Shocker As Angel Di Maria Mutes Retirement Plans, Says...

Argentina attacker Angel Di Maria revealed he was close to announcing his international retirement after the Copa America Centenario final loss.

Lionel Messi quit internationals, a decision he has since reversed, in the wake of the penalty shoot-out loss to Chile in June. Reports suggested numerous players, including Di Maria, were considering doing likewise.

The Paris Saint-Germain star said he was close to international retirement after a third straight final defeat, following on from the 2014 World Cup and 2015 Copa America. “When Messi retired, I thought about doing the same,” Di Maria told TyC Sports. “You can lose a final, but three in a row, that’s something different. I thought about leaving the national team, but my wife and my father stopped me.”

However, Di Maria, 28, warned he would call it quits if Argentina tasted defeat in another final.
“I almost started therapy, but in the end I decided it was something I had to figure out by myself,” he said. “If I lose another final, that’s it.”

BIAFRA: Why IPOB is heading To ECOWAS Court

Nnamdi Kanu

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has yesterday declared its intention to head to the EDOWAS Court following the continued detention without trial of its leader and Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.

The group is heading to the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, court to seek justice, since the Nigeria judiciary cannot deliver good judgment in the matter concerning his illegal detention. IPOB in a statement signed by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Mr. Emma Powerful alleged that “the withdrawal of the trial Judge, Justice John Tsoho is also another application of delay tactics to pave way for the continued detention of Mr. Kanu and not only because he wanted to save his face from shame”, adding that “the judge is still working with the Federal Government to convict Mr. Kanu by all means”.

IPOB’s statement read in part: “We IPOB and Directorate of State, DOS, IPOB, have concluded plans to take the continued illegal detention of our leader and Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu to the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, court to seek justice for him since the courts in Nigeria have decided not to give him justice, in order to please their masters who have written the scripts the courts are playing.

“We want to tell the world that the withdrawal of the trial Judge, Mr. John Tsoho from the case is another way of continuing his detention and not only to save his name from the embarrassment he has caused himself with his role in the case. We know that he is still working with the Federal Government and Department of State Services, DSS, to convict Mr. Kanu either by hook or by crook.”

XAVI: Pep Guardiola Is Most Influential Person In Football For 10 years

Pep Guardiola 

Former Barcelona star Xavi has hailed Pep Guardiola as the most influential figure in world football in a decade.
Barca won three LaLiga titles, two Champions Leagues and two Club World Cups among a host of honours during Guardiola's four-year spell in charge between 2008 and 2012.
The former midfielder subsequently took Bayern Munich to three consecutive Bundesliga titles, as well as two DFB-Pokals, the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup, before replacing Manuel Pellegrini as Manchester City boss.

And Xavi is confident that his former coach will bring both significant success and a shift in football style to the Premier League. "Pep improved all of us," he said at the Aspire4Sports event in Amsterdam. "He teaches you the why of things and conveys a lot.
 "Plus, his way of understanding the game is the Barcelona way. He's been the most influential person in world football in the last 10 years. "If anyone can change the dynamic of English football, it's Guardiola.
He is influential, obsessive, a perfectionist. At City, they'll learn a lot from him and enjoy it, in a few months they're already starting to see his style." Guardiola won his first 10 matches as City boss before they were held to a 3-3 draw by Celtic in the Champions League and then suffered a 2-0 loss to Tottenham on Sunday.

Mario Balotelli: Klopp Told Me To Look Somewhere Else, I Said Goodbye

Balotelli 

Italian forward Mario Balotelli claims he only spoke to Jurgen Klopp on one occasion before leaving Liverpool to join Nice.
The enigmatic Italian striker has shown signs of recapturing his best form with the Ligue 1 outfit, scoring six times in five appearances. It is a far cry from his return of one league goal in each of the past two seasons for Liverpool and latterly on loan at Milan.
Balotelli's agent Mino Raiola criticised Klopp's handling of the player during his time at Anfield and the 26-year-old told Sky Italia there was little relationship to speak of between himself and the German manager.
"Klopp doesn't know me, I spoke to him once, he told me to go somewhere else, work hard and then return," Balotelli said.
"So I said goodbye to them, and that we wouldn't be seeing each other again."

Why Tinubu Should Stop Playing God-APC Youth

Tinubu

Some youth allegedly loyal to Chief Odigie-Oyegun, yesterday, besieged the national secretariat of APC in Abuja, protesting what they said was an attempt by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to enthrone himself as the “god” of the party.

The youth group asked the former Lagos governor to limit his political empire to the South-West “because Nigeria is bigger than a region or Lagos State.”They called on Tinubu “to either leave the party or curtail his greed.”
Addressing reporters, National Coordinator of APC Youth Democratic Frontiers (APCYDF), Salaudeen Lukman, said Tinubu “undermined the position of Mr. President by incessantly sponsoring the spurious ridicule of his anti- corruption fight. Each time fake stories of impropriety is written about these appointees, paid critics and activists on hire are always quick to accuse President Buhari of fighting corruption, while surrounding himself with corrupt people. But we all know this is far from the truth.
“What we learned is that Tinubu is attacking these aides of Mr. President because he believes he should have been the one who makes appointments into those positions as opposed to
what happened when Mr. President acted in national interest and cohesion to appoint tested and trusted individuals”. The group, while expressing support for the Chief Oyegun-led leadership of the APC, said: “We can no longer fold our arms, watch and allow party feudal lords to expropriate our party’s ethics simply on regional nomenclature aimed at usurping party’s national interest.”
“It should be stated categorically that we are no longer comfortable with the whims and caprices of an orchestrated Jagaban resident in Bourdilion, Lagos and directed at misdirecting our progressives party simply to achieve
egocentric empirical relevance.
“Let us state on a sad note that this overbearing tendency on the part of Tinubu is not limited to the federal level alone, he meddles in the affairs of even states that are not his home states.”

OYEGUN: Tinubu Knows The Method Of Getting Rid Of National Chairman, He Should...

Odigie Oyegin

Barely 24 hours after he shook hands with the National Leader of his party, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; All Progressives Congress, APC, National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has said that he cannot be removed from office on the pages of newspapers.

Chief Oyegun stated this while Speaking to State House correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, Odigie-Oyegun also said that APC’s victory in the Edo State governorship election showed that the masses were still very supportive of President Buhari, despite the difficult economic situation in the country.

