Author: Opalim Lifted

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has cautioned its officials against endorsing aspirants, warning that anyone who flouts party directives would be sanctioned ahead of party primaries to nominate its Edo State governorship candidate. The APC deputy chairman of the party in the state, Jaret Tenebe, gave the warning in Benin, Edo State capital, when the party executives received a governorship aspirant, Hon. Ehiozuwa Johnson Agbonayinma, at the party secretariat in Benin City. He told the aspirant that he had started well by coming to inform the party of his ambition after his quiet consultation. He said, “The best thing is…

Chelsea defender Reece James received a one-game suspension and a £90,000 ($109,000) fine for insulting a match official following his team’s defeat to Aston Villa. James admitted using “improper, insulting, and abusive words and behaviour” after he reportedly confronted referee Jarred Gillett in the tunnel at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea lost 1-0 to Villa in the Premier League fixture, and the 23-year-old was believed to have been angered when Chelsea defender Malo Gusto was sent off in the second half. Gusto was sent off for a dangerous play after Gillett was advised by VAR to check the pitchside monitor, having initially…

Alvaro Morata scored a brace to help Atletico Madrid fight back to secure a frantic 3-2 win over Feyenoord in their Champions League Group E clash on Wednesday, with goalkeeper Jan Oblak putting in a superb second-half performance for the hosts. Feyenoord were arguably the better side throughout the match and took an early lead thanks to an unfortunate own goal by defender Mario Hermoso, as Oblak’s rebound from an Ayase Ueda effort in the sixth minute bounced off his knee and deflected into his own goal. The hosts hit back five minutes later with Morata’s effort from inside the…

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has requested a replay after the video assistant referee incorrectly disallowed Luis Diaz’s goal in the Premier League game against Tottenham. VAR Darren England and assistant Dan Cook did not overrule when Diaz was flagged offside at 0-0 on Saturday. Liverpool lost 2-1 thanks to a 96th-minute own goal from Joel Matip. “Something like this never happened, so that is why I think a replay is the right thing to do,” said Klopp. There is no prospect of the Premier League considering a replay, and it is unclear whether there has been a formal request from…

The world soccer governing body FIFA announced on Wednesday that it had lifted Russia’s ban from international football by allowing under-17 girls and boys teams from the country to take part in tournaments. The move follows a similar relaxation on Russia youth teams last week by European soccer body UEFA. “This is conditional on these teams playing under the name of the ‘Football Union of Russia’ rather than Russia, in the absence of their national flag, their national anthem, their national team kit and equipment, and instead playing in neutral colours,” FIFA said in a statement. Teams from Russia were…

Saudi Arabia announced it would bid to host the 2034 World Cup just minutes after the world’s governing body, FIFA, invited countries from the Asia and Oceania regions to submit bids. The Saudi FA stated in a statement that the bid for 2034 “intends to deliver a world-class tournament and will draw inspiration from Saudi Arabia’s ongoing social and economic transformation and the country’s deep-rooted passion for football.” “Saudi Arabia’s inaugural FIFA World Cup bid is backed by the country’s growing experience of hosting world-class football events and its ongoing plans to welcome fans across the world to the 2023…

The 2030 World Cup will be held across six countries on three continents, FIFA has confirmed. Morocco, Spain, and Portugal have been named as the co-hosts, with the opening three matches taking place in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay. The opening matches in South America are to mark the World Cup’s centenary, as it will be 100 years since the inaugural tournament in Montevideo. The decision is set to be ratified at a FIFA congress next year. FIFA also confirmed that only bids from countries from the Asian Football Confederation and the Oceania Football Confederation will be considered for the 2034…

A Magistrate Court sitting in the Yaba area of Lagos State on Wednesday has remanded Azeez Fashola, aka Naira Marley, and Lagos socialite Balogun Eletu, aka Sam Larry, in police custody. The Lagos State Police Command requested that Fashola aka Naira Marley and the others be remanded for 30 days pending the completion of their investigation. However, Magistrate Adeola Olatunbosun ruled that Fashola and the others be remanded for just 21 days. Earlier today, Chronicle NG reported that the Lagos State Police Command has declared Owodunni Ibrahim, aka Primeboy, dead following his failure to honour police invitations over the investigation…

The presidency has debunked claims that the certificate presented to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by President Bola Tinubu to be able to contest the 2023 presidency was forged. Temitope Ajayi, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, stated in a statement regarding the controversy on Wednesday that the Chicago State University (CSU) made no admissions regarding the falsity of the certificate that President Tinubu presented to INEC. He argued that the university affirmed under oath that Bola attended and graduated from the institution and that the school does not handle replacements for lost certificates.…

The Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr. Paul Enenche, has visited the scene of the collapsed Mission Ward branch of Dunamis Church in Makurdi, offering praise to God that the tragedy would have been worse. The church building collapsed early on Tuesday morning while five pastors of the church were in a night prayer session. Unfortunately, the resident pastor of the branch, Emmanuel Ahmed, lost his life in the tragedy, while four others escaped unhurt. The pastors of the church led Pastor Enenche and his wife, Mrs. Becky, around the area. 2023 presidential election a spiritual battle –…