Manchester United have considered Marcus Rashford & Diogo Dalot’s new contracts among top priorities to be done as soon as possible as per Fabrizio Romano. The English topflight club is trying their possible best to keep both players as they are considered to be key players in Erik Ten Hag’s plan. Marcus Rashford has been in fine form after returning from the world cup, scoring seven goals in the last seven matches with the latest contribution coming from United’s 3-1 Victory against Everton in the FA Cup in which he scored a goal and assisted another.
Adamawa state denies Buhari, APC Campaign Venue
The Adamawa State Government has denied President Muhammadu Buhari’s request to use the state-owned Ribadu Square in Yola for an All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign rally on Monday stating that the site is under construction.
The Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Bashiru Ahmad, informed the presidency that the facility would not be available due to the renovations.
In his response to the President’s letter, Ahmad stated: “I write to acknowledge your letter ref. SH/COS/28/16/A/793 dated 3” January, 2023 addressed to His Excellency, the Governor, in respect of the above subject matter. “It is with utmost joy that we always welcome the news of a visit by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Adamawa State and always prepare to accord him a rousing welcome with the highest level of respect notwithstanding political party differences.
“Please note that, on this proposed visit that is scheduled for 9 January, 2023 and considering the purpose of the visit which is rally, the only befitting place (Ribadu Square) that is secured enough to host Mr. President, on occasions like this, and the surrounding infrastructural facilities are under extensive renovation. We, therefore, write to inform you that, much as we would want to provide a place befitting to receive Mr. President, we are constrained because we cannot guarantee the readiness of Ribadu Square before the due date of the flag-off. However, we are working round the clock and racing against time, along with the contractors, to get the place fairly ready to receive the President on the 18 January, 2023 when the presidential campaign train of the APC berths in our state.
“Sir, while hoping that you will take seriously the foregoing in your planning, accept, as always my highest respect for your esteemed office.”
Despite this, the APC’s Organizing Secretary in Adamawa, Mustapha Ribadu, has stated that the rally will proceed at an alternative location. The Director of Public Affairs, APC Presidential Campaign Council, Festus Keyamo (SAN) Keyamo who is also the Minister of State for Labour and Productivity said that Buhari will participate in the campaign in at least ten different states in order to ensure the victory of the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, in the upcoming election.
He stated: “Recall that the President, out of his very busy schedule, had earlier attended the flag-off of the presidential campaign in Jos on the 15th of November, 2022. This was also after graciously accepting to be the Chairman of the Presidential Campaign Council of the ruling party.
“In the latest campaign timetable released yesterday (5th January 2023) the President is billed to join the Campaign Train in at least ten States.
“The states are Adamawa State on the 9th of January; Yobe State on the 10th of January; Sokoto State on the 16th of January; Kwara State on the 17th of January; Ogun State on the 25th of January; Cross Rivers State on the 30th of January; Nassarawa State on the 4th of February; Katsina State on the 6th of February; Imo State on the 14th of February and the Grand Finale in Lagos State on the 18th of February.
“The PCC expresses its profound gratitude to President Buhari, the leader of our great party for his sterling and inspirational leadership at this time and for galvanising our teeming members and supporters across the country.
“We urge our party and supporters to turn out en masse, as usual, in the forthcoming campaign rallies. The zero hours is nigh; our spirits must be high; we must not relent in this collective march to our victory that is divinely ordained.”
New Naira notes will stain your white says NSPM
The Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Plc (NSPM) has drawn attention to some of the new naira notes’ features in an effort to educate Nigerians who have voiced concerns about the notes’ quality.
Nigerians have been lamenting and unsatisfied with the new color of the naira notes with most saying that changing the color of the naira notes is unnecessary.
However, NSPM has underlined the need to educate Nigerians about the new Naira’s attributes in a statement released on Friday and signed by NSPM’s managing director, Ahmed Halilu.
In his statement, Halili said:
“We want to inform all Nigerians that the new naira notes are of the same substrates and passed through the same printing processes and finishing procedures.