Odigie-Oyegun’s visit to the President was against the background of the public spat between the two party leaders arising from alleged differences in the conduct of the Ondo State governorship primary of the party won by Chief Rotimi Akeredolu.
Tinubu had in a press release, penultimate Sunday, criticized Odigie-Oyegun’s act in overruling the decision of an appeal committee constituted by the party for a fresh primary, describing the national chairman as a turncoat democrat, who should resign from office.
Both men met for the first time since the party crisis on Monday at the launch of a book on President Buhari, during which they shook hands but virtually avoided each other for the rest of the day.
Questioned on the confrontation with the party leader, yesterday, Odigie-Oyegun said Tinubu used harsh words on him, even as he denied a rift between them, saying it was a difference in opinion.
The APC national chairman also said the procedure for removing a chairman was provided in the party’s constitution, adding that the National Executive Committee, NEC, would meet at the appropriate time. He said: “There is no rift with Asiwaju. We have a difference of opinion, difference of perception and I think that is normal. Yes, I agree that the nature of the statement was a bit harsh.
“The methods of getting rid of a national chairman, if that is what I will call it, are spelt out in the constitution. They don’t take place on the pages of newspapers. It is proper for them to meet and they will all meet at the appropriate time.”
On whether the handshake was a sign of true reconciliation, the chairman said: “Do they know how far back our association goes? Do they know that we were in the trenches together in the NADECO days? Why can’t people who have mutual respect for each other have different opinions?
“All we had was a difference of opinion. Yes, it was expressed a bit harshly, but that doesn’t remove the basic fact that we have worked together for a very long time.” Oyegun stated that it was only the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, that would upturn the victory of Akeredolu.
“What happened is in the report of the chairman of the primaries committee. It is only INEC that can make U-turn on Ondo,” he said. He also dismissed speculations that he imported youths to protest against Tinubu at APC secretariat in Abuja.

You Are Guilty As Charged, Tribunal Tells Godsday Orubebe

Godsday Orubebe

The Code of Conduct Tribunal, CCT, sitting in Abuja, yesterday, found former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godsday Orubebe, guilty of the allegation that he falsely declared his assets in 2007.
The tribunal, in its judgement by its Chairman, Justice Danladi Umar, said it was satisfied that Orubebe hid his ownership of Plot 2057 Asokoro District, Abuja. Umar, who maintained that there was merit in the one-count amended charge the Federal Government preferred against Orubebe, held that the said property should be forfeited to the government.
The tribunal noted that though Orubebe claimed that he had already sold the land before he submitted the assets declaration form, the title documents still had his name six years after.

BOMBSHELL: Wayne Rooney Blasts Reporters, Says I Don't Pick Myself

Manchester united and England forward Wayne Rooney has promised to accept whatever role England manager Gareth Southgate wants him to play after admitting he is tired of the debate about his best position.

Rooney has spent the best days of his glittering career as a striker, but he was deployed in midfield by then England boss Roy Hodgson at Euro 2016 after finishing last season with Manchester United in the same position. Jose Mourinho’s arrival at United to replace Louis van Gaal has seen Rooney shifted back to a more attacking berth.
However, the England captain often positioned himself in a deep-lying role in last month’s World Cup qualifier against Slovakia. That was the only match for England manager Sam Allardyce before his shock departure last week and, with interim boss Southgate preparing to name his side for Saturday’s qualifier against Malta, Rooney has been quizzed about his preferred role once again.
“I don’t know, it’s a question for Gareth,” a visibly annoyed Rooney told reporters on Tuesday.
“The question of where I’m going to play… it’s getting a bit tired the question of whether I’m going to play as a striker, in midfield or as a number 10.
“I’ve answered that question many times and it’s the same answer: I’ll play wherever the manager wants me to play.
“I don’t pick myself, I haven’t picked myself ever and I will play to instructions. “I’m sure the instructions from Gareth, whether it’s to play or not to play, are instructions I will carry out to the best of my ability.”

Rooney’s clear irritation at the constant questions compounds a difficult time for the 30- year-old at club level. Named on the bench for United’s last three matches, he arrives on England duty in the unusual position of looking for game time.
“Of course you want to play as a footballer player but it is my job, I love football and I love being involved with the team,” he said. “Obviously I’m not starting at the moment at Manchester United but I have to work hard to try to get back in the team and the starting line-up, which I’m doing, and when I get my chance I have to take it.
“But again I’m fully supportive of the team and the players, the manager and Manchester United. “Of course I want to be involved but the most important thing is that we win.” Rooney’s desire for team success is just the same at international level, where Southgate will be leaning on him to lead during this unstable period.
Understandably pleased to have been kept on as captain by his former international team-mate, Rooney hopes to repay the manager with strong performances against Malta and Slovenia over the next week.
“Of course we have to come here and be prepared to do our job,” Rooney said.
“In terms of starting again, I’m not sure. We need to build on the three points we got in the last game.
“We have to concentrate on the football, which I’m sure we will have no problem doing and the other side of it is not our issue or anything for us to be concerned about.”

Alex Iwobi Reveals How He Was Almost Dumped By Arsenal

Super Eagles and Arsenal forward Alex Iwobi also revealed he was twice almost dumped by Arsenal before turning professional. Iwobi graduated through the ranks at Hale End but his path was far from smooth. “I was almost released at 14, again at 16 and just about got a professional contract after that,” he told the London Evening Standard.

“Especially at 14, I thought I was very close to not making it. It was stressful as I was going through school, trying to balance that and make sure I was still signed for Arsenal. It was really difficult for me.
“We usually found out in December who might be kept on but I kept on getting the question ‘is he good enough?’ So they extended it to see if I could do something and it went to March and then April. Luckily I did enough.
“At 16 I got the option to leave but I always felt at home at Arsenal and that was where I wanted to be. At 16, there were a lot of good players, a few internationals in the team at a young age so it was difficult for me to stand out in the games. They always want the best and I wasn’t really up there at that age. The fact that I kept getting chances makes me feel lucky.”

Buhari Sets Up Electoral Reform Panel, Names Ex-Senate President As Chair [See Members]

Ken Nnamani 

President Muhammadu Buhari has yesterday constituted a 24-man committee to address perceived defects in Nigeria’s electoral laws and constitution.
The ocommittee is to be headed by a former Senate
President, Dr. Ken Nnamani.
The Committee, which members were drawn from Civil Society Organisations, academia, legal profession, traditional institutions, as well as former legislators, would be inaugurated tomorrow by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN.

The AGF, in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Salisu Isah, said the Constitutional/ Electoral Reform Committee was set-up as part of the effort by the Buhari-led administration to rejig the current configuration.
The statement read: ‘’The Committee is expected to review the electoral environment, laws, and experiences from recent elections conducted in Nigeria and make recommendations to strengthen and achieve the conduct of free and fair elections in Nigeria.
‘’The former Senate President, Nnamani, was okayed to head the Committee, with an expectation that he would bring his wealth of experience to bear on the reform process.’’ Dr. Mamman Lawal of Bayero University, Kano, would serve as the secretary, while other members include Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN, Dr. Clement Nwankwo, Chief A.C Ude and Mr. Tahir, the Director, Legal Drafting, Federal Ministry of Justice.

