ONE WORD

Bayern Munich have released their lineup that will face Liverpool during the Champions League clash on Tuesday. The German champions manager, Niko Kovač on Monday realised a list of 21 players. However, winger Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben, Thomas Müller and central defender Jerome Boateng will not be available for the Round of 16 first leg at Anfield. The players include three goalkeepers, eight defenders, five midfielders and five attackers. Goalkeepers: Neuer, Fruchtl, Ulreich. Defenders: Hummels, Martínez, Rafinha, Alaba, Kimmich, Mai, Awoudja, Sule. Midfielders: Thiago, Rodríguez, Goretzka, Sanches, Shabani. Attackers: Lewandowski, Davies, Jeong, Gnabry, Davies. The kick-off time for the match is 9:00pm on Tuesday. Source:https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/02/champions-league-bayern-munich-squad-to.html

PHOTO: Pixabay The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kebbi state, has urged politicians to be wary of social media posts after voting prior to the official declaration of result by the commission. The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Alhaji Ahmad Mahmud, gave the advice during an interactive session with stakeholders in Birnin Kebbi on Monday. “Fake news is now a trend and can mar our efforts to ensure free, fair and credible elections. “We urge you to be wary of social media posted results before official declaration. “Only INEC Returning Officers at wards, local governments and state levels have the statutory authority and power to declare the results,” he said. He said that 1,938,171 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) were received from INEC headquarters out of which 1,860,239 were distributed, leaving 77,932 PVCs unclaimed. “We have all the sensitive materials at CBN custody, so we have no fear for the materials now. “I collected th...

The National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) has arrested a 38-year-old man allegedly involved in human trafficking and sale of children. The NAPTIP Zonal Commander in Edo State, Mr Nduka Nwanwenne, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Monday that the suspect was arrested in Warri, after he planned to sell a baby for N1.5million. Nwanwenne said that the suspect, who hails from Okpe Local Government Area of Delta, operates an unregistered orphanage known as Kelly Osia Orphanage Home at Orhuwhorun in Udu LGA. According to him, the suspect, who tried to register the said orphanage with the Delta State Ministry of Women Affairs, Community and Social Development, was repeatedly turned down but continued to run the Orphanage illegally for selling and adopting babies. He said, “the suspect’s cover was blown open in a sting operation when a child protection specialist posed as a prospective client for the adoption of a baby in the orphanage...

Liverpool’s German manager Jurgen Klopp attends a press conference on the eve of their Champions League round of 16, first leg football match against Bayern Munich at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, north west England on February 18, 2019. (Photo by Lindsey PARNABY / AFP) Jurgen Klopp has buried the hatchet of his old Bundesliga rivalry with Bayern Munich but wants Liverpool to show they are Champions League contenders by beating the German giants when the sides meet in the first leg of their last 16 tie on Tuesday. Bayern has won the Bundesliga for the past six years since Klopp’s Dortmund claimed back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012. Dortmund also lost the Champions League final to Bayern in 2013 and the rivalry between the two was intensified as Bayern picked off some of Klopp’s best players in Mario Goetze, Mats Hummels and Robert Lewandowski. “It’s nothing, not a little bit personal,” said Klopp on Monday. “There were never any negative things with Bayern but when we playe...

Saudi Arabia crown prince, Mohammad bin Salman has reacted to reports making the rounds that he is planning to buy Manchester United. Salman said he is not in any way planning to buy the club. The Sun UK had reported that the Crown Prince is planning a £3.8 billion takeover of United and is keen to replace the Glazer family by the start of next season. Senior figures at United have been meeting in Saudi Arabia to discuss potential sponsorship opportunities. However, the Saudi media minister Turki Al-Shabanah insists that there is no plan to takeover United. “Reports claiming that HRH the Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman intends on buying @ManUtd are completely false,” Al-Shabanah posted on Twitter. “Manchester United held a meeting with @PIFSaudi to discuss sponsorship opportunity. No deal has been materialized.” Source:https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/02/epl-saudi-arabia-crown-prince-speaks-on.html

