Spanish football chief Rubiales resigns over kiss scandal
Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales has resigned following fierce criticism for kissing Jenni Hermoso on the lips at the Women’s World Cup victory ceremony.
The already suspended Rubiales sent his resignation to the federation’s interim president, he said in an open letter, and also explained his decision to eventually step down in a television interview.
“I’m going to (resign), yes, because I cannot continue my work,” the 46-year-old told television show “Piers Morgan Uncensored”.
Rubiales sparked a worldwide backlash after forcibly kissing midfielder Hermoso during the medal ceremony following Spain’s World Cup triumph in Sydney on August 20.
After he refused to resign, FIFA provisionally suspended him for 90 days, while Spanish public prosecutors have filed a lawsuit against him for alleged sexual assault and coercion.
Paul Pogba provisionally suspended after failing drugs test
Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has been provisionally suspended from playing after a drug test found elevated levels of testosterone in his system.
Italy’s national anti-doping tribunal (Nado) said Pogba was tested after Juve’s 3-0 win at Udinese on 20 August during which the 30-year-old was an unused substitute, randomly selected for post-match drug testing.
The test concerns the ‘A’ sample, and if the ‘B’ sample also tests positive for testosterone Pogba could face a four-year ban.
Lagos Police arrest fake Commissioner of police
The Lagos State Police Command said it had arrested one Nwagu Emmanuel for allegedly impersonating a commissioner of police to facilitate the release of a suspect from the force headquarters in the state.
The state Commissioner of Police, Idowu Owohunwa, through the command’s Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, made this disclosure during the parade of Emmanuel along with other suspects at the Police Headquarters, Ikeja, Lagos, on Monday.
Owohunwa said the suspect was arrested when he approached the police headquarters in the state with a fake identification card to facilitate the release of another suspect who had earlier been nabbed for his involvement in different crimes.
The Police, however, noted that the suspect gave himself away after failing to answer questions about his claimed position.
Nigerian singer, MohBad dies at 27
Nigerian artiste, Ilerioluwa Oladimeji Aloba, aka MohBad has been confirmed dead.
The KPK crooner reportedly died on Tuesday at the age of 27. Information on the cause of his death is unknown.
Music executive Ovie shared the sad news on his X page #Ovieo on Tuesday evening. “Confirmed. MohBad is dead. Sad, sad day,” he tweeted.
Mohbad was best known for his hit singles Ponmo, Feel Good, and KPK (Ko Por Ke) with Rexxie. He was nominated three times for The Headies Awards 2022.
Nigerians should get passports in two weeks — Minister
The Minister of Interior, Bunmi Tunji-Ojo, on Tuesday, said 55,000 of the 200,000 passports backlog had been cleared.
He added that more would be cleared before the end of the two-week deadline given to the Immigration boss, adding that after the backlogs are cleared, Nigerians should be able to obtain their passports in two weeks.
He spoke when the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Betta Edu, visited his office in Abuja.
He said, “Nigerians must not be relegated from being citizens of Nigeria by denying them a passport.
“He reiterated his belief that we must get it right now, adding that he receives updates every morning; and that this very morning, he is being briefed that about 55,000 passports have been cleared, out of the 200,000 passports backlog he instructed to be cleared in two weeks.
“He then assured that by the time the backlogs are cleared, Nigerians will start enjoying the efficient service of having their passports issued within two weeks upon application.”
NLC threatens indefinite strike, gives one-week ultimatum
The Nigeria Labour Congress on Tuesday has threatened to begin an indefinite strike should the Federal Government fail to meet its demands at the end of a 21-day ultimatum which will expire in approximately one week’s time.
The organised labour said the industrial action which may commence any day from next week would lead to an indefinite shutdown of commercial and economic activities across the country.
The National Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, Mr Christopher Onyeka, in an interview on Tuesday said the FG was wrong to share a bag of rice to a dozen citizens while reportedly giving N100m palliative to each member of the National Assembly.
The union had on September 1 handed down a 21-day ultimatum to the FG over the delay in sharing of palliatives, saying it might be compelled to declare an indefinite labour action if its demands were not met.
Tribunal orders election rerun in Eti-Osa, Banky W constituency
The Election Petitions Tribunal in its ruling has ordered a rerun of the House of Representatives election in the Eti-Osa Federal Constituency in Lagos State.
The candidate of Peoples Democratic Party, Bankole Wellington, on Wednesday, expressed his gratitude for the Election Petitions Tribunal ruling.
In the February 2023 election, the Independent National Electoral Commission declared the Labour Party’s candidate, Mr. Thaddeus Atta, as the winner of the poll with 24,075 votes, while Wellington and Obanikoro had18,668 and 16,901 votes, respectively.
