Stop representing PDP, Sheriff tells Gana

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Ali Modu Sheriff. PHOTO: channelstv

The National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, has advised the Prof. Jerry Gana-led Strategy Review and Inter-Party Affairs Committee to stop speaking for the party.

Represented by his National Deputy Chairman, Dr Cairo Ojougbo, at a news conference in Abuja on Monday, Sheriff described the Gana-led committee as “illegal”.

The committee was constituted on Nov. 10, 2016, by the National Caretaker Committee of the party headed by Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, which was disbanded by the recent judgment of Appeal Court, Port Harcourt.

The court, in the judgment declared Sheriff as the authentic national chairman of the party.

The committee had been visiting founding and prominent members of PDP, including former Vice President, Chief Alex Ekwueme, Chief Tony Anenih, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Sheriff said that the report of the committee, which was submitted to the scrapped national caretaker committee on Feb.17, 2017, would not be useful in the ongoing effort at re-positioning the party.

“Prof. Jerry Gana going round the country on behalf of the PDP is unacceptable to the party.

“I have the report of Gana here where he recommended that all members of the Sheriff group should be suspended from the party.

“We find it very uncomfortable that a person of Jerry Gana’s standing, if actually he wants to help the party as at this time of crisis, would recommend that a faction or members of the party should be expelled for their political beliefs.

“That is very unbecoming of a man of Gana’s status. So, we take very serious views to his going round as whatever committee he calls himself. “The committee was not set up by the party and we are giving notice that forthwith, he should discontinue with it,’’ he said.

On the party’s national convention, Sheriff said that the Standing Committee on Reconciliation’s report submitted by its chairman, Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa, had been adopted by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC).

He said that the report had become a working document of the party.

The chairman expressed displeasure over media report that Makarfi, as chairman of the unrecognised caretaker committee said that Dickson’s committee was illegal.

He insisted that the committee was legal, adding that its recommendations were not Dickson’s but of the committee of the party.

Sheriff said that majority of the party’s stakeholders were in full support of political resolution to its leadership crisis, except for the caretaker committee, which had vowed to pursue legal approach.

He, however, assured that the party’s NWC was capable of conducting free, fair and acceptable national convention in due course. “The reason why the caretaker committee is protesting is that they have seen that the table is now crumbling fast under their feet.

“All the organs of the party are cueing into the reconciliation and when the reconciliation pulls through, they are out and Sen. Makarfi can only come as member of the Board of Trustees (BoT).

“They get subvention from the governors every month and when reconciliation happens, the N50 million monthly subventions from governors will stop.

“Secondly, Makarfi wants a situation where he will tailor-make the convention to suit his interest because he has come out to say that he will be contesting the presidency of the country.

“We are very mindful that we are not going to tie our party around any individual, and that is why the national chairman, Sheriff said ` look, I am going to throw everything open`’’.

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FG directs NFF to back Hayatou for CAF post

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CAF President, Issa Hayatou and NFF chairman, Amaju Pinnick. PHOTO:itsagoal

Nigeria’s government has ordered the head of the country’s football association to back current CAF president Issa Hayatou of Cameroon in his re-election bid, a senior official said Monday.

The decree from on high came despite Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) president Amaju Pinnick having publicly come out in support of Hayatou’s main challenger, Ahmad Ahmad.

Pinnick’s backing for Madagascar’s Ahmad has put him at loggerheads with the NFF, the country’s sports minister Solomon Dalung, and Nigerian members of CAF’s executive committee.

A senior figure in Nigeria’s presidency confirmed that a meeting chaired by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo ordered Pinnick to vote for Hayatou because of Nigerian ties with Cameroon.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the source confirmed that Dalung contacted the presidency about Thursday’s vote in Addis Ababa and asked what the country’s position should be.

“There is an existing joint relationship between Nigeria and Cameroon and most recently both countries collaborated in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgency,” he added.

“We can’t afford to jeopardise this relationship.

“Pinnick has therefore been ordered to cast his vote for Hayatou even if every other country failed to do so, as Nigeria does not owe Madagascar anything.”

Nigeria has been fighting Islamist rebels Boko Haram since 2009 in a conflict that has left at least 20,000 people dead and displaced more than 2.6 million.

The fighting has spilled over into Cameroon, as well as Chad and Niger. All four countries, plus Nigeria’s western neighbour, Benin, have mounted a regional force against the rebels.

Dalung earlier this month indicated that a Nigerian vote for Hayatou was in the country’s interest, not just because of geographical proximity but also as he had been “a true friend”.

Nigerian media reports suggested the minister told FIFA secretary-general Fatma Samoura that African football must not be railroaded into making changes by forces outside the continent.

The NFF’s Pinnick made his announcement after a meeting of 12 federation bosses with the world governing body’s president Gianni Infantino in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare.

The meeting was organised by the Council of Southern African Football Associations, who have pledged to support Ahmad at the polls.

Samoura, who joined FIFA last year from the UN Development Programme in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, reportedly told Dalung Nigeria was “key” to toppling the long-serving Hayatou.

