malam Abba Kyari; chatting in the president’s office appeared to have doused the tension.

Besides, that same day the president met with at least three of his ministers, including the two environment ministers and their counterpart in Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, as well as observed his usual afternoon congregational prayers at 1.30 and 4 pm respectively before retiring home for the day.

However, the President also cancelled at last minute his widely reported scheduled trip to Rivers State to perform the process of the cleaning of Ogoniland, in compliance with the United Nations Environment Programme, (UNEP) report on Thursday, last week, as well as cancelling his scheduled trip to Dakar, Senegal, to take part in the 48th Ordinary Summit of Heads of State and Governments of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) which held yesterday and had to be represented by Osinbajo.

But Adesina saw no link between with the purported illness and his cancelled trips, saying that there was nothing wrong in the president sending his vice to represent him at any functions, since there was only one presidency.

His words: “Remember that there is only one Presidency, therefore, the President has the right to devolve his duties to his vice anytime he feels, and you know the truth, the President is not sick.”

Yet quoting anonymous presidency sources, some online sites disclosed that the president picked up the ailment a fortnight ago, adding that visitors to the Villa in the past week noticed the unusual disposition of Buhari, who came to power as civilian president a year ago.

According to one of the reports, the 73-year old former military head of state, “managed to attend Jumaat service and host some important visitors, including former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, as well as, some clergymen on Friday.

Brazil 0-0 Ecuador: Honors even as Bolaños has goal disallowed

NeiBrazil nor Ecuador could break the deadlock as their Copa America Centenario Group B fixture ended goalless in Pasadena.

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After a lively start at the Rose Bowl, Saturday's match petered out to a 0-0 draw, though the storyline was a disallowed goal for Ecuador, which was unfortunate not to claim all three points.

Miler Bolaños' cross-turned-shot somehow found the back of the net from the byline after a howler from Brazil goalkeeper Alisson, but the ball was deemed to have gone out of play.

Brazil was forced into two changes after edging Panama in its final pre-Copa fixture, with Miranda dropping to the bench due to a muscle problem in the build-up. Luiz Gustavo dropped out of the squad completely because of personal problems during the week, while Douglas Santos made way as Marquinhos, Casemiro and Filipe Luis came into the line-up

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After missing Ecuador's 1-0 loss to the United States, Antonio Valencia returned to the starting XI, along with captain Walter Ayovi and Arturo Mina at the expense of Frickson Erazo, Cristian Ramirez and Angel Mena. Esteban Dreer replaced injured goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez.

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Unlike the two early games on Saturday, the clash in Pasadena was lively from kick-off with chances at both ends, as Brazil captain Neymar watched from the stands after opting to skip the Copa America in favor of the Olympic Games in August.

Bolaños went close for Ecuador after almost curling the ball inside the post from outside of the penalty area but the best opportunity fell to Philippe Coutinho, who was somehow denied by Dreer from point-blank range in the sixth minute.

As the half

wore on, space opened up across the pitch with Brazil dictating play but Ecuador remaining a threat on the counter, though neither side could make the breakthrough before the interval.

Brazil keeper Alisson was spared embarrassment past the hour mark after Miler Bolaños found the back of the net from the byline but the ball was adjudged to have just crossed the line by officials.

That was the highlight of the second half, after an entertaining start to proceedings, which was reflected in the stands as the Mexican wave swept through the stadium.

Substitute Lucas Moura, though, did come close to earning maximum points with 10 minutes remaining as Dreer hesitated but the Paris Saint-Germain speedster's header flashed wide.

2.5m Youths to Receive Training on Agro-biz in South-east

In response to the lingering economic meltdown culminating in the increasing spate of retrenchments within the organised private sector, no fewer than 2.5 million youths drawn from five South-east states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo have been shortlisted for training in various agricultural businesses.

The scheme entitled “500/1 (Youth Agripreneur Training programme) & Agric Startup Kits” will be officially launched in Enugu next week.

In a joint press release by organisers of the programme; Agric Information Centre & Community Radio project, African Youth Rehabilitation Initiative (AYRI), an NGO and Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), the exercise is aimed at promoting youth involvement in agriculture.

The project will shortlist, train and equip minimum of 500 youths as ‘agriprenuers’ from each of the five Eastern States of Nigeria. The release noted that several government efforts at boosting agricultural production as a way of diversifying the nation’s economy, creating employment and ensuring food security failed because of non-involvement of youths.