ONDO ELECTION: Fresh Crisis Looms In APC, As Top Politician Decamps To AD

A freah crisis seems to be looming in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State as some notable leaders of the
party kicked against the choice of Mr Agboola Ajayi as the running mate of the party’s candidate, Mr Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN.

This is coming as one of the frontline aspirants in the September 3 governorship primaries, Olusola Oke dumped the APC for Alliance for Democracy, AD.
Oke said he has the support of APC leaders to contest for the governorship election on the platform of the AD. Meanwhile, APC leaders who kicked against Agboola as deputy governor include Hon Bola Ilori and a septuagenarian, Chief Samuel Ikujuni. They said the choice of Ajayi as the deputy governorship candidate would spell doom for the party if the leadership failed to substitute him before the deadline allowed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

They said: “Even when the NWC just upheld the fraudulent primaries that produced Akeredolu, the nexus of fraud in the party is trying to perpetrate another fraud to enforce the initial fraud. And while we are still on the fraudulent primaries through fake delegates and delegates’ list padding that produced
Akeredolu as the candidate, another fraud is also being foisted on the party as the deputy governor. This is a man whose election was annulled by the courts for certificate forgery.”

They said that Ajayi should not be allowed as the running mate because he is from Kiribo in Eseodo Local Government, the same town and Council Area of the mother of Akeredolu.

Why I left APC — OKE
Meanwhile, Oke said his “defection was necessitated by the injustice perpetrated by some leaders of the party over the primary election of the party.” Oke said: “I was the first person to raise alarm over the giant fraud in that primary. I was later vindicated by the appeal committee which ruled that the primary be cancelled and a new one conducted where a popular candidate will emerge. But Oyegun and his cabal proceeded to submit that name to the INEC thereby killing the dream and the vision of Ondo state people in APC to have a true change they have been yearning for.”

Oke is a political harlot — APC
Reacting to Oke’s defection to the Alliance for Democracy, AD, the APC described him as a “political harlot, who jumps around from one party to another for selfish interest.” The party, however, assured its members across the state that the defection “will not affect the chances of the party in the November 26, governorship poll.”
Labour Leaders endorse Jegede to succeed Mimiko
Similarly, Labour leaders in Ondo State have thrown their weight behind the candidature of the Mr Eyitayo Jegede.
The labour leaders expressed their confidence in the ability of Jegede to deliver on his electioneering campaign promises at a meeting the PDP standard-bearer held with head teachers across the state at the Labour House in Akure, the Ondo State capital at the weekend.

Present at the meeting were representatives of head teachers across the state in their hundreds who used the forum to bare their minds on expectations from Mr Jegede if elected as Governor Mimiko’s successor.
Speaking through its State Publicity Secretary, Abayomi Adesanya, the party said none of his core members defected along with him to AD.
“We are relieved that Oke has finally left our great party, we can now sleep with our two eyes closed. The fear of mole in our party has vanished, we can now hold political discussion without fear of betrayal. “This forthcoming elections will be a contest of integrity versus valueless images, we are sure that the people of Ondo State are watching and they ready to follow the path of integrity. We thank God that our party is finally free from pretenders, those who love their ambitions than the good people of Ondo State.”

Meanwhile, the candidate of the PDP in the state, Eyitayo Jegede, SAN, said that the party would defend her vote during the forthcoming election.

Again Mario Balotelli Shows His Ugly Side Despite Scoring Dramatic Late Winner

Italian forward Mario Balotelli scored a brilliant late winner before being sent off in stoppage time against Lorient as Nice moved top of Ligue 1 with a dramatic 2-1 victory.

The 86th-minute strike, a superb finish into the top corner after being set up by Wylan Cyprien flick, gave Lucien Favre's men a win that moved them back above Monaco at the top of the table. That looked like the perfect response from Balotelli after he was left out of Giampiero Ventura's Italy squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Spain and Macedonia despite a start to the season that has seen him score six goals in all competitions.

However, after being booked for removing his shirt as he celebrated the winner, the former Liverpool striker controversially received a second yellow card in the second minute of stoppage-time, apparently for moving his head in the direction of opponent Steven Moreira, who had just conceded a foul.
The late drama came after Lorient had pegged back Nice after they had taken a lead through Ricardo Pereira's low strike, which goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte should have kept out on 11
minutes. Lorient's equaliser came on 61 minutes, a neat passing move resulting in Benjamin Moukandjo sliding in his finish after Mohamed Mara's throughball.
The visitors also had a shot deflect off the crossbar, but it was Balotelli who went on to steal the limelight.

Barcelona Manager Luis Enrique Takes Responsibility, Defends Goalkeeper Over Loss

Luis Enrique

Barcelona manager Luis Enrique has sought to take responsibility for Barcelona's 4-3 loss at Celta Vigo on Sunday following an error-strewn display from goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

The German's individual mistakes had a major influence on the outcome as the champions suffered their second defeat in seven LaLiga matches so far this season. But former Celta coach Luis Enrique attempted to shift the blame away from the 24-year-old shot- stopper following a result that left Barca fourth, two points behind leaders Atletico Madrid going into the international break. "The defeat is for everyone," he told Barca TV.

"First for me, myself, I am the one responsible for the team. Now we have to pick ourselves up. "It was an important day for us as we had the chance to go top and we did not take advantage
of it.
"We started the game well and in the first 15 minutes I was pleased, but from then on we entered a negative dynamic and began to lose individual duels in which they got the better of
us. "The players are not machines, we must pick ourselves up and compete in the next game." Luis Enrique also defended his decision to name Andres Iniesta among the substitutes at Estadio
de Balaidos.
"Do not [ask] the easy question now," he was quoted as saying by Canal+. "I have to decide before the game, not after. I do not regret anything. I accept it as part of my job."
Pressed on the impact of Ter Stegen's mistakes, he added: "Another easy question. Barcelona's goalkeepers always have to [take] risks. Today all the team has lost. There is much to improve." Barca are back in action at home to Deportivo La
Coruna on October 15

How Oshiomhole Retired Edo Godfathers

With Yesterday’s victory of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Edo State governorship election, it is likely to mark the
retirement of some political godfathers in the “Heartbeat State” by a new power bloc led by the outgoing governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

The godfathers, mostly of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party and who hitherto called the shots, rating ahead of the poll had presented them as men who could turn the table against the ruling party. They include former chairman of PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Chief Tony Anenih; business mogul and the Esama of Benin Kingdom, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion; his son and former governor, Lucky; former Foreign Affairs minister, Chief Tom Ikimi; former Minister of Works, Mr. Mike Onolememen; former Chief of Staff to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Chief Mike Oghiadome; media mogul, Chief Raymond Dokpesi and Senator Odion Ugbesia.

