Author: David Great

Arsenal’s hopes of finishing in the Premier League top four were dealt a huge blow as they were well beaten by Newcastle at St James’ Park. Mikel Arteta’s side needed a win to move above Tottenham into fourth and put them in the driving seat to secure a Champions League spot heading into the final weekend of the season. But they were second best throughout and fell behind early in the second half when Ben White turned the ball into his own net under pressure from Callum Wilson, who was making his first start since 27 December. Bruno Guimaraes, who…

Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum, has withdrawn from the presidential race in the All Progressives Congress (APC) and has returned to work. A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who monitored development at the ministry in Abuja on Monday reports that Sylva withdrew having considered the enormous work at hand at the ministry. NAN reports that the Northern Solidarity Group had on May 9, presented the APC’s Expression of Interest and Nomination form to the minister to enable him to contest the party’s 2023 presidential primaries. An official at the ministry who chose to remain anonymous…

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano state has dropped his senatorial bid after reaching some agreements with Senator Barau Jibrin, to forestall the latter from leaving the APC. The governor who had earlier obtained the Kano Central Senatorial District form, has now agreed to withdraw his ambition for Senator Jibrin who obtained the APC governorship form. Chronicle NG reports that Ganduje and a former governor of Kano, Ibrahim Shekarau have been tussling for the leadership of the All Progressives Congress in Kano, which culminated in both men going to court. After victory at the High Court, Shekarau lost out at the…

No less than 34 lawyers will be defending Bilyaminu Aliyu and Aminu Hukunci, two suspected killers of Deborah Samuel, in court. The defense team which is led by Prof. Mansur Ibrahim is expected to tell the court why their clients where right to kill and burn the victim. Deborah Samuel, a 200-Level Home Economics student at Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, was killed by Muslim fanatics after she was accused of blasphemy. The victims claimed that she blasphemed against Prophet Mohammed in a school WhatsApp group, although this has been contested. However, the suspects who are co-students of the…

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has seized 203, 879 tablets of various pharmaceutical opioids and illicit substances in raids across Abia, Kaduna, Yobe and Kogi States. The NDLEA said this in a statement by its Spokesperson, Mr Femi Babafemi, on Sunday in Abuja. Babafemi said that the agency also foiled fresh bids by drug cartels to export tramadol, ecstasy MDMA and cannabis to Milan, Italy and Dubai, United Arab Emirates through the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos. He said that five members of a syndicate, in the business of conducting fake recruitment into security agencies were…

By Etim Etim I have just listened to a video of news broadcast of TVC News on the killing and Miss Deborah Yakubu Samuel at the College of Education, Sokoto. TVC News is owned by Bola Ahmed Tinubu. In it, TVC claims that Miss Deborah Samuel was killed due to ASUU strike. It is a complete departure from the fact. Here is a transcript of the 30-second news report given by TVC News: “The discontent of Nigerian students over the lingering ASUU strike in rising to new heights. In Sokoto one student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education was…

A presidential aspirant on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a former Vice-President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has expressed his readiness to restructure Nigeria in order to boost national economy and security, if elected president. Atiku, who made this known during a meeting with PDP delegates on Sunday in Abia, said that he would transform the country, if given the opportunity. He said there is the need for the party to emerge victorious during the 2023 general election for the aspirations of the people to be realised. The aspirant said that his manifesto focused on five key areas,…

Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun, has said that false and defamatory statements about him ahead of the July 16 governorship election would not stop his re-election. Oyetola made the assertion at the N30 million fund raising programme organised by the Ebira Community on Sunday in Osogbo. The governor, represented at the event by his Special Adviser on Civic Engagement, Mr Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, expressed confidence that with the support of the masses, “victory at the poll was his”. He assured electorates that he would not betray their trust when re-elected, urging them not to allow those who lacked the basic knowledge…

Senator Bukola Saraki, a presidential aspirant on the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) platform, has promised to prioritise the resuscitation of Ajaokuta Steel Company, agriculture and security sectors if elected as Nigeria’s president come 2023. Saraki gave the assurance when he met with Kogi PDP national delegates on Sunday in Lokoja, to seek their support in the party’s upcoming presidential primary election. He gave assurance that apart from above mentioned, he would concentrate more on non-oil sector, which according to him, is key to boosting the economy and create job opportunities. ”In the first one year of my government, resolving the…

Arsenal are considering selling Brazilian centre-back Gabriel, 24, with Juventus interested. (Tuttosport – in Italian) Although the Brazilian defender has struggled with injury at the north London club, Gabriel has been in fine form this season, partnering England centre-back, Ben White. Juventus will hold fresh talks with the representatives of Manchester United and France midfielder Paul Pogba, 29, on Monday. (Mirror) Aston Villa are in the running to sign Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez, 35, following the news he will leave Atletico Madrid at the end of the season. But Sevilla and Inter Milan are also keen. (Fichajes – in Spanish)…