“This new initiative will promote youth involvement in agriculture and also enhance their capacity to deploy scientific knowledge, information and technology in bringing about agribusiness growth and development in South East Nigeria,” the statement noted.

Fayose Joins Ekiti Workers on Indefinite Strike

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose has joined workers of the state civil service on indefinite strike. Fayose said the solidarity strike became expedient to show concerns with the workers, who have been on strike for more than a week.

The governor gave the declaration in Ado Ekiti at the weekend in a televised broadcast shown on media based in Ekiti State. In the broadcast he said he had paid the January salaries of local government workers, primary school teachers and subventions to tertiary institutions in the state.

The workers under the auspices of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiation Council (JNC), had last week Wednesday called out workers for indefinite strike, when it was apparent that the governor has allegedly not been responding positively to their yearnings.

The Chairmen of TUC, Com Odunayo Adesoye, NLC, Com. Ade Adesanmi and JNC Secretary, Blessing Oladele, were particularly irked by the statement credited to Fayose, averring that he won’t sell his family to pay workers, describing the statement as ‘not only insensitive but inflammatory”.

All entreaties by Fayose and stakeholders, including the speaker of the House of Assembly, Hon. Kola Oluwawole, who held a meeting with leadership of trade unions on Friday to placate the striking labour unions were futile, as the labour leaders insisted that negotiation could only happen when salaries are paid.

But Fayose in the broadcast declared solidarity with the workers to confirm that he shared their pains and anguish caused by inability to pay salary.
The governor was explicit that what he has been declaring as amount accruing to the State as internally generated revenue and the N2.6 billion workers’ wage bill were true positions of the state finances.

“I want to tell workers that I have placed myself on indefinite strike in solidarity with you. I shared your pains, but it was rather unfortunate that a man can’t give what he doesn’t have.
“I have told you the true position of the finances of the state, of which you had played critical roles in allocation of federal allocations to relevant sectors which shows how well I had carried you along since the dwindling revenue to the state commenced.

“During my first term, I mean, 2003 to 2006, I used to pay salary of workers by 21st of every month. But the present situation is very unfortunate and we have to learn how to live with it until the country wriggle out of it and things will change for better.

“I want to say that I will be expecting you back to your offices when you are ready to return to work. I shall be expecting you, because presently I am handicapped and there is nothing I can do.
“But before then, I have placed myself on indefinite strike in solidarity with your course. But I appeal that you put the interest of the state above everything, because the present position affects everybody,” Fayose said.

Blasphemy Murder: Outrage Mounts as Buhari, IG Pledge Speedy Justice

As Nigerians react in outrage concerning the gruesome extra-judicial murder of Mrs. Bridget Agbaheme, an Igbo market woman in Kano, President Muhammadu Buhari and the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase have appealed for calm and pledged to ensure speedy justice in the matter.

A statement issued in Abuja yesterday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina said Buhari described the gruesome incident that led to the killing of Agbaheme as sad and regrettable, and consoled with the husband of the deceased, Pastor Mike Agbaheme, the family and relations, praying that God would give them the fortitude to bear the loss.

He also commended the law enforcement agents for apprehending the prime suspect behind the killing, as well as the Kano State government, which summoned a meeting of Christian and Islamic leaders, widower of the deceased, and security agencies, as soon as the sad event occurred.

Adesina said Buhari promised that justice would be done in the matter, and urged the people not to take the law into their hands. He equally charged those who might want to use the development to fan the embers of religious or ethnic hatred to remember that two wrongs never make a right, and that when law and order broke down, the victims never distinguished on the basis of religion or ethnicity.

“The incident at Kofar Wambai market, Kano city, is utterly condemnable, and the state government has been quite proactive. Let us ensure that we keep the peace, as justice will be done. Let us learn to respect each other’s faith, so that we can know each other and live together in peace,” the President said.

The Inspector-General of Police has also called for calm while reassuring the family of the deceased and the public that justice shall be done in the case.

The IG who condemned the act in a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, ACP, Olabisi Kolawole, which was made available to the media in Abuja, said the Kano State Police Command has succeeded in arresting two key suspects in connection with the unfortunate incident. Those arrested include Dauda Ahmed and Subeiru Abubakar.

In order to ensure a professional investigation, the IG, has directed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in- charge of the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID) to deploy the Homicide Section of the Department to immediately take over the investigation of the case and ensure a meticulous investigation and speedy prosecution of the arrested suspects.