Sergio Ramos received his marching orders against Girona on Sunday (Getty Images) Sergio Ramos became the first player to receive 20 red cards in Europe’s top five leagues when he was dismissed during Real Madrid’s 2-1 defeat to Girona at the Bernabeu on Sunday. The 32-year-old was booked after 64 minutes for blocking a goalbound shot with his hand before receiving a second yellow in the 90th minute after catching an opponent in the face while attempting an overhead kick. The red card was Ramos’ 25th in Real Madrid colours and it represented the 20th time he has been sent for an early bath in La Liga – a total higher than any other player in history has managed while playing in La Liga, the Premier League, Serie A, Ligue 1 or the Bundesliga. Cyril Rool who played for six French clubs during his career including Marseille, Monaco and Bordeaux, had held the record for a decade after being sent off 19 times in Ligue 1. Ramos’ latest sending off followed quickly on from his co...

Sequel to the recent postponement of the presidential and National Assembly polls last Saturday by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has said that the postponement of may have been the only option to save Nigeria from an inconclusive exercise. Lalong who was reacting to the postponement added that, while the postponement is very unfortunate, every disappointment is a blessing. The Governor urged the electoral umpire to put its house in order so as to conduct free, fair and credible polls that would be acceptable to all. Lalong said he was disappointed over the “last minute” postponement of the general elections, but added that it might have been the only option to save Nigeria from an inconclusive exercise. “Like every other Nigerian, I am disappointed by the last minute postponement of the presidential and National Assembly elections by INEC, but I also believe that whatever is worth doing is worth doing well”, he st...

A 1930 Packard 734 Speedster Runabout sits in front of a 1992 Porsche 964 Carrera RS at Christie’s New York during a press preview on February 8, 2019. – The Gooding & Company’s annual Amelia Island Auction is one of the most highly anticipated events of the year for automotive enthusiast and is to be held March 8, 2019. (Photo by TIMOTHY A. CLARY / AFP) Porsche customers in the UK should brace for a price hike of up to 10 percent in case of a hard Brexit, the luxury German carmaker warned Monday. The company said it had taken the “precautionary step” of informing customers whose cars are due to be delivered after March 29, the day Britain leaves the European Union, that they could become more expensive if new border tariffs are imposed. “As one potential outcome of the Brexit negotiations, there is a possibility that a duty of up to 10 percent may be applied to cars imported into the UK,” Stuttgart-based Porsche said in a statement, adding that drivers could still make cha...

According to reports, some hoodlums who were allegedly hired to assassinate the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, have been apprehended. It was gathered that the thugs were nabbed over the weekend in Alor community in Anambra state (the minister’s hometown) following the elections which was postponed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by one week. The suspects have since been transferred from Alor community to the state CID for further interrogation. Source:https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/02/hoodlums-hired-to-assassinate-chris.html

Premier League legend, Alan Shearer has told Chelsea to mark out Manchester United midfielder, Paul Pogba if they want to defeat Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side in tonight’s FA Cup fixture at Stamford Bridge. Shearer believes that the only way Maurizio Sarri’s men will progress into the FA Cup quarter-final stage is to stop Pogba from playing on Monday night. “PSG showed last Tuesday how you can beat Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side. And we know Chelsea have the ability to play like PSG – it’s just whether they want to,” Shearer told The Sun. “The French side nullified United by getting Marquinhos to sit on Paul Pogba. That stopped him playing and dictating the pace of the game. “So if Chelsea can stop Pogba, they will have a very good chance of winning. “And that means the battle between N’Golo Kante and his France team-mate is going to be crucial to the outcome of the game.” Shearer added: “Tonight will give us a good idea as to whether these Chelsea players want Maurizio Sarri...

Adeniyi Operatives attached to the Homicide Unit, State Investigation and Intelligence Department, SCIID, Panti, Yaba, are currently investigating a nursing mother, Mary Adeniyi, for allegedly stabbing her husband to death at their residence in Shagamu Road, Ikorodu Lagos. According to Vanguard, the 19-year-old Mary Adeniyi stabbed her husband, Solomon Nduka, on the neck with a knife while they were fighting on February 15, at about 12:30p.m. Solomon, who was rushed to a nearby hospital, was confirmed dead by the doctor on duty. It was gathered that the couple, who has a four months old baby, had a minor disagreement, which later degenerated into a fight after Solomon accused his wife of infidelity. According to a neighbour, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, this was not the first time they were quarrelling. Most times when they quarrelled it was usually based on accusation of infidelity. “On this particular day,” the neighbour said, “we thought it was their usual...