“It is, therefore, basically the same as the other notes in circulation. It also leaves traces of intaglio inks when rubbed on plain white surfaces. It is, however, important to note that new banknotes are generally light when issued, then become heavier in circulation on getting in contact with dirt and moisture.
“In addition, the second stage of currency printing (Intaglio) requires a heavy deposit of special inks with fairly large particles to give a tactile feeling of the portraits as well as other raised prints by way of design.”
The printing and minting of Nigerian banknotes are done by the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Limited Plc. It has locations in Abuja and Lagos, and the Nigerian government owns the majority of it.
What prevents me from endorsing any candidate for president – Ngige
Chris Ngige, the minister of labor and employment, has provided an explanation for why he is unable to endorse or engage in political activity on behalf of any of the four front-runners for the position of president.
While giving out gifts from his foundation to locals on Tuesday in his birthplace of Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Ngige shared his motivation.
Ngige, a member of the All Progressives Party, claimed that since he had worked with all four of the presidential contenders at some point, he cannot choose one of them to support.
The minister referred to Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the APC, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigeria Peoples Party as his brothers, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as his best friend, and Peter Obi of the Labour Party as his sister.
Therefore, he advised Nigerians to cast their votes for the best candidate who would be able to represent them after critically analyzing their platforms and track records.
The four front-runners, he claimed, are qualified candidates with relevant expertise in state and federal governance.
“They are my pals, and I am familiar with them. They have previously collaborated with me in some capacity.
“When I was abducted as a sitting governor, the People’s Democratic Party’s former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, was in charge of the nation’s affairs. He was filling in for Mr. President, who was away at the moment in Maputo. He directed that I be reinstated. He is the Chairman of the National Economic Council, where we were both seated. Together with Asiwaju, we founded the Action Congress.
“My close friend and political comrade is Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the APC. He was an enormous help to us as governor during the difficult times. Our group came up with AC. We collaborated in ACN, and on the Action Congress of Nigeria platform, I was elected as the only opposition senator for the eastern part of the country. He is not a stranger to me.
“My friend Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of the NNPP. I was acquainted with him while he served as Agunwa Anaekwe’s deputy speaker in the federal House of Representatives in 1991. I am familiar with him because we were in the APC.
“Let the Nigerian people vote fairly, in my opinion. Let Nigerians examine them and their platforms and cast their votes in accordance with what is best for the nation.
“I don’t believe I will make the rounds for candidates A, B, or C. No, I won’t. It is not my specialty. I don’t flit from gathering to gathering. However, I do have some conscience, which I will safeguard and make sure is unharmed.
Prior to withdrawing from the election, the minister was said to have expressed interest in running in the APC presidential primary and to have bought the Expression of Interest Form.
Over “Yahoo” money, a Delta man cuts his brother’s throat.
In Sapele, Sapele Local Government Area of Delta State, a young man named Chope Ukodo was murdered by his own senior brother.
Following the alleged deposit of Ukodo’s Yahoo transaction proceeds into the brother’s bank account, the suspect is suspected of slitting Ukodo’s throat with a razor blade.
Ukodo was reportedly taken to a local hospital by kind people, but he was declared dead shortly after arriving due to excessive blood loss.
As of the time this report was filed, DSP Bright Edafe, the spokesperson for the Delta State Police Command, could not be reached for comment on the event.
Putin declares a “temporary” cease-fire in Ukraine.
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, has given the country’s defense minister orders to impose a cease-fire in Ukraine over the Orthodox Christmas holiday.
On January 6, at noon, the 36-hour cease-fire will begin.
Many people typically observe Orthodox Christmas on January 6 and 7.
According to the Kremlin’s press office, Putin made the declaration in response to the Russian Patriarch Kirill’s earlier request that firearms be silenced during the Orthodox holiday.
According to a statement on the Kremlin website, “We call on the Ukrainian side to observe a ceasefire and permit them to visit Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services because a significant number of residents of the Orthodox religion live in numerous locations of the combat zone.”