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Leipzig’s Keita recovering after collapsing

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Wolfsburg's midfielder Yannick Gerhardt (L) and Leipzig's Guinean midfielder Naby Deco Keita vie for the ball during the German First division Bundesliga football match of RB Leipzig vs VfL Wolfsburg in Leipzig, eastern Germany, on March 11, 2017. PHOTO: ROBERT MICHAEL / AFP

RB Leipzig’s coach Ralph Hasenhuettl said Sunday they are investigating why Guinea midfielder Naby Keita collapsed in the dressing room area following a Bundesliga game.

Having played the 90 minutes of Leipzig’s 1-0 defeat to Wolfsburg on Saturday, the 22-year-old Keita lost conciousness shortly after leaving the dressing room and was taken to hospital once his condition was stabilised.

On Sunday, the club said all his test results are in order and it is thought the Guinea international suffered a circulatory collapse brought on by exertion, but they want to find out the exact cause.

“He spent the night in hospital and he’s feeling better. All the test results are okay,” said Hasenhuettl.

“It seemed to be the fault of his circulation, he burnt himself out yesterday (during the game).

“For sure, we will continue to look for causes in the next few days.

“It was probably a combination of several factors.

“I am glad that there is no deeper disorder. His test results ​​were all okay, that is why we have to look at what was the cause.”

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Oronsaye: Court adjourns ruling on no case submission till May 4

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Former Head of Service of the Federation, Steve Oransanye (middle) on arrival at the Federal High Court, Abuja to a 24-count charge of corruption. He has been charged for another two-count charge of corruption and obtaining by through false pretense. PHOTO: Ladidi Lucy elukpo

An FCT High Court, Maitama, on Wednesday adjourned till May 4, ruling on the no-case submission by Steve Oronsaye, former Head of Service of the Federation.

The judge, Justice Olasumbo Goodluck, adjourned the case after listening to submissions by counsel in the matter.

Oronsaye, was also the Chairman, Presidential Committee on Financial Action Task Force, set up by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He was docked for breach of trust and diversion of N190 million meant for the committee he chaired. The prosecution called six witnesses to prove its case and also closed its case on Nov. 15.

On December 9, the defence filed no case submission, on the ground that the prosecution has no case against the defendant.

On the resumed hearing on Wednesday, the defence counsel Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN), argued that there were omissions of essential elements in the charges against his client.He said on that account, the charges were imperfect.

Agabi said that the charge was initially two counts, later amended to seven, and that was a sign that something was wrong with the charge from the beginning. He said that the prosecution failed to specify the amount that was entrusted to the defendant, nor the mandate of the committee the defendant chaired.

Agabi said that there was no proven offence by the prosecution to warrant the defendant to enter defence and therefore urged the court to grant his no case submission.

Responding, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Offem Uket, told the court that the prosecution has proved its case. Uket said that it was not right to bring up the issue of the imperfection of charges now, as it was against the provisions of Sections 220 and 221 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act, (ACJA) 2015.

He said that there was a prima facie case against the defendant, and urged the court to dismiss the no-case submission by the defence.

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Guardiola puts City goalkeepers on notice

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Manchester City's Spanish manager Pep Guardiola / AFP PHOTO / Oli SCARFF /

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has effectively admitted he no longer has a first-choice goalkeeper after declaring he will choose between Willy Caballero and Claudio Bravo on a game-by-game basis.

Bravo was brought in from Barcelona in August to be the senior goalkeeper, but has lost his Premier League place to Caballero in recent weeks after a series of inconsistent displays.

Chile international Bravo was brought back in for the FA Cup fifth-round tie at Huddersfield 10 days ago, and is widely expected to be selected for the replay at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.

Guardiola, however, has rotated his keepers for domestic cup ties this season, so that would then mean Argentine Caballero returning for Sunday’s Premier League trip to Sunderland.

But Spaniard Guardiola, who let England goalkeeper Joe Hart leave City for a loan move to Italian side Torino last year, insisted on Tuesday he was reviewing the goalkeeping situation constantly.

“They (Caballero and Bravo) are so professional, they are exceptional, so there’s no problem about that,” Guardiola explained.

“You may not believe me, but I am not thinking about who is the first and who is the second.

“I decide on what I see, on what is the recent past, on the upcoming situation of the future. We are going to decide game by game.

“I have to think about it, not just with goalkeepers.

“Tomorrow’s a ‘final’ against one team (Huddersfield) who impressed a lot when we played there away. They are near the top of the Championship. Sometimes, teams at the top of the Championship are stronger than teams in the Premier League.

“So it’s one game. We know how many surprises there are in the Cup, so I have to think about it after the training session tomorrow (Wednesday) morning.”

– Kompany return on hold –
City made eight changes for the goalless draw at Huddersfield’s John Smith’s Stadium, and fringe players such as Pablo Zabaleta, Jesus Navas and Nolito are likely to be given a chance to impress again.

Wednesday’s game is the first of five in 19 days for Guardiola’s men, with Premier League tests against Stoke and Liverpool, as well as Sunderland, and the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie in Monaco to come.

