Ninth Assembly: APC Recommends Lawan For Senate Presidency

The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday recommended the Senate Leader, Ahmad Lawan (APC, Yobe) for the position of Senate President in the ninth Assembly, Daily Trust reliably gathered.

The recommendation was made during a meeting last night at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

In attendance were President Muhammadu Buhari, 11 governors, national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and senators-elect, of the ruling party.

Multiple sources at the meeting that lasted for about two hours, said Oshiomhole announced the recommendation in the presence of the three other contenders for the Senate Presidency namely Senator Ali Ndume (Borno), Senator Danjuma Goje (Gombe) and Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa).

Senator Bello Mandiya (APC Katsina) last night confirmed that the party had recommended Senator Lawan.

Sources said that ranking senators have started lobbying for important positions in the Senate.

Senator Goje is said to be working to retain his position as chairman appropriation committee while Sen. Abdullahi Adamu is being considered to succeed Lawan as the Senate leader.

One of the Senators-elect who did not want to be mentioned also confirmed the story.

He said: “We were all shocked when he (Oshiomhole) told us that Lawan is the next Senate President. He did not allow us to speak before they directed that the National Anthem be recited,” he said.

Another lawmaker-elect, said when Oshiomhole mentioned Lawan as the next Senate President, president Buhari said he was in support of the party’s position.

Lawan, a ranking lawmaker was the preferred candidate of the APC in 2015, but Senator Bukola Saraki, with the massive support of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers, dribbled the party, to clinch the position.

There has been intense politicking between Senators-elect from North East and North Central geo-political zones over the Senate presidency position. The ninth assembly is expected to be inaugurated in June, this year.

The governors in attendance were those of Kebbi, Zamfara, Plateau, Jigawa, Kaduna, Lagos, Osun, Oyo, Borno, Yobe and Kogi states. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha was also in attendance.

Also in attendance, was the Anambra South Senator-elect, Ifeanyi Ubah, who is of the Young Peoples Party (YPP).

Around 9:pm, after Oshiomhole delivered his speech, journalists were excused from the venue of the meeting. The Senior Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, asked the journalists to leave, saying “It’s time for family talk”.

Oshiomhole said the meeting was convened to map out strategy on how to come up with the leadership of the ninth Assembly. He said the APC so far has 65 senators-elect and 223 Reps-elect.

With majority at the both chambers, he said APC will produce all the presiding officers, the Senate president, deputy Senate president, Speaker and the deputy speaker.

He said unlike in the present parliament, the APC will produce chairmen of strategic committees in the ninth Assembly.

Oshiomhole said the APC lawmakers-elect were voted to give President Buhari the needed support for him to take radical reform for the development of the country.

“Nigerians voted for us to take charge of the executive and the legislature. This meeting is to discuss the leadership question in a win, win way. We do not need to do business with the opposition when we have the numbers,” he said.

Oshiomhole said out of the 16 senators who dumped the APC, only one, Dino Melaye was reelected, because “the chamber will be boring without an entertainer”.

He described Uba, the YPP Senator-elect who attended the meeting, “as a smart guy who want to belong to the people’s party.”

The meeting, our correspondent reports ended around 9:30pm.

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Evil Man Who Killed Taxify Driver And Stole His Vehicle Arrested In Lagos

Operatives of the Federal Special Anti-robbery Squad, FSARS at Adeniji Adele, Lagos Island, Lagos have arrested a fleeing robbery suspect who allegedly connived with an accomplice now at large to rob and kill a Taxify (Bolt) driver before absconding with the victim's Toyota Camry Car.

According to PM Express, the suspect, Ikechukwu Ozorumba, 29, and a native of Obolo Uku, Delta State but resident of 16, Yaro Street, Okokomaiko, a suburb of Lagos, allegedly conspired with his friend simply called Nkelechi, aka Sunshine to rob the driver, Ebenezer Olotu, a native of Akoko in Ondo State of his Toyota Camry Car with number plate, SMK 980 FM at Okokomaiko area of Lagos and allegedly kill him and drove the car to Imo State to look for a buyer for it.

Police also arrested alongside the suspect one Chima Chukwuemeka, 38, a palm oil farmer in Oguta, Imo  State for allegedly harboring  the robbery suspect in his farm to evade Police arrest.

