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Cristiano Ronaldo signalled his intention to keep playing for 10 more years after rounding off a “dream year” by signing a bumper new five-year contract with Real Madrid yesterday. The deal, expected to protect Ronaldo’s status as the world’s highest paid footballer, will keep the Portuguese tied to the European champions until he is 36. “What I most want is to continue enjoying the years I have left to play. I still have 10 years (ahead),” Ronaldo said after signing what he insisted will be his penultimate contract. According to American magazine Forbes, Ronaldo topped Barcelona rival Lionel Messi as the world’s best paid sportsman in 2016 with an income of $88m. The three-time World Player of the Year has enjoyed his most successful year at a collective level, scoring the winning penalty as Madrid won the Champions Leaguefor an 11th time in May before captaining Portugal to their first major tournament win at Euro 2016. “After the season I’ve had, to win the Champions Lea...

Osun State Coordinator of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Mr Olaniran Olakunle, has warned Nigerians against consumption of cheap food items capable of causing them harm. He disclosed this while parading a baker of unregistered bread suspected to contain banned substance in Osogbo. According to him, the suspect was caught while distributing the product to consumers in Ikirun in Ifelodun Local Government area of the state. Olakunle said though, the country is facing hardship with the downtown in economy, he, however, warned Nigerians not to be involved in producing product that would cause harm to the health of the masses. He told all those involved in the production of food items without adequate knowledge of what they are doing to visit NAFDAC office for appropriate guidance. Olakunle added that the mandate of the agency is to ensure that Nigerians consume products that are safe and assured that NAFDAC would not compromise its mand...

Former Director-General of the Nigerian Tourism Development Cooperation, NTDC, Mr. Olusegun Runsewe, has supported the Lagos State Government over its plans to transform the presidential lodge in Lagos to a tourist hub. He, however, suggested that a heritage and visitors tower would stand out the City of Excellence in the global tourism. Runsewe stated this yesterday in an interview with journalists in Lagos. He described the handover of the landmark Presidential lodge by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Lagos State Government as the best news to have ever come to him in the annals of tourism development in Nigeria, an initiative he further noted, shows that Buhari meant well for the development of all the component units of Nigeria. To critically brand and transform the lodge located on the busy Lagos Marina Street on the Island, into a global iconic tourism feature, Runsewe whose tenure in government tourism administration attracted huge local and international commendatio...

As economic recession bits harder in the country, some private school owners in Lagos State have started putting up their schools for sale as they could no longer cope with the high cost of running them. The President of National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, NAPPS, Lagos State chapter, Alhaji Kamaldeen Akande disclosed this in an exclusive interview with our correspondent, saying apart from the fact that many private schools have closed down though with the hope of resuming operation when economy bounces back, significant numbers of others have sold off their schools in the last six months. He said if the current poor economic situation which he said many parents also identified for their inability to pay their children’s school fess was not addressed on time; many more private schools would still be forced out productsof business on daily basis. NAPPS, according to him, constitutes about 70 per cent of total number of private school owners in Lagos State. Akan...

President Muhammadu Buhari, who attended the 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA71) in New York, United States not too long ago expressed before world leaders Nigeria’s commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). “Sustainable Development Goals: A Universal Push to Transform the World” was the theme of UNGA71. The SDGs, according to President Buhari, “underscore the imperative for our collective will towards finding enduring and sustainable solutions to addressing global disparities”. Trailing Buhari’s speech, unfortunately, is the grim report on Global Education Monitoring (GEM) by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) early in the month, which said Nigeria would achieve universal primary education in 2070, universal lower secondary education in 2080 and universal upper secondary education in the next century if present global trends on education were anything to go by. President Buhari was at the...

National Legal Adviser, All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Muiz Banire yesterday offered to step aside from his office pending the conclusion of investigation into allegation of involvement in a bribery scandal of some judges. The decision was contained in a letter to the National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, dated November 8. Banire also communicated the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, offering to also step aside as member, Electoral Reform Committee. This, he said, was in the same spirit of the moral ground that justifies his stepping aside as APC national legal adviser. Titled: “Offer to Step Aside as National Legal Adviser Pending Conclusion of Investigation of My Person by the EFCC”, copies of the five-page letter was also sent to the President, Muhammadu Buhari and his deputy, Yemi Osinbajo. Parts of the letter reads: “On Saturday, the 29th day of October, 2016, I read online, a publication titled: ‘APC National Legal Adv...