City captain Vincent Kompany, though, is not ready to return after multiple injury setbacks, with the most recent a leg problem.

The Belgium international has played only six times this season, and has been dogged by injury woes over the last two years.

Guardiola, though, insisted Kompany was close to a return, and would be able to play a full part in the remainder of the season.

“Vincent is not ready for tomorrow,” the manager said. “He is much better but not for tomorrow.”

Guardiola and his players had a short break in Abu Dhabi after having no game last weekend, with scheduled opponents Manchester United beating Southampton in the League Cup final at Wembley instead.

The Abu Dhabi trip saw Guardiola meet with City owner Sheikh Mansour for the first time.

Guardiola, who succeeded Manuel Pellegrini as City manager last year, said he was impressed by the Sheikh’s football knowledge –- but the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss was left in no doubt he will be replaced if results are not good enough.

“I was really impressed that he knew absolutely everything about us,” said Guardiola. “It was nice to meet him and spend a few hours together.

“He is so happy because he sees all the games and he sees the effort, he demands it. He knows we make absolutely everything, we fight until the end.

“I had good relations with almost all my owners in Barcelona and Bayern Munich, of course it is important to know them.

“They know, we know, all the managers and owners know that we are here because of the results. If the results are not good we are going to be replaced. I replaced another manager.”

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These Educative ,Entertaining And Inspirational Pictures Will Blow Your Mind – 89

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These are just pictures but they tell stories that will either Educate, Entertain or Motivate you…

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Heaviest woman, leaves Egypt for treatment in Mumbai

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PHOTO: DR MUFFAZAL LAKDAWALA<br />

A 36-year-old Egyptian woman Eman Ahmed, reportedly the heaviest in the world, at 500 kilogrammes reached Mumbai on Saturday for surgery.

She entered Mumbai in a cargo plane with hopes high that several rounds of surgery could help her reduce weight.

Ahmed has gained weight since she was a child.

She has already suffered a stroke that left her right arm and leg paralysed and affected her speech, according to the Save Eman online campaign page, which is raising money for her treatment.

She cannot move from her bed.

Ahmed has been admitted to Mumbai’s Saifee hospital, where a special facility with large doors and a fortified bed has been created for her, a hospital spokesperson said.

She will undergo a series of tests before doctors proceed to carry out surgical procedures to reduce her weight.

They may take six months or more.

Ahmed left her home in Egypt’s Alexandria for the first time in 25 years to fly to Mumbai in a specially prepared Egypt air cargo aircraft, Egypt air head Safwat Musalam, said.

Ahmed was lifted into the cargo plane by cranes, the head of the Egypt air Cargo Company, Bassem Gohar, said.

At Mumbai, Ahmed was again lifted out of the aircraft by a crane onto a waiting truck.

She was driven to the hospital accompanied by a police escort and an emergency ambulance.

Ahmed has been admitted to the care of bariatric surgeon Muffazal Lakdawala and his team, a spokesperson for Saifee Hospital said.

Lakdawala’s team has been treating Ahmed for the past three months.

Two doctors from Saifee Hospital and Ahmed’s sister, Shaimaa, accompanied her on the flight.

“We have big hopes that she will return home in good health,’’ Shaimaa said.

She asked all Egyptians to pray for her sister’s recovery.

Ahmed has severe lymphedema, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, hypothyroidism, severe obstructive and restrictive lung disease, gout and is at a very high risk of pulmonary embolism, according to the Save Emaan online campaign.

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Aretha Franklin plans final album

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(FILES) This file photo taken on December 6, 2013 shows singer Aretha Franklin performing during the National Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony in Washington, DC. / AFP PHOTO / SAUL LOEB

Gospel legend Aretha Franklin says she is retiring from recording music, but only after a final album this year that will feature Stevie Wonder.

The singer, who has been recording music since she was a child in her preacher father’s church in Detroit, turns 75 next month and said she wants to spend more time with her grandchildren.

“This will be my last year,” Franklin told Detroit television station WDIV this week.

Franklin said she will soon head to a studio in the city to record a final album with fellow Detroit music great Stevie Wonder producing several tracks.

While describing the move as retirement, Franklin said she was open to performing a limited number of concerts.

“I feel very, very enriched and satisfied with respect to where my career came from, and where it is now,” Franklin said.

“I’ll be pretty much satisfied, but I’m not going to go anywhere and just sit down and do nothing. That wouldn’t be good either.”

Franklin, who has won 18 Grammys, is best known for the vocal power behind her feminist-tinged cover of Otis Redding’s “Respect.”

In recent years she has canceled a number of concerts. Last year she said that doctors had ordered her not to perform due to an unspecified condition and separately pointed to problems with her back-up band for scrapping a small tour.

She is scheduled to perform in April in New York to open the Tribeca Film Festival which will premiere a documentary on Clive Davis, the celebrated record executive who helped revive her career in the 1980s by orienting her to pop music fans.

Franklin in 2015 sang “Amazing Grace” before Pope Francis as he visited Philadelphia for the massive Festival of Families.

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