ONE WORD

Rotherham United star, Semi Ajayi has expressed disappointment over the decision of Nigeria coach, Gernot Rohr, to drop him from the Super Eagles’ squad for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON. DAILY POST had reported on Sunday that Semi Ajayi and Leicester City’s Kelechi Iheanacho were the two players that have been dropped. Both players did not feature on Saturday as Nigeria were held to a goalless draw by Zimbabwe at an international friendly played in Asaba, the Delta State capital. Reacting through his Instagram page, Ajayi wished the Super Eagles all the best in Egypt during the tournament. The 26 year old wrote: “Wishing my brothers the best of luck at the upcoming #AFCON 2019. “It’s been a privilege to have been part of this squad and as much as I’m gutted that I can’t make it, I wish everyone linked with the Super Eagles the very best of luck this summer. “I will be supporting the team until the end. Go and make Nigeria proud my brothers.”

Ivorian Gervinho and Nigerian Kelechi Iheanacho were significant casualties as 11 coaches named 23-man squads for the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, which kicks off on June 21. A 32-year-old veteran of five Cup of Nations, winger Gervinho was hopeful his impressive Serie A form with Parma would earn him a call-up. The dreadlocked former Arsenal and Roma star -- real name Gervais Yao Kouassi -- scored 11 goals and was credited with four assists in 30 Italian league matches last season. Among those Ivory Coast coach Ibrahim Kamara will look to for goals in Egypt is Nicolas Pepe, runner-up to French star Kylian Mbappe in the 2018/2019 Ligue 1 Golden Boot race. Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha and clubless Wilfried Bony, who bagged a brace in a 3-1 warm-up win over the Comoros at the weekend, are among the other Ivorian attacking options. Nigerian Kelechi Iheanacho (R) playing for Leicester City against Chelsea in the English Premier League last season Gervinho reacted ca...

Suspected cultistsand ammunition recovered from them The Lagos State Police Command on Monday said it has arrested 202 suspected cult members in various parts of the state. The police also launched ‘Operation Crush’ aimed at at ending cultism and gangsterism in Lagos State. State Commissioner of Police, Zubairu Muazu, at a news conference said from February, 2019 that he assumed duty, the Command had arrested 202 notorious cult members and that they had been charged to Court, saying that the cases were at different stages of prosecution. The commissioner added that the command recovered 54 assorted weapons from the cultists. Arm and ammunition recovered from cultists Other successes recorded by the Command includes the arrest of 105 suspects for armed robbery and 7 suspects for kidnapping. The Command has also successfully foiled 93 armed robbery attempts through prompt response to distress calls from members of the public at different locations in the state,” he said...

A former Governor of Rivers State, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi has said that the current administration cannot solve Nigeria’s poverty issues. He also said that, “even three or four administrations in Nigeria cannot do that because the level of poverty is deeply rooted.” Amaechi said this when he fielded questions from reporters on the state of the nation. The former Minister of Transport added, “Look at it this way; if an economy is running purely on agriculture and a new president comes and say no, no, that it won’t continue, we have to re-gig the economy to create productivity. “Before you can finish creating such products, it would take more than 15 years because at that point, you are not just talking about agriculture, you are talking about industrialisation, you are talking about power, you are talking about roads and transportation. “Now, the president is focusing on roads, power, and transportation. “Look at the railway, if we do Lagos to Kano for $8.3 billion. Of the ...

Coaches and players of the Nigerian national team landed in the Egyptian city of Ismailia on Sunday night, Sporting Life reports. Kelechi Iheanacho and Oluwasemilogo Ajayi, who were dropped from the squad earlier in the day, were the only two absentees. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) allowed the Warriors of Zimbabwe with whom the Eagles played a 0-0 draw in a friendly on Saturday, flew together with the Nigerian contingent to Ismailia aboard a chartered MAX Air flight from Asaba. The aircraft refueled at the Aminu Kano International Airport in Kano before heading for Ismailia. The three-time African champions are staying at the Hotel Mercure in Ismailia where they will spend one week before heading to Alexandria, venue of their Group B matches during the championship. Before then, the Eagles will face Senegal’s Lions of Terranga in another warm-up clash on June 16.