One of the tragedies of the Nigerian polity is that it is the empty barrel that makes the loudest noise. If you are a performing governor and you don’t blow your own trumpet in this country, nobody is going to blow it for you. This is why the media handlers of the ‘steeple cap’ Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, have to do more. A couple of my friends that were eventually persuaded not to abandon their state of origin now have a different opinion about Amosun. You need to see things for yourself in this country before you draw conclusions. But since majority of the opinion moulders live outside their own state and rely on the media to know the goings-on back home, then government should not surrender the media to the opposition politicians whose only aim is to bring down any outstanding government through propaganda. I have read the communique of the parley between the Ogun State Government and labour union leaders which culminated in the suspension of the two week-o...

LAGBUS Franchisee Forum, operators of high-capacity red buses in Lagos on Monday appealed to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to save their investment from ruin following government’s prohibition of their services on the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor. The chairman of the forum, Mr Role Odukale, made the appeal at a news conference in Lagos. Odukale, who spoke on behalf the 17 operators of LAGBUS franchisee, said the development would not only kill their business, but also bring hardship to residents of the state. “For us, it is the people that will suffer as evident today across bus stops in Lagos. This situation will add to our woes, we will not be able to meet up with our bank obligations because we borrowed money from banks. “What this means is that few buses will be available to serve over 20 million residents of the state. It is important to know that about 5, 000 people we engage in our services will lose their jobs. This directive should be reversed. “The step taken by th...

Chief of Army Staff, Lt- General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, has disclosed that the present location of the defence headquarters in the Gariki area of the Federal Capital territory (FCT) Abuja will soon be moved to its permanent site. Describing the present location of the defence headquarters, which comprises the army, navy and air force as mere temporary site, Buratai said the military is already making plans to relocate the service to its permanent site very soon when it has annexed all the lands belonging to the three services. The Army chief made this disclosure yesterday when he appeared before the Senate Committee on the FCT in company of leadership of the army authorities to explain the alleged army’s forceful takeover of 238 hectares of land in Maitama Extension. This is as the Minister of the FCT, Mohammed Bello, has blamed a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT, Abuja), Senator Adamu Aliero for the current face-off between the Nigerian Army and civilians ov...

United States Government, Monday, accused medical practitioners in the country of treating ailing Nigerians for malaria without conducting required test on them. The US, through the United States Agency for International Development, USAID, also condemned production of Chloroquine in the country for the treatment of malaria. USAID Country Director, Michael Harvey, stated this at the launch of Nigeria Malaria Indicator Survey report in Abuja. Harvey said despite millions of dollars spent on the disease in the country, the nation had remained too endemic with the condition, even on the continent where other smaller nations had contained it. Nigeria’s Malaria elimination programme is coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Health through the National Malaria Elimination Programme, NMEP. The organisation (including other parastatals in the Federal Ministry of Health) was recently indicted by the Global Fund for grossly mismanaging funds released for eradicating malaria in the count...

Nigerian Air Force, NAF, fighter jets yesterday repelled attack by the Boko Haram terrorists on ground troops at Kangarwa in northern Borno State. This was even as the army buried some of its troops recently killed by the insurgents in Borno State amid tears in Abuja. A statement by the NAF Director of Public Relations and Information, DOPRI, Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa, said the terrorists launched the attack on the ground troops, before they were repelled by fighter jets. He said following the report of the attack, 3 x fighter jets and a reconnaissance aircraft were immediately deployed for the operation. “While the fighter aircraft were scrambled to repel the attack, the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, ISR, aircraft was deployed to give guidance to ground troops on the position equipment and strength of the BHTs. “The operation which started at about 1700 hours (5pm) continued till late evening at about 1915 hours (7:15pm) before the attack was succes...

Federal Government, yesterday, inaugurated four special anti-corruption postage stamps created by the Nigerian Postal Service, NIPOST, as a way to fight corruption. Inaugurating the postage stamps at NIPOST Headquarters in Abuja, President Muhammadu Buhari, who was represented by the Secretary to the Federal Government, Mr. Babachir Lawal said that his administration will leave no stone unturned in combating corruption. Buhari commended the agency for undertaking the task to create more awareness in the anti-corruption crusade by issuing the set of four stamps. He said: “The Federal Government is conscious of the vital role postage stamps play as powerful public relations tool; government recognises that by the features they bear, they serve as ambassadors for their countries by supplying information about countries’ cultures, histories, fauna, tourism, geography, artifacts and products and the most effective medium of immortalising important national events and monuments. “W...

