Soccer-Selfies and Six Packs to Derail Arsenal’s Title hopes says Keane

Arsenal are not capable of winning the Premier League title this season because they have too many players interested in selfies and six packs rather than winning football matches, according to former Manchester United captain Roy Keane.

Keane, a fire and brimstone midfielder, won seven Premier League titles as a player and enjoyed particularly competitive relationship with Arsenal and their similarly combative captain Patrick Viera.

The current Ireland assistant manager, however, said he saw little in the current Gunners side to convince him that they are poised for a first league title since their Viera-led ‘Invincibles’ team in 2004.

“Arsenal have some really good players — some good characters who roll their sleeves up,” Keane told the Mail on Sunday.

“But they also have one or two players who are more interested in selfies and six-packs, guys who are trying to get their pictures taken every day of the week.

“Every year we hear the same thing about Arsenal being contenders. Instead of focusing on the Premier League, it’s all about how their bodies look, how their hair is, more so than winning football matches.”

Arsenal, under manager Arsene Wenger, have become one of the most dazzling attacking sides in Europe but a perceived lack of leadership has undermined their ability to make a sustained title challenge for a number of years.

Back-to-back FA Cup triumphs ended their nine-year trophy drought but for too long the north Londoners have not been relevant during the intense 38-game toil of a Premier League season.

Last season, under Jose Mourinho, Chelsea — built around a strong spine of hard-working, physical players — stifled their closest rivals to canter to the league title and Keane said the Stamford Bridge side remained the benchmark in the upcoming season.

“For me, Chelsea remain the team to beat,” the 43-year-old added. “Their team is the one with the strongest spine — John Terry, their goalkeeper (Thibault Courtois), Eden Hazard — and if they can add (Everton‘s England defender) John Stones to their team then they will be even harder to beat.

“The bottom line is that if Chelsea’s players show the same hunger and desire that they did last year then they’ll win the league. They will only be in trouble if they are complacent.”

WAEC to withhold 19 states results over non-payment of registration fees

Hundreds of candidates who sat for the May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination may not have their results released in the next two weeks, the West African Examinations Council has announced.

The WAEC Head of National Office, Lagos, Mr. Charles Eguridu, announced this on Monday at a briefing in Lagos.

Eguridu said, “A total number of 19 states in the country owe the Council in respect of entry fees for state government sponsored candidates for the May/June 2015 WASSCE. Some states also still owe the Council registration fees for the May/June 2014 WASSCE.
“We have written to the affected state governments without any response. The poor response of the debtor states is threatening the smooth operations of the Council.

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“We, therefore, want to publicly plead with the affected states to off-set the registration fees of their candidates as soon as possible, as we cannot guarantee that the results of their candidates for the May/June 2015 will be released along with others.”

He, however, failed to make public the affected states.

Bayelsa govt received £5m Alamieyeseigha looted fund

More than £5 million recovered from the funds stolen by former Bayelsa State Governor Dieprieye  Alamieyeseigha was handed back to the state government in 2012, it was learnt at the weekend.

Nigeria’s retiring High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (UK) Dr. Dalhatu Tafida who broke the news at the at the weekend in Birmingham where he spoke with the Nigerian community on the amount of stolen funds received from the UK by the Federal Government through its High Commission in London.

Tafida’s visit to Birmingham was part of a thank-you-tour as his tenure ends on August 15, after an eight-year stint as Nigeria’s chief envoy in the UK. He had earlier visited Manchester, Liverpool, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Newcastle and Belfast.

According to Tafida, the £5 million was received from the British authorities and handed over to two government officials from Bayelsa State, who came to London for the transfer.

He told his audience that the money was lodged a Bayelsa State government account with the London branch of First Bank Plc.

Alamieyeseigha, who was impeached, tried and convicted, got a presidential pardon in March 2013 – courtesy of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Justifying the clemency extended to Alamieyeseigha, a former presidential adviser to Dr. Jonathan, Dr. Doyin Okupe had told reporters in 2013 that the former governor was pardoned because he had been remorseful.

“He was tried, jailed and dispossessed of his property. He has been remorseful and there is no law against the granting of pardons to any criminal,” Okupe had said.

Alamieyeseigha was arrested at Heathrow Airport in September 2005 by the Metropolitan Police and initially remanded but later granted bail.

In breach of his bail requirements, he left the UK and returned to Nigeria in 2005. He entered a plea bargain in a Federal High Court after being convicted on six counts of making false declaration of assets.

Part of the money recovered, according to the Stolen Asset Recovery Initiative of the World Bank, consisted of $1.5 million in cash, seized at the time of arrest and $2.7 million held in bank accounts (Royal Bank of Scotland PLC, Santolina Investment Corporation account in excess of GBP 1.8 million) and London real estate worth $15 million (four properties registered under Solomon & Peters Ltd. as sole proprietor).

In May 2006, a London court ordered the confiscation of the seized cash pursuant to the Proceeds of Crime Act, after Mr. Alamieyeseigha skipped bail and returned to Nigeria; bank accounts and London real estate were confiscated pursuant to a December 2007 United Kingdom High Court summary judgment; and a July 2008 judgment left to confiscation of remaining assets in the United Kingdom, Denmark and Cyprus.

Pursuant to his July 2007 plea in Nigerian High Court, he was sentenced to a two-year prison term and his assets in Nigeria were ordered seized.

Commenting on the alleged refusal of President Muhammadu Buhari to ride in a Rolls Royce from the Heathrow Airport when visiting Britain as a president- elect in May 2015, Tafida said it was untrue that Buhari declined the offer.

The envoy said: “The story is not true. It didn’t happen. I went to the airport to receive him right from the plane. I took him to where he stayed and we left back to Nigeria together.

He rode from the airport with me in my official car, which is a bullet proof Mercedes Benz (marked FGN1). To God who made me, Buhari did not refuse anything we gave him. That was what I gave him for the six days he spent. Even, when he took over, I called him, I spoke to him. Buhari is my brother.”

The retiring High Commissioner confirmed that the High Commision indeed has a Rolls Royce, “but we didn’t send rolls Royce to pick Buhari”.

Source: The Nation

Presidency, Boko haram begins peace talk

Hopes of freedom for the 219 Chibok girls have been rekindled, with preliminary talks between the Presidency and some Boko Haram leaders.

The new deal is being brokered by some confidants of the Presidency and the sect.

Some key commanders of Boko Haram in detention are also eager to be part of the initiative, it was