Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

Captain Sergi Roberto scored twice as Barcelona held off bottom club Almeria to claim three valuable points in the La Liga title race. The result lifts Barca to third in the table, six points behind leaders Girona and four adrift of second-placed Real Madrid, who both have a game in hand. Goals from Raphinha and Roberto twice put the hosts ahead, only for Leo Baptistao and Edgar Gonzalez to level. However, Roberto’s late effort ended their three-game winless run. Xavi’s side now travel to Dallas for a friendly against Mexican side Club America before they head into their winter break,…

Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof Ishaq Oloyede, has explained that the extra money being paid by candidates was a charge by operators of Computer Based Test (CBT) centres to assuage the high cost of diesel. This is as he denied that the examination body increased the fees for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) for 2024. He said JAMB only facilitated the process of collecting the payments so that candidates would not be exploited by the operators. Prof Oloyede said these when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Basic Education at the…

Governor Dikko Umaru Radda of Katsina State has signed the N454.3 billion budget for 2024 into law.  The official signing ceremony held at the Government House, witnessed by dignitaries including the Chief Judge and Grand Khadi, marked a key step towards steering the state through the coming year. Governor Radda, addressing concerns about resource allocation, emphasized a commitment to prioritize needs and ensure strict adherence to budget implementation procedures. He lauded the state assembly for its efficient 33-day scrutiny and passage of the budget, urging continued collaboration between the executive and legislative branches. Beyond budgetary matters, Radda acknowledged the ongoing…

The Senate Committee on Finance has mandated the Inspector General of Police to compel the appearance of the Registrar General of Corporate Affairs Commission, Garba Lawal, before it within 24 hours. The committee chairman, Sani Musa, expressed anger when the Registrar General shunned the committee’s invitation for the third time on Wednesday. Lawal was expected to appear to defend the CAC 2024 budget after some financial discrepancies were spotted by the committee in the accounts submitted and needed further explanation. Four senior officials of the commission, having confirmed several letters of invitation by the Clerk of the Senate Committee on…

Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface has won the Rookie of the Month award for a fifth consecutive time this season after taking the December prize. The forward has made the Rookie of the Month award his own since joining Bayer Leverkusen from Belgian outfit Union Saint-Gilloise in the summer. The 22-year-old previously won the award in August, September, October and November. Boniface has scored three goals and provided two assists in three league appearances for Xabi Alonso’s side this month. The Nigeria international will hope to add to the tally when Die Werkself take on Bochum in their final game of…

Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu has declared an extended Christmas holiday lasting 14 days for all civil servants in the state. The holiday period will begin on Wednesday, December 20 and conclude on January 2, 2024. In an official statement released on Wednesday (today), the governor’s chief press secretary, Emmanuel Ogbeche, clarified that only essential workers will be exempted from this holiday. Governor Otu thanked the workers for their dedication and hard work throughout the year. He encouraged them to utilize this opportunity to spend valuable time with their families and also urged them to participate actively in the annual Calabar…

The President of the 10th Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Wednesday, declared the seats of David Umahi and Ibrahim Geidam in the upper legislative chamber vacant. The Senate President reached the decision following their appointments as ministers of works and police affairs, respectively. While Umahi represented Ebonyi South, Geidam represented Yobe East. Following the announcement, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will conduct by-elections in these senatorial districts. INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, on Monday, said the commission is considering conducting by-elections and rerun polls in state and federal constituencies in February 2024. He noted that political parties must carry out fresh primaries…

The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has unveiled the provisional squad for the Super Eagles ahead of the forthcoming African Cup of Nations (AFCON). The list is contained in a document uploaded on the CAF website on Wednesday. The NFF submitted a 40-man list to the continental football governing body within the stipulated December 14 deadline. The list includes Ahmed Musa and William Troost-Ekong, who were previously absent from the recent Super Eagles outings. Others are six goalkeepers, 13 defenders, eight midfielders and 13 forwards. Victor Osimhen, newly crowned African footballer of the year, was included alongside red-hot Victor Boniface, Ademola…

President Bola Tinubu has authorised a 50 per cent reduction in the fares that commercial buses charge on interstate routes during the Yuletide season. The Minister of Solid Minerals, Mr. Dele Alake, announced the cut on Wednesday. According to him, the effort is a presidential intervention aimed at offering relief to the poor during the holiday season. He said, “President Bola Tinubu, in another demonstration of his love for Nigerians, has approved that the Federal Government should intervene to bring down the cost of public transport to allow our compatriots who want to travel to visit their loved ones and…

The Governor of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, has withdrawn his case against the Rivers State House of Assembly led by Martins Amaewhule at the State High Court sitting in Isiokpo in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state. This comes days after Fubara met with President Bola Tinubu, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and other Rivers Stakeholders in Aso Villa. The meeting, which was fixed to end the political crisis in the state, saw Wike, Fubara, and some others sign an agreement to end the feud. Among the agreement was for Governor Fubara to withdraw legal cases…

The Governor of Plateau State, Caleb Mutfwang, has officially approved the 2024 appropriation bill of N314.8 billion for the state. The budget announced on Wednesday morning surpasses the previous year’s budget of N149.9 billion by N164.9 billion. The “Budget of New Beginnings” allocates N162.3 billion for recurrent expenditure and N152.5 billion for capital expenditure. In his remark during the presentation, Governor Mutfwang expressed his commitment to transforming Plateau into a remarkable state, stating that the budget reflects his administration’s vision for a brighter future. He said: “We encountered a state of neglect in critical sectors and we are determined to lay a new…

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led government has directed trailers and tankers packed in Cele bus stop, inward Tincan Port axis, to vacate the area immediately. Articulated vehicles are often parked on the routes along the Apapa-Oshodi expressway while obstructing the free flow of traffic. The special adviser on transportation to the Lagos State Governor, Sola Giwa, announced the directive in a statement on Wednesday. The statement read, “The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, said the directive underscores the commitment of the state government to ensuring the smooth flow of traffic and minimising disruptions caused by the persistent presence of these…