Arase also directed the Commissioner of Police of Kano State to sustain the community engagement actions which he is currently initiating with all strategic security stakeholders and community leaders in the State with a view to dousing the tension being generated by the condemnable incident.
Arase also called on Kano State residents and indeed, all citizens to imbibe the culture of tolerance, rule of law and peaceful co-existence and to trust and cooperate with the police as we strive to ensure justice in this case.

“The Inspector General of Police and the entire Nigeria Police family, therefore, condoled the family, friends and colleagues of the late victim and stressed that the Force shall uphold its mandate touching on criminal justice delivery in the most firm and speedy fashion in this instance and in other cases of this nature,” he said.

The IG advised members of the public to go about their normal activities and resist any temptation to capitalise on the incident to threaten national security as any such attempt would be firmly dealt with.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Writes Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the recent killings in Niger and Kano States of two Nigerians of Igbo extraction by Islamic extremists over alleged blasphemy of their religion, describing it as provocative and primitive.

HURIWA, in a statement jointly issued yesterday in Abuja by the National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National media Affairs Director, Miss. Zainab Yusuf, said it would forward a detailed petition to the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, “to urge the global body to specifically pass a Resolution declaring the Igbo population in Nigeria as endangered species that deserves urgent worldwide protection from the coordinated plot to bring about their extinction.”

The pro-democracy Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) said “the failure of the relevant security hierarchies in those states to promptly prevent such barbaric criminal acts and also failure to arrest, prosecute the Islamic extremists who carried out these medieval extra-legal executions of fellow citizens over unsubstantiated allegation of religious blasphemy is an invitation to anarchy and amounts to official impunity.”

The group has also carpeted the Police Commissioners and Directors of Department of State Services (DSS) for allegedly standing by and letting Nigerian citizens to be killed only because they are from the South-east.

It condemned the administration of law enforcement under the current dispensation and expressed fears that heads of security agencies are behaving as if they have orders from above to decimate Igbo citizens of South-east Nigeria.

The group is also seeking the strongest penalties for the relevant security heads in Niger and Kano who stood by and allowed the mobs to take the law into their hands by committing murders openly and in the case of Kano State where the killers paraded the streets of Kano in broad daylight with the decapitated head of the Igbo woman accused of the so-called blasphemy offence.

Also, the governor of Imo State, Chief Rochas Okorocha has received with rude shock the unfortunate report that Agbaheme was beheaded in Kano State over an unconfirmed religious argument and described the killing as the height of recklessness on the part of the perpetrators.

When the sad news was broken to him, the governor took steps to confirm the report and discovered that the woman in question was truly from Mbaitoli Local Government of the State.

In an effort to unravel the perpetrators of the heinous crime, the governor has immediately called on all relevant security agencies in Kano State to leave no stone unturned in carrying out thorough investigation into the killing of the woman, and also stop at nothing to bringing those who carried out the murder to book and pay dearly for their wicked act.

The governor has also appealed to Imo indigenes in Kano State to remain calm to enable law enforcement agents do their job by carrying out the needed investigation into the matter and also take the necessary actions.

Meanwhile, the Senator Representing Owerri Zone in the Senate, Sen. Samdaddy Anyanwu has urged relevant security agencies to immediately commence investigation into the Kano killing in order to bring the perpetrators to book.

Senator Anyanwu, who is the Senate Committee Chairman on Ethics, Privileges and Petitions, expressed dissatisfaction at the inaction of security agencies who allegedly watched as the fanatics danced around the city with the head of the slain woman.

He expressed regret at the level of religious intolerance in the northern part of the country, and described the gruesome murder of Agbaheme as a case too many while insisting that the perpetrators must not go unpunished in order not to arouse feelings of reprisals in such a religiously volatile country as Nigeria.

Buhari Promises Justice Will Be Done In Killing of Igbo Woman in Kano

Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has described as sad and regrettable the developments that led to the killing of Mrs Bridget Agbahime, an Igbo market woman in Kano.
A statement issued in Abuja on Saturday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said Buhari condoled with the husband of the deceased, Pastor Mike Agbahime, the family and relations, praying that God would give them the fortitude to bear the loss.

He also commended the law enforcement agents for apprehending the prime suspect behind the killing, as well as the Kano State government which summoned a meeting of Christian and Islamic leaders, widower of the deceased, and security agencies, as soon as the sad event occurred.

Adesina said Buhari promised that justice would be done in the matter, and urged the people not to take the law into their hands.

