BAMY BLOG

Babajide Sanwo-Olu, a Lagos governorship aspirant in the All Progressives Congress (APC), has responded to claims made by the state Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, during his world press conference on Sunday. Sanwo-Olu, in a statement, called for respect and insisted that “my pursuit of office will continue to be based upon issues that matter to Lagosians and not on attacks against someone’s character, even when he attack mine”. He also stated that he has forgiven Ambode ahead of Monday’s primary and “hopes he regains his balance and proper comportment no matter the outcome of tomorrow’s contest”. The full statement read: “Let it be heard by all that I hold the people of Lagos state with great respect and affection. Their welfare is my utmost concern and it is what drives my pursuit for the governorship nomination of the APC. As such, I also hold the office of governor of our state in high esteem. I shall never consciously do anything that will undermine the dignity of the office n

Akinwunmi Ambode, the Lagos state governor, has stated that Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the preferred candidate of the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu camp, is not fit to rule the state. He said this during a world press conference at the Lagos House, Alausa, Ikeja, on Sunday. Giving reasons, Ambode claimed that Sanwo-Olu was sometime ago arrested for fraud in America and had also been in a rehabilitation center. He also denied reports that he was planning to step down for Sanwo-Olu. “We have never responded to the campaign of calumny on social media. We have one family in APC. “The aspirant being put up to compete against us is not a fit and proper person to take this job. 'I have done everything in the last three and half years to serve people selflessly and to serve the poor. “This particular aspirant is somebody that has been arrested for spending fake dollars in a nightclub in America, and he has been detained for months. “He doesn’t have the competence to do what he is being p

President Muhammadu Buhari has returned to Abuja from New York where he participated in the 73rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly. He aslo attended other official engagements on the sideline of the UNGA73 between Sept. 24 and Sept. 29. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the presidential aircraft conveying the president, his wife, Aisha, and some members of his entourage took off from JFK International Airport on Saturday and landed at the presidential wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja on Sunday morning. The Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari and the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, were among government officials who welcomed the president at the airport. The highpoint of Buhari’s participation was his address on Tuesday to the General Assembly on the opening day of the General Debate. The president, in his presentation of Nigeria’s National Statement, sought global cooperation on security, anti-corruption,

The organised labour has suspended ongoing strike with effect from today, Sunday, September 30. Ayuba Wabba, the National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), announced this while briefing journalists at the Labour House in Abuja. Wabba said that the organised labour has got firm commitment from the government, that the Tripartite Committee of the Minimum Wage Committee would reconvene on October 4. “We demand that this shall be the final session of the committee and a final report will be submitted to Mr President immediately. “In order to avail the committee of the necessary conducive environment to hold this crucial meeting and conclude it’s work, organised labour has… decided to suspend the strike action with effect from today, Sunday September 30, 2018,” he said. This means workers are expected to resume on Tuesday, as Monday has been declared a public holiday by the federal government to mark the October 1 Independence Day. The workers are demanding a ne

Frank Lampard will take his Derby side to former club Chelsea in the Carabao Cup fourth round. The Championship side beat Manchester United on penalties in midweek and have been rewarded with a trip to West London to face Lampard’s former club. Tottenham will travel to West Ham and holders Manchester City host Fulham in another all-Premier League tie. Arsenal host Blackpool and Leicester City will face the winner between Everton and Southampton. Ties to be played October 30/31. Carabao Cup fourth round draw- Manchester City v Fulham Bournemouth v Norwich Arsenal v Blackpool Leicester City v Everton or Southampton West Ham v Tottenham Middlesbrough v Crystal Palace Chelsea v Derby Burton v Nottingham Forest

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has rejected the hiking of school fees of university students as proposed by Dr Wale Babalakin, the chief government negotiator in the ASUU/Federal Government renegotiation exercise. Prof. Lawan Abubakar, the Bauchi Zonal Coordinator of the Union made the disclosure at a press conference in Jos, the Plateau State capital. Abubakar said, “One of the major issues our union wishes to bring to public domain is the wild idea of sharing the cost of education between the government and parents proposed by Dr. Wale Babalakin. This idea of sharing the cost of education since government alone cannot fund education, and that parents need to pay for it too. He proposed a minimum of N350, 000 as tuition fee for undergraduate students of Arts and Humanities, and N500, 000, for those in Sciences. “Our union rejected the proposal based on the fact that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria clearly states that funding education