Following the results of the election, Wellington, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, and Ibrahim Obanikoro of the All Progressives Congress filed petitions challenging the election results.
The tribunal, in its judgment on Monday, declared the February election inconclusive and ordered INEC to conduct a supplementary election within 90 days in 33 polling units where elections did not hold.
Total blackout as Nigeria’s power grid collapses
There is a widespread blackout across the country following the total collapse of Nigeria’s electricity grid early Thursday morning.
It was gathered that the grid collapsed totally around 12:40 a.m. on September 14, 2023, leading to the massive loss of supply to power distributors nationwide.
Multiple sources in the power sector, as well as electricity distribution companies, confirmed the development to newsmen on Thursday morning.
The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc issued a notice titled, ‘Notice of Total System Collapse’ on Thursday.
“We are on standby awaiting detailed information of the collapse and restoration of supply from the National Control Centre, Osogbo.”
The notice was signed by the Head, of Corporate Communications, EEDC, Emeka Ezeh.
House of Representatives react to NLC lawmakers’ ₦100m palliative
The House of Representatives has denied claims by the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress that the Federal Government gave N100m to members of the National Assembly as palliatives.
The National Assistant Secretary of the NLC, Christopher Onyeka, had made the allegation in a statement issued in Abuja.
Reacting to the allegation, House Committee Chairman on Media and Public Affairs, Akin Rotimi, described the allegation as baseless and “devoid of factual accuracy.”
The statement read, “The House of Representatives notes with concern news reports across multiple newspapers, electronic, and online media, of a statement credited to the National Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, Mr Christopher Onyeka.
“First, we state categorically that Mr Onyeka lied in his claim that National Assembly members were given N100m as palliatives. For the avoidance of doubt, at no time did members of the House of Representatives receive any money from the executive arm as palliatives.
“We consider it irresponsible and most unfortunate that Mr Onyeka would misrepresent facts in a bid to lend credence to otherwise valid demands of the NLC. Accordingly, the House of Representatives demands an immediate retraction of this lie and a public apology from the Nigeria Labour Congress.
Power supply restored nationwide
The Eko Electricity Distribution Company has announced that the power supply has been restored.
There was a widespread blackout across the country following the total collapse of Nigeria’s electricity grid early Thursday morning.
The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company Plc issued a notice titled, ‘Notice of Total System Collapse’ on Thursday, and the Eko Electricity Distribution Company also did the same.
However, in a statement via X, (formerly Twitter), Eko Disco affirmed that the national electricity grid had been fixed and power supply had been restored.
UNILAG slashes fees after VC, NANS meeting
The management of the University of Lagos, has announced the reduction of its fees after meeting the representatives of the National Association of Nigerian Students on Thursday.
A statement made available to newsmen on Friday morning revealed that the university held a meeting with the executives of the NANS and other faculty members on Thursday evening.
“After careful evaluation of the issues raised by the students and management, the following consensus was reached at the meeting: Utility Charges for all categories of students was reduced to N15,000:00 from N20,000:00.
“The obligatory fees for new undergraduate students was reviewed from N126,325:00 to N116,325:00 for Courses without Lab/Studio and N176,325:00 to N166,325:00 for Courses with Lab/Studio.
“The obligatory fees for returning undergraduate students was reviewed from N100,750:00 to N80,750:00 for Courses without Lab/Studio; N140,250:00 to N120,250:00 for Courses with Lab/Studio; and from N190,250:00 to N170, 250:00 for Medical / Pharmacy students and students in Health Professions.
“The Convocation Fee to be paid by all final year students was reduced to N27,000:00 from N 30,000:00. Hostels fees were reviewed as follows: For undergraduate hostels in Akoka and Yaba campuses, the fees were reduced to N43, 000:00 from N90,000:00.
“For hostels in Idi-Araba campus, the fees were reduced to N65,000:00 from N120,000:00. The fees for Sodeinde Hall was reduced to N135,000:00 from N250,000:00.”
Makinde invites Obasanjo to commission Oyo-Iseyin Road
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, today (Friday) commissioned the 34.85km Oyo-Iseyin road which was reconstructed by the Oyo state government.
Obasanjo also commissioned the completed Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Iseyin Campus, which houses the College of Agricultural Sciences and Renewable Natural Resources.
Work on the Oyo-Iseyin Road project commenced in earnest at the end of July 2021, although the official flag-off took place in December 2021.
The Oyo-Iseyin Road connects Oyo and Oke-Ogun Zone and passes through the Fasola Agribusiness Industrial Hub which is being built by the Oyo State Government.
