Author: Opalim Lifted

Senate President Godswill Akpabio clarified on Friday that he was exhausted and diagnosed with malaria following reports that he collapsed at his 61st birthday colloquium held Thursday in Abuja. Akpabio was reported to have slumped after the event while seeing President Bola Tinubu off at the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in Abuja and was rushed to the hospital. Addressing the journalists on Friday in his office, the Senate President explained that what happened to him was stress-induced, coupled with malaria. Akpabio said, “What eventually happened after the event was a show of humanity. Akpabio ‘did not collapse’, media team debunk reports…

Men of the Ondo State Police Command have arrested two people over the disappearance of a newborn baby and the placenta of the baby at Isua, the headquarters of Akoko South-West Local Government of the state. The suspects are Akinjise Ifeoluwa, 40, and Oyewole Margaret, 66, a herbalist and the grandmother of the missing baby, respectively. The state police public relations officer, Mrs. Funmilayo Odunlami, said in a statement on Friday that the baby and the placenta went missing when the mother was unconscious after the delivery of the baby. The PPRO said, “On the 1st of December 2023, a…

The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, presented the 2024 National Appropriation Bill of N17,109,746,531.00 before a joint session of the Senate and House committees on FCT on Friday. This is the former Rivers State governor’s maiden budget presentation as the 17th minister of the Federal Capital Territory. If the joint session of the 10th NASS committees approves the budget, it will aid in finishing important projects in the Federal Capital City (FCC) and the satellite towns, Wike said. The N17.109bn is FCT’s share of the N27.5 trillion 2024 national budget presented by President Bola Tinubu before the…

Former presidential aide and veteran journalist, Laolu Akande, has described the ongoing rift between the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and his successor, Governor Siminalayi Fubara, as “disappointing.” As the two former allies got locked in a fierce political battle that has become a public spectacle, the former editor rebuked the FCT minister for not managing the conflict very well. Speaking on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Thursday, Akande, who is the TV’s in-house political analyst, dissected the political crisis rocking the state and chided the FCT minister for failing to live up to expectations as an…

Urawa Red Diamonds edged past Leon in the FIFA Club World Cup to book a semi-final meeting with Manchester City. Dutch forward Alex Schalk scored the winner for the Asian champions five minutes after being introduced as a second-half substitute. Leon captain William Tesillo was dismissed after picking up a second yellow card late on for the Mexican side, who faded after a bright start. The Asian Champions, Urawa, take on European Champions Manchester City on Tuesday. CONCACAF winners Leon were making their first appearance at the tournament, while Urawa finished third in the competition in 2007 and also participated…

The Federal Government has launched the National Workplace Policy on HIV/AIDS, designed to instill a culture of inclusivity, compassion, and collective responsibility within the nation’s workplaces. A statement issued on Friday by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment said the policy, launched in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation, was aimed at fortifying communities against the challenges posed by HIV/AIDS. The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, launched the policy in Abuja as part of activities to mark the 2023 World Day Against HIV/AIDS. She described the launch of the policy as a remarkable milestone in…

Delta State Police Command has banned the sale and use of fireworks, firecrackers, and other pyrotechnics in the state during Yuletide. The state Commissioner of Police, CP Wale Abass, warned that the measure was taken because it posed a threat to state security and should be avoided. This was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the command’s spokesman, DSP Bright Edafe, copies of which were made available to journalists in Warri. “CP Wale Abass admonishes that the usage of fireworks (knockouts) is capable of causing nuisances, which further generates undue anxiety, fear, and an unnecessary disruption of public…

The Shoprite Mall has announced that it is stopping operations in its Kano State branch on January 14, 2024. In a circular made available to the public, Shoprite attributed its decision to financial difficulties and high production costs affecting business establishments in the country. This development comes on the heels of the current announcement by Jumia Food to cease operations in Nigeria by the end of this month, citing growing economic challenges. In the circular, Shoprite noted that the decision is regrettable, however necessary, hinting that all the employees working at the mall will be laid off once it ceases…

The First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, has urged wives of state governors to complement President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for good governance to spread across the board. Remi Tinubu gave the admonition while receiving the wives of governors across the nation and the FCT representative in the Presidential Villa on Thursday. She said it was imperative for state leaders, especially those in opposition parties, to work with the presidential agenda in tackling issues affecting the citizenry. The First Lady lauded the wives of governors for their personal projects and initiatives in their various states to assist the vulnerable in society.…

FIFA President Gianni Infantino believes the global governing body’s policy of engagement with Iran over the treatment of women in football is bearing fruit after some were allowed into the Tehran derby on Thursday. Women’s rights campaigners Open Stadiums and another group of former Iranian athletes last year called on FIFA to ban Iran from the World Cup because of the continued exclusion of women from football matches. Infantino has instead favoured a policy of personal engagement with the Islamic Republic and welcomed the news that women had been allowed into Thursday’s Iran Pro League match as a sign of…