He equally charged those who might want to use the development to fan the embers of religious or ethnic hatred to remember that two wrongs never make a right, and that when law and order break down, the victims are never distinguished on the basis of religion or ethnicity

Power firms insist on mass disconnection of debtors

Power distribution companies say they will go ahead with mass disconnection of electricity consumers who fail to pay their bills, especially historic debtors, such as the Ministries, Departments and Agencies of the various levels of government.

This is coming despite the announcement by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission on Tuesday stopping outright disconnection of electricity to consumers by the Discos.

But the Discos said it would be wrong to stop them from continuing with the mass disconnection of debtors, declaring that nobody had the right to do that.

The Executive Director, Association of Nigeria Electricity Distributors, Mr. Sunday Oduntan, gave this indication on Friday in an interview withSUNDAY PUNCH.

He said the NERC directive must have been misinterpreted by power users to mean that the Discos had no right to disconnect electricity consumers.

Oduntan said, contrary to the impression that the regulatory agency had halted the planned action, it gave the Discos the support to carry out the mass disconnection of chronic debtors’ electricity supply.

He was, however, quick to add that the Discos would not disconnect consumers who had paid their bills alongside those that were indebted to the firms.

Oduntan said, “Nobody can stop us from disconnecting en masse because we will continue to disconnect debtors, especially chronic ones like the MDAs. If you have 100 people living in a place, two of them are paying their bills; 98 others owe debts, we will disconnect the 98 and leave the two. But if you take out the whole community, that means two people are being cheated.

“Anybody anywhere who was disconnected despite paying their bill should come forward and I assure you that we will address the issue. That advert by NERC shouldn’t have come at this time. However, it should not be misinterpreted because we don’t disconnect those who pay their bills alongside with debtors.

“The advert was ill-timed because it is capable of misleading those who did not read the whole thing. If you read the whole thing, we are on the same page. But the question is: why did they put up such advert at this time? Is it necessary at this time? The answer is no. We shouldn’t be playing to the gallery.”

Oduntan further explained that “when the Discos say they are doing mass disconnection, what we mean is that we are disconnecting historic debtors en masse. We are not saying we are taking out an entire community.”

NERC had stated that its attention was drawn to the incidence of mass disconnection of electricity supply to communities, villages, local government areas and estates by distribution companies premised on purported non-payment of electricity bills.

Condemning the development, it declared, “The commission has also banned mass disconnection of electricity customers. Therefore, any community, village, local government area or estate wrongfully disconnected from electricity supply should report to the commission for its further action. Electricity customers who pay their bills should not be disconnected via a mass disconnection of his/her community, block of flats, estate, etc.”

But the report, it was gathered, warranted complaints from the Discos as they criticised the announcement by the regulator.

In a bid to clarify the position of the regulator with respect to the announcement, the Acting Chief Executive of NERC, Dr. Tony Akah, told our correspondent that the Discos were in order.

Akah said, “The Discos are in order. If the military is owing, they should disconnect them; if the Ministry of Power is owing, they should disconnect the whole ministry. This is because debt exposes the Discos to danger. Our order says those who have paid cannot be disconnected because they are not chronic debtors.

“But I really want you to understand that our ban on mass disconnection has no link with the recent move by the Discos to disconnect their chronic debtors. We made it clear that those who had paid their bills could not be disconnected. And we said communities, estates, villages, block of flats, because we got reports that about four communities were disconnected because they did not pay their bills. That’s not acceptable.”

The NERC boss also said, “We were not reacting to the earlier move by the Discos to massively disconnect their debtors. What they were doing was in order because it is part of the regulatory mechanism that we triggered for them to be more efficient and collect their money since all transactions in the value chain must be based on contract and backed up with credit.”

But consumers have criticised NERC and the Discos, as they claimed that it was becoming glaring that both bodies were forming an alliance against power users.

The National Secretary, National Electricity Consumer Advocacy Network, a consumes pressure group established by NERC, Mr. Obong Eko, told our correspondent that the regulator had always been on the side of the Discos.

He said, “All these are contradictions that you find in a supposedly unbiased umpire. NERC is supposed to be an unbiased umpire, but the commission has been spending so much time defending the operators, particularly the Discos.

“To the amazement of Nigerians, we found out that these people are defending the Discos and that is to show that the people there are not there to protect the interest of Nigerians, but for the operators and we don’t know why this is so. From the announcement and the actions of NERC, you will see that they say what they don’t mean.

