Author: Chief Editor

In one of the most recent interviews he granted a national daily, Governor Kayode Fayemi was asked to state for the record, who between former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and former Governor of Ekiti State, Otunba Niyi Adebayo brought him into partisan politics. The intention of the reporter was two-fold: One, to further the debate on the topic, which had been generating interest on social media for about a month. Two, to get a fresh angle to the story, exclusively for his newspaper. The question was neatly wrapped as a follow up question and should naturally provide…

Indications emerged, yesterday, that former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, might defect to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). This came to the fore after Fani-Kayode met separately with Governors Yahaya Bello of Kogi State and Malam Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State who chairs the caretaker committee of the APC on registration and revalisation of party members at a Guest House in Wuse, Abuja. Though details of what transpired at the parley held behind closed doors were yet to be known, it is believed Fani-Kayode, who dumped the APC for the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015…

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has inaugurated a 17-man committee to review its operational plan for the next five years. Speaking at the ceremony yesterday in Abuja, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, explained that the review would form the basis for the full formulation of the election project plan for the 2023 ballot. According to him, it will also help the commission to identify all events, programmes and actions that needed to be implemented before the election. Yakubu recalled that INEC’s first strategic plan, within which general elections were anchored, was developed…

The Federal Ministry of Communications and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) are working with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to ensure that all Nigerians who have Bank Verification Number (BVN) are given the National Identification Number (NIN). Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, who disclosed this when he visited different National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) enrolment centres in Abuja yesterday, observed that NIN was the only mandatory number and the primary identification of Nigerians over as every other identification. He noted that the NIMC Act 2007 provided that all citizens must be enrolled and that the…

Atletico Madrid slipped up in La Liga for the first time in nine games on Monday as Celta Vigo snatched a late equaliser to deliver a ray of hope to Barcelona and Real Madrid. Luis Suarez scored twice at the Wanda Metropolitano to overturn Santi Mina’s opener for Celta, with Atletico on course to restore their 10-point lead at the top of the table. But Facundo Ferreyra slid in to score in the 89th minute to earn a deserved 2-2 draw for the visitors, meaning Atletico’s advantage at the end of the weekend is reduced to eight, still with a…

• ‘I’m not an advocate of self-help in security matters’ For Ekiti State Governor and Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who turns 56 today, self-help cannot solve security challenges in the country but argues that states must be empowered to take ownership of security within their boundary. He also spoke on his rumoured 2023 presidential ambition and gave a hint on his succession plan next year with MUYIWA ADEYEMI How would you assess your tenure as Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), especially the challenge of working with your brother governors? It’S been a pretty busy tenure…

Liverpool’s Premier League title defence is in tatters after a 4-1 humbling at home by Manchester City, with Jurgen Klopp facing an uphill task to stop the champions’ season imploding. The bedraggled red-shirted players trudged off the pitch at Anfield on Sunday after their third consecutive home defeat left them 10 points behind Pep Guardiola’s men, having played a game more. Goalkeeper Alisson Becker made two costly blunders after Mohamed Salah had cancelled out Ilkay Gundogan’s opener before Phil Foden blasted home a fourth at an empty Anfield. It means after a run of 68 league games unbeaten at home,…

Zinedine Zidane said on Monday he feels “supported by everyone” at Real Madrid but would not confirm whether he will see out his contract at the club. Zidane’s deal expires in 2022, with the Frenchman’s future under scrutiny given Madrid’s disappointing form in La Liga this season. They sit 10 points adrift of Atletico Madrid, who have two games in hand and will stretch the gap to 13 points if they beat beat Celta Vigo at home later on Monday. “We’re all in the same boat, I feel supported by everyone,” Zidane said in a press conference ahead of Tuesday’s…

Bayern Munich’s preparation for the Club World Cup was disrupted despite victory, Kylian Mbappe rediscovered his supersonic speed and Lionel Messi starred from the bench, while Zlatan Ibrahimovic notched his 500th club goal at the weekend. AFP Sport rounds up some of the main talking points from across the continent: Bayern fume at flight delay Bayern Munich’s weekend started well, Kingsley Coman’s deflected strike securing a 1-0 win at Hertha Berlin on Friday as they maintained a seven-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga from RB Leipzig. They then boarded a plane for Qatar in preparation for a night…

Paul Pogba will be out of action for a “few weeks” after suffering a thigh injury during Manchester United’s 3-3 draw with Everton, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer said on Monday. The 27-year-old midfielder was forced off towards the end of the first half of Saturday’s match, just days after being named the club’s player of the month for January. Pogba’s absence will be a blow to United as they battle to stay in touch with Premier League leaders Manchester City and with FA Cup and Europa League matches to come. The French World Cup winner was enjoying a resurgence in form…