Former Minister Women Affairs, Senator Aisha Alhassan, has spoken on her exit from the APC and defection to the United Democratic Party, UDP. On Saturday, Mama Taraba resigned her membership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and also quit the Buhari government. On Twitter, Alhassan said she left the APC with all local government party leaders as well as some state lawmakers. She tweeted: “I have officially JOINED my next POLITICAL PARTY with 7 state Assembly Members, all @APCNigeria executives from 169 wards of Taraba State. All 16 local Government exco’s of APC All states executives of APC, we are now in UDP.” In her letter to the President dated Saturday, 29 September, 2018, the former Minister thanked President Muhammadu Buhari for the opportunity to serve. She recalled how she was duly screened and cleared before her appointment and how she also notified the President of her interest in contesting for the Taraba governorship seat. Alhassan stated that all throug

The national leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced that the governorship primaries for Lagos and Imo States have been shifted. National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, made the announcement on Saturday. He spoke during the inauguration of governorship primary committees in Abuja. The former Edo governor said the primary election in Lagos and Imo will now hold on Monday October 1, 2018. He said it was being postponed for logistic reasons. However, other states will hold theirs on Sunday as earlier scheduled.

 The United States has warned Iran that it would respond promptly and appropriately to any attacks against any of its citizens, entities or allies. U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, stated this in response to threats of attacks on the U.S. Consulate in Baghdad. Pompeo said: “The President and I have no more important priority than the safety and security of American citizens, including our diplomatic, military and other officials serving abroad. “Threats to our personnel and facilities in Iraq from the Government of Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force, and from militias facilitated by and under the control and direction of the Quds Force leader Qasem Soleimani have increased over the past several weeks. “There have been repeated incidents of indirect fire from elements of those militias directed at our Consulate General in Basrah and our Embassy in Baghdad, within the past 24 hours. “I have advised the Government of Iran that the United States wi

The Independent National Electoral Commission declared the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gboyega Oyetola, as the Governor-elect of Osun State. The rerun of the Osun State governorship election was held in seven polling units across four council areas on Thursday with the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Gboyega Oyetola, beating the Peoples Democratic Party candidate, Ademola Adeleke. The returning officer, Prof. Joseph Fuwape, declared that the APC candidate, Oyetola, won the governorship election by scoring a total number of 255,505 votes while Adeleke of the PDP polled 255,023 votes. This was, however, met with protests by Adeleke, the PDP, and the Coalition of United Political Parties, among others. Adeleke had won the main election on Saturday with 353 votes after polling 254,698 against Oyetola’s 254,345. On Thursday, both candidates relied on 2,637 votes in the seven units where the Independent National Electoral Commission had declared rerun t

The Presidency on Friday said it has stepped up efforts to convince labour unions in the country to call off their ongoing strike following the earlier meeting at which the government accepted their demand to reconvene the tripartite meeting on the proposed new national minimum wage. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, disclosed this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja. The presidential spokesman said the meeting between the labour leadership and the representatives of the employers of labour was now scheduled to reconvene on Thursday. He said, “By its tripartite nature, the committee is made up of persons from the public sector, (Federal and State Governments) and the private sector made up of the largest private employer group and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association. “Other members include the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry Mines and Ag

The All Progressives Congress, APC, has explained why Minster of Women Affairs, Hajia Jumai Alhassan and her Ministry of Communications counterpart, Adebayo Shittu, were disqualified from contesting the governorship primary election of the party. While Alhassan was eyeing the party’s governorship sole ticket in Taraba State, Shittu battling for the APC governorship flag in Oyo. They were both told they can’t contest on the platform of the APC, yesterday for different reasons National Chairman of the party, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole gave the reasons at a news conference Friday in Abuja. He said, “He (Shittu) admitted that he did not do the mandatory NYSC as provided for under the law and in his own judgment, his being a member of the House of Assembly in the state and now as a Minister of the Federal Republic, that these were enough sacrifices. But for us as a party we know that NYSC is a mandatory scheme. “It is not something you may elect to do or abstain from doing and my