The party bigwigs had during the campaigns boasted that they will cut Oshiomhole, his anointed successor and APC to size. But in a twist of fate, Oshiomhole, like the Biblical David in the David and Goliath battle, led his party to trounced his PDP rivals for the third time – 2008 (through the court), 2012 and 2016 and thereby confirmed his preelection position that the political godfathers have outlived their relevance in Edo State politics.

Anenih popularly called “Mr. Fix It,” had boasted before the election that the PDP will emerge tops. He not only predicted victory for his party but assured its supporters that PDP candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu will have an easy ride because his rival lacks the capacity to be governor. But with the defeat, the former Minister of Works and leader of the PDP in Edo State was forced to swallow his words and justifies appeal on the self- acclaimed godfather ahead of the poll to rather dwell more on national politics and play the role of an elder statesman, than take the captainship band of domestic politics.
 In fact, some political analysts had advised him to take a final bow from an indulgence that gave him fame having stepped down as PDP BoT chairman after the 2015 elections but he shunned the counsel, insisting that he still has what it takes to turn the table against Oshiomhole. Another godfather who is likely to join Anenih on the retirement train is the Esama of Benin, Chief Igbinedion, and whose son, Lucky, ruled the state between 1999 and 2007. Perhaps, the people have not forgotten his son’s dismal performance in the eight years he held sway as governor of Edo State.
 For Igbinedion junior, the loss is a set back to his bid to re-launch a political career that has been on sabbatical after his ordeal in the hands of the anti-graft agencies upon leaving office as governor in 2007. He had boasted that Oshiomhole’s successor will emerge from his political family. Ize-Iyamu, the PDP candidate is his long term political ally, having served as his personal assistant when he was the chairman of Oredo Local Government Area, Chief of Staff as governor and later Secretary to the State Government (SSG). Ikimi also joins the train despite his political sagacity. His case is made worse by the fact that he was among those who midwifed the victorious party – APC. He had hoped to lead the party to the 2015 elections as national chairman but the emergence of his kinsman, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, at the party’s national put paid to his ambition as well as forced him to quit the party. While the godfathers are grieving their loss, a jubilant Oshiomhole declared that he has demystified them and dismantled their rigging machinery as well.
His words: “Over the last eight years, we have tried to orientate our people not just the voters but politicians that the season of election rigging, where one or two godfathers write the results is over and we were committed todismantling the rigging machine. “We have a rerun in 2012 with all the godfathers on one side and new forces of change on my side, I won in all the 18 local government areas. Our people have spoken loud and clear that they believe in democracy, they just don’t want to be beneficiaries, they want to be the drivers of the process. This was showed by the way they conducted themselves on election day.

“It is outstanding and remarkable that tensed as the election was with all the predictions, the APC won 15 out of the 18 local government areas decisively. Those who were loudest in making noise have been revealed where they stand in relation with Edo people. “We have humbled Chief Tom Ikimi even in the local government he claimed to have created. We defeated Chief Raymond Dokpesi in his polling unit, his ward and his local government.

In Okada, the political family that has boasted that they will continue to govern this state and even compelled the state to adopt them as the queen of England whose birthday must be celebrated was rejected. “In Esan land, the senatorial zone of the PDP godfather, we won two out of the five local governments. We gave him a fight that he managed to escape. He used the factor of his age to play on the emotion of the people. It is a victory for the people of the state. Edo people are now proud they can now determine who rules them and no one godfathers can choose a leader for them.”
New Telegraph.

Again Mourinho Is Blaming Someone, Says Fixtures Like Poison Gifts

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho described his team's hectic fixture list as a "poisoned gift". Mourinho's men are set for a busy run after the international break, with five matches in 13 days.

The Portuguese tactician, whose team beat Zorya 1-0 in the Europa League on Thursday, said it would be a difficult period for his side. "Well, we could play Liverpool on the Saturday, we could play Liverpool on the Sunday, but we play Liverpool on the Monday [October 17]," Mourinho said.
"So maybe we don't have the best conditions especially because we play against two top Premier League teams that don't play in European competitions. "We have this kind of poisoned gift of playing on the Monday that creates a very difficult situation, but we want to try to qualify for the next round.
"It's a long time to go, almost a month, but we want to try so we play against Fenerbahce with a team with the possibility to beat Fenerbahce." United sit third in Group A after their win, a point
behind leaders Fenerbahce and level with Feyenoord. Mourinho feels there is little he can do about the fixtures, saying: "I think it's impossible. The poisoned gift is already there.
"So what can we do? We have to just play on Monday and then Thursday and then Stamford Bridge on the Sunday.
"But before that we have Stoke, so let us concentrate on Stoke."

Iheanacho, Iwobi Nominated For European Player Award, See List

The duo of Nigeria's Kelechi Iheanacho of Manchester City and  Alex Iwobi of Arsenal have been nominated for the 2016 Golden Boy Award.
Fellow young footballers like Marcus Rashford of Manchester United, and Dele Alli of Tottenham Hotspur are among the 40 nominees for the 2016 Golden Boy award, run by the Italian newspaper, Tuttosport and awarded to Europe’s most impressive
footballer under the age of 21.

The award, founded in 2003, relates to performances across a particular calendar year, with the winner decided by a panel of 30 journalists.
Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Paul Pogba, and Raheem Sterling are past winners, while Manchester United’s Anthony Martial claimed the prize last year.
Iheanacho’s Manchester City are currently flying high this season, and are yet to lose a game with the 19-year-old already contributing goals for the Citizens both in the Premier League and in the Champions League.
Iwobi’s Arsenal have also had great shows in recent weeks, having started the season with a home loss to Liverpool. The Nigerian international returned from injury to reclaim his spot as a first team regular for the Gunners.

The list in full:
Dele Alli (Tottenham), Marco Asensio (Real Madrid), Leon Bailey (Genk), Riechedly Bazoer (Ajax), Gabriel Boschilia (Monaco), Julian Brandt (Bayer Leverkusen), Carlos Fernandez (Sevilla),
Andreas Christensen (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Kingsley Coman (Bayern Munich), Ante Coric (Dinamo Zagreb), Amadou Diawara (Napoli), Mahmoud Dahoud (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Danilo Barbosa (Benfica), Moussa Dembélé (Celtic), Ousmane Dembélé (Dortmund), Gianluigi Donnarumma (Milan), Breel Embolo (Schalke), Gabriel Barbosa (Internazionale), Aleksandr Golovin (CSKA Moscow), Goncalo Guedes (Benfica), Demarai Gray (Leicester), Marko Grujic (Liverpool), Alen Halilovic (Hamburg), Kelechi Iheanacho
(Manchester City), Alex Iwobi (Arsenal), Viktor Kovalenko (Shakhtar Donetsk), Ruben Loftus- Cheek (Chelsea), Lucas Hernández (Atlético Madrid), Emanuel Mammana (Lyon), Nathan (Vitesse), Olivier Ntcham (Genoa), Marcus Rashford (Manchester United), Renato Sanches (Bayern Munich), Jairo Riedewald (Ajax), Rúben Neves (Porto), Tonny Sanabria (Real Betis), Leroy Sané (Manchester City), Jonathan Tah (Bayer Leverkusen), Youri Tielemans (Anderlecht), Almamy Touré (Monaco).