The Senator Ali Modu Sheriff-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday, told the Justice Ibrahim Salauwa-led three member panel constituted to hear all appeals emanating from the Ondo State chapter of the party, that it lacked the jurisdiction to hear the appeals. President of the Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, had set up a fresh panel after members of the previous one, headed by Justice Jummai Sankey disqualified themselves over bribery allegations. At the resumed proceedings yesterday, lead counsel to Prince Biyi Poroye, B.E.I. Ngwufor, SAN, drew the attention of the court to a motion he filed challenging its jurisdiction. Ngwufor, who hinged his prayers in pursuance to Section 36 of the 1999 Constitutions and Order 7, Rule 1 of the Court of Appeal rules, told the court that the decision to set up a special panel to hear the motion was against the decision of the rules of the court. He said: “The decision by the Court of Appeal president to se...

Osun State House of Assembly is taken steps to ensure that abandoned projects of the Federal Government are resuscitated and ongoing ones are fast tracked to completion for economic buoyancy of the state. This move began on Monday when one of the members, Honourable Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, representing Obokun State Constituency, raised the issue at the plenary and catalogued with facts and figures the status of Federal Governments in the state, calling on the parliament to take action on the condition of federal abandoned and ongoing projects in the state. Oyintiloye who is also the Chairman House Committee on Information and Strategy said, sub-spended Federal Government projects in the state, summed up to about N20.318 billion. These projects, according to him, include road infrastructure, water schemes, and housing, stating that some of the projects have been awarded as far back as 2008 and have either been abandoned or slowed down owing to non-disbursement of fund by the fede...

Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the November 26 governorship election in Ondo State, Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim, yesterday said the state had gone bankrupt under the leadership of Governor Olusegun Mimiko. Ibrahim, however, promised to take the state out of the economic woods if elected governor in the forthcoming polls. The business mogul spoke at a press conference in Akure, the statecapital, where he unfolded his programmes for the development of the state. He reiterated his vow to pay arrears of salaries owed the state workers. “I need to have as first priority the payment of outstanding salaries of the workforce because a good workforce is the one that can deliver dividends of democracy, you may say, or, in my own language, that will deliver efficiency and effectiveness. “The public service is really my major focus. I want them to be trained and retrained. I want the Public Service Training School to be alive again,” he said. The candidate, who said h...

Chieftains of Accord party in Oyo State, have accused the gubernatorial candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, in the 2015 gubernatorial election, Mr. Seyi Makinde and his group of causing division within the party. It will be recalled that the party had recently pointed accusing fingers at the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC of been behind the party’s misfortune and polarising the party in view of the forthcoming local government elections in the state. The party which recently concluded its ward, local government and state congresses witnessed two factions as members were divided between the two parallel congresses held at two different venues. A ward leader in Ibadan North West Local Government Area, Mr. Wole Adeoye accused the SDP of using money to destabilise the party, describing those who left the party for SDP as black legs. A former Chief Press Secretary to Senator Rasheed Ladoja, Alhaji Lanre Latinwo, who expressed little concern about the perceived div...

As the November 26 Ondo state gubernatorial election draws near, the Omo Oodua community, an umbrella body of Yoruba living in the 19 northern states and Abuja has described the emergence of Barrister Jimoh Ibrahim as the PDP flagbearer as the handiwork of God. The group also urged the outgoing Governor, Olusegun Mimiko and his supporters to put the interest of the state first above other consideration. According to the group, this they would do by embracing peace during and after the election. National President of the Association, Chief Toye Ogunsuyi who spoke with journalists in Jos yesterday after a crucial meeting preparatory for the election particularly frowned at the recent statement credited to Professor Olu Agbi, the Asiwaju of Akure Land who said that if Eyitayo Jegede is not given the PDP ticket, it may bring back a re-occurrence of the 1983 crisis. Chief Ogunsuyi who expressed disappointment over the statement however cautioned against such utterances which he not...

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Works, Sen. Kabiru Gaya, on Monday chided Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency for failing to remit the five per cent pump price levy to the federal government. Gaya stated this in Abuja at the Public Hearing organised by the House of Representatives Committee on Works. The hearing was on the repeal of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency Act 2002 and on Federal Roads Authority Bill, 2016 and National Roads Fund Establishment Bill. The five per cent, according to him, is worth N771bn, which should have accrued since 2007 to government coffer as provided by the FERMA Act. He said, “The sum of N536 bn accrued from Premium Motor Spirit, N174bn from AGO were to be shared on the basis of 60 per cent to Federal Road Maintenance Agency and 40 per cent to state governments for road maintenance.” NAN

Suspended former Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Abdulmumin Jibrin, has gone on exile. He has vowed never to return to Nigeria unless his safety can be guaranteed. The embattled lawmaker who left Nigeria for London last week to receive award and take his anti-corruption campaign to international community, made his decision public in an interview aired on the London based Ben TV, on Monday. Jibrin explained that his decision to flee the country was based on threats he has continued to receive from some of his colleagues whom he accused of budget fraud. The lawmaker also said the initial silence of the President on the matter was a blessing in disguise because if the President had spoken much earlier he would have been accused of using him to fight the House Leadership, saying the time is now ripe and the crisis mature enough for the President to break his silence. Jibrin said, “The situation currently at hand is different from the initi...