Mr Aniekan Bassey, Speaker, Akwa Ibom House of Assembly. The Akwa Ibom House of Assembly on Monday inaugurated its 7th assembly with Mr Aniekan Bassey (Uruan-PDP), emerging as the speaker. Bassey, a returning member was nominated by Mr Nse Essien (Onna-PDP), seconded by Mr Mark Esset (Nsit Atai-PDP) and unanimously elected by the 25 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members present. The Clerk of the House, Mrs Mandu Umoren had earlier read a letter of proclamation from Gov. Udom Emmanuel, bringing the 7th Assembly to life in line with provisions of Section 105 (3) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended. The former deputy speaker in the 6th assembly, Mrs Felicia Bassey also emerged as the Deputy Speaker, Mr Uduak Ududo(Ikot Abasi/Eastern Obolo-PDP), nominated Bassey and was seconded by Mr Emmanuel Ekpenyong( Ini-PDP). In his acceptance speech, Bassey thanked God for his election as the speaker, and acknowledged his party, the PDP and his constituency for giving him the opportu...

A 32-year-old member representing Ibarapa East Constituency, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, on Monday, emerged Speaker of the Oyo state house of assembly. Ogundoyin who is the only returning lawmaker out of the overwhelming 26 members elected on the platform of PDP was nominated by Hon. Adebayo Babajide, representing Ibadan North Constituency for the Speakership position, seconded by Hon. Adeola Bamidele from Iseyin/Itesiwaju local government. The clerk of the assembly, Ms. Felicia Oyediran, later sworn in Hon. Ogundoyin who was unanimously elected by the entire 32 lawmakers of the State. Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin is one of the sons of the late philanthropist and industrialist, late Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin, who won the Ibarapa East by-election on the 2nd of June, 2018 to fill the post rendered vacant by the death of the late speaker of the 8th Oyo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Michael Adeyemo. In his inaugural speech, Ogundoyin promised to operate an open door policy in order to avoi...

The lawmaker representing Jos East constituency, Mr. Abok Ayuba Izam has emerged the new Speaker of the 9th Plateau State House of Assembly. Izam is a 33-year-old 500-level student of Law at the University of Jos. Mr. Izam, who was elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress emerged Speaker at the Assembly complex in Jos on Monday following his nomination by Mr Ibrahim Baba Hassan of Jos North North constituency and seconded by Mrs. Esther Simi Dusu of Jos North West constituency. Elected Deputy Speaker was Mr Saleh Yipmong of Dengi constituency The Deputy Speaker’s nomination was moved by the lawmaker representing Langtang Central constituency, Mr Daniel Nanbol and was seconded by Nanlong Daniel who represents Mikang constituency.

A former Nigerian minister, Femi Fani-Kayode and the Church of Satan have clashed on Twitter.   Chief Femi Fani-Kayode Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, a former Minister of Aviation, and the Church of Satan clashed on Twitter on Monday over a former New York City prosecutor, Linda Fairstein. Fani-Kayode had taken to his social media handle to lambast Fairstein who led the prosecution of the Central Park Five case, wherein five teenagers, four African-American and one Hispanic, were wrongfully convicted for the 1989 rape and assault in Central Park of a white female jogger. The former minister described Fairstein as a racist and a member of the Church of Satan. He wrote,  “Former NYPD cop, Linda Fairstein, is a racist, witch and a member of the Church of Satan. She should be prosecuted and burnt at the stake with her books. She deserves the death penalty for what she did to those five boys #Central Park 5 #Cancel Linda Farstein.” In a swift reply, howe...

China is open for more trade talks with Washington, however, has nothing to announce about a possible meeting between the Chinese and U.S. leaders at this month’s G20 summit, the Foreign Ministry said on Monday. U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he is getting ready to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Osaka summit at the end of June; however, China has not confirmed it. U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday that the leaders’ meeting has some parallels with their Buenos Aires summit last December, which saw Washington postpone a tariff hike while the two sides resumed negotiations. Speaking in Beijing at a daily news briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang again would not confirm such a meeting. However, Geng said China has noticed that recently the U.S. side has said many times it hopes to arrange a Xi-Trump meeting then. “If there is concrete news on this, China will release it in a timely manner.

