Author: David Great

Mr Muritala Ajaka, the Social Democratic Party candidate in the present governorship election in Kogi State, has claimed that the results sheets in collation centres in the state’s Ogori Magongo region are missing. Muritala stated in a statement issued through his media assistant, Mr Faruk Adejoh-Audu, said the occurrence was evidence of electoral misconduct in the current election. He said that his agents in various sections of the state alerted him of suspected electoral malpractices throughout the election. Ajaka said, “Our agents who went to a few ward collation centres in the early hours of this morning to inspect materials…

Inter Miami saluted Argentine star Lionel Messi’s eighth Ballon d’Or on Friday, but their friendly match to mark the achievement ended in a 2-1 loss to MLS rivals New York City FC. The defeat, in a match between two teams long out of the MLS championship running, was just a footnote on a celebratory night that began with Messi offering his thanks to fans for the welcome he’d received in Florida. Fans, many of them shouting “Messi! Messi!” in unison, nearly filled the DRV PNK stadium — despite the fact that the club’s MLS season ended last month. “Thank you…

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and its affiliates have been barred from engaging in any kind of strike or industrial action by the National Industrial Court (NIC). On Friday evening, the two major labour unions (NLC and TUC) were instructed to halt their statewide strike action, which was planned to begin on November 14. The restraining order was granted by the Court’s President, Justice Benedict Kanyip, in response to an ex-parte application filed before the Court by the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation, and the Minister of Justice. To impose…

Mikel Arteta has warned Aaron Ramsdale not to rush any decision over his future after the goalkeeper was told he could not be promised a place at Euro 2024 if he remains on the bench at Arsenal. Ramsdale was this week called up by England manager Gareth Southgate for the final two qualifiers against Malta and North Macedonia and will be aiming to add to his four senior caps. However, the 25-year-old has been ousted as Arsenal’s first-choice goalkeeper since the arrival of David Raya from Brentford and has played just twice since the September international break. Speaking after naming…

The Court of Appeal in Lagos has upheld Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah’s win in the March 18 gubernatorial election. The court dismissed the appeal filed by Labour Party gubernatorial candidate Chijioke Edeoga as without merit and maintained the September decision of the Enugu gubernatorial Election Petitions Tribunal. The three-member panel, chaired by Justice Tijani Yusuf Hassan, ruled that the appellant failed to demonstrate that Mbah faked his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) certificate and was thus unable to run in the election. Court confirms originality of Enugu governor’s NYSC certificate The decision comes only days after a Federal High…

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, says the Federal Government will start charging owners of completed unoccupied houses triple ground rents instead of the single rate normally charged three months after completion. Dangiwa, said this in an interview with journalists during site visits of housing projects constructed by the federal government and its agencies on Friday in Abuja. The Suleja (Dikko) Prototype, Public-Private Partnerships Cooperative, Gwagwalada National Housing Programme and Guzape Federal Housing Authority (FHA) are also under the PPP arrangement. Mr Dangiwa affirmed that the issue of completed unoccupied properties was prevalent in the FCT and…

The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) on Thursday said it has paid the cumulative insured sum of N1.39 billion to 36,163 depositors of 110 closed Microfinance Banks (MFBs) and three Primary Mortgage Banks. NDIC managing director Bello Hassan disclosed this at the corporation’s ‘Special Day’ at the 2023 Lagos International Trade Fair on Thursday in Lagos. He said this followed the recent revocation of some MFBs and PMBs licences by the Central Bank of Nigeria, revealing that the payments of the statutory insured sums are still ongoing. The NDIC boss explained that depositors with funds exceeding the insured limit would…

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has dispatched officers to the States of Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo to monitor the gubernatorial elections scheduled for November 11th. The EFCC’s spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, revealed this in a statement on Friday, saying the decision was made to combat election fraud and related financial crimes during the polls. ICPC to monitor vote buying during Bayelsa, Imo, Kogi polls “In its drive to checkmate electoral fraud and associated financial crimes, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has deployed its officers to Kogi, Bayelsa, and Imo States, where governorship elections are holding on Saturday,…

The Hamas government in the Gaza Strip said Friday an Israeli strike on the territory’s largest hospital killed 13 people. “Thirteen martyrs and dozens wounded in an Israeli strike on Al-Shifa compound today” in central Gaza City, a government statement said, giving a toll AFP was not immediately able to independently verify. Al-Shifa hospital director Mohammad Abu Salmiya said “Israeli tanks fired on Al-Shifa hospital”, while the Israeli military did not offer an immediate comment. Israel reported heavy fighting on Thursday near the hospital, saying it had killed dozens of militants and destroyed tunnels that are key to Hamas’s capacity…

Kafayat Adeleke, the mother of a deformed street hawker named Sultan Adeleke, also known as Eniola, has revealed why her son changed himself into a girl. Eniola’s deformity, according to his 40-year-old mother, was caused by delivery and has surprised those who have questioned his physical qualities. Eniola was recently assisted by a skit maker and comedian, Chukwuebuka Emmanuel, also known as Brain Jotter in Lagos State, while driving down the motorway and ran across a street hawker who claimed to be a make-up artist in addition to peddling bottled water on Lagos roads. Brain Jotter chided individuals who beg…