Author: Adejuyigbe Francis

Napoli president, Aurelio De Laurentiis says Victor Osimhen is not in a position to face AC Milan on Wednesday. The Partenopei will travel to San Siro for the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final tie. Osimhen picked up a muscle injury while representing Nigeria late last month. Napoli were hoping the forward would be available to face the current Serie A champions but will have to look for another option. “Victor is not in a position to play, unfortunately. We hope to have him back for the return fixture at the Maradona on April 18,” De Laurentiis was…

World Bank Group President, David Malpass says global growth is expected to be weak in 2023, slowing to two per cent from 3.1 per cent in 2022. Malpass said this in his Opening address at the ongoing Spring Meetings 2023 Media Call, a copy of which was obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday. He said several factors were weighing on the second-half outlook. “Oil prices have jumped back above 80 dollars/barrel. The recent banking sector stress dampens activities and inflation pressures persist. Malpass said the U.S. month-over-month core inflation had been rising over the last five…

Leicester have confirmed the appointment of Dean Smith as their new manager until the end of the season. The ex-Aston Villa and Norwich City head coach has agreed a deal to replace Brendan Rodgers at the King Power Stadium after Jesse Marsch walked away from negotiations with Foxes chiefs. Smith, who was sacked by the Canaries in December, will look to keep the 2016 Premier League winners in the top flight after a nightmare season for the Midlands club. They are currently in the midst of a real battle at the bottom and sit 19th, two points adrift of 17th-place Nottingham Forest. Smith…

Phrank Shaibu, the media adviser of the flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has expressed hope of securing victory at the Presidential Election Petitions Tribunal. It would be recalled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner of the 2023 presidential contest in Nigeria,Not satisfied with the outcome of the election, Atiku, in the petition marked CA/PEPC/05/2023, challenged the results declared by INEC and the declaration of Tinubu as president-elect. The PDP flagbearer also applied for the withdrawal of the Certificate of Return that was issued to the APC candidate by the…

Ukraine and Russia have returned around 100 soldiers each in the latest prisoner exchange between the two warring countries. Kyiv and Moscow have periodically carried out prisoner swaps since Russia invaded Ukraine more than a year ago. We are returning 100 of our people,” the Ukrainian president’s chief of staff Andriy Yermak said on Telegram. “They are military people, sailors, border guards, national guardsmen.”Yermak said the exchange included troops who held out in Mariupol — the devastated port city captured by Russia last spring — and that some were “seriously injured.” He called the exchange “difficult” and thanked officials for…

KPMG, a multidimensional consulting firm, has disclosed that Nigeria’s unemployment rate would increase to 40.6 per cent in 2023 from 37.7 per cent in 2022. A recent report titled KPMG Global Economy Outlook Report, H1 2023, said the figure of job seekers would rise in 2023 due to decreased economic growth and the inability of the country’s economy to absorb the Four to Five million yearly graduates into the Nigerian job market. It stated that the unemployment and inflation rates would shut up rapidly in 2024. The KPMG projected a likely slow economic growth and persisting foreign exchange market for…

The Federal Government has challenged the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, to clarify his position on a leaked audio of the conversation he allegedly had with a prominent Nigerian cleric. The audio clip as released by an online newspaper was an alleged conversation between Obi and the founder of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Bishop David Oyedepo. Addressing the media on Monday in London, the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said Obi should clarify what he meant by saying the leaked conversation was “a fake doctored audio call.” “I need to draw the attention of…

Following a complaint by the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, the management of Friesland Campina WAMCO Nigeria Plc, manufacturers of Peak Milk, has apologised to the Christian body in the country over an offensive advert on Good Friday. The company had used the crucifixion of Jesus Christ as a metaphor to promote their product on social media. A statement issued by the General Secretary of CAN, Joseph Daramola had described the advertisement as “insensitive, offensive, and totally unacceptable”, demanding an immediate apology from the organization. Reacting, the Executive Director of FrieslandCampina WAMCO Nigeria Plc (Corporate Affairs), Ore Famurewa, in a…

The Chief of Army Staff Lt.-Gen. Faruk Yahaya on Monday vowed that the military will eliminate all criminal groups in Nigeria. He spoke at the Maimalari Military Cantonment in Maiduguri when he hosted troops of North East Operation HADIN KAI to a luncheon to mark Easter. Represented by Theatre Commander Maj.-Gen. Ibrahim Ali, Yahaya said the event was in line with the tradition of celebrating with personnel in the frontline during festivities. The COAS said Easter is of great spiritual importance to Christian faithful worldwide because it’s a season of love, hope and prayers to Almighty God. Yahaya noted that…

President Muhammadu Buhari has seized the occasion of the 66th birthday of Nigerian industrialist, Aliko Dangote to pour encomiums on him. Buhari in a statement by his media aide, Garba Shehu, on Monday congratulated Dangote, describing him as a rare philanthropist who must be commended for the numerous efforts he is making for Nigeria’s progress. “Hearty congratulations and best wishes to the illustrious businessman Aliko Dangote on his birthday. He has given new heights to Nigeria’s prestige and global reputation. May the Almighty give him the strength and wisdom to do even more for the nation,” the President stated.

The Federal Commissioner of the National Population Commission in Zamfara, Alhaji Muhammadu Rini, said digitalising the 2023 population and housing census would ensure transparency and accountability in the exercise. Rini, who stated this while speaking with newsmen in Gusau on Monday, noted that the digital census would ensure accurate and credible data. The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the state NPC office on Sunday trained 75 Jumu’at Mosque Imams on sensitisation and enlightenment for the 2023 population and housing census. “You know, in the previous census, we used paper and pen. “But the digital census would generate the actual…

President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to travel to Saudi Arabia on an official visit on Tuesday. The two-day visit, from April 11 to 19, his last trip to the kingdom as President. A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, Monday, explained that during the visit, the President will perform Umrah, the Lesser Pilgrimage. According to the terse statement, President Buhari will be accompanied by his aides.