Nemesis caught up with the robbery suspect when the family of the late driver petitioned the Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP in charge of FSARS, Lagos, Mr. Kola Kamaldeen that their breadwinner who worked as a Taxify (Bolt) driver in Lagos left home for work on 26 December, 2018 and had yet to return home since.

Following the report, Kamaldeen directed his crack team led by SP Olaniyi Festus to do everything to locate the missing driver.

A Police source alleged that after days of intelligence gathering in Lagos metropolis, the Police team following a tip off found the corpse of the late driver dumped at Jimoh Street, Okokomaiko, Ojo, Lagos.

The Police evacuated the corpse and deposited it in the mortuary.

The source further alleged that the Police team later tracked the robbery suspect through the phone number of the victim to Imo State where they arrested the oil farmer who led the Police to his farm in Oguta, where the suspect was arrested.

The suspect then led the Police to recover the stolen Car at a hideout in Imo State and they brought the two suspects and the recovered car to FSARS office in Lagos.

During investigation, the robbery suspect allegedly confessed to the crime and said he and his accomplice, Nkelechi now on the run did not intend to kill the driver, but just to rob him of his car and that the driver’s stubbornness led to his death.

In his alleged confessions to the Police, Ikechukwu allegedly stated: “On 26 December, 2018, we chartered the driver as passengers in Surulere area of Lagos and told him to take us to Okolomaiko area of Lagos.

“On our way, we ordered the driver to surrender his car keys to us, but he refused and started struggling with us. In the process, we strangled him to death and dump his body at Jimoh Street, Okokomaiko and drove the car straight to Imo State to look for a buyer.”

In his own narrations, Chukwuemeka allegedly stated that if he had known that Ikechukwu robbed a driver of his car and killed him, he would not have harbored him in his farm till the Police came from Lagos to arrest him over matter he knew nothing about.

A Police source said that the suspects would be charged to Court after completion of investigations.

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Bauchi Governor Congratulates PDP’s Bala Mohammed

Governor Abubakar extended his goodwill message to Senator Mohammed in a statement on Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Strategy, Mr Ali Ali.

The statement was issued shortly after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) the winner of the election.

The former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) defeated the incumbent governor after polling a total of 515,113 votes ahead of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate who got 500,625 votes.

The governor said he was delighted to note that in spite of the intensity of the campaigns, the election took place without bloodshed.

He thanked the people of the state for their support and urged them to extend the same support to the incoming chief executive of the state.

Governor Abubakar also extended an invitation to the governor-elect to join him in working out the process of a smooth transition.

He, however, urged Senator Mohammed to caution his supporters to be law-abiding while celebrating his victory.

Congratulatory Message To Bauchi Governor-Elect Sen Bala Mohammed

Gov Abubakar wishes to congratulate Governor-elect of Bauchi state Senator  Bala Mohammed.

“I congratulate my brother, Sen Bala on this victory at the polls.

“I am delighted to note that in spite of the intensity of the campaigns in our dear state, a peaceful election took place without bloodshed.

“Let me, therefore, invite the Governor-elect to join me in working out the process of a smooth transition.

“I sincerely thank the entire people of Bauchi state for their support to my administration and urge them to extend the same to the incoming administration.

“I also urge governor-elect to caution his supporters to be law abiding while celebrating since the period of campaigns is now over.

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End Of The Road! Man Sentenced To Death For Killing Girlfriend

It was  reported that an Ondo State High Court sitting in Akure has sentenced one Chukwudi Onweniwe to death by hanging for killing his girlfriend, Nifemi Adeyeoye.

The convict was arrested by the men of the Ondo State Police Command after killing the deceased, who was a student of the Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo, in February 2017 at Ogbese in the Akure North Local Government Area of the state.

Before the killing, Onweniwe was said to have abducted the deceased and taken her to a farm near the community, where he raped her, after which he strangled her to death.

When the trial began in May 2017, the convict was arraigned before the court on four counts of action endangering life, kidnapping, rape and murder.

After examining all the facts of the case, the court held that on three of the counts, the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt except for the third count of rape, which the prosecution did not provide the evidence against the convict

While delivering his judgement, the trial judge, Justice Samuel Bola, said the autopsy that was conducted on the deceased showed the abnormal state of her neck and the fracture of her skull.

He added that the autopsy also indicated that the deceased had been attacked with an object with a blunt edge, which led to her death.

The judge found Onweniwe guilty as charged on three counts and sentenced him appropriately.

