Author: Chief Editor

•Cases hit 45,687 with 32,637 discharged and 936 deaths The World Bank Board of Directors yesterday approved $114.28 million financing to help Nigeria prevent, detect and respond to the threat posed by the COVID-19 pandemic with specific focus on state level responses. On the same day, 443 new cases of COVID-19 were recorded nationwide, taking the number of confirmed cases to 45,687 with 32,637 discharged and 936 deaths recorded. The World Bank intervention includes $100 million credit from the International Development Association (IDA) and $14.28 million grant from the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility. World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Mr.…

•Obaseki: Attempt to invade Assembly, a coup d’etat •Tinubu: Obaseki’s actions, assault on constitutional democracy •US worries about ‘deteriorating political climate in Edo State’ •Buhari receives Ize-Iyamu, urges APC to avoid Rivers, Zamfara pitfalls Supporters of Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State turned out in large number in the early hours of yesterday at the state’s House of Assembly, in solidarity with Obaseki and the Speaker, Francis Okiye, impeached by factional lawmakers on Thursday, and prevented the pro-Oshiomhole lawmakers from accessing the Assembly. On the same day, Governor Obaseki, in a statewide broadcast, described the failed invasion of the Assembly…

urgen Klopp and three Liverpool players are up for awards following their triumphant 2019-20 Premier League season. Liverpool dominate the nominations for the Premier League Player of the Season, Young Player of the Season and Manager of the Season awards for 2019-20. Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year Jordan Henderson, along with team-mates Trent Alexander-Arnold and Sadio Mane, are up for the league’s Player of the Season prize. Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne, Golden Boot winner Jamie Vardy, Southampton striker Danny Ings and Burnley goalkeeper Nick Pope are the other nominees. Alexander-Arnold is also up for the inaugural Young…

Barcelona have named as many as nine youth players in depleted Champions League squad. The Catalan giants face Napoli in the second leg and the two sides are tied 1-1 on aggregate as things stand. Barcelona travel to the San Paolo Stadium to take on Napoli in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie. The Catalan giants drew 1-1 in the first leg almost five months ago and will aim to record a positive result to secure qualification. Going into the crucial game, Barcelona have announced their 22-man squad for their trip to Naples. While most of the…

Nigeria President Muhammadu Buhari has endorsed Osagie Ize-Iyamu for the September 19 governorship election in Edo State. Buhari endorsed Ize-Iyamu, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on Friday when he visited the Presidential Villa in the company of the party’s caretaker committee chairman and Yobe State governor Mai Mala Buni. [GuardianNG]

A presidential spokesman Femi Adesina has said the message of the young boy which was asking his mother to ‘calm down’ as she was set to punish him for a misdemeanour, is meant for the entire country. The viral video showed how a little boy skillfully delayed spanking from his mother by appealing to his mother’s emotion and repeatedly telling his mother to “calm down” had earlier caught the fancy of Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu. In his Sallah message, Sanwo-Olu appealed to Lagosians to calm down in the manner of the boy in that viral video said. But Adesina…

A High Court in Kaduna, on Friday, fixed Sept. 29, to rule on the motion of no-case-submission filed by Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zazaky, leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN). The IMN leader is seeking the court to quash the State government’s case against him for lack of evidence. Justice Gideon Kurada fixed the date, after counsel to the defendant, Abubakar Marshall, holding the briefs for Femi Falana, had asked the court to quash the charges preferred against El-Zakzaky by the government for not “disclosing an offence known to law contrary to Section 36 (8) and (12) of the 1999…

•DHQ says US warning on ISIS not new President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday directed the armed forces and all security agencies to henceforth promote and implement comprehensive security philosophies and measures driven by long-established principles of jointness and synergies through inter-agency cooperation. He also said his government’s policy tripod of ushering in economic prosperity, taming corruption and engendering an enabling security environment would not be realised without an armed force fit for the purpose. He spoke at the graduation of Course 28 of Nigerian Defence College, Abuja, a day after the United States warned that terror groups, al-Qaeda and ISIS, have…

If President Muhammadu Buhari’s reasons for keeping the service chiefs whom he was supposed to have replaced overdue tenure, were because they were doing well in the fight against terrorism, neither the Senate nor Nigerians would be asking him to sack them. Besides, it’s often said that one good turn deserves another. But reserve is the case as they’re underperforming. Civilians and soldiers are being killed every day by men of the underworld (Boko Haram), and other defiant sects. There are no sanctuaries in the country again. Churches, schools and mosques are not safe as they’re being invaded by terrorists.…

To keen followers of Ondo State politics and the governorship election, it is most likely there would be a third force, to be unveiled soon. Across the 203 wards and 18 local government areas of the state, the people are anxious to see the deputy governor, Agboola Ajayi, formally declare his governorship bid under the banner of Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) today, 14 days after he lost PDP primary election to Eyitayo Jegede. This projection is as a result of the political undercurrent, which played out between the leadership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the state governor,…