War Of Words As Falana Again Blasts Soludo, Says He Won't Apologize

Falana and Soludo.

Renowned lawyer amd SAN, Femi Falana, has yesterday referred
to former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Charles Chukwuma Soludo's demand for an apology as a joke over his questioning of the management of the country’s foreign reserves during his tenure at the apex bank.

The legal luminary again  questioned the management of Nigeria’s foreign reserves by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, under the leadership of Soludo.

Mr. Falana had petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on allegations of diversion of public funds from the Federation Account and the nation’s Foreign Reserves.
He also accused the CBN under Mr. Soludo of illegally transferring $7 billion to 14 commercial banks in 2006, an allegation the former CBN chief denied and described as laughable.
But in a swift reaction,  Mr. Soludo said Mr. Falana’s outburst was based on ignorance of how the bank was run. The former CBN chief also demanded an apology.

But in another statement on Wednesday, Falana said the statement issued by the CBN management on the subject matter buttressed his point.
“For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to reiterate that it was the management of the CBN which claimed to have given out its own “share” of 7 billion dollars from the foreign reserves estimated at 38 billion dollars at the material time. “Is Professor Soludo insisting that CBN under his management was entitled to any ‘share’ of the nation’s foreign reserves?

“In any case, whether it was a deposit or its own share of the foreign reserves, did the CBN ever announce that the deposit had been paid back to the foreign reserves which belong to the three tiers of government?
“If there is nothing to hide, why did the CBN ignore the request of the Civil Society Network Against Corruption for information on the ‘deposit’ of 7 billion dollars?
“As far as Soludo is concerned, these allegations are laughable and betray a lack of knowledge of how a bank such as CBN works. “Has AMCON not been set up to recover those loans and deposits running to several trillions of Naira? For goodness sake, how does a CBN work outside the ambit of the Constitution and the Central Bank Act, 2007?,”Falana asked.
“Frankly speaking, I am of the view that Professor Soludo’s demand for an apology is a joke since it was the CBN management under him that claimed to have given its own ‘share’ of $7 billion to the 14 banks.”
Vanguard.

FG To Reintroduce History Into School Curriculum

Mallam Adam Adam 

The Federal Government has yesterday called for immediate reintroduction of history as a subject into Nigerian school curriculum.

The Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, made this known in Abuja, while addressing delegates of the 61st Meeting of the National Council on Education Ministerial Session.
He also appealed to the Council to consider making the study of Christian Religious Knowledge and the study of Islamic Religious Knowledge compulsory for both Christians and Muslims to
the end of Senior Secondary School.
Adamu said reintroduction of history as a subject on its own in basic schools will give the Nigerian Child a self identity on who they really are. He added that Nigeria owe both the present and future generations the responsibility of removing all inhibitions against opportunities of acquiring morals and ethics as taught in the religious traditions.

The minister continued saying,  “It is only the study of history, our own history that can explain and give meaning to our very humanity and that is why we must study it and teach our little ones, it is also not enough that they merely know who they are,we must teach them about their God, since it is said that if you want to destroy any nation it is either first the family is destroyed, then the education is destroyed and the third the social morals be destroyed and in Nigeria we owe both
the present and future generations the responsibility to remove all inhibitions against making our children acquire morals and ethics.”

How 25-Year-Old Okiemute Won Project Fame Season 9 [Photos]

Okiemute Ighorodje, 25, has been announced as the winner of the MTN Project fame Season 9 amidst hysteria among her teeming fans in Nigeria and across Africa.

After 8 weeks of hard work, smiles, tears and all emotions, the Project Fame Season 9 has wrapped up and Okiemute has joined the prestigious Hall Of Fame of Project Fame West Africa. Okemutie will be preparing painstaking for her debut song in the mainstream music industry in Nigeria which is highly competitive but lucrative.

See more photos:

Rumble In APC As Tinubu Blasts Oyegun, Calls For His Resignation

Tinubu

Former governor of Lagos, Senator Bola Tinubu has chided the All Progressive Party (APC) National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun over his submission of Rotimi Akeredolu's name to INEC as the party's flag bearer in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ondo State.

All Progressives Congress, APC national leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demanded the resignation of the national chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun who he claimed Sunday had derailed from the path of progressives.

In a stinking communiqué from his media office, Tinubu accused Oyegun of sabotaging the will of democracy in Ondo State by overriding the decision of the appeal panel that asked for a fresh governorship primary following investigations that showed that the delegates’ list used had been tampered with. Tinubu in the communiqué further alleged that Oyegun’s action in allegedly subverting the will of the people was not of his doing, saying that for a man of the age of the national chairman to have done what he did that he must have been under the influence of a “powerful and sinister arm at work.”

Tinubu who said that the APC was now under threat of being suffocated by anti-democratic forces pretending to be progressives, said: “The APC, a party born of the quest for democratic good governance, is under critical threat by those who managed to be in the party but never of it.

From the party’s inception, the principles of democratic fairness and justice were to guide APC internal deliberations. Party founders realized that only by intramural fair dealing could the party remain faithful to the progressive ideals that we presented to the Nigerian electorate as our governing creed. If the party could not justly govern itself, it would find it difficult to establish and maintain just government throughout the nation.

“In essence, the party was the embodiment of a democratic promise made between its members as well as a democratic vow made to the public. Evidently, some errant members believe promises and vows are mere words to be easily spoken and more easily broken. Chairman John Oyegun has breached these good pledges in a most overt and brazen display.

In doing so, Oyegun has dealt a heavy blow to the very party he professes to lead. It is an awful parent who suffocates his own child for the sake of a few naira. The party was supposed to buttress APC members elected to government at all levels. Because of Oyegun’s conduct of our affairs, the party is rapidly becoming an albatross to those it was meant to help.

“Oyegun’s comportment regarding the Ondo State primary will become the textbook definition of political treachery and malfeasance of the basest order. In early September, the state primary was held. A purported winner was named. Having faith in the ways of the party, Tinubu publicly accepted what he assumed to be a verdict honestly derived.

