ONE WORD

Demands immediate reversal of power sector privatization, others By Victor Ahiuma-Young ABUJA- AHEAD of next week Presidential and National Assembly elections, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Tuesday in Abuja, warned the political class planning to sell the nation’s refineries to prepare for a battle with Organised Labour, saying Labour would fight any government that tried to sell the refineries to a stand still. Wabba Recall that the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Presidential Candidate, Alhaji Abubukar Atiku, has made it clear that if elected President, privatisation of the public refineries would be his priority. However the NLC contended that what the refineries needed was not privatization, but sincere turn around maintenance to make them function and deliver services to the nation. This came as NLC called on the Federal Government to immediately reverse the power sector privatization, describing the power sector privatization as a total failure. President of

Real Madrid coach Santiago Solari hopes FC Barcelona captain Lionel Messi is fit to face his side in Wednesday’s Copa del Rey semi-final first leg for the good of the game. Messi But he added that the Argentine’s presence would not affect his game plan. It is unclear whether Messi, the all-time top goalscorer in Spanish football, as well as in the ‘Clasico’, will be fit for the game. He had ended Barca’s 2-2 draw with Valencia on Saturday with a knock. His club has not given an injury update on him. “It’s always good when the best players get to play every game, but whether or not he plays will not influence the way we prepare for the game at all,” Solari told a news conference on Tuesday. Messi was out with a broken arm the last time Spain’s two biggest clubs met back in October. But Barca barely missed their talismanic forward, thrashing Real Madrid 5-1 in what proved to be Julen Lopetegui’s last game in charge before Solari took over. Real Madrid are third in th

picture shows flowers put in front of the entrance of the training center La Joneliere in La Chapelle-sur-Erdre on January 25, 2019, four days after the plane of Argentinian forward Emiliano Sala vanished during a flight from Nantes, western France, to Cardiff in Wales. The 28-year-old Argentine striker is one of two people still missing after contact was lost with the light aircraft he was travelling in on January 21, 2019 night. Sala was on his way to the Welsh capital to train with his new teammates for the first time after completing a£15 million ($19 million) move to Cardiff City from French side Nantes on January 19. LOIC VENANCE / AFP The investigator who found the wreckage of a plane carrying Argentine footballer Emiliano Sala in the Channel called on the authorities Tuesday to urgently recover the unidentified body inside. “Time is of the essence when you’re talking about a body, so really it’s imperative that they proceed with the recovery of the plane and the body,” s

Pep Guardiola has played down the suggestion that Manchester City are now Premier League title favourites despite two stumbles in as many games by leaders Liverpool that cut the gap at the top to three points. Pep Guardiola Jurgen Klopp’s side could have gone seven points clear by beating Leicester last week, but only drew 1-1 and were held by the same scoreline at West Ham on Monday. Those two draws have allowed City back into the race, and having beaten Arsenal 3-1 on Sunday, the champions will go top on goal difference if they win at Everton on Wednesday. However, after a topsy-turvy week that began with City falling to a shock 2-1 defeat at relegation-threatened Newcastle last Tuesday, Guardiola is sure there will be plenty more twists before the end of the season. “Three or four days ago, we were already done, and the champions were Liverpool. Now we are the favourites and maybe soon we can be leading. We try to be calm. “There will be surprises and it will be toug

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, has presented N852.13bn as the 2019 budget proposal to the state House of Assembly. The governor in his presentation on Tuesday said that the budget is projected to consolidate on the economic gains made so far by capitalising on realistic, budget-friendly programmes and projects. He explained that the projected total revenue for 2019 is N775.231billion, of which N606.291billion is expected to be generated internally. According to him, N168.940billion is expected from Federal Transfers while a total of N77.086billion will be sourced through deficit financing within our medium-term expenditure framework. “We are confident that the revenues of the State will improve this year by consolidating on the already established public financial management and technology-driven revenue reforms; through data integration and use of multi-payment channels”. Read Full Breakdown Below: YEAR 2019 BUDGET PR

Former Manchester United manager, Jose Mourinho on Tuesday accepted a one-year suspended prison sentence, to settle his tax fraud case. Mourinho was convicted of evading payment of tax on image rights in 2011 and 2012 during his time at Real Madrid. EL Pais reports that Mourinho pleaded guilty to avoid any jail time and is expected to pay around £1.75million to the court. The Spanish medium reports that the Portuguese gaffer went to the Provincial Court on Tuesday to accept the sanction. Mourinho is currently without a club after he was sacked by Manchester United in December. The 55-year-old was replaced by former United player, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer at Old Trafford. Source:https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/02/mourinho-gets-one-year-prison-sentence.html

Britain’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch, AAIB, said on Monday that they have concluded the search on the missing Premier League star, Emiliano Sala. AAIB said they have found Sala’s body inside the wreckage of the plane on seabed near Guernsey. DAILY POST had reported that the wreckage of the aircraft which disappeared over the English Channel in January, carrying the Cardiff City striker and his pilot was found on Sunday. A privately-funded underwater search had begun on Sunday, several days after investigators said they found two seat cushions on the French coast that likely belonged to the aircraft. According to EuroSport, Britain’s Air Accidents Investigation Branch said in a statement said: “Based on analysis of ROV (underwater remotely operated vehicle) video footage, the AAIB investigators on board the vessel concluded that the object is wreckage from the missing Piper Malibu aircraft,”. “Tragically, in video footage from the ROV, one occupant is visible amidst

A man who claims to be the groom's friend posted the photos but refused to mention the state.  Can anyone guess? "Just coming back with a friend from one state in Nigeria for her wife bride price, I don't want to mention the state name but by the items below u shall no them. That why I like IMO state they don't behave like this intense of bride price i don't call nameoooo Thank to almighty for a successful ikpanri and bride price..... Congratulations friend, but I feel ur pain's sha May God bless ur new home bro Source:https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/02/photos-see-large-number-of-items.html

By Eric Teniola SENATOR Mahmud Waziri (1936-2012) died on September 18, 2012 in Medina, Saudi Arabia. He was elected from Adamawa on the platform of GNPP in 1979 and served till 1983. He was a member of three Senate committees—transport and aviation, banking and currency and finance and appropriation. In 1992, he was a Presidential aspirant under the SDP.  In 1998, he became the Chairman of the ANPP, the second largest party in the country at that time. President Olusegun Obasanjo later appointed him special adviser on inter party relations. In 2002, Senator Waziri presented a paper on the abuse of the electoral system. The contents of that paper are still relevant in today’s Nigeria. In the paper, he declared: “many Nigerians go to the polls not to choose a leader who will protect, direct and salvage the Nation and the people but to fulfil a commitment which they entered into with someone who came around jostling with juicy pronouncements of abundant good life in the offing

By Gabriel Enogholase BENIN—ACADEMIC Staff Union of Universities, Ambrose Alli University, ASUU-AAU, chapter, Ekpoma, has reiterated its involvement and participation in the ongoing nationwide strike called by the National Executive Council, NEC, of the union, saying it remained unshakeable despite the overt desperation of the university administration to break its ranks with a view to truncating its industrial action. ASUU strike The decision of the union to continue with its strike was contained in a statement by its Chairman and Secretary, Dr. Monday Igbafen and Dr. Anthony Aizebioje-Coker, respectively, after a meeting of the union executive in Benin, yesterday. The union insisted that only the national leadership of ASUU can suspend the strike meant to reposition and revamp public universities in the country, including AAU, Ekpoma. Our members are holding on because they believe in their union and perceive all the actions so far taken by the university administrati

Apostle Johnson Suleman and his wife Popular Nigerian pastor, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has urged his church members to desist from reading the bible from their phones or tablets. The pastor noted that the holy book says open the book not open the phone. The pastor who is the general overseer of Omega Fire Ministries explained that while reading the bible on a phone is not a sin, it is disrespectful to God. Suleman advised the church to read the holy book on their phones when they are anywhere else aside from the church of God. The pastor, who further expressed that he knows people would say there was no technology when the bible was written, noted that God is all seeing, and he would have known there would be technology at some point. He said: “Do not bring your Iphone, IPad, any device to church to read your Bible from it….You can do that in your office, you can do that anywhere, but to read your Bible from your phone when you are in church, it doesn’t show reference to G

File Photo Nigerian digital strategist, Tweet Oracle reveals that ritualists have shifted focus to women’s natural hair. He was reacting to a viral WhatsApp audio that details how salon owners collaborate with ritualists to market the hairs of their customers for as much as N450,000. Women have been advised to express caution and stay woke. source:https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/02/ritualists-now-buy-womens-hair-for.html

By Vera Anyagafu & Prisca Sam-Duru Mr. Guido Stock is the Counselor, Austrian Commercial Center, in Nigeria. In this exclusive interview with Vanguard, Stock who appeared delighted to have come back to Nigeria after 40 years to work for the second time as Austrian Commercial Center Counselor to Nigeria, said that bi-national relationship between Austria and Nigeria is a very positive one. Expressing his feelings on the improved security in Nigeria, which he said gives one a better feeling as far as everyday living is concerned, Stock advised that Nigeria should also improve on power supply, for fact that modern life has become so modern and so mechanical that even for all small things in daily life and or activities, people need electricity. Excerpts; You are back to work again in Nigeria. What would you say has changed? For me the thing which has changed most and which is very positive is safety. Security in Nigeria is much better and improved and that gives someone a

GARY NEVILLE predicts Maurizio Sarri will be sacked by Chelsea before the start of next season amid growing reports of dressing room unrest at Stamford Bridge. The Blues returned to winning ways by hammering bottom of the table Huddersfield 5-0 following disappointing defeats to Arsenal and Bournemouth. Sarri Sarri blasted his players after Chelsea’s loss to the Gunners last month, claiming his team were difficult to motivate and that he wouldn’t budge on his tactics. The Italian is the 13th managerial appointment by Roman Abramovich but Manchester United legend Neville admits that he can’t see Sarri remaining at Stamford Bridge. He told Sky Sports: “I don’t think Chelsea will sack him during the season but the warning signs are there which make you think it would be surprising if it went past the summer. “Not because I want him to leave – I think he’s doing a good job – but looking at it he probably realises the job he is in. “He’s had a look at the playe

The United States turned over a communications and operations centre to the Niger army on Monday to help the African nation battle Boko Haram, a statement said. The planning and operations control centre, worth $16.5 million (14.4 million euros), is designed to help Niger forces sychronise its operations through improved communications, US Ambassador Eric Whitaker said during the handover ceremony. Niger has taken on an important geostrategic role in the US fight against Islamist groups in Africa, and the centre known as a C2 Node comprises two tactical operations units equipped with sophisticated communications material. It aims to “streamline pertinent battlefield information to commanders, so that they can best employ their forces,” a copy of Whitaker’s remarks said. The US has already provided Niger with Cessna C-208 surveillance planes, armoured personnel vehicles and small craft known as mud boats, along with other equipment and training. “We believe all these capab

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) says it will employ not less than 500 health professionals to improve service delivery to residents. Secretary, Health and Human Service Secretariat, Adamu Bappah stated this on Monday while at Kubwa General Hospital during an inspection of FCTA hospitals and other health facilities. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that all the hospitals visited by the secretary and his team requested for more staff. Bappah said FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello had already given the directive for the Secretariat to employ. He, however, appealed for patience from applicants, explaining that not all of them from the FCTA’s 14 hospitals would be absorbed because their number was quite high, adding that other Nigerians too would be considered. Commenting on an abandoned Accidents and Emergency Unit at Bwari General Hospital, Bappah said the secretariat might revoke and re- award the project due to the death of the contractor. He

The agency said during his visit, Atiku met with top US diplomats and lawmakers to thank them for the temporary suspension of a travel ban linked to bribery scandals. Lobbyists hired by Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), played a huge role in making him get a temporary waiver to visit the US after a ban which lasted over a decade. In a report, Reuters quoted unnamed US government officials as saying the travel ban was waived temporarily by the US state department after lobbyists mounted a campaign among congressional lawmakers arguing that the administration should not snub the leading challenger to President Muhammadu Buhari in the February 16 election. “One person familiar with the matter, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Atiku was allowed to enter because the United States saw little benefit to creating bad blood with the man who might be the next leader of Africa’s most populous nation and the continent’s biggest oil produ

APC, Cole laud ruling By Egufe Yafugborhi, Omeiza Ajayi & Davies Iheamnachor There was jubilation in the All Progressives Congress, APC, camp in Rivers State as the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, todday, stayed the execution on the Judgment of a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, stopping all candidates of the party from participating in the 2019 polls. The Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court had ruled that the APC following the internal party crisis rocking it, should not field candidates for the election, noting that the primaries were held contrary to a court order. The faction of the party loyal to the Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Amaechi, had approached the Appeal Court praying  for a stay of execution of the lower court judgment to allow them participate in the elections. The three man appeal panel led by Justice Ali Gumel which had reserved ruling till yesterday, after hearing the matter last week held that it would be an