Just for illustration: Gunmen kill about 100 Malians in a village on Sunday Unidentified gunmen have killed about 100 people in a village in the central part of Mali, the country’s Ministry of Defence said. The attack was carried out on Sunday in Dogon village in central Mali, a local mayor said on Monday. Fighting between Dogon hunters and Fulani herders has killed hundreds since January, including an attack on Ogossagou village in March in which over 160 Dogon were killed by gunmen, one of the worst acts of violence in the West African country’s recent history. The killings drew condemnation from the United Nations which dispatched human rights experts to investigate the massacre, seen as one of the worst acts of bloodshed in a country beset by ethnic and Jihadist violence. The attack, in which women and children were burned in their homes by gunmen, escalated a conflict between Dogon hunters and Fulani herders that killed hundreds of civilians in 2018 and is spreading ...

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has branded the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as suffering from what he called ‘signs of long-term depression’. The governor was reacting to allegations by the party that he has acquired a N187 million official vehicle. The governor’s reaction was made know by his Deputy Chief Press Secretary, Gboyega Akosile, in a statement on Sunday, adding that the vehicle used by Sanwo-Olu, which he said was “certainly not N187m,” was purchased over a year ago. Akosile said: “As a major political party, one will expect the PDP to be more circumspect in its criticism of the state governor, especially along the lines of progress and development for the state and not reducing itself to purveyor of fake news. “For the avoidance of doubt, His Excellency, the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, did not buy a N187m SUV as his official vehicle. In fact, the governor has not procured any vehicle for official use. “The vehicl...

Fury explained how "nobody" outside his immediate family "will ever really know how far I came back" to get back in the ring and near the top of the heavyweight division. During his absence from the ring, he was stripped of all his titles. Fury also explained how he felt he was "robbed" in his fight against Wilder on Dec. 1, 2018, saying he feels he won 10 of the 12 rounds, losing only the two rounds he was knocked out. "If I lost to Deontay Wilder, I'd say, 'Fair play Deontay, you beat me.' No chance," Fury told Schaap. "I won the fight, 10 rounds to two, but I get a draw. Which only adds cayenne pepper to my story. Because it makes it more watchable, more controversial. After everything I've been through, they robbed me of the biggest comeback in boxing history." Fury added that he would beat Wilder "seven days a week and twice on a Sunday." Last month, Wilder tweeted that he has set up a rematch...

The National Working Committee (NWC) of All Progressives Congress has adopted formally adopts Senator Ovie Omo-Agege for the positions of Deputy Senate President and Hon. Muhammed Idris Wase as Deputy Speaker. According to a statement by Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu after the emergency meeting held on the 8th and 9th of this month, the party’s national publicity secretary, the committee arrived at their decision after wide consultations with President Muhammadu Buhari and party stakeholders, including APC governors. Recall that the party had earlier announced the duo of Senator Ahmed Lawan and Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila as the partys candidates for the positions of Senate President and Speaker of House Representatives respectively. Mr Issa-Onilu’s communique further stated that all elected APC members of the Senate and House of Representatives are hereby directed to fully mobilise as a united force behind the party’s choice. It also stated that members who have earlier signified int...

A man has narrowly escaped being brutally killed after he was accused of kidnapping his own wife and daughter. Joseph and Paul   According to a report by Punch Metro, the police have said that a woman, Justina Emmanuel, who accused her husband, Joseph Agugom, and his brother Paul, of kidnapping her and her daughter, Munachisom, for ritual purposes in the Lawanson area of Surulere, Lagos State, is suffering from mental illness.   The brothers, the police said, were conveying her to hospital with her hands tied to her back when Justina raised the alarm that she was being kidnapped.   Passers-by, who responded to the woman’s cry, were seen in a video footage, which trended on the Internet over the weekend, beating up Joseph and Paul and almost lynching them.   In the footage, Justina, whose hands were tied behind her back, accused her husband of engaging in money rituals, adding that he had already used two of their children for the purpose. ...

Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff The Nigerian Army on Monday said it killed nine ”social media personalities” of the Islamic State for West African Province (ISWAP). Col. Sagir Musa, Army Director Public Relations, who disclosed this in a statement, said the annihilation of members of the Boko Haram media team further confirmed that the Nigerian Army has decimated the group and they no longer have freedom of action. He gave the names as: ”Abu Hurayra al-Barnawi, Ali al-Ghalam al-Kajiri, Abu Musab Muhammed Mustafa al-Maiduguri, Abu Abdullah Ali al-Barnawi, and Abu Musa al-Camerooni. ”Others are Ahmed al-Muhajir, Abu Ali al-Bamawi, Abu Khubayb bin Ahmed al-Barnawi, Abu al-Qa’qa’ al-Maiduguri. “The terrorist group is known for its online media propaganda and quest to maintain a virtual caliphate,”he said. NAN  reports that Boko Haram launched the media in 2009, starting with a very traditional media approach through propaganda films, many o...

PARIS (AP) -- For a few, fleeting moments Sunday, Rafael Nadal found his French Open supremacy seemingly threatened by Dominic Thiem, a younger, talented opponent challenging him in the final for the second consecutive year. A poor game from Nadal allowed Thiem to break him and even things at a set apiece. That development brought fans to their feet in Court Philippe Chatrier, roaring and clapping and, above all, wondering: Was this, now, a real contest? Could Thiem push Nadal more? Could he make this surge last? Would Nadal falter? That the questions arose at all was significant. The answers arrived swiftly. Nadal reasserted himself, as he usually does at Roland Garros, by grabbing 16 of the next 17 points and 12 of the remaining 14 games, pulling away to beat Thiem 6-3, 5-7, 6-1, 6-1 for his record-extending 12th championship at the French Open. "He stepped on me," Thiem said. "The numbers are crazy. He won it 12 times." No one in tennis ever has won any...

 Image: President Donald Trump meets with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House on March 20, 2018. WASHINGTON — Two senators plan to introduce a bill Monday designed to force a vote on current and future U.S. arms sales and other military support to Saudi Arabia, saying it was time lawmakers checked President Donald Trump's attempts to bypass Congress on foreign policy. The bill, sponsored by Republican Sen. Todd Young of Indiana and Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut, who both sit on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, marks the latest counterpunch by lawmakers who strongly oppose selling weapons to Saudi Arabia and who are outraged at the Trump administration's recent decision to sidestep Congress on an arms deal worth billions of dollars. "The process we are setting in motion will allow Congress to weigh in on the totality of our security relationship with Saudi Arabia, not just one arms sale, and restore Congress...

 A huawei logo displayed at a retail store in Beijing As the US leads a drive for the West to shun Huawei over security fears, the Chinese tech giant has sought to strengthen its position in Africa, where it is already well-established. Huawei has taken a leading role in developing next-generation 5G mobile phone networks around the world. But it has been in turmoil since Washington charged its equipment could serve as a Trojan horse for Chinese intelligence services. The world's second smartphone marker fiercely denies the allegations, but the US has urged countries to avoid it and several companies have distanced themselves. They include Google, whose Android operating system runs most smartphones. And as Washington and Beijing duke it out in an escalating trade war, nations around the world are faced with the dilemma of having to choose a side between the world's two top economies. Russian President Vladimir Putin weighed in on Friday, slamming Washington...

Chinese governmental officials reportedly warned numerous tech companies of “dire consequences,” should they cooperate with a US ban against doing business with Chinese tech firm Huawei, according to a report in The New York Times. The move comes after China threatened to set up a blacklist of “unreliable entities” in retaliation for the ban. The officials warned US firms against relocating their production lines to other countries, from following orders against doing business with specific companies, and that they should lobby against the Trump Administration’s efforts, saying that their actions could have permanent consequences. Non-US companies were reportedly told that if they continued to supply Chinese firms, they wouldn’t face such consequences. But the Times notes that US firms will likely won’t be effective, as such companies won’t want to incur legal trouble from breaking the law. The Times reports that the warnings came in a series of meetings held earlier this week b...