SABINEWS MORNING NEWS UPDATE – MARCH 7, 2019
Osinbajo leads APC mega rally in Ogun, allays fear of violence
The Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has allayed the fear of the people of Ogun State over the alleged planned attacks during the governorship and the House of Assembly elections in Ogun State on Saturday. Osinbajo said this on Wednesday while addressing traders at Kuto, Itoku, Lafenwa and Panseke markets in Abeokuta, the state capital during a mega rally. Osinbajo led the campaign train of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress in Ogun state, Dapo Abiodun in some parts of Abeokuta.
IG deploys DIGs, 227 CPs for March 9 elections
Ahead of Saturday’s Governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections, the acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has deployed seven Deputy Inspectors-General of Police in the six geopolitical zones across the country to supervise election security. He has also dispatched 10 Assistant Inspectors-General of Police to the police zonal commands and 277 Commissioners of Police to complement the efforts of the CPs in the 36 state commands and the Federal Capital Territory.
Obasanjo’s criticism of Buhari driven by ego, says BMO
The Buhari Media Organisation has said former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s statement that he will continue to criticise President Muhammadu Buhari is a confirmation that his pre-election criticism was fuelled by ego. The pro-Buhari group said this in reply to Obasanjo’s who said on Tuesday in Abeokuta that he would continue to criticise the President until “he begins to do the right things.” The BMO in a statement signed by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju, and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, on Wednesday said it was worrisome that Obasanjo had always insinuated that all the past heads of state and Presidents he had criticised did not perform creditably in office.
Poll: Parties join forces in Oyo, Kwara, Benue, Lagos
Political parties are joining forces for better performance in Saturday’s Governorship and States’ Assembly Elections. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is conducting governorship elections in 29 states. The assembly elections are holding in all the 36 states and the six council areas in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The candidates are outsmarting one another in last-minute moves to sway the electorate’s support ahead of the poll.
Don’t turn Niger Delta into a battle-field, Obi warns
The Vice-Presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Peter Obi has cautioned political actors against instigating crisis in some parts of Nigeria for their own selfish political gains. He particularly expressed worry over the impending crises in the Niger Delta region, warning against turning the area into a battleground. Fielding questions from journalists at Asaba airport on Wednesday, Obi decried the region’s several years of neglect, insisting that it deserved universal respect due to its critical role in the production of wealth of the nation.
Fayose’s ex-aide joins APC
Ayodeji Adu, former Special Assistant on Local Government Affairs to ex-Ekiti State governor Ayo Fayose, has defected from the People’s Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress. Adu said he loved Governor Kayode Fayemi ’s leadership style, hence he decided to join the ruling APC. He spoke on Wednesday in Afao Ekiti, where he, alongside hundreds of PDP members, officially joined the APC during the party’s campaign rally. He said, “This decision to dump the PDP for the APC was borne out of patriotism and it is for the betterment of my state.
Rivers APC, Amaechi back AAC’s Guber Candidate
Barely two days to Saturday’s governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections, the Minister of Transportation and leader of the All Progressive Congress Party (APC) in Rivers State, Chibuike Amaechi, has said the party would back the governorship candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Awara Biokpomabo. In a swift reaction, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state has described the APC’s decision as a huge joke, describing Amaechi’s move as the height of desperation. Addressing party supporters Wednesday at Eleme, Rivers State, Amaechi said, although the APC was still in court over its non-inclusion on the ballot for Saturday’s elections, it was pertinent to adopt the candidate of AAC considering the closeness of the elections.
NNPC to penalise procurement defaulters
The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Maikanti Baru, on Wednesday, warned the management and members of staff of the oil firm against any action that contravened the provisions of the Public Procurement Act in the award of contracts. According to Baru, severe penalties await any defaulter of the stipulations in the Procurement Act. He gave the warning at a supply chain management workshop for NNPC procurement managers at the corporation’s headquarters in Abuja. Baru cautioned employees of the firm against contract splitting and accumulation, which he described as a deliberate act by procurement managers to subvert due process in the procurement process.