“There was an order by NERC that there should not be mass disconnection; so coming out to start giving different interpretations to that order is what we don’t understand. Mass disconnection is mass disconnection; there is no better way to interpret it.”

Usurpers can’t force me out as PDP chairman — Sheriff

Ali Modu Sheriff, new national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

The embattled chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has told the Federal High Court, sitting in Port Harcourt, that he remains the national chairman of the party.
The former Borno State governor described the caretaker committee of the party, headed by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, as “a group of usurpers and a contraption” that was set up in defiance of valid court orders.

In a certified court processes made available to reporters, in Lagos, through his lawyer, Ajibola Oluyede, Sheriff was praying the court to hold that only he, and no one else, can preside over a convention or meeting where party leaders could be chosen.
The Rivers State Chapter of the PDP had sued Sherriff, Prof. Adewale Oladipo (who was PDP’s national secretary), the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Inspector-General of Police (I-GP) and the Department of State Services (DSS) before Justice A. Liman of the court in Port Harcourt.
The judge, last week, restrained Sherriff and Oladipo from parading themselves as the chairman, secretary or members of the national executive committee or national working committee of the PDP until the suit was determined.
But, Sheriff and Oladipo, in a motion on notice, dated May 27, said those who sued them lacked “the authority and locus” to institute the suit on behalf of the party.
They also urged the court to discharge the ex-parte order restraining them from holding their office.
According to the plaintiffs, Justice Liman made the order on May 24, which is 12 days after Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos had restrained the party from conducting elections into offices of national chairman, national secretary and national auditor.
They prayed the court to hold that by a community reading of Section 223 of the 1999 Constitution and Articles 33(1) (a) and 35(1) of the PDP Constitution, only they were empowered to chair and preside over the party’s convention and all meetings, through which available national offices can be filled.chairman-

'You inspired me, thank you for everything'- Floyd Mayweather posts touching tribute to late Muhammad Ali

Boxing legend Muhammad Ali passed on early this morning at the age of 74. Floyd Mayweather, the World's richest boxer took to his IG page to pour tributes to his hero and inspiration. He wrote;

'Today my heart goes out to a pioneer, a true legend, and a hero by all means! Not a day went by entering the gym that I didn't think of you.'

'Your charisma, your charm and above all, your class are all of the elements that will be greatly missed by myself and the world. You are someone that inspired me greatly throughout my boxing journey and words cannot express how great you were as a person! Thank you for everything you've done for Black America, in the the world of sports & entertainment and for the legacy you leave behind! My sincerest condolences to the Ali family!

President Buhari is not feeling well - Premium Times reports

Premium Times is exclusively reporting that President Buhari is ill and is being treated at the presidential villa. Read part of the report below...

"The president has an infection in his left ear, otherwise called Meniere Disease, a challenge which has drastically reduced his outings in the last one week. As a result of the infection, the president now suffers hearing impairment and routinely complains of severe pains and unusual sounds from that ear, those familiar with his condition told Premium Times.

Mr. Buhari, who clocked 73 last December, was said to have confirmed it to some dignitaries who visited him in the past days, explaining to some of them that that was why he was unable to visit Lagos and Rivers as scheduled. He was also said to have told some of his guests that he was struggling to give his failing health a major attention. He is currently being treated by his personal physician and other experts from the State House Clinic, our sources said.

An official said the president might seek treatment abroad if his condition does not improve in the next few days. Despite hearing difficulty, the president, our sources said, managed to attend Jumaat service and host some important visitors, including former Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan as well as some clergymen on Friday. Presidential spokespersons could not be reached to comment for this story on Friday night. While calls to the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, failed to go through, Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant on media and publicity did not answer or return calls.

FG releases list of recovered assets, withholds names of looters

The Federal Government has finally released the interim report on funds and assets recovered from individuals who looted the nation’s treasury. According to a statement from the office of the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the total cash recoveries comes to the sum of seventy eight point three billion Naira; one hundred and eight five million point one US Dollars, three point five million Pounds, and eleven thousand Euros, from 29 May 2015 to 25 May 2016. This comes after the Federal Government failed to publish the list of individuals and the amount stolen on May 29, as earlier promised.