On the count of kidnapping, the court sentenced Onweniwe to life imprisonment, while on the count of strangulating to death, the convict was sentenced to death by hanging; and on murder, he was also sentenced to death by hanging.

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Plateau Governor Simon Lalong Re-Elected For A Second Term

The Returning Officer for the election, Professor Richard Kimbir, announced this on Sunday at the collation centre for the governorship election in Jos, the state capital.

According to him, the governor who is the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was returned elected after polling the highest number of votes in the keenly contested poll.

Governor Lalong got a total of 595,582 votes ahead of his closest rival and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr Jerry Useni, who polled 546,813 votes.

He was declared the winner two weeks after the governorship election held on March 9 in Plateau and 28 other states in the country.

The states where election did not hold are Edo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Bayelsa, Kogi, and Anambra.

While winners emerged in some states, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the governorship election in Plateau and five other states as inconclusive.

Professor Kimbir had explained that the declaration, was as a result of the margin of a lead of 44,929 between the APC and the PDP candidates, which was less than the 49,377 cancelled votes.

He added that this constrained him to return a winner but rather declare the poll inconclusive.

This led to the supplementary election which held in nine local government areas of the state on Saturday, March 23.

Governor Lalong defeated Mr Useni with a difference of 48,769 votes in the rerun poll.

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PDP's Aminu Tambuwal Re-elected as the governor of Sokoto State

Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal has won his second term bid to govern the state for another four years.

The Resident Electoral Officer, Prof. Sadiq Musa, declared Tambuwal, the People’s Democratic Party candidate,

winner after he polled a total score of 512,002 votes.

His closest rival Ahmad Aliyu of the All Progressives Congress garnered 511,661 votes.

Although Tambuwal lost in the collated result for 35 polling units in Kebbe LGA, he was able to edge his opponent, his former deputy, by retaining the lead, winning by just 341 votes.

Aliyu was Tambuwal’s deputy governor during his first term until late 2018.

The duo were in the APC until Tambuwal defected to the PDP.

In the substantial governorship election held March 9, the Independent National Electoral Commission declared the state poll inconclusive.

The election authorities said Tambuwal polled 489,558 votes, while Aliyu of the APC had 486,145 votes.

The margin of win was a small, 3,413 votes, compared to the votes expected from the cancellation in 136 polling units with 75,403 registered voters.

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Former PDP Reps member dumps party in Ogun, writes Secondus

An ex-member of the House of Representatives, Oladapo Salako, who represented Remo Federal Constituency of Ogun state twice at the National Assembly on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has left the party.

Salako said his decision to walk away from the PDP had to do with the alleged injustices meted to him during the Ogun East Senatorial District primary election.

In a resignation letter addressed to the national chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus, the ex-lawmaker said despite the position of the Appeal Committee that he should be declared winner of the primary election; the party ignored same and instead, declared his co-contestant, Bola Kalejaiye, the party’s flag bearer winner.

Salako also said: “My first shock was the demand by the committee in charge of the primary election for the sum of N750, 000 as my share for the cost of the venue and logistics. By tradition, it has always been the responsibility of PDP to bear the cost of venue and other incidental expenses relating to primary election.”

He added that amid other electoral irregularities that allegedly characterised the Ogun PDP primaries, party officials sent to conduct the exercise skipped the accreditation of voters in the absence of INEC staff and DSS operatives.

Salako said he was left with no option but to quit the party he spent his resources and time to build because his request for the nullification of the primaries fell on deaf ears.

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INEC Declares Yahaya Abdullahi Winner In Niger State, Cancels Rerun Election

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has announced decision to halt the rerun for the Niger state House Assembly elections in Agaie constituency.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Prof. Sam Egwu, yesterday, issued a press statement declaring the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Yahaya Abdullahi, as winner of the election.

INEC said its decision was sequel to the earlier declaration of the PDP candidate winner of the election by the returning officer, Prof. Musa Kolo.

The REC, in a statement he personally signed, said, “the rerun in two units has been dropped after due consultations with stakeholders.”

However, in a swift reaction, APC chairman, Eng. Mohammed Jibril Imam said the commission’s decision declaring the PDP candidate winner was unacceptable.

He said INEC erred in declaring the PDP candidate winner of the election it earlier said was inconclusive.

“Why should the commission take such critical decision when the votes difference in the results under contention were just 106, while the two units the rerun was billed to take place boast of 1,437 votes.” Imam queried in a chat with reporters.