(FILES) In this file photo taken on December 12, 2007 The logo of social networking website ‘Facebook’ is displayed on a computer screen in London. – A scathing British parliamentary report on February 18, 2019, branded Facebook “digital gangsters” that knowingly violated data privacy and competition laws. Lawmakers’ 18-month investigation into disinformation and “fake news” also accused Facebook of failing to faithfully fight Russia’s alleged attempts to influence elections. (Photo by LEON NEAL / AFP) Facebook has blocked a popular page run by Russian state TV channel RT, the channel’s editor said Monday, criticising the move as an attack on media rights. “We had a subsidiary project in English, In the Now. The project was wildly popular — 2.5 billion views and four million subscribers on Facebook alone!” RT editor-in-chief Margarita Simonyan said on her Telegram social network account. She said a report aired by CNN about the project being financed by the Russian state led to ...

PHOTO: Yasuyoshi CHIBA / AFP President Muhammadu Buhari has said that any politician that decides to sponsor political thugs to cause trouble or to snatch ballot boxes in the rescheduled elections will be doing so at great risk. The President read the riot act at the All Progressives Congress (APC) emergency National Caucus meeting on Monday in Abuja at the party’s national secretariat. He stressed that security operatives had been ordered to deal with any such persons ruthlessly. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the APC caucus meeting was called by the party’s national leadership to discuss matters arising from the postponement of the earlier scheduled Feb.16, Presidential and National Assembly elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The APC caucus is a statutory organ of the party, and it is chaired by President Buhari. Its members include the Vice President and all the party’s former and serving governors and members of its Nati...

President Muhammadu Buhari has warned potential troublemakers to stay away from ballot boxes on February 23, Premium Times reports. At an emergency caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja on Monday morning, the president warned that anyone who foments trouble, especially by carrying ballot boxes, would be doing so at the “expense of his life”. Mr Buhari made the statement after reprimanding the Independent National Electoral Commission for postponing the general elections from February 16 to 23. The president repeated that he gave INEC all necessary support to ensure a smooth exercise, but the electoral body still displayed “incompetence” and failed to let Nigerians go to the poll as originally scheduled. Electoral chiefs cited widespread logistics mishaps for the “painful” postponement, and promised everything would be in order before the new date of February 23 for presidential and federal parliamentary elections. Statewide elections would now hold o...

PHOTO: VON • NAMA denies flight disruption during polls materials distribution • Economy lost $5 billion to elections postponment, say experts Many voters and candidates alike in the eastern and northern parts of the country were yesterday stranded as airlines cancelled flights over poor visibility occasioned by an intensive harmattan haze.The passengers who wanted to return to Lagos and Abuja after the postponement of the presidential election did not find the joy of air travel yesterday as multiple flights to Asaba, Benin, Uyo, Enugu, Calabar, among others, were cancelled . The Guardian learnt that a lot of the stranded air passengers resorted to travel by road after hours of waiting at the airports. Air Peace, for instance, cancelled eight flights into Asaba and Benin airports. The Spokesperson of the airlines, Chris Iwarah, said the harmattan haze was intense with attendant poor visibility for aircraft operations. He explained that instead of visibility range of at least ...

Everything you need to live well Isreal Adesanya was born on the 22 of July 1989 in Lagos. At a young age, he took interest in sports. To develop his talent, his mother enrolled him in a taekwondo class but after he broke his arm, she put an end to the training. Adesanya was 13 when he moved to Rotorua, New Zealand. Between the ages of 17 and 18, Adesanya watched a film “Ong Bak: Muay Thai Warrior” starring Tony Jaa who was hailed as a martial arts star. “Ong Bak” rekindled his interest in sports and at 18, he trained in kickboxing. Soon after this, he broke a record in amateur kickboxing with a 32-0 in all matches. With this success, he continued to train and at 21, Adesanya moved to Auckland, New Zealand to train at City Kickboxing. At City Kickboxing, he had the opportunity to train with established martial arts fighters such as Dan Hooker (Daniel Preston Hooker). Adesanya made his professional debut in 2012 at 23. Given his successful training, he fought at Ho...