As a democrat, one must face the possibility of defeat and accept such as outcome with as much grace as one would embrace victory. One of the few bright spots during the conduct of the primaries was Jigawa Governor, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar. He chaired the primary convention with decorum and impartiality. He was unaware that a tampered list had been slipped into the process. “Indeed within hours of the announcement, news began to filter in that gravely disturbed me. Credible allegations of fraud troubled the waters.

The delegate list had been materially altered by someone in a strategic position to so do. The names of over 150 valid delegates were excised to make room for an equal number of impostors. This was not a clerical error. The alteration was wilfully executed that the primary would be directed toward a chosen end that bore nothing in common with the will of most state party members. A cunning few had tried to deceive the
many into believing they were outnumbered.

“A conspiracy to steal the Ondo primary had been uncovered. Fortunately, the grand deception afoot had been unable to cover its tracks fast enough. Truth began to cry for justice.
“Several candidates filed petitions contesting the result. The party established an investigative board to review the evidence. In a two to one decision, the panel found the delegate roster had suffered tampering. The panel recommended that
a new primary should be held using the valid delegate list. This recommendation was tabled before the National Working Committee (NWC). “After many hours of deliberations spanning
several days, a final vote was held by the NWC. Before hand, NWC members agreed that the decision of the majority would become the stance of the party. Such is the way of democracy.

The NWC voted six against five to cancel the fraudulent results and hold an honest primary. For a moment, it seemed the party would restore its integrity by giving democracy a chance. However, those who sought to scam an entire state would not let the vote of 11 people spoil their enterprise. “After the NWC vote, a noticeably agitated Chairman Oyegun proposed the NWC engage in prayer before concluding the meeting. Adhering
to this chairman’s request, NWC members began to pray. Seeing that the others had taken his bait, Oyegun used the prayerful interlude to secretly excuse himself from the meeting.
Contravening the NWC decision and in violation of all rules of fundamental decency, Oyegun decided to safeguard the fraud done in Ondo by perpetrating a greater fraud. Oyegun arrogated to himself the right to submit the name of Rotimi Akeredolu to INEC as the candidate of the party.

ANTONIO CONTE: Why Chelsea Risk Another Mid-Table Finish

Chelsea Manager Antonio Conte has stressed Chelsea must improve after their 3-0 defeat the hands of Arsenal or risk ending up in mid-table once more.

Chelsea had to settle for 10th place in the Premier League in 2015-16 after a hugely underwhelming season and brought in Conte in order to guide them back to the Champions League places. Nevertheless, the former Italy boss has admitted they still have plenty of work to do.
"We must improve a lot of if we want to stay up [at the top] and not in the middle of the table," said the Italian.
"But my message is not important. The most important message is the one that arrives on the pitch. We must all understand this message, and find very soon the right solution to improve. "I don't sleep [after a loss like against Arsenal], I don't sleep for two nights. When I don't sleep, I reflect. And it's important to reflect.
"I got angry at half-time but I prefer to keep my words. There are rules in the dressing room. Sure I was angry but my players were also angry. We were not satisfied with our game, with
our performance.
"I have to find the solution very, very soon because against Arsenal we played a very bad game." The reverse at Emirates Stadium made it three winless top-flight matches for Chelsea, who sit eighth.

Toure's Agent Vs Pep Guardiola: Fight Get Messier

Yaya Toure's agent Dimitri Seluk has launched a fresh attack on Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, urging the club to intervene and tell him the midfielder is considered as "family" at the Etihad Stadium.

Seluk previously slammed the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich head coach for "humiliating" Toure by leaving him out of his first-team plans and the club's Champions League squad, before going on to talk down the Catalan's coaching achievements at his old clubs. Guardiola has said Toure will not play for him again at City until he and the club's players receive an apology from the midfielder over his representative's remarks. But Seluk has already insisted he will not be saying sorry and feels there is nothing wrong with questioning Guardiola's decision to only play Toure once this season - against Steaua Bucharest in August.

The agent feels owner Sheikh Mansour and chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak must act, saying to The Sun: "They must say to Guardiola, 'Yaya is our family' - how is it possible to speak like
this? "It is not correct to do that. It is not correct to give up on a top-class player. But this is his decision - he is a good coach but his personality is s***.

"If Yaya is on the field or not, everyone will ask, 'What is this decision from Guardiola?' Normally a person cannot make a decision like this. "And it is England, not North Korea or Afghanistan - so people will discuss whether it is right and they will have their opinions. "It is necessary to remember that Yaya, when he was in Barcelona, played as a defender and they won against Man United [in the 2009 Champions League final].

"It is very strange. All supporters like Guardiola but my opinion is that supporters also see that Yaya gave City a lot. They won the title two times with him and won cups. "We'll see what Pep does. Many people don't understand how it is possible to do what he has done with players."

Seluk insisted Toure would see out his contract until the end of the season unless City approach him and reach acceptable terms to get his client to leave the Etihad Stadium, while again questioning the acclaim received by Guardiola, who has won 10 straight matches since taking charge.

"He has a contract until June and he will stay," continued Seluk.
"If they want him to leave they must make a conversation with me and then it is if we agree. "Okay, Guardiola has won matches this season, so everyone must only see his fantastic football.
But his personality is far from great. I repeat the message from everywhere that he has been from Barcelona to Bayern Munich. Many people don't like him.

"When Yaya came to the club they spent only £20million on players, not Guardiola who comes and buys three or four big signings - maybe he'll spend £1billion on players.
"After that he will say it is very difficult and £1bn is not enough. If he comes to West Brom would he win the title?
"[Claudio] Ranieri, [Ronald] Koeman and [Mauricio] Pochettino show what is possible with less money. It is more easy with half a billion pounds."

Arsene Wenger Explains Theo Walcott's Role, Calls Him...

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has stressed he always believed in Theo Walcott, but has admitted the attacker has not developed as initially expected when he rose to prominence. Walcott was dealt a major blow when he was left out of England's squad for Euro 2016, but has impressed in the opening stages of the 2016-17 campaign, scoring three times in six Premier League outings.

"Theo is a special case; at 16 he went with England to the World Cup in 2006, now we are in 2016 and he has still not played at a World Cup," Wenger told the club's official website. "It was a big blow for Walcott not to go to the Euros. I spoke with him about the disappointment of not going with England.
"He has matured and, when a player survives these disappointments after what you have promised at 16 and the way he dealt with the situations, I always thought there was something special in this guy.

"I always felt there was character in this boy and intelligence. Walcott used to be 90 per cent forward and 10 per cent defending - now he does it 50-50 and does the job in both ways
with commitment."

FINANCE MINISTER: I Can't Say When Recession Will End, But...

