Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

President Bola Tinubu will travel to Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, over the next few days in what has been termed an aggressive push to promote Nigeria and attract foreign direct investment. Presidential spokesman, Ajuri Ngelale, who briefed State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa said the President will be attending the Saudi-Africa Summit and the Arab-African summit which are scheduled to hold on the 10th and 11th November, 2023 respectively. According to the presidential spokesman, the President in Saudi Arabia, would discuss several issues of mutual concern with respect to economic ties between the regions and with respect…

Organised labour, made up of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), has begun mobilising its affiliates and state councils ahead of the total shutdown of the nation on Wednesday. The NLC and TUC had on Friday resolved to embark on a nationwide strike to protest the brutal attack on the President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero. Recall that operatives of the Nigerian Police arrested Ajaero during a protest march organised by labour unions in Owerri, Imo State, in response to claims that the state government was abusing and violating the rights of its workers. NLC alleged…

The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has announced that the Imo State Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Barde, will be redeployed before the Saturday gubernatorial elections in the state. The CP was recently accused by the Labour Party and other stakeholders of being partisan. Similarly, the Nigeria Labour Congress had demanded the removal of the police boss following the attack on its president, Joe Ajaero, in Owerri on Wednesday. Responding to the call for the CP’s redeployment, Egbetokun said on Sunday night during a Channels Television programme that the Nigeria Police Force had concluded plans to redeploy the CP. According…

The Federal Government, yesterday, urged motorists to use alternative routes to avert gridlock as comprehensive repair works on Adekunle ramps of Third Mainland Bridge begins today. Addressing newsmen on the 11.8km Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos, the Federal Controller of Wosrks, Lagos State, Engr. Mrs Olukorede Kesha, said the repairs would begin today adding that the Adekunle exit ramp would be closed to traffic from 9.00 a.m. for the two weeks’ rehabilitation after which, work would move to other areas. Kesha said: “We are here to sensitise Lagosians on the forthcoming closure of Third Mainland Bridge on Monday November 6.…

Real Madrid missed an opportunity to return to the top of La Liga as they were held to a goalless draw by Rayo Vallecano at the Bernabeu. The result leaves Real second in the table, two points behind leaders Girona who won 4-2 at Osasuna on Saturday. Federico Valverde, Joselu, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr all had chances to score for the hosts. However, the visitors held firm for their first away point in this fixture since 2000. Francisco’s Vallecano team are now unbeaten in their last nine matches in all competitions. They frustrated their more esteemed Madrid neighbours but…

Colombian-born Liverpool footballer Luis Díaz has begged for his father’s kidnappers to free him immediately and “end this painful wait”. Both of Díaz’s parents were seized at gunpoint in his hometown of Barrancas by left-wing guerrillas of the National Liberation Army (ELN) on 28 October. While his mother was found, his father is still missing. Díaz scored a goal against Luton on Sunday, lifting his shirt to reveal the words in Spanish “freedom for papa”. “Every second, every minute our anxiety grows,” Díaz, 26, said in a statement released shortly after the match in England’s Premier League. “My mother, my brothers…

Anthony Gordon’s controversial second-half winner gave Newcastle United victory over Arsenal in a feisty encounter at St James’ Park. Gordon’s scrappy 64th-minute strike summed up a dogfight of a game, with the video assistant referee checking for whether the ball had gone out of play, for a foul and for offside before Newcastle were finally allowed to celebrate. It condemned Arsenal to their first Premier League defeat of the season as referee Stuart Attwell found himself at the centre of several contentious moments even before Gordon’s decider. Newcastle were furious when Kai Havertz escaped a red card for a wild…

Jeremy Doku scored and had a hand in four others as Manchester City romped to a 6-1 victory over Bournemouth which sends them top of the table. The electric Belgian winger played a one-two with Rodri on the half-hour mark before striking home for the opener. Soon afterwards, he set up Bernardo Silva for the first of his two goals, drawing a defender then picking out a pass for the Portuguese star to slide home. A third arrived eight minutes before the break when Doku’s effort was deflected into the Bournemouth net by Manuel Akanji. A fourth arrived just after…

Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu on Saturday allayed fears about his safety following Friday’s air crash near the Ladoke Akintola Airport in Ibadan, Oyo State. A source close to the Minister told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan that Adelabu was in good spirits and not perturbed by the incident. A private aircraft which had the minister and some of his aides on board crash-landed near the airport late Friday evening. ”The minister feels the incident is not something to worry about. It was actually a minor thing, and that is how he has taken it,” an aide…

Giacomo Raspadori scored his third goal in three games as Napoli earned a comfortable 2-0 win over Salernitana in Serie A. After a lively opening from both sides, the reigning Scudetto champions took the lead when Lobotka’s through ball found Raspadori who lashed the ball into the top corner. Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa then kept his side with a string of brilliant saves to deny Raspadori on two occasions and Matteo Politano. Filipo Inzaghi’s side created some decent openings of their own with Lorenzo Pirola forcing a good save with a header from a corner. The second half was a similar…

Bruno Fernandes scored a dramatic winner in stoppage time to give under-pressure Manchester United a priceless 1-0 Premier League win against Fulham at Craven Cottage. The United captain converted Facundo Pellistri’s pass from the edge of the box in the first of five added minutes with a quality finish after Fulham failed to clear the danger to illuminate a largely forgettable match in London. Erik ten Hag’s toiling side had a goal ruled out early on by VAR after Harry Maguire was deemed to be offside in the build-up to a Scott McTominay finish from close range. But they kept…

In a joint statement released on Saturday, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and  Labour Party (LP) have announced that they would both support Dino Melaye in the Kogi state governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 11. The development comes a week before the state governorship election. The parties disclosed that they took the decision to support Melaye, the PDP governorship candidate, after a wide consultation with stakeholders in the state. The joint statement reads: “We are pleased to announce to you that history has been made today, the 4th of November, 2023. It is a history to salvage our dear state,…