Mikel Obi targets promotion with Boro as greatest achievement
Super Eagles captain and UEFA Champions League winner, John Mikel Obi, has said that promotion to the Premier League with Middlesbrough would rank as one of his finest moments in football. The 31-year-old midfielder collected two Premier League titles, a Champions League, Europa League and three FA Cup winners medals with Chelsea, and joined Boro on a short-term deal in January. “If we manage to pull it (promotion) off, it would be amazing,” he said.
Falcons cherish 7th place victory over Thailand
Nigeria’s female national team, Super Falcons are cherishing their ability to end their campaign at the 2019 Cyprus International Women’s Cup with a 3-0 victory against Thailand, thereby placing seventh overall. The win on Wednesday meant the Falcons leave Thailand with a massive consolation, following defeats by Austria and Belgium, which sandwiched a hard-earned 4-3 spanking of Slovakia in their second match.
Oyo, Osun Govts begin final rite for Taiwo Ogunjobi
The Oyo Sate Government it’s Osun counterparts have announced plans for the burial of former Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) Secretary General, Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi. At a joint press conference by the two states in Ibadan yesterday, they said there were novelty matches planned to celebrate the late football icon, both in Osun State and Oyo State stadia. The press conference had some notable sports personalities in attendance including ; Chief Bolaji Ojooba, ex-Nigeria internationals, Mutiu Adepoju and Dimeji Lawal, the Oyo State Commisioner for Youths and Sport, Yomi Oke, sons of the deceased, Lanre and Ayodeji Ogunjobi, and his younger brother, Rotimi Ogunjobi.
Iheanacho faces Axe in Brendan Rodgers’ revolution
Leicester City of England attacker, Kelechi Iheanacho is facing the axe at the former English Premier League champions, as their new gaffer, Brendan Rodgers is talking seriously about launching a ‘summer revolution’ on new players. Footballlive.ng can report that the advent on new players at King Power Stadium would mean Iheanacho dropping further down The Foxes’ perking order, which could ultimately lead to his exit from the squad.
Manchester United perform a miracle in Paris to earn a spot in the quarter-final
Manchester United came to Parc de Princes with a severely weakened squad, being forced to make several unwanted changes ahead of the tie. Not only that, but they were also forced to score at least twice following the 0-2 defeat at Old Trafford to progress to the quarterfinals of the Champions League. Paris Saint-Germain, however, came with a full strength squad and two away goals to their advantage. Simply put, Paris Saint-Germain were the absolute favourites to progress.
Zidane has rejected Madrid Job, says former boss Calderon
Zinedine Zidane has rejected the chance to return as manager of Real Madrid, according to former club president Ramon Calderon. Zidane, 46, left the club last summer five days after winning a third straight Champions League title. Calderon told BBC Radio 5 Live: “I know that this morning the president (Florentino Perez) called Zidane to ask him back, he said not now. “He has left open the possibility of coming back in June.” Zidane shocked Real by walking out just days after a famous win against Liverpool which made him the first manager to win three European Cups in a row and only the third to win three in total – along with Bob Paisley and Carlo Ancelotti.
US military hero: I was preyed upon and then raped by a superior officer
Senator McSally spent 26 years in the USAF, retiring as a full colonel, but said she had almost resigned her commission earlier in despair over how the authorities treated her. She has never named her attacker. In her evidence she said: “I am also a military sexual assault survivor. But unlike so many brave survivors, I didn’t report being sexually assaulted. Like so many women and men, I didn’t trust the system at the time. “I blamed myself. I was ashamed and confused, and I thought I was strong, but felt powerless.
Mark Zuckerberg on Facebook’s future and what scares him most
Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Facebook, described a sweeping new vision for his platform. “The future of communication,” he wrote, “will increasingly shift to private, encrypted services where people can be confident what they say to each other stays secure.” The post raised all kinds of questions about Facebook’s business model and strategies, as well as the tradeoffs the company could face. And so after the post went live, Zuckerberg spoke with WIRED about his vision.
