Sunday, 19 February 2017
Champions League: Rangers, Rivers qualify
•To face Zamalek, Al-Merrikh respectively
•IfeanyiUbah, Wikki crash in Confed Cup
The two teams representing Nigeria in the CAF Champions League, Rangers and Rivers United have qualified for the first round of the continent’s premium club football tournament.
While Rivers United qualified in emphatic style, beating AS Real from Mali 4-0, Rangers pulled through via the away goals’ rule as yesterday’s game at the Nnamdi Azikwe stadium ended in a barren draw.
Rangers had played out a 1-1 draw in last weekend’s first leg game against JS Saoura, hence the 0-0 score from Sunday’s game was just enough to see them through.
The reigning Nigeria League champions will now face Egyptian giants, Zamalek, in the First Round.
On their part, Rivers United, who drew their first leg 0-0, will confront t Sudanese club, Al-Merrikh, in the First Round.
In the CAF Confederation Cup, Wikki Tourists were eliminated from the competition despite beating Royal Armed Forces Football Club of Sierra Leone 1-0 at home.
The Bauchi Elephants lost out 2-1 on aggregate.
Captain Mustapha Ibrahim scored the only goal of the game from the spot in the 58th minute.
Abubakar Lawal had earlier missed a penalty in the 19th minute.
Mohammed Babagaru’s side dominated play from start to finish in the game but were ousted from the competition due to their profligacy in front of goal.
Also last night, Ifeanyi Ubah crashed out of the Confederation Cup at the hands of Al Masry in Egypt. After winning the first leg in Nnewi, the Nigerian side were handed a similar 1-0 defeat by the Egyptian side, after extra time and in the ensuing penalties, the latter converted three of their spot kicks while Ifeanyi Ubah failed to score, putting an abrupt end to their campaign in the Confederation Cup.
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SERAP tasks FG over alleged diversion of Paris Club refunds
By Abdulwahab Abdulah
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP) has called for an immediate court action by the Federal Government against those states that allegedly diverted or mismanaged the London Paris Club refunds.
The group, has therefore, urged the Accountant General of the Federation, Alhaji Ahmed Idris to pass information to the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, Abubakar Malami, regarding the release of N388.304 billion London Paris Club loan refunds to 35 states by the federal government to enable the AGF initiate legal action against states that allegedly diverted and mismanaged the funds.
In the letter signed by SERAP Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, the organization argued that: ‘’This will compel the states to widely publish, including on a dedicated website, details of spending of the funds by them. We request that you take this step within seven days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter, failing which SERAP will institute legal proceedings to compel the discharge of duty in this matter.
“Pursuing such action will also send a strong message that President Muhammadu Buhari would not tolerate corruption in the disbursement of funds by his government.”
The post SERAP tasks FG over alleged diversion of Paris Club refunds appeared first on Vanguard News.
Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2lc61eI
We’ve no part in celebration of Ibori’s return —Delta APC
All Progressives Congress, APC, in Delta State has said that members of the party were not part of the celebration of the return of Chief James Ibori, a former governor of the state, who recently returned to the country after serving a prison sentence in the United Kingdom, UK, over money laundering charges.
Mr Leonard Obibi, state acting Publicity Secretary of the party, in a statement, weekend, said “In the course of these events, it was observed that a few of our party members who are relatives, acquaintances or former associates of Chief Ibori also took the chance to join in paying him visits which were widely publicized.
“Inadvertently, the media tended to play up this perspective, and in the process contrived a false impression that our party, APC Delta, may have joined in celebrating the return of Chief Ibori.
“APC Delta, therefore, wishes to state emphatically and put it on record that unlike the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which, for whatever reasons, chose to identify with a return of one of their own, APC Delta is not affiliated in any way with these celebrations.”
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Vía Vanguard News http://ift.tt/2lc5Zn2
Monday, 30 January 2017
Monarch accuses suspected herdsmen of killing farmers
Herdsmen
The traditional ruler of Okpanam kingdom, Oshimile North Local Council of Delta State, Michael Mbanefo, has alleged that suspected Fulani herdsmen have been killing his people in their farmlands.
“I have written to the police and President Mohammed Buhari to come to our aid, so that our men and women can go to their farm freely without being attacked,” he said.
Also speaking on the illegal land acquisition in the community, he said those who acquired lands illegally would forfeit them as a committee saddled with the responsibility to look into the issues, would act on the mandate to ensure the “lands are recovered from usurpers, unless the lands were genuinely acquired.”
He added that lands in Okpanam have turned out to be a curse rather than blessing for the people who suffer in the hands of suspected hoodlums that sell people’s land for financial gains.”
In another development, following the recent killing of two brothers, Akpovona Felix and Akpupu Sunday, by suspected Fulani herdsmen in Urhuoka community, Abraka, the President-General of Urhuoka Development Association (UDA), Mr. Freeborn Ukrakpor, has resigned his position as President-General.
In a letter dated January 7, 2017, and titled “Letter of Resignation” addressed to the Ovie of Oruarivie, Abraka kingdom, Akomeyoma Majoroh, Freeborn said: “I write to announce my resignation from the position of President-General Urhuoka Development Association (UDA).
“After due consideration of the trend of events in Urhuoka community over the period of my being in office, my entire family and I are convinced that as president-general, I will always be far away from the peaceful life I retired home to live.
“It is unimaginable that the people of Urhuoka community would neglect the Fulani herdsmen that killed our people, and direct their retaliation at me, for being the president-general. The disturbances of Fulani herdsmen have long been before I returned home from the city on retirement.”
He stated that as a community leader, he could tolerate constructive criticism from his community, but would not tolerate any blackmail relating to Fulani herdsmen operations, and for that reason, “I hereby step down from UDA as President-General with immediate effect.”
In the mean time, a new acting president-general has been appointed to manage the office until a new president-general is elected. John Avwenaghegha will act for the next two months pending when a new president-general is elected.
Meanwhile, the Partner for Peace in the Niger Delta, Delta State chapter, has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to launch an intensive campaign, aimed at mopping up illegally acquired arms in the country, especially in the Northern states and communities where Fulani herdsmen are terrorising people in the South-South region.
The coordinator, Kenneth Atsenuwa, also urged the president to create time to visit Southern Kaduna, saying, such a step will boost trust in his government.
Vía The Guardian NigeriaThe Guardian Nigeria http://ift.tt/2kMG9av