A former Vice President and a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential aspirant, Atiku Abubakar, has denied claims that he is uncomfortable with the choice of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, as venue for the party’s national convention. Atiku spoke after the party’s 83rd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Friday. “It is not true because PH (Rivers) is my second home. “I don’t need accommodation in PH, I don’t need security so it is not true. I am comfortable,” Atiku said. Some aspirants had complained that the convention could be hijacked by the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike. But the party’s hierarchy had insisted the convention would go on at the venue, saying the choice was a “unanimous decision.”

Late Baba-Ari, who hailed from Yobe, was one of the pilots of the two fighter jets that collided while taking part in rehearsals for the 58th Independence Day Celebrations, slated for Monday. Among those who attended the burial were: Chief of Staff to the President, Malam Abba Kyari, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha and Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonishakin. Others were: Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Siddique Abubakar, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, hundreds of officers and men of the Nigerian Army, as well as friends and relatives of the deceased. Senior military officers and colleagues of the deceased could not control their emotions as they wept while the remains of Baba-Ari were committed to mother earth. President Buhari, who expressed his grief over the sad incident, delegated his Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, to visit and console the two other victims of the air mishap at

The federal government has declared Monday, October 1 as public holiday in commemoration of Nigeria’s 58th Independence Anniversary. The declaration was contained in a statement issued by the Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, Thursday in Abuja and signed by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry of, Mohammed Umar. Dambazau, who congratulated Nigerians on the anniversary, urged them to sustain President Muhammadu Buhari administration’s efforts at maintaining and strengthening the unity and peace of the country. He emphasised government’s commitment to promoting national unity, economic growth, social and political development based on democratic principles. The minister added that in the past 58 years, Nigeria had made a lot of progress and positive impact not only on the lives of its citizens but also on infrastructure development as well as international relations.

UEFA has confirmed the use of video assistant referees (VARs) in the Champions League from next season and plans to use them at Euro 2020, European soccer’s ruling body said on Thursday. UEFA’s executive committee agreed that the VAR system would be used in the final qualifying round, the group stage and the knockout stages of next season’s Champions League. “We are confident that introducing VARs in August 2019 will give us enough time to put in place a robust system and to train match officials to ensure an efficient and successful implementation of VAR in the Champions League,” UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin said. Ceferin had announced UEFA’s intentions of using the system next season at an event in Monaco last month. UEFA said in a statement that it planned to subsequently use VARs at the Euro 2020 tournament and in the Europa League, from the group stage onwards, in the 2020-21 season. (Reuters/NAN)

Oil marketers on Thursday appealed to the Federal Government to hasten payment of over N650 billion subsidy arrears to save their assets from being taken over by banks The marketers, under the aegis of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN), made the call in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. Members of the association include Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN); Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA) and Independent Petroleum Products Importers (IPPIs). The Executive Secretary of DAPPMA, Mr. Olufemi Adewole, urged the government to lessen the bureaucratic process involved in the payment process. Adewole said that 60 per cent of marketers had been forced out of business, as banks had taken over their depots, assets and properties due to their inability to pay back monies borrowed. He added that many marketers were forced out of business, while others are presently struggling to sur

Some commercial banks within Minna metropolis have been offering skeletal services to customers, in spite of the strike declared by NLC in demand of payment of the New Minimum Wage by the Federal Government. Zenith Bank, UBA and Central Bank (CBN) on Minna, Bosso road were seen attending to customers, especially civil servants who have just been paid their September salaries. Some of the customers at the banks expressed delight that financial institutions did not join fully. They called on the Federal Government to resolve the impasse with labour in the interest of Nigerians. Similarly, private schools in Minna, including Himma International school, Tumber Secondary School, and Mawo Secondary school were busy teaching in the classes. Commercial and business activities were not affected by the strike as markets ad other business operators manned their activities smoothly. NAN, however, reports that both the federal and state secretariats were under lock and key. Gov. Abubakar Bell