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Court declares Adeleke of PDP as the winner of the 2018 Gubernatorial Election

The rerun Osun governorship election on September 27, 2018 in seven polling units was illegal, The Osun State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal in Abuja has declared.

It stated the exercise was borne out of an illegal cancellation of results in the polling units during the September 22, 2018 original poll.

The Returning Officers who declared the results cancelled, according to the Tribunal, lacked the power to do it.

The Peoples Democratic Party and its governorship candidate, Ademola Adeleke, petitioned the tribunal to declare Adeleke the governor-elect having polled the highest lawful votes.

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AFCON Qualifiers: Nigeria Vs Seychelles At 4pm Today

Flying Eagles captain Ikouwen Udoh has been called up to replace Bordeaux forward Samuel Kalu for the upcoming Super Eagles games.

Ikouwen Udoh has finally been handed a chance for his first game for the Super Eagles [CAF]
Super Eagles boss Gernot Rohr has called up Enyimba defender Ikouwen Udoh for Nigeria's upcoming games against Seychelles and Egypt.

The German tactician earlier listed 23 players for the upcoming games in the international break and has decided an addition is needed.

Rohr listed two left backs in his initial list Valentine Ozornwafor who also plays for Enyimba and Jamilu Collins who plays for Paderborn in Germany.

With Udoh joining Ozornwafor and Kastina United goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa as the home-based players invited for the games.

The Super Eagles have already sealed a place in the at the 2019 AFCON after a draw against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa.

Udoh was part of the Flying Eagles team that booked a place at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup scheduled for Poland after a fourth- place finish at 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations held in Niger Republic.

Ikouwan Udoah lead the Flying Eagles of Nigeria to book a place at the U-20 World Cup (CAF)
Udoh was the captain of the Flying Eagles at the competition and was included in the team of the tournament.

According to a report by the Guardian, Udoh’s performance seems to have impressed Rohr who is willing to give him a try at senior level.

He is expected to replace Bordeaux forward Samuel Kalu who has been ruled out due to injury.

Udoh is expected to join up with the Super Eagles when they resume camp and will have a chance to make his Super Eagles debut in either game at the Stephen Keshi, Stadium Asaba, Delta State.

The Super Eagles will first take on the Pirates of Seychelles in their final AFCON 2019 qualifier on Friday, March 22 before an international friendly against the Pharaohs of Egypt scheduled for Tuesday, March 26.

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See Why Super Eagles Coach Dunped Kelechi Iheanacho

Leicester town forward Kelechi Iheanacho must be more committed if he wishes to return to the Super Eagles, according to coach Gernot Rohr.

Iheanacho has been neglected of the Eagles games against Seychelles and Egypt in Asaba.

“We don't seem to be satisfied with his recent performances. He should be more professional, it’s not good enough to be all the time funny. you have got to be serious. He should be more serious in training,” demanded Rohr.

“He should do this if he desires to show he wants to come back in his club and also with us.”

The Eagles coach additionally said Iheanacho can use the FIFA window to show new Leicester city boss Brendan Rodgers he ought to be in the starting XI of the Premier League club.

“He must show his new manager at his club that he desires to get back to the first team of Leicester,” he explained.

Nigeria U17 coach Manu Garba, who gave Iheanacho his 1st breakthrough in international football, has also insisted the forward should work on his attitude to be back in serious reckoning for both club and country.

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Nigeria deports four Ghanaians for violation Immigration Rules

The Federal Government has announced the deportation of four Ghanaian nationals for what it attributed to their violation of some immigration rules.

This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Public Relations Unit of the Nigeria Immigration Service NIS, Friday in Abuja.

The statement reads: “The Nigeria Immigration Service has carried out a Deportation Order as authorised by the Honourable Minister of Interior in respect of four Ghanaian Nationals for violating various provisions of the Immigration Act and Regulations.

“This is in line with the powers vested on the Honourable Minister of Interior in Section 45(1) and (2) of the Immigration Act 2015.

“The Order which was issued in the interest of the Public affects three males and a female. They are, Florence Donkur, Simon Gyan, Yeboah Collins and Alhaji Isa.

“They were deported to their country of origin via Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja today 22nd March, 2019 by 0900 hrs.