Edo State Governor, Mr Godwin Obaseki, has expressed shock at the news of the passing of Osaretin Igbinedion, son of Chief Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion, former governor of Edo State and a family member, Eseosa Oyemwense. In a statement issued in Benin City by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Strategy, Crusoe Osagie, Obaseki said: “I commiserate with Chief Lucky Igbinedion and his wife, Mrs Eki Igbinedion and the entire Igbinedion family over the passing of Osaretin and Eseosa Oyemwense.” Obaseki added: “There are no adequate words to describe the deep sense of loss associated with the untimely passing of one’s child, irrespective of his age. “I join friends and well-wishers of the Igbinedion family in prayers for the repose of the souls of the departed and urge the family to take solace in the assurance that we will meet again on the day of resurrection.” Source: https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/02/edo-government-reacts-to-death-of.htm...

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has insisted that the use of electronic devices by candidates during the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examinations (UTME) remains prohibited. This was contained in JAMB’s Weekly Bulletin, released in Abuja on Sunday. The agency said electronic devices like mobile phones, calculators, wristwatches and recorders won’t be allowed into any of its centres during this year’s examination. Some of the banned items include: spy reading glasses, cameras, ear piece, bluetooth devices, USB, CD, hard disk and other similar storage devices. Others are: pen/biro, smart lenses, books or any reading/writing material, ink/pen readers, key holders, ATM cards, erasers and smart rings/jewelries. “To ensure that the board’s examinations meet best global practice, the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has prohibited the use of the following items during examinations. “Candidates are hereby advised in their best interest not to bring ...

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, shifted the Presidential and National Assembly elections by one week on Saturday. However, the founder and general overseer of the Omega Fire Ministries International Apostle Suleman Johnson, prophesied the postponement.. The decision by INEC to postpone the polls has been met with shock and scorn across the country. In a video going viral on social media, the cleric foresaw the postponement of Nigeria’s 2019 elections during the “Open Heaven Crusade” held in Onitsha, Anambra state, on 9th January. Apostle Johnson’s prediction could be said to have come to pass after INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, announced new dates for the polls on Saturday morning. The pastor said at the crusade, “Can I surprise you? If we do not pray well, I don’t see the election. “I saw a date that was shifted. They will give you lies and security reasons.” See Video: Source: https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/02/nigeria...

By Innocent Anaba, Clifford Ndujihe, Ikechukwu Nnochiri, Henry Ojelu & Joseph Erunke POLITICAL parties are at daggers drawn with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over resumption of campaigns for the Presidential and National Assembly polls, which the commission postponed last Saturday to February 23. Yakubu(INEC), Buhari(APC) and Atiku(PDP) Collosal: Economy could lose $10 billion, experts warn INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu, at a press conference on Saturday, where he explained reasons for postponing the polls, said campaigns and collection of Permanent Voters Cards, PVCs remained closed. However, the parties are insisting on resuming campaigns, citing Section 99 of the Electoral Act which allows them to campaign up till 24 hours before the polling day. The position of the political parties, led by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC; main opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP; and the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, ...

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu It was early in the evening of Friday the 15th that rumours started flying that the Presidential elections slated for Saturday the 16th might be postponed. That official rumour signpost, the ubiquitous social media was abuzz and not a few posts were very certain that INEC would pull the rug from under our feet. Journalists who were monitoring events in Abuja smelt the proverbial rat after they saw INEC officials coming in for a late hour meeting from which journalists were reportedly barred. It was beyond belief, this news that the election might be deferred. Indeed an official announcement by INEC refuted the insinuations early in the evening. So what really happened? Then came the bombshell announcement by the Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu officially postponing the elections which were scheduled to start in a few hours time. “Following a careful review of the implementation of its logistics and operational plan and the determina...