The Nigeria Police Force have explained why their personnel restricted some voters from accessing the polling units where Thursday’s Osun governorship rerun election took place. Ali Janga, a Commissioner of Police, who is superintending over the force operations in Orolu Local Government Area of the state, told newsmen that voters prevented from polling units were those whose polling units were not involved in the rerun election. “We check people for their voters’ cards and ensure that they are registered to vote in any of the three polling units in Orolu LGA before we let them pass. The polling unit has been written on the card. If your unit is not in any of these places we will ask you to go back ,” he said. Janga also debunked reports that police officers arrested observers and journalists, noting that the circulation of such information was the handiwork of politicians. “Nobody was arrested by the police. People are feeding out false information sponsored by politici

The National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has warned that communities in four states and Abuja may likely witness earthquake. The Director General of NASRDA, Prof. Seidu Mohammed, disclosed this on the sideline of the second Engr. Brig. Gen. M.O Agu (rtd) Annual Distinguished Lecture in Abuja on Thursday. Mohammed, who was also the chairman of presidential committee on the Abuja tremor, said Mpape in Abuja, Kwoi in Kaduna, Ijebu-Ode in Ogun, Shaki in Oyo and Igbogene in Bayelsa may likely be the epicentres of major earthquake if precautions were not taken. He said analysis of a 100 year-old data done by the members of the presidential committee on Abuja tremor showed that Mpape in Abuja is a hotspot which is highly susceptible to earth tremor and other earth shakeups. “What it means is that we need a thorough study across the country to identify such hotspots so that we can constantly monitor them from satellite system and from data from outer space’’, he

The Turkish police has detained no fewer than 39 people, including soldiers, over their alleged link to a U.S. based Turkish cleri,  Fethullah Gulen, accused of masterminding a failed coup in 2016. “Police launched simultaneous operations against 71 suspects in 23 provinces across the country, of the detained people, 36 were on active duty in the military,’’ local media reported.  Earlier this week, Turkish authorities arrested 108 people, including soldiers, former teachers and former police officers in operations conducted in Ankara and Istanbul, over their alleged link to Gulen, who lives in exile in the U.S. Report says Ankara blames Gulen and his network for the July 2016 coup attempt, in which 250 people were killed.

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode today expressed his readiness to participate in Saturday’s Primary Election where members of the All Progressives Congress across the State are expected to choose the party’s flagbearer through direct primaries. In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Kehinde Bamigbetan, the Governor said he is restating his readiness in line with the choice of the party in Lagos State and the validation given to the direct primary preference by the Governor’s Advisory Council (GAC). “As our great party approaches Saturday, September 29th, 2018, earmarked for the direct primary election to choose the candidate to fly our party’s gubernatorial flag at the next general election, I am happy to restate my commitment to participate in that process having procured and submitted my nomination form and having formally declared my intention to seek a second term to continue on the path of unprecedented growth and development that our

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has insisted on its planned strike, as the meeting with the Federal Government has ended in a deadlock. The meeting was sequel to the declaration by the union to commence an indefinite strike starting from Wednesday midnight. NLC President had on Wednesday, directed all labour unions and civil society groups, to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike, after the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum issued on September 12. According to the NLC, the decision to embark on the strike action followed the refusal of the Federal Government to reconvene the Tripartite Committee on a new National Minimum Wage. NLC is demanding an upward review of the current N18,000 minimum wage to N56,000. More to follow…

The Osun Government has declared Thursday, Sept. 27, 2018 as public holiday to enable electorate to vote in the re-run gubernatorial election in the state. A statement by Mr. Sola Fasure, Media Aide to Governor Rauf Aregbesola in Osogbo, Wednesday noted that “the public holiday is to enable workers participate in the rerun governorship election.” The governorship election was declared inconclusive and a re-run ordered, because the number of cancelled votes was higher than the margin between the two top candidates. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Ademola Adeleke, was leading with 254,698 votes, while his closest rival of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gboyega Oyetola, had 254,345 votes, a difference of 353 votes. The margin was, however, less than the 3,498 votes in the polling units where voting was cancelled. Consequently, the INEC Returning Officer for the election, Prof. Joseph Afuwape, declared the poll inconclusive and ordered a re-run.