 Full text here: PRESS RELEASE LOOTING: FG RELEASES INTERIM REPORT ON FINANCIAL, ASSETS RECOVERIES The Federal Government made cash recoveries totaling N78,325,354,631.82 (Seventy eight billion, three hundred and twenty-five million, three hundred and fifty-four thousand, six hundred and thirty one Naira and eighty two kobo); $185,119,584.61 (One hundred and eight five million, one hundred and nineteen thousand, five hundred and eighty four US Dollars, sixty one cents); 3,508,355.46 Pounds Sterling (Three million, five hundred and eight thousand, three hundred and fifty-five Pounds and 46 Pence) and 11, 250 Euros (Eleven thousand, two hundred and fifty Euros) from 29 May 2015 to 25 May 2016. In a statement in Lagos on Saturday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, also disclosed that Recoveries Under Interim Forfeiture (cash and assets) during the period totaled N126,563,481,095.43 (One hundred and twenty six billion, five hundred and sixty three million, four hundred and eighty one thousand, and ninety five Naira, forty three Kobo; $9,090,243,920.15 (Nine billion, ninety million, two hundred and forty three thousand, nine hundred and twenty Dollars, fifteen cents; 2,484,447.55 Pounds Sterling (Two million, four hundred and eighty four thousand, four hundred and forty seven Pounds, fifty five Pence) and 303,399.17 Euros (Three hundred and three thousand, three hundred and ninety-nine Euros, 17 cents). According to the statement, which is based on the interim report on the financial and assets recoveries made by the various government agencies from 29 May 2015 to 25 May 2016, the Funds Awaiting Return From Foreign Jurisdictions total $321,316,726.1 (Three hundred and twenty one million, three hundred and sixteen thousand, seven hundred and twenty six Dollars, one cent); 6,900,000 Pounds (Six million, nine hundred thousand Pounds) and 11,826.11 Euros (Eleven thousand, eight hundred and twenty six Euros, 11 cents). It showed that Non-Cash Recoveries (Farmlands, Plots of Land, Uncompleted Buildings, Completed Buildings, Vehicles and Maritime Vessels) during the period total 239. The following is the breakdown of the recovered cash and assets: Segun Adeyemi SA to Hon Minister of Information and Culture Lagos 4 June 2016.

Segun Adeyemi SA to Hon Minister of Information and Culture Lagos 4 June 2016

Denmark thrash Siasia’s boys 6-2

Nigeria U-23s were humiliated 6-2 by Denmark in their second game at the 2016 Suwon Invitational Tournament in South Korea on Saturday.

An own-goal by Erhun Obanor and goals from Emil Larsen (hat-trick) Patrick Da Silva and Emiliano Marcondes sealed the emphatic win for the Danes.

Nigeria’s two goals were scored by substitute Taiwo Abdularahman.

The U-23 Eagles had earlier lost 1-0 to hosts South Korea in the opening game.

Their third and final game of the four-nation tournament will be against Honduras.

The early part of the game saw the Danes asking all the questions and were rewarded with a seventh minute penalty which was saved by Emmanuel Daniel.

In the 13th minute, Taiwo Awoniyi had a chance to put Nigeria ahead but his header went over the bar.

Five minutes later, a last ditch clearance from a Denmark defender prevented Awoniyi from scoring the first goal of the game.

In the 26th minute, Erhun Obanor diverted a cross into his own net to give Denmark a 1-0 lead.

Awoniyi came close to making it 1-1 but his attempt off a cross from Sincere Seth was well saved by Lukas Fernandes in goal for Denmark.

Emil Larsen scored two quick goals to put Denmark 3-0 up.

His first came in the 34th minute before adding another in the 38th minute.

On the struck of half time, the U-23 Eagles made three changes with the trio of Stanley Amuzie, Abdulrahman and Godwin Saviour replacing Effiong Ndifreke, Stanley Dimgba and Nathan Oduwa.

Six minutes into the second half, Awoniyi missed a clear chance for the U-23 Eagles.

In the 54th minute, Larsen completed his hat-trick to put Denmark 4-0 up.

Patrick Da Silva got on the score sheet on 62 minutes to make it 5-0 in favour of Denmark.

Awoniyi had a chance in the 64th minute only to see his effort come off the cross bar.

In the 73rd minute, the U-23 Eagles made another triple change with Tonbara Tiongoli, Yusuf Mohammed and Ubong Ekpai going in for Julius Emiloju, Daniel and Awoniyi.

Two minutes later, Marcondes scored to make it 6-0 in favour of Denmark.

And with five minutes left, substitute Abdulrahman got a goal back for the U-23 Eagles to make it 6-1.

Abdulrahman bagged his brace when he scored again in the 88th minute.