Patriarch Kirill has always backed the Kremlin’s actions in Ukraine, even urging Russian soldiers that their deaths would “wipe away all sins” if they died in the service of their country.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the president of Turkey, called Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier on Thursday and requested that the latter enact a unilateral cease-fire in support of peace talks.
According to a statement on the Kremlin website, “We call on the Ukrainian side to observe a ceasefire and permit them to visit Christmas Eve and Christmas Day services because a significant number of residents of the Orthodox religion live in numerous locations of the combat zone.”
Principal suspends six pupils and denies covering up a sexual romp.
The Federal Government College, Ijaniki, Lagos State, the administration has refuted claims that it covered up several pupils who were discovered skipping class to host female classmates at a hotel for sex encounters.
Six pupils were picked up from the hotel by the school, according to the Principal, Mrs. Tofunmi Akamo, who spoke with our correspondent on Wednesday, noting that the incident only happened once.
Additionally, it was alleged that some of the children left the school unobserved for more than three sessions, including the most recent first term.
The principal, however, said that there was only one instance of students leaving class to stay in a hotel.
She asserted that during a hasty roll call at the hostel, the school administration had been aware of the pupils’ disappearance.
“Our job is to mold them, and we don’t expect every single one of them to act properly all the time,” she said. So it is our responsibility to provide the required corrections when they misbehave.
“I received a call from the school saying that during a roll call on Sunday, it was found that several students were not staying in the dorm.
They called their parents on Monday morning to confirm that they were at home, and they informed them that they were not. The parents showed up to the school, and we were all looking around and trying to figure out what might have happened.
“One of those girls’ parents told us that on Sunday, the girls went to the hotel and jumped the fence. To get them out, we proceeded to the hotel. Two boys and three girls made up the group of five who were evacuated.
“When they visited the school, we required them to submit written reports. It was from the reports that we even learned that another girl had left the hotel on Monday to return to the school, while the others had stayed in the hotel.
“We made them write their reports, and then they appeared before a disciplinary committee, which decided what should be done with them based on the instructions we received from the ministry.
“The children are currently suspended without pay for an undetermined period of time; that is the recommendation for them. We typically involve their parents and give them these letters as well as their kids. The dorms were no longer occupied by the boys and girls.
Allegations that the pupils utilized narcotics were unfounded, according to Akamo.
Chelsea completes the signing of ace defender Benoit Bodaishile from Monaco
Monaco midfielder Benoit Bodaishile has been signed by Chelsea. The centre defender has played in Ligue 1 for the past five seasons and just made his professional debut for France, having previously represented Les Bleus at the Under-16 level.
Despite the fact that he will turn 22 in March, Badiashile already has extensive experience in the French top division and in Europe, where he has played for Monaco in the Champions League and Europa League, totaling about 150 matches in all competitions.
In his statement Benoit Badiashile said:
‘I’m very happy to be here at Chelsea. I’m so excited to start playing for this club. I can’t wait to see the fans and start playing in the best league in the world.’
Chelsea Chairman Todd Boehly and co-controlling owner Behdad Eghbali said: ‘We’re delighted to welcome Benoit to Chelsea. He’s an excellent young player who has quickly established a strong reputation for himself and has a huge amount of experience for his young age. We are sure he will form an important part of our team in the years ahead.’
Pelé dies aged 82 after battle with cancer
The forward, whose full name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, won football’s greatest prize in 1958, 1962 and 1970.
Pelé, who has been in hospital in São Paulo since November 29 for a respiratory infection and what was described as “re-evaluation of the chemotherapy treatment over colon cancer identified in September 2021”, had a tumour removed from his colon last year.
Pelé scored 77 goals across 92 appearances for Brazil, making him the country’s joint top scorer in men’s international football.
In 1999 he was named the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Athlete of the Century, and in 2016 he was presented the Olympic Order by IOC President Thomas Bach in his home town of Santos.
Bach, in a message posted on the IOC’s social media accounts said in tribute: “With Pelé’s passing, the world has lost a great sporting icon.
“As I could experience myself, he was a true believer in the Olympic values and a proud carrier of the Olympic Flame. It was a privilege to present the Olympic Order to him.”