“The Comptroller General of Immigration, Muhammad Babandede, uses this medium to reaffirm the commitment of the Service to enforce relevant laws whenever the need arises while encouraging regular migrants in the country to be law abiding”.

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Suspected Ritualist Burnt To Death After Killing Teenage Girl In Bayelsa

A suspected ritualist was subjected to jungle justice earlier today after allegedly killing a young girl in Akenfa, Yenagoa, Bayelsa state.

It was gathered that the alleged ritualist pretended to a homeless man loitering around the area before he allegedly slaughtered a teenage girl and was nabbed in the process. 

The angry mob immediately descended on him and lynched him to serve as punishment and also a deterrent to others due to the increasing rate of ritual killings in the region.

The latest victim will make it three ladies who have been gruesomely killed in Akenfa community in less than two months.

It was earlier reported that two women were killed by unidentified ritualists in Akenfa I in January 2019.

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Senate approves N30,000 minimum wage

The Senate on Tuesday approved N30,000 as the new national minimum wage.

This decision was reached after the upper chamber’s ad-hoc committee on new minimum wage headed by Senator Francis Alimikhena, submitted its report.

The Senate then went on to request the Federal Government to submit a supplementary budget to cover the new wage structure for consideration and approval.

The Senator representing Benue Northeast Senatorial district, Barnabas Gemade had insisted that no governor in the states of the federation should complain over payment of N30,000 minimum wage.

Gemade, who lost his senatorial re-election bid on the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the just-concluded elections, insisted that states have enough resources to pay minimum wage.

He faulted those governors complaining of inadequate resources, adding that if resources available to states were prudently managed, payment of wages would be easy.

The lawmaker further explained that candidates including state governors spent humongous resources buying votes in the just-concluded elections, claiming that it was the state resources governors use for their elections.

He said, “There is no state in the country that cannot pay the N30,000 National minimum wage. They have enough resources to pay.

“I saw in the just concluded elections how votes were massively bought by the state resources and nobody should tell Nigerians that they cannot pay. They should pay,” the lawmaker insisted.

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Why I Worked Against Dapo Abiodun – Adebutu

Oladipupo Adebutu, a factional  governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2019 elections in Ogun State has disclosed why he worked against Dapo Abiodun, the Governor-elect of the state. 

It was gathered that Abiodun and Adebutu are natives of Remo in Ogun State, however the PDP Governorship candidate teamed up with the governorship candidate of the  Allied People’s Movement, Adekunle Akinlade, against Abiodun in the governorship election after his loss in court to governorship candidate of the PDP, Senator Buruji Kashamu.

 Adebutu who revealed why he worked against Dapo Abiodun in a statement released by his media aide, Afolabi Orekoya,  said he was merely interested in making a government that works for the people. He also disclosed that he will not defect to the APC, but will support the governor-elect in the interest of the people.

“All I did during the last elections was tailored towards establishing a government that would work for the people,” he said.“It is time for the government to consider the situation at Tai Solarin University of Education, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Olokola Liquefied Natural Gas and have compassion for government employees,” he added.

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Ogun election: APM candidate, Akinlade challenges governorship result in court, writes US, EU

The governorship candidate of the Allied People’s Movement, APM, Adekunle Akinlade, has announced his decision to challenge the victory of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the state, Dapo Abiodun, in the election petitions tribunal.

Akinlade stated this in a statement issued by his media aide, Azeez Adelani, on Sunday in Abeokuta, adding that he has directed his legal team to write the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and other international organisations over electoral issues in the state during the just-concluded governorship election.

The statement read, “At a strategic meeting held in Ibara Housing Estate, Abeokuta on the 16th of March, 2019, the governorship candidate of the Allied People’s Movement, Adekunle Abdulkabir Akinlade affirmed his resolve to challenge the March 9th election results at the tribunal.

“He claimed that compelling evidence available to him and his team clearly shows that the APM won the election but was rigged out.

“He said that his team had spent the last week gathering evidence to prove this claim.

“When reminded that he once said that he would accept the election result if he lost, Hon. Adekunle Akinlade said that in this instance, he did not lose but was rigged out.

“Akinlade also claimed that Prince Dapo Abiodun was quoted as boasting that ‘Federal Might’ will be deployed to undermine the tribunal judgment regardless of how credible the APM evidence are.

“They stole our APC mandate at the guber primaries on October 2, 2018. They brought in armed uniformed men on the night of March 9th 2019, to manipulate and substitute election results, arrest and send the APM agents away from collation centres to achieve their plans to rig the election.