The Chief of Army of Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai, wept on Monday as he read the funeral oration at the graveside of the seven military men killed by the Boko Haram terrorists. Lt.-Col. Muhammad Abu-Ali, Seargents Muazu Ibrahim, Bassey Okon, Hussani Jafaru, Cpl. Chukwu Simon, Private Salisu Lawal and Seaman Patrick Paul were killed when the terrorists attempted to seize Mallam Fatori on November 4 . The soldiers were inducted into the Operation Lafiya Dole in 2014, designed to fight the Boko Haram insurgents and liberate the North-East from their hold. He said, “They were brave, precise, professional and inspiring. They led the battle to recapture the following towns: Monguno, Baga, new Marte, Bama, Gwoza, Banki Junction, Gamboru-Ngala, Yale, Yanteke, Bita, Deruwa, Daira Kangaruwa and Mallam Fatori. “In these battles, they rescued children and women, fathers and mothers, the young and the old and restored peace and hope to Nigerian citizens. “At last, on Nov. 4, they pai...

Senators have put another hurdle in the way of the presidential request for approval to obtain $29.9billion loans for infrastructure. Last week, the Senate threw out the request – on the grounds that it was not accompanied with how the loan would be used and repaid. President Muhammadu Buhari, according to sources, has secured the understanding of Senate President Bukola Saraki that the request will be reconsidered when re-presented, with details, expectedly this week. But senators are pressing that the request should be taken for public hearing before approval, The Nation learnt. The public hearing clause is one of the conditions most of the senators have given Saraki before approving the loans. It was unclear yesterday whether the Senate President will accede to this condition. A source in the National Assembly said: “We are amenable to the re-presentation of the request for the loans by the President. The law or our Standing Rules allows it. “Most of us have however to...

Special Assistant to President Buhari on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, says President Buhari cannot order EFCC to investigate any of his Ministers accused of corruption because the anti-graft agency is an independent body and is not controlled by the Presidency. Adesina said this in a recent interview with Naija Standard when he was asked why President Buhari has not ordered EFCC to investigate Rotimi Amaechi and Abbah Kyari who are both ministers and have been accused of corrupt practices. "President Buhari does not direct the EFCC. He maintains a critical distance from all the anti-graft agencies, and does not dictate to them. So, if any Minister has a tidy case built against him, the EFCC does its job without waiting for directives from the President", he said. When you received offer from President Buhari to serve in your present capacity, what were the virtues you saw in him that drew you to accept the appointment? Let me say that I had always admired Muhammadu Bu...

The Oba of Benin, His Royal Majesty, Omo n’Oba n’Edo Uku Akpolopkolo, Oba Ewuare II, on Monday commended President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts in the fight against corruption in Nigeria. ‎Oba Ewuare II disclosed this when he received President Buhari in his palace in Benin, the Edo State capital. It was the president’s first official visit to the new Oba, since his coronation on October 20. The monarch noted that the Federal Government had demonstrated its desire to effectively manage the country’s scarce resources and improve the welfare of the people. ‎While appreciating the president for identifying with the state, through federal appointments, he called for more federal presence. The Oba also reiterated his earlier appeal on the need for the federal government to support the state in the transformation of the Gelegele jetty in Ovia North-East Local Government Area to an export processing zone. ‎He explained that the initiative would not only provide employment opportunities for ...

The Nigerian Copyrights Commission on Monday said it had convicted 57 persons across the country this year for piracy. It added that the commission was prosecuting 200 piracy cases in various federal high courts in the country. The Director of Enforcement of the organisation, Mr. Augustine Amodu, disclosed this to journalists in Onitsha on Monday during a raid of some illegally connected DSTV cables. He said most of the convicts were involved in illegal connection and redistribution of MultiChoice DSTV services. He described piracy as one cankerworm that had eaten deep into the economic fabrics of the country. “It’s a crime against the DSTV; it’s a crime against the legitimate subscribers; It’s a crime against the economy; It’s a crime against humanity. For how long are we going to continue with this illegality and still expect prosperity?” Amodu stated. He said the commission was empowered by Section 38 of the Copyrights Commission law to arrest and prosecute defaulters. Amodu said ...