Author: Chief Editor

Faults process of appointment of judges CJN welcomes reforms in judges’ appointment The Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo yesterday observed that the justice administration “is under severe pressure from the elites who want to get ahead at all cost” while faulting the process of appointing judges in Nigeria. With Osinbajo’s observation, the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Ibrahim Tanko Muhammad made a case for new reforms in the judiciary, specifically with respect to the appointment of judges. The leaders expressed grave concerns about the quality of judges and justice administration, at a webinar the Justice Research Institute (JRI) organised…

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard insists his injury-depleted side will learn from their 4-1 mauling at Bayern Munich to bow out of the Champions League 7-1 on aggregate in the last 16. Having lost 3-0 to Bayern at Stamford Bridge in the first leg in February, an injury-depleted Chelsea were brushed aside on Saturday as Robert Lewandowski, the Champions League’s top-scorer with 13 goals in seven games, netted twice and created two more. “It’s a good exercise for us to go up against Bayern and their Champions League experience, with a lot of our players having debut seasons,” said Lampard. Chelsea…

Gianni Infantino has insisted that he had “nothing to hide” in a letter to member federations of football’s global governing body FIFA despite Swiss prosecutors launching a criminal probe against him. In the letter, sent on Thursday and seen by AFP, FIFA chief Infantino tells the body’s 211 members that there were no “factual grounds for the opening of a criminal investigation” which was announced last week. The special prosecutor has been investigating suspected collusion between Infantino and Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber, who resigned last month over his handling of a corruption investigation targeting FIFA. Infantino and Lauber are…

Challenges opposition to withdraw nomination to Bauchi and Adamawa govs, others who were on trial when they contested The presidency, yesterday, described the Edo State governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, as a mere suspect in a corruption case who was never convicted. The clarification was made in reaction to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which condemned the endorsement of Ize-Iyamu by President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, saying he is standing trial for alleged looting of N700 million.. The presidency, however, maintained that though Buhari saw corruption in his government as well as the previous…

Lautaro Martinez is said to be Barcelona’s prime target in this summer transfer window Inter Milan have reportedly already made it clear that it would take a fee in the range of €90m for them to part with Martinez Barcelona President Josep Bartomeu said that the club would contact Inter Milan over a transfer for Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez only after the end of the Champions League campaign. It is now an open secret that Martinez is Barcelona’s top transfer target for the summer. The Blaugrana are obviously looking for an adequate source of goals to take some burden off the shoulders of Lionel Messi. And the…

Former governor of Anambra State and Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has said that rotational presidency was a gentleman agreement reached by the All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders during its formation. Against the background of resurgent debate on the necessity or otherwise of the concept in the nation’s polity, Ngige said it made for the stability of the country. Speaking in an interview with THISDAY to mark his birthday, the minister said that even though it was not contained in the party’s constitution, the framers of the constitution of the APC agreed that it was something possible.…

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has warned that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) would resist every attempt to unlawfully remove Governor Godwin Obaseki from office or rig the September 19 governorship election in Edo State. This is as the Edo State Chapter of the PDP, yesterday, called on the police to arrest any person or group of persons who claim to have emerged as the new Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA) and others parading themselves as members of Edo Assembly outside of the legally inaugurated 10 members. The state women’s wing of the party, on their part, yesterday, stormed…

Juventus coach Maurizio Sarri said he was “bitter” as the Italian giants crashed out of the Champions League on Friday to Lyon despite a Cristiano Ronaldo double giving the hosts a 2-1 win over the French club on the night. Captain Memphis Depay’s 12th-minute penalty however, sealed Lyon’s berth in the quarter-finals with a 2-2 aggregate score to go through on away goals. A goal up after winning February’s first leg, Lyon will face Manchester City at the final tournament in Lisbon. “I am very bitter, I understand how much this competition is cursed for Juve,” said Sarri, who took…

Pep Guardiola came out on top in his duel with Zinedine Zidane on Friday and then reminded his Manchester City players that their 2-1 win over Real Madrid that took them into the Champions League quarter-finals was just “one step” in their quest for European success. City capitalised on two shocking mistakes by Raphael Varane to get their goals, with Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus scoring either side of a Karim Benzema strike for the visitors in this last 16 second leg, played at an empty Etihad Stadium. After winning by the same scoreline in Madrid back in February, before…

Aisha, the wife of President Muhammadu Buhari, has been flown to Dubai, United Arab Emirates for treatment of a persistent neck pain. One of the aides of the Nigerian First Lady who spoke to THISDAY last night confirmed that she was flown to Dubai eight days ago. The source said the First Lady had been complaining of neck pain for several weeks and decided to seek help abroad following the ineffectiveness of drugs prescribed by her Nigerian doctors. “The neck pain deteriorated shortly after she returned to Abuja from a trip to Lagos in July after visiting Florence, the widow…