“Akinlade, therefore, called on the good people of Ogun State to remain calm and resolute while promising to restore their mandate and put smiles on their faces, no matter the cost.

“My legal team has been directed to write the United States, United Kingdom, European Union and other international organisations over the electoral issues in the state during just concluded governorship election.

“The invitation of the international organisations is to request them to send independent observers to monitor the state governorship tribunal case.

“I would formally write President Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo on the need to protect my constitutional rights.

“I would request it from them as a supportive citizen who openly endorsed their candidatures and mobilised votes for them during the last Presidential election.”

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How I won Ogun governorship election – Dapo Abiodun

The Ogun State Governor-elect, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has narrated his experience in the just-concluded gubernatorial election.

He stated that if men were to be God, he would not have emerged as governor-in-waiting.

He spoke yesterday at a thanksgiving service to commemorate his election held at St. James’ Anglican Church, Iperu-Remo in Ikenne Local Government Area of the state.

Abiodun said despite the hostile electioneering, he had absolute faith in God which earned him victory at the polls.

He said, “Even the unbelievers believe that this victory has the hands of God.

“People asked me, Dapo, what has been driving you, how have you held on? And I told them it is my absolute faith in the almighty God.

“I always refer to the book of Mark 11:23. Honestly, if men were God I wouldn’t have been here.

“Today, what I want you to take home from here is that we should never give up because many times when we meet disappointment, it is just an avenue to close a window for a double door to be opened.”

The Governor-elect, however, pledged to run an equitable and transparent government when he assumes office on May 29.

Earlier in his sermon, the Archbishop, Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos and Bishop of Remo, Most Rev’d Olusina Fape stated that the emergence of Abiodun has nothing to do with federal might as it was being insinuated in some quarters.

Fape urged the Governor-elect to respect his political party structure, warning him not to neglect party leaders.

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Europa League Draw: Arsenal Book Napoli...See Full List

Arsenal were handed a tough quarter-finals tie with Italian giants Napoli in the Europa League draw Friday as Chelsea were paired with outsiders Slavia Prague.

Unai Emery’s team will host Napoli at the Emirates Stadium in the first leg on April 11, with the return in Italy a week later.

It is a tough draw for the Gunners, with Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli currently second in Serie A — they were eliminated from the Champions League in the group stage despite beating Liverpool at home and drawing twice with Paris Saint-Germain.

The winners of that tie will go on to a semi-final against the winners of an all-Spanish quarter-final between local rivals Valencia and Villarreal.

Both La Liga sides defeated Russian opposition in the last 16, with Valencia edging out Krasnodar and Villarreal, who are struggling domestically, knocking out Zenit Saint Petersburg.

Before winning the Europa League three years running with Sevilla between 2014 and 2016, Emery really came to prominence during three years in charge of Valencia. He led them to three consecutive third-place finishes in La Liga between 2010 and 2012.

Emery and Ancelotti are both former Paris Saint-Germain coaches, but the latter may have wished for a match-up with another of his old sides, Chelsea.

Instead, the west London club will face Slavia, heading to the capital of the Czech Republic for the first leg on April 11.

Chelsea, winners of the Europa League in 2013, will fancy their chances of advancing, although they would be wise to beware a Slavia side who are top of the Czech league and knocked out Sevilla in the last 16.

The winners of that tie will go through to a semi-final against either Benfica or dark horses Eintracht Frankfurt.

Benfica, who dropped out of this season’s Champions League at the group stage, lost to Chelsea in the 2013 Europa League final and were then beaten by Sevilla on penalties in the final a year later.

Eintracht are a dangerous prospect, and the only German survivor in any European competition this season.

The 1980 UEFA Cup winners, and runners-up in the European Cup in 1960, won the German Cup last season and are fresh from eliminating Inter Milan in the last 16.

This year’s Europa League final will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan, on May 29. The winners will secure passage to next season’s Champions League group stage.

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UEFA Champions League Quarter Final and Semi-Final Draws

Quarter Finals Draw

Manchester United vs Barcelona

Tottenham vs Manchester City

Liverpool vs FC Porto

Ajax vs Juventus

Semi-Finals Draw:

Manchester United/Barcelona vs FC Porto/Liverpool

Tottenham/Manchester City vs Ajax/Juventus

The quarter final first leg will be played between April 9/10 and the second leg will be played between April 16/17

The Semi-Final first leg will be played between April 30 and May 1^st and the return leg will be played on May 7/8. The Final will be played on June 1^st.