Former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode, has slammed the Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, for declaring his support for the All Progressives Congress, APC, ahead of Thursday’s governorship rerun in Osun State. Omisore had on Thursday announced his decision to pitch his tent with the APC after consultations with his party members. He was reportedly quoted as saying, “After due consultations with my party leadership and members in all the 30 local government areas of Osun State, we have accepted to support the APC for victory in the rerun election tomorrow and thereafter form a coalition government.” Fani Kayode while describing Omisore’s decision as ‘shameful,’ criticized him for supporting APC after he had assured the PDP of his support. According to him, Omisore’s decision might deny Ile-Ife an opportunity of producing a Deputy Governor. He tweeted, “Iyiola Omisore’s decision to support the APC in tomorrow’s rerun is shamefu

The President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr. Amaju Pinnick, has explained why he invited business moguls, Aliko Dangote and Femi Otedola to the FIFA Best Awards ceremony in London on Monday night. The 1st Vice President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said it was an opportunity for them to meet those running world football and to discuss future partnership that will boost Nigerian football. Pinnick said: “Alhaji Dangote is perhaps the biggest business brand in Africa, and one of Nigeria’s leading Ambassadors. I am very happy to be in a position to invite himself and Mr. Otedola to such an event of global stature and essence. 'As a nation, it is important that we continue to showcase our best brands in all fields. Doing this enhances the stock of our country globally. Alhaji Dangote and Mr. Otedola were happy to meet the world’s top governors of football and the football governors were also happy to meet them. “Our objective as a Football Fed

A judge has sentenced Bill Cosby to three to 10 years in Pennsylvania state prison, five months after a jury found the entertainer guilty of aggravated indecent assault. Cosby will serve at least three years behind bars, after which he would become eligible for supervised release. But there is no guarantee he would be released at that point. Cosby's prison sentence completes the TV dad's stunning fall from groundbreaking cultural icon to convicted sex offender. Cosby, 81, is the first celebrity to be sent to prison in the #MeToo era. Bill Cosby took my beautiful, healthy, young spirit and crushed it. He robbed me of my health and vitality, my open nature, and my trust in myself and others," accuser Andrea Constand wrote in a five-page victim impact statement submitted to the court. Now, "instead of looking back, I am looking forward to looking forward," she said. "I want to get to the place where the person I was meant to be gets a second chance.&qu

The FCT High Court, Abuja, yesterday adjourned until October 23, the N5bn defamation suit, instituted by Chief Raymond Dokpesi against the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN). According to Justice Adegboyega Adeniyi, the adjournment was to make room for Dokpesi to react to the preliminary objection raised by the two ministers on the Court’s jurisdiction over the matter. Dokpesi, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and chairman emeritus of DAAR Communications Plc, filed the suit on April 30. He alleged that Mohammed and Malami defamed his character by the inclusion of his name on the treasury looters’ list. At the resumed hearing on Monday, the plaintiff’s counsel, Ennaemeka Adasu, holding brief for Mike Ozekhome (SAN), informed the court that the matter was slated for hearing and all the five plaintiff’s witnesses were in court. He, however, told the court tha

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, has said that the Federal Government will from 2019 commence the revocation of the licences of oil companies that fail to stop gas flaring in their operations in the country. According to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, Kachikwu made this known while speaking at the 2018 Buyers’ Forum/Stakeholders’ Engagement organised by the Gas Aggregation Company of Nigeria in Abuja, on Monday He said that the Federal Government had been locked in a battle with upstream oil companies over the issue of gas flaring. He noted that the Federal Government was keen on ending gas flaring, but oil companies still give lot of reasons why gas flaring cannot be ended. “Government wants to end flare, oil companies still give lot of reasons why flare cannot be ended. “Bottom line is cash call and money. But the reality is that whether or not we deal with cash call issues, it is not an optional agenda, it is a compulsive immediate age