Mrs Kemi Adeosun 

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has said that she cannot predict exactly when the nation will get out of the current economic recession.
She went further saying that some of the efforts of the government to reflate the economy had started yielding results. The minister made views known in an interview in Abuja, stated, “I don’t want to predict when we will get out of recession. Let me tell you that we will get into growth and that’s how you get out of recession, because of the stimulus that we are providing.

“And it may take longer than we would like, but we will definitely get out of it. We are already seeing some positive signs in agriculture and solid minerals;and with what we are trying to do with other sectors, I am very sure we will get out of it soon.”

The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, had last week stated that the country would start getting out of recession by the fourth quarter of the year. He had said, “We are already in the valley, the only direction is to go up the hill and the government is doing everything possible to ensure that we move up the hill. I am optimistic that based on the actions being taken by the monetary and fiscal authorities, the fourth quarter results will show evidence that we have started to move out of recession.
“The worst is over. The Nigerian economy is on the path of recovery and growth. So, please if you are a bystander or sideliner, you are losing; join the train now before it
leaves the station.”

Why Houses In Lagos, Abuja Have No Tenants, See Shocking Revelations

Amid increasing glut in the Nigeria’s property market as a result of the economic recession currently facing the country, the Chief Executive Officer of Sujimoto Construction Limited, a Lagos-based real estate development company, Mr. Sijibomi Ogundele, has revealed that the surge in the number of empty apartments in Ikoyi, Lagos, is due to over pricing.

Ogundele added that this disturbing phenomenon must have prompted the well- informed and educative research publication of economy watch, Financial Derivatives Company Limited recently, which informed that “The number of vacant properties in the upper class real estate neighbourhoods of Lekki, Victoria Island and Ikoyi has risen by 72 percent over the last 18 months”. Ogundele who is fondly called Sujimoto, said the cost of construction is usually padded, warning prospective property investors to beware.

According to him, “This has become a motto on a whole new level for prospective investors, who seek the very much-deserved value for money. To avoid drawing hasty conclusions and to guide our investment choices, investors should only listen to industry experts and verifiable perspectives as seen in the FDC research, and avoid the bandwagon of those listening to jaundiced opinions, which are quite popular.

“For example, the fact that former UK Prime Minister David Cameron said Nigeria was fantastically corrupt, does not in fact mean each and every Nigerian is corrupt. Also, the fact that a few celebrities find themselves enmeshed in marital problems does not mean that the marital life of every Nigerian is in danger. “To put this more clearly, apartments that should not cost more than 100 million naira, are costing investors 400 million naira to construct. Therefore, owners have no other choice than to let out the apartment at 40 million naira, transferring the padded cost of construction to tenants. What is the difference between Ipekere locally fried plantain chips sold in remote areas and the same plantain chips sold in urban areas?

“Have you ever wondered why a good meal prepared in Ijebu Ode would cost lesser than one sold in Lagos? An estimated rental for an apartment in Ikoyi is about $80,000. The same
apartment in Lekki would cost $30,000. What do you think makes the difference? Value in terms of price, quality and location put together in the same place. If location is a fundamental principle in real estate, how much more luxury real estate?”, Ogundele stated. Describing the situation as a case of quality versus quantity, said “A developer who compromises on quality of materials, no matter how highbrow the property’s location, has no right to place an exorbitant price on it. Thus, the argument for demand exceeding supply, as far as empty apartments in Ikoyi go, is unfounded.

“Luxury apartments are in high demand. Poorly finished buildings with exorbitant prices constitute the pile of empty apartments constantly being alluded to. Consider this: Are developments such as Tango Towers and Ultimate Towers in Ikoyi, empty? If such developments are not empty, imagine what would happen when the LorenzoBySujimoto with its high-end features, state-of-the-art facilities, exceptional returns on investment and competitive pricing, is completed?

“I once pointed out that luxury is not expensive. It is the intention to deliver luxury that is expensive. While the cost of a nice three-bedroom apartment in Johannesburg would go for about $350,000, the same apartment in Ikoyi would want $1 million. If the cost of construction materials is the same all over the world, the price of marble, granite, cement, tiles, kitchen, doors, paints etc, why is cost in Nigeria about 300 per cent higher?
“You cannot offer a Toyota for the price of a Bentley. One might argue that both cars will eventually ply the same road but the efficiency and prestige of a Bentley speaks for itself. Luxury sells itself. For us at Sujimoto, our biggest marketers are our clients. Listen, I have sold crap before and I have sold luxury and I can tell you from experience that it is easier to sell luxury than crap.
“When you sell luxury, you sell peace of mind, you have not only sold something that would last for generations, but you win the heart of your client who now becomes your evangelist. With the oil price plummeting, and major economies across the world experiencing down turn, individuals and organizations no longer have loose money to throw around. And with the current downsizing by companies, prospective tenants demand full value for their hard-earned money.

“Nigerian developers must realise that times have changed. The quick fix, quick gain syndrome has ended. Real estate developers who fail to understand that the current investors and real estate enthusiasts are upbeat about quality and finishing having seen same from their travels around the world. “If we desire to be the best and want to compete with foreign developers such as the
Germans, Lebanese and Italians that have spent decades mastering their craft, we will need to raise our standards in the Nigerian construction market. Or else, one day we would
wake up to find all our apartments empty”, Ogundele warned.

Vanguard.

Nigerian Leaders Are Doing Poorly Due To Bad Teachers- Ex Speaker Dimeji Bankole

Dimeji Bankole 

One-time Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Dimeji Bankole has said that the poor leadership being experienced from the current crop of Nigerian leaders are as a result of bad teachers.
The Ogun state born ex-Speaker continued saying that the future of the country is bleak, adding that the current bad leaders in the country were produced by bad teachers years back.
Hon. Bankole made this known while at the second distinguished guest lecture of the Year 2016 Registry Day of the Federal College of Education, FCE, Abeokuta. Lecturing on: “Teachers’ Quality,
Competitiveness and Employability: Defining the roles for College Administrators and Academics,” Bankole said Nigerians have the potential to change the country and further influence global development in a big way.
The former Speaker observed “The future is not looking good. There is a major problem. The government cannot pay salary and pension. If Nigeria is bad today. If we have leadership problem , it is because of the bad teachers. Nigeria needs to be rebranded”, he said. Bankole while lamenting on the challenges facing the education, said, “at present, to gain admission into universities and Polytechnics, students must achieve pass marks at or above the cut-off points of 160-180.

“On the same scale of measurement, the cut-off point for admission to a College of Education is 130. This means that the system is pre- disposed to select poorer academic performers to train as teachers for our children. “If we are selecting poorer academic performers to train and teach our students, how can we expect our students to be high achievers,if all through their formative academic years, they are separated from the brightest minds and not forced to push themselves past the standards and achievements of individuals who are unable to gain admission into university?,” Bankole queried.
While submitting that the result has been having that “In Nigeria at present our school standards are being set by poorer performing students. This is a major problem! Why are we letting this happen?
“This is no joking matter. Our Colleges of Education should have the highest cut-off points, attract the smartest students, because
they matter too much for the future of this country,”he concluded.