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Chelsea’s squad to face Dynamo Kiev revealed [Full list]

Chelsea manager, Maurizio Sarri, has named a strong squad to face Dynamo Kiev, in the second leg of their Europa League round of 16 clash on Thursday.

Sarri has rested key players during trips to Greece (PAOK), Belarus (BATE), and Hungary (Vidi FC) in the group stages, as well as in the first knockout round against Malmo, when Marcos Alonso was dropped and Ruben Loftus-Cheek had to stay behind through injury.

However, he is not taking any chances this time around.

The only absence is a forced one, as Gonzalo Higuain has apparently been struck down by a fever.

“He had a fever after the league match for two days. Yesterday in the evening with the doctor we decided to leave him at home in order to recover him for the next match,” Sarri told reporters.

The rest of the 21-man traveling squad is as follows:

GOALKEEPERS: Arrizabalaga, Caballero, Bulka

DEFENDERS: Rudiger, Christensen, Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Alonso, Emerson, Zappacosta, Ampadu

MIDFIELDERS: Jorginho, Kante, Barkley, Kovacic, Loftus-Cheek

ATTACKERS: Hudson-Odoi, Hazard, Pedro, Willian, Giroud

With Chelsea holding a 3-0 first leg lead, surely just about any reasonable combination of these name should (“should”) be able to finish the job. Higuain’s absence probably not a big deal in any case since Giroud, who’s the team’s leading goalscorer in Europe this season with six goals, was going to start anyway.

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Europa League: Why Sarri dropped Gonzalo Higuain from Chelsea’s squad against Dynamo Kiev

Chelsea manager, Maurizio Sarri has explained why he dropped striker, Gonzalo Higuain from his side’s Europa League squad that will tackle Dynamo Kiev on Thursday night.

Higuain did not travel with the rest of the Chelsea squad ahead of Thursday’s Europa League round of 16 second-leg clash with Dynamo Kiev.

According to Sarri, the Argentina international had fever after their Premier League 1-1 draw with Wolves last Sunday.

Chelsea defeated Dynamo Kiev 3-0 in the first-leg encounter at Stamford Bridge last week Thursday.

Asked why Higuain did not travel with the Chelsea squad to Ukraine, Sarri was quoted by Metro UK as telling reporters on Wednesday: “He had fever after the Premier League match for two days, so yesterday we decided to leave him at home to recover for the next match.”

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Real Madrid Sign Brazilian Defender Militao In €50m Deal

Real Madrid have clinched a deal to sign the Brazilian defender Eder Militao, 21, from Portuguese champions FC Porto from next season, the two clubs announced on Thursday.

The center-back is the Spanish giants’ first signing since Zinedine Zidane returned to the club as a coach for a second spell this week.

Real said Militao would join on a four-year deal until 2025. Meanwhile, in a statement to the Portuguese stock exchange, Porto said Real had agreed to pay the player’s release clause of 50 million euros ($56.5m), “effective at the end of the season”.

That will mean a significant profit for Porto on a player they signed last year from Sao Paulo in his homeland.

Militao, who can also play at right-back and has been capped once by Brazil, reinforces a Real defence that has often been diminished by injuries this season.

He is likely to be followed by several more new arrivals before the start of next season as Real prepare to rebuild following what has been a disappointing campaign.

Zidane replaced Santiago Solari on Tuesday on a contract until 2022 with Madrid out of the Champions League and Copa del Rey, and lying third in La Liga, 12 points adrift of leaders Barcelona with 11 matches left.

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Police arrest Oyo APC lawmaker over Rep member's death

Oyo State Police Command has arrested the chief whip of Oyo State House of Assembly Wasiu Akinmoyede over the death of House of Representatives member Temitope Olatoye, known as ‘Sugar’ during Saturday, March 23 governorship election in the state.

Akinmoyede, who represents Lagelu constituency in the assembly, was alleged to have had a hand in the murder of Olatoye, who was the senatorial candidate of Action Democratic Party (ADP).

State Police Command sent a notice of Akinmoyede’s arrest to the State Assembly that it has arrested Akinmoyede in connection with the killing of Olatoye.