The organised labour on Monday began preparations for its nationwide strike over Federal Government’s delay in the implementation of a new National Minimum Wage. Labour reminded Nigerians that the 14-day ultimatum issued to the federal government expires September 26 and urged them to be prepared. Mr. Joe Ajaero, President, United Labour Congress (ULC), said this in a communiqué issued after its meeting on Monday in Lagos. Ajaero said that if the government failed to meet their demand on the expiration of the ultimatum, it would collaborate with other labour centres and Civil Society Organisations to embark on a nation-wide strike. “We shall no longer be obliged by this time to give any further notice to the government before embarking on the action. “By this communiqué, we order all our affiliates and state councils nationwide to move to the final level of alert in their preparation for the proposed nationwide strike,” he said. The labour leader said that a new national

President Muhammadu Buhari has  approved the release of N20 billion to revitalize public universities in line with the demands of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU. The Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed, made this disclosure in Abuja yesterday, NAN reports. She explained that the money for the universities would be released through normal channels. 'The N20 billion for the universities would be released immediately in line with the established criteria used by the National Universities Commission. “The federal government would monitor the progress of the implementation of the universities’ revitalization with a view to resolving emerging issues and keeping its promises to relevant stakeholders,” the minister said. Meanwhile the President also approved the immediate release of N22.68 billion as retirement benefits for ex-workers of the rested Nigeria Airways.

Tiger Woods, in his Sunday red shirt, both arms raised in victory on the 18th green. For so many years, the scene was familiar. This time, it was surreal. "I can’t believe I pulled this off," Woods said Sunday during the trophy presentation at the Tour Championship, where he gave thousands of delirious fans at East Lake, and millions more around the world, what they wanted to see, and what they thought they might never see again. And at that moment, Woods was overcome with emotion and paused. After two back surgeries six weeks apart, he couldn’t lie down, sit or walk without pain. Golf was the least of his concerns, so much that he once said anything else he achieved would be "gravy." One year ago, while recovering from a fourth back surgery, he still had no idea if he could come back to the highest level of golf. "Just to be able to compete and play again this year, that’s a hell of a comeback," he said. Woods delivered the perfect endi

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the immediate release of N22.68 billion as retirement benefits for ex-workers of Nigeria Airways. This was disclosed by the Ministry of Finance on Monday. According to the statement by the ministry, the move came after an initial submission by the former workers, which totalled their benefits as N78 billion. The release of the funds was posted in a tweet by the ministry’s handle, reading: “President Muhammadu Buhari has graciously approved the immediate release of N22.68billion & N20billion as retirement benefits of ex-workers of the NigeriaAirways limited (in Liquidation) & ASUU’s request for revitalization fund of public universities. “Regarding the settlement of outstanding retirement benefits due to the ex-workers of the Nigeria Airways, the initial submission for their retirement benefits was N78 billion. “This amount was verified by PICA & other relevant stakeholders in line with the conditions of service of Nigeria

Tunde Sanni, head coach of the Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) FC of Ilorin has resigned, Coordinator of the team, Idris Musa, said on Monday. Musa told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin that Sanni had turned in his resignation letter later after a meeting with the team’s Director of Football, Alloy Chukwuemeka. After the meeting, Chukwuemeka and Sanni refused to comment on the matter. The club’s U-15 coach, Taofeeq Babatunde, has been drafted to assist the Assistant Coach, Suleiman Quadri, pending when a substantive manager will be appointed. His resignation may be due to recent results, which were not in favour of the Saraki Boys. The team lost to Kebbi United 3-2 on penalties after 1-1 draw during regulation time in the round of 64 encounter of the Aiteo Cup in Minna. The Saraki Boys also lost 3-0 to Mighty Jets of Jos and drew 0-0 with the Jos-based side in the return leg on Wednesday in Ilorin at Bet9ja Nigeria National League’s (NNL), Match Day 10 encounter.