Contenders
Professor Gorgewill Owunari emerges new UNIPORT vice chancellor
Professor Gorgewill Owunari has been announced as the new vice chancellor of the University of Port Harcourt. The announcement was made on Friday by the Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Port Harcourt, Senator Andrew Uchendu. Senator Uchendu said Prof. Owunari, from the department of Pharmacology, emerged from twelve other contenders for the top job at the university. Presenting the new VC to journalists in Port Harcourt, senator Uchendu said “I want to assure all of you that we meticulously complied with the full provisions of the act on the selection of the vice chancellor of the university. “After interviewing about twelve of them we found three of them appoint-able. “For the first time in my life I have received a delegation of the President to act on his behalf an...
Euro 2020: Donyell Malen adds extra dimension to potent Dutch attack
The Netherlands had every reason to step down a couple of gears but instead upped their pace thanks to a fine display by speedy forward Donyell Malen in Monday’s 3-0 win over North Macedonia, advancing their claims to be genuine Euro 2020 contenders. Frank de Boer’s side had already qualified for the knockouts as group winners but whereas Italy’s Roberto Mancini made sweeping changes for his side’s 1-0 win over Wales, the Dutchman fielded his strongest team in their final Group C game. One of the two changes he did make was to bring in 22-year-old Malen in place of Wout Weghorst, making the Netherlands even more potent in attack as they became the top scorers in the tournament with eight goals. Malen, who provided an assist less than three minutes after coming on in the 2-0 win over Austri...
Large turnout of voters marks APC primary in Badagry
APC members on Saturday besieged the 10 voting centres in Badagry, waiting to vote in the primary election to select one out of the four aspirants contesting the seat of the council. Newsmen report that the four aspirants are the incumbent chairman, Olusegun Onilude, Emmanuel Kappo, Commissioner, Lagos State Audit Service Commission, Elizabeth Kappo, former Education Secretary, Badagry Local Government Education Authority, and Mautin Ajulo. A NAN correspondent who monitored activities in Badagry reports that voters besieged different designated centres as early as 8 a.m. waiting for officials that would conduct the primary. The primary election centres visited by the nomen include: Gbenapon Primary School where Babatunde Hunpe, member, House of Representatives, will cast his vote, Anserude...
Thugs disrupt PDP North West zonal executive committee congress
File Photo The Northwest zonal executive committee congress of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna, headquarters of the North West was disrupted Saturday following a clash between major contenders. The major contenders for the position of National Vice Chairman for north west zone include Senator Bello Hayatudeen Gwarzo, Aminu Wali and former Governor of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso. Details of those behind the disruption and sponsors were not clear as the venue became chaotic, ballot boxes were snatched away forcing the organisers to postpone the Congress Nobody was available to speak on the matter as everybody scampered for safety for fear of being attacked by the thugs who brandished various weapons damaging some items including the ballot boxes. Get more stories like this ...
Polls open in Congo as main opposition party boycotts election
Polls have opened in the Republic of Congo’s presidential election that is boycotted by the main opposition party and attacked by critics as tilted toward veteran leader Denis Sassou Nguesso. Voting centres opened at 07:00 (06:00 GMT) and will close at 17:00 (16:00 GMT). More than 2.5 million voters have registered to take part in the election which Nguesso, 77, is widely expected to win against six contenders. The list of contenders is led by economist and 2016 presidential runner-up Guy-Brice Parfait Kolelas, who was hospitalised on Saturday. Kolelas’ campaign did not say what illness had struck the 60-year-old but a family member told the Associated Press he had been diagnosed with coronavirus. Nguesso, a former paratrooper, first rose to power in 1979 and has since accumulated 36 years...
Imo North bye election: Appeal Court upholds Frank Ibezim’s disqualification as APC candidate
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja, on Saturday, upheld the disqualification of Sir Chuwuma Ibezim as the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the Senatorial by-election held in Imo North on December 5, 2020. The appellate court, in a unanimous decision by a three-man panel of Justices, affirmed the judgement of the Federal High Court in Abuja which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to remove Ibezim’s name from the list of candidates for the by-election, after it found him guilty of submitting falsified documents. The high court judgement followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1229/2020, which was filed against Ibezim by Asomugha Elebeke. Trial Justice Inyang Ekwo had in the judgement delivered on December 4, 2020, barely 24 hours to the by-election, ...
Frank Lampard under serious threat of being sacked as Chelsea boss
According to a damning on-the-whistle report from The Athletic, Frank Lampard’s job at Chelsea is under serious threat after the 3-1 defeat to Manchester City. The loss to Pep Guardiola’s side marked Chelsea’s fourth in their last six Premier League games, the Blues have won just once over this period – against West Ham – who they are now level on points with. It’s not just the results though, the Blues have lost to sides that are firmly contenders for European competition like Wolves and Everton – whilst they were stunned by rivals Arsenal on Boxing Day. The Athletic report that the west London outfit have now begun to ‘explore alternative plans’ in regards to the team’s future, with the consideration that Lampard will be sacked if this run continues. Chelsea now sit eighth in the Premier...
AC Milan join Napoli in race for Victor Osimhen
Italian giants AC Milan have joined Napoli in the race for Nigeria and Lille striker, Victor Osimhen. In a surprise development, Football Italia reported Milan had entered the race to sign Lille striker, although Napoli still remain strong contenders. Osimhen visited the Napoli facilities, meeting with coach Gennaro Gattuso and President Aurelio De Laurentiis last week. He wanted time to consider all the options, including waiting for an offer from the Premier League, but that does not appear to be materialising. Instead, Football Italia sources in Nigeria now suggest Milan are in the picture too, preparing their own proposal for Lille and the 21-year-old forward. The asking price is expected to be at least €50m, so the Rossoneri would try to include some players to lower the cost of the o...