His arrest has brought the number of those arrested in connection with the killing to two.

Speaker of the House of Assembly, Olagunju Ojo, in an interview with journalists confirmed that the House was notified through a letter that Akinmoyede is under investigation.

“Yes, we received a letter that he is under investigation, I am not aware that he is been taken to Abuja or not,” Ojo said.

Ojo said, “I am not aware that he has been taken to Abuja. I am only aware that he is under investigations but I am not sure if he is in Abuja or not.”

The Oyo State lawmaker and Olatoye have been political rivals in Lagelu local government area of the state over the years.

Olatoye represented the Lagelu constituency in the House of Assembly from 2011-2015 on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He was elected House of Representatives member for Lagelu/Akinyele federal constituency in 2015.

He contested the party’s senatorial ticket but lost to the former Senate leader, Teslim Folarin and thereafter defected to ADP to achieve his senatorial ambition.

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More Pics From The 4 Storey Building That Collapsed In Lagos, School Kids Feared Dead

A 4 storey building just collapse in Itafaaji, Lagos Island.

There is a private school in that building and a lot of children are trapped in that building.

Some of the children are dead while some have been rescued. But a lot of children are still trapped inside the building.

Some parents have more than one child in the school, some have 2, some have up to 4.

The collapse was said to be as a result of a dredging that happen within the area that affected the building.

The Lagos state fire and emergency have reached the place and trying to rescue the children that are trapped.

These are images from the scene...

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APC wins majority seats in Senate

The ruling All Progressives Congress has won 62 out of 109 seats in the Senate. The People’s Democratic Party has 37 seats and the Young Progressives Party secured one.

Although the Senate is made up of 109 seats, the Independent National Electoral Commission has only announced 100 winners as the commission had ordered a rerun in some states

Reruns were held on March 9 in Abia South, Imo West and North, Kogi East, Ondo South, Plateau South, Rivers East, Rivers West, while Bauchi South Senator will be determined by a court.

Winners of those reruns are yet to be included in the list.

Of the 100 senatorial seats declared so far, six are to be occupied by women.

President Muhammadu Buhari said he was happy over the majority of the APC in the Senate.

Buhari said he was looking forward to a mutual and effective working relationship with the ninth National Assembly toward improving the budgetary process and restoring the country to the January-December fiscal cycle.

He recounted how the delay in the passage of budgets hindered timely execution of projects across the country. The general election budget approval was also delayed.

The presidency alleged that the National Assembly planned to sabotage the 2019 poll by deliberately withholding approval for funding as required by the electoral commission for the elections.

Senate chief Bukola Saraki dismissed the allegations and accused the presidency of not properly explaining issues regarding the budget before sending it for approval.

He said the legislature would not accept being treated as the “appendage of the executive.”

“No genuine leader of the legislature will be comfortable that the presidency will simply write a terse letter to the national assembly on key issues which the federal legislature is expected to later deliberate upon and give its approval,” he said.

“The Buhari administration consistently treats the legislature with contempt and acts as if the lawmaking body should be an appendage of the executive. To me, this is unacceptable.”

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Zidane Reveals Why He Rejoined Real Madrid

Zinedine Zidane has said he decided to return as Real Madrid manager nine months after he walked away because he felt it was the right thing to do.

The Frenchman quit his job at the Santiago Bernabeu, after winning the Champions League for three consecutive years.

Zidane has now returned to replace Santiago Solari and becomes Madrid’s third manager this season, signing a three-year contract until 2022.

“I know this is a special day for everyone. I’m very happy to return here and that’s the most important thing. I will be starting work tomorrow to put this club back where it deserves to be.

“It’s great to be back – not that I’ve been that far away.

“It’s a massive responsibility. I’m just one more member of the team, this club. I love football and I haven’t forgotten what we have won – but I also haven’t forgotten all the things that we did badly. I know where I am.

“I’ll put everything I have within me to make the team better.

“Things are going to change – they need to. But that’s not a priority right now. We have 11 games left, and the idea is to finish the season well.

“The first thing that entered my head when I got the phone call asking me to come back? I’ll come back – and here I am.

“I don’t have any debt to pay with Real Madrid, I don’t owe the club anything. I’m here because I want to be.

“I’ve spent [the last] nine months living here in Madrid, recharging my batteries. Now I’m ready for new challenges with this great club – the club I love,” Zidane told a press conference on Monday night.

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