Arsene Wenger Hails Arsenal, Explains How He Overcame Chelsea

Arsene Wenger praised a "committed and disciplined" performance from Arsenal as they ended their league hoodoo against Chelsea with a comprehensive 3-0 win.
The Gunners had not beaten Chelsea in the Premier League since October 2011, and had failed to score in their last six league meetings. That all changed on Saturday at Emirates Stadium, where goals from Alexis Sanchez and Theo Walcott inside the opening 15 minutes settled the nerves, Mesut Ozil adding the third five minutes before the break.

It was the fourth league win in succession for Wenger's men and lifts them to third in the table after six matches, leaving the Frenchman delighted with the level of performance from his squad.
"I am very happy," he told BT Sport. "The inconvenient facts were there and we needed to change the recent history. We did it with style and steel. That's what we wanted.
"We were committed and disciplined and that is not so easy to find that balance in these kind of games. Overall I believe our collective rhythm was very good to give them problems.
"We want to play this kind of game, based on technical quality and pace. I hope this kind of performance convinces the players that we are on the right path. We still have some room for
improvement."
Wenger gave particular praise to central defensive duo Laurent Koscielny and Shkodran Mustafi after they barely gave Diego Costa a kick.
"They [the two centre-backs] had an outstanding performance," he said. "Both of them [were] committed and intelligent, technically sound, so overall I am very pleased." It was not all good news for Arsenal, Francis Coquelin limping off injured after 32 minutes. The midfielder missed a significant chunk of last season with a knee ligament problem, and Wenger hopes this latest setback will not be as severe.
"It is a knee problem," he confirmed. "It is in the same place he had last year. "So I hope he is not out as long as last year."

RECESSION: Why We Won't Sell Assets- FG

Photo credit: Vanguard 

The Federal Government has yesterday clarified on the raging controversy over the sale of the Nation's assets.
The clarification was made known through a statement released by the Minister of Budget and National planning,  Senator Udoma Udo Udoma.

The minister said in the statement, “The primary objective of government’s fiscal stimulus plan is not to sell off all major critical national assets but to source immediate funds to reflate the economy and implement capital projects in the
2016 budget. Udoma is said to have given the explanation in Lagos at the weekend while briefing newsmen on the forthcoming Nigeria Nigerian Economic Summit coming up next month. Udoma said: “The government needs to inject a large dose of funds into the system to get the economy back on track
and to faithfully implement those provisions in the capital budget tailored at reflating the economy and aiding the
diversification process.
“The country has lost almost half of its expected revenue and would need to urgently source the shortfall to enable the government to faithfully implement the budget.
“This unfortunate scenario prompted the Economic Management Team to urgently work out a fiscal stimulus plan to generate immediate large injection of funds into the economy through asset sales, advance payment for license rounds, infrastructure concessioning, use of recovered funds, among others, to
reduce the funding gap.
“The other option would have been to source for additional loans, beyond the level of borrowing already projected for in the 2016 Budget. This would not be a wise option as it would raise the level of debt service to an unsustainable level.
“But the government is exploring several angles in the asset sales proposal including repurchase options, which will make provision for buy-back of those assets when the situation improves. The Minister insisted that the country’s
economy would not have gone into recession but for the drastic fall in oil production levels due to disruptions caused by militant activities.

TIPS: Choose Any Of These Periods To Ask A Girl Out, She Won't Say No

If you have ever been wondering the best and appropriate time to ask that girl you have been longing to date out and get a YES faster than usual? You'd find this article helpful. From experiences, the most appropriate time to ask a girl out is during festive periods or special celebration. Here are the most tested and proven ways to ask a girl out and get YES on time.

1. Christmas/new year:

If you ask a girl out during this period and you are fully loaded, you can’t go wrong. This is the only period since the birth of Jesus and even before creation that girls display their i am available placards. This period is ranked no. Throughout the length and breadth of planet earth. May its because of the festive nature synonymous to sharing of gifts and other goodies, or could it be as a result of the public holidays where every one want to go to those exciting places they have always dreamed of, with any available guy that approaches a girl during this period, you are damn sure to get a yes quickly.

2. Valentine:

February is a popular and special date that rings a bell in the ears of any young girl, this is the day set aside for lovers all around the world to show love in amazing ways to their spouses, but for the sharp guys, they it’s the best time to ask a girl out, because girls naturally love competing within themselves, so not going out or having a boo on this day would tag you as a lose, so many of these high class girls that are unapproachable during the middle of the year of all a sudden activates their humble and friendly part that’s if you have the money to spend anyways.

3. Easter:

Easter might not sound too bubbling to some people but do i need to remind you that easter is all about love, that the saviour Jesus died on the cross because of his love for the world. Well that is a punch line right there. Asking a girl out during this period is a little cheaper cos unlike the vals and the Christmas, you spend this periods with basically dates and outings and little gifts. But you are damn sure to get a quick yes!

Credits: Gist Trace

Finally Buhari Explains On Biafra Referendum, Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB

President Buhari 

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday in far away New York city, United States foreclosed any chance of a referendum regarding the issue of Biafra.
Acaccording to Sahara Reporters, the President  made the statement during a media event in New York City at the end of his visit to the United States as the leader of Nigeria's delegation to the 71st United Nations' General Assembly.
The president stated that the choice left for Biafran activists is to form a political party that would advance their interest within the Nigerian democratic space.
The president’s advice to Biafrans activists came a day after commercial activities in some key cities in the South East, and South-South of Nigeria were grounded following a stay at home
order from the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB ). There were also protests in various cities around the world by Biafran activists demanding the release from prison of IPOB's leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.
In recent past, the president had been dismissive of Biafran agitators as kids who did not see the Biafra-Nigeria Civil War. A few weeks ago, while speaking to Youth Corp members who visited him at his country home in Daura, the president pressed on them to ask their friends to forget Biafra.
Buhari also used the opportunity offered by the media event to outline the accomplishments of his trip to the General Assembly. He stated that Nigeria was well represented at various meetings
held as part of the General Assembly. President Buhari talked about Nigeria's signing of the Paris Climate Change Accord and progress made at the Chad Basin conference. He announced that the US and the UK pledged over $300 million dollars to support the efforts of his government.
Accompanying the president to the event were the governors of Lagos and Zamfara states. Other government officials present were ministers of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Defence, Internal Affairs and other top government officials.
Buhari departed New York for Abuja after the press conference.