Author: Vincent Osuwo

FIFA President Gianni Infantino defended World Cup ticket prices on Tuesday, claiming that the sport’s global governing organization was required to take advantage of US laws that allow tickets to be resold for thousands of dollars more than face value. FIFA has come under fire for the high cost of World Cup tickets, with fan organization Football Supporters Europe (FSE) calling the price system “extortionate” and a “monumental betrayal.” In March, FSE launched a lawsuit with the European Commission against FIFA for the tournament’s “excessive ticket prices.” Last week, FIFA Marketplace, the World Cup resale website, advertised four tickets to…

The Senate moved on Tuesday to tighten its internal rules, effectively narrowing the path to its most powerful offices and excluding a class of incoming lawmakers, including serving governors and former senators eyeing leadership roles. Following almost three hours of a closed-door session, the red chamber revised Orders 4 and 5 of its standing rules, limiting eligibility for both presiding and main offices to ranking MPs with certain legislative experience. The modifications come amid increased enthusiasm among outgoing governors and political heavyweights, many of whom plan to enter the Senate in 2027 to compete for top leadership positions such as…

Sen. Adams Oshiomhole, on Tuesday, for the revocation of licenses for South African firms operating in Nigeria, including MTN and MultiChoice, the owners of DSTV, in response to escalating xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa. The call came as the National Assembly condemned the most recent series of attacks and urged the federal government to take prompt diplomatic and protective steps to protect Nigerian nationals abroad. Speaking during plenary, Oshiomhole stated that Nigeria must reply decisively, citing the concept of reciprocity in international relations. He said, “I don’t want this Senate to be shedding tears to sympathize with those…

The Cross River State Police Command has refuted accusations that its officers opened fire on University of Cross River State student demonstrators during a demonstration in Calabar, describing the widely circulated footage as false and deceptive. In a statement issued on Monday, the Cross River Police Public Relations Officer, Eitokpah Akata, said the Command had reviewed the event and found no evidence to corroborate reports that live ammunition was used on demonstrators. “The Command wishes to state unequivocally that the circulating narrative is incorrect and does not represent the verified sequence of events as observed and documented by security operatives…

Arsenal reached the Champions League final for the first time in 20 years as Bukayo Saka scored a 1-0 win against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday. Mikel Arteta’s team settled the semi-final second leg with Saka’s strike late in the first half at an ecstatic Emirates Stadium. After Saka’s goal, the Gunners, who drew 1-1 in the first leg in Madrid last week, held firm to advance 2-1 on aggregate. On May 30, Arsenal will play either Bayern Munich or Paris Saint-Germain in the final in Budapest. Ahead of the second leg in Munich on Wednesday, holders PSG, who defeated Arsenal…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has rejected what it called the “seriously flawed judgment” of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja in the N5.5 billion defamation lawsuit filed against the organization by two Department of State Services (DSS) employees. Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory’s High Court today ordered SERAP to pay N100 million in damages to DSS officials for alleged defamation. The court also ordered the organisation to issue public apologies, pay N1 million in litigation expenses, and pay a 10% yearly post-judgment interest on the damages until they were paid in full.…

Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed, the Labour Party’s former vice presidential candidate for the 2023 elections, has criticized Peter Obi’s exit from the party amid its internal conflict, describing it as a lack of effective leadership. Baba-Ahmed, Obi’s running mate in the 2023 elections, also questioned whether northern voters would support a political union between Obi and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso ahead of the 2027 general elections. Obi and Kwankwaso, a former governor of Kano State, dumped the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and joined the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC) as part of ongoing opposition realignments. Speaking to journalists on Monday after defecting to…

Tosin Eniolorunda, Chief Executive Officer of Moniepoint, has stated that the company is struggling to fill approximately 500 job opportunities, citing a lack of competent people in Nigeria. Eniolorunda revealed this while speaking at an event in Lagos on May 1, which is currently spreading on the internet. He stated that, despite a conscious shift toward hiring locally, the company has been difficult to discover applicants who satisfy its criteria. “We made a decision that we will no longer hire from any other place than Nigeria. If you go to Moniepoint career website, we have maybe 500 vacancies and we…

Senate President Godswill Akpabio joked on Tuesday that the African Democratic Congress was virtually dead following a new round of defections that saw senators join other political parties such as the Nigerian Democratic Congress and the Labour Party. Akpabio made the comment while presiding over plenary, just after the Senate announced the defection of members, including Victor Umeh, to the NDC, citing internal conflicts and “unending litigation” within the ADC. “Resignation from ADC and declaration for the Labour Party. Maybe all those defecting from ADC should just compile everything in one paper and bring it so that we don’t keep…

The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, ordered the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) on Tuesday to pay N100 million in damages to two Department of State Services personnel for a defamatory article on X. Justice Yusuf Halilu, who gave judgment in the case FCT/HC/CV/4547/24, ruled that the claimants, DSS officials Sarah John and Gabriel Ogundele, correctly demonstrated that SERAP’s publication on its official X account was defamatory. SERAP said in a series of postings published on its X handle on September 9, 2024, that officers from the State Security Service unjustly occupied its office and requested…