Soil tests. PHOTO: SUTTLESTOCK The harsh economic realities faced by construction industry may fizzle out soon, if efforts by the Federal authorities and Lagos State Government are anything to go by.  The Guardian learnt that Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has begun the implementation of a number of reforms with the state through its Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development to make the process of getting a construction permit more efficient under the business made easy initiative. According to World Bank Group flagship report, Doing Business 2018, the world has witnessed an unparalleled expansion of cities in recent decades. The urban population of developing economies is projected to double by 2030, while the area covered by cities could triple. In tandem with this trend, the construction industry is forecast to grow by more than 70per cent, reaching $15 trillion by 2025. With the population of cities rising around the world, munic...

Manchester United are ready to make David de Gea the best paid player in the Premier League, The Sunday Times reports. The Old Trafford outfit will table an offer with a basic pay package of £90m over five years. The deal will see De Gea’s wages overtake that of team-mates, Paul Pogba and Alexis Sanchez, as well as Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil. United executive chairman, Ed Woodward, has made sorting De Gea’s future top priority, as he works to tie down deals for a number of United’s first-team squad. The Spaniard’s deal runs until the end of the 2019/2020 season. De Gea, who has spent eight years at the club, has been named United’s player of the year in four of the last five seasons. Source:https://samueljackson12.blogspot.com/2019/02/epl-manchester-united-ready-to-make-de.html

Nigerians were once again caught in a vicious circle following the sudden postponement of Saturday’s general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the poor treatment of corps members deployed as adhoc staff for the elections.INEC postponed the presidential and National Assembly elections till 23, February 2019, while the governorship and house of assembly elections have also been shifted from March 2 to March 9. INEC’s chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu attributed the suspension of the scheduled elections to logistics and operational problems.He said it would afford the commission the opportunity to address the identified challenges in order to maintain the quality of Nigeria’s elections.Nigerian elite and other electorate in their millions condemned the decision describing it as a threat to democracy.Some of the major victims of the postponement were the corps members that INEC deployed as ad hoc staff. The problem The welfare of ad hoc staff for ...

Architectural illustration of the proposed Trinity Towers, Victoria Island, Lagos The flagship project by The City of David, a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) – Trinity Towers has become the toast of real estate investors and tenants, as the contractors target structural completion in the last quarter of the year. Trinity Towers is a unique and innovative masterpiece, meticulously designed mixed development of commercial that offer leisure space. It is located at the heart of the fast developing commercial centre of Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos. The 21st century style structure is within easy reach of Lagos finest commercial and residential environments and has neighbours such as City of David Church, Four Points by Sheraton, Lagos Oriental Hotel, Exxon mobil Headquarters, The Palms Shopping Mall, The Incubator and Get Arena. It is tagged as the first Tri-Tower building in West Africa sitting on a transfer beam above five floors. According to Mr. Gbeng...

PHOTO: Yasuyoshi CHIBA / AFP The cost, unimaginably grave, may be difficult to calculate immediately and the consequences may yet be in the realm of conjecture. It is, however, safe to say that the postponement, barely six hours to voting, of the general elections last Saturday remains the most embarrassing assault on the image of Nigeria and on the psyche of Nigerians. That shocking action has added the epaulette of sloppiness in little things to the nation’s shoulder, a shoulder which already carries many festoons, including the ones that read: poverty centre of the world and one of the most corrupt countries in the world. The odium in which Nigeria has been put on account of this is now so enveloping that all Nigerians must work to beat it and ensure the nation’s dignity is restored. The best way to proceed, of course, is to eventually have free, fair, credible and conclusive elections within the next three weeks. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission, IN...

Emiliano Sala's coffin carried through the streets of his hometown as a crowd of mourners watches on Emiliano Sala's family wept over his coffin as hundreds of the footballer's friends and relatives gathered for his funeral today. Mourners arrived wearing "Emi" number 9 shirts in tribute to the Cardiff City striker, before his coffin was carried out from his childhood club for a private cremation. The footballer, who was killed aged 28 in a plane crash along with pilot David Ibbotson, is being laid to rest at a service in Argentina today. The tragic star's sister, Romina, sobs as her brother's wake ends and his coffin is brought out of the gym His sister, Romina, wept as her brother's body was moved from his first club this afternoon, San Martin de Progreso, where he played until he was 15. The star's dad, Horacio, cried and looked to the skies as he watched his son's coffin emerge into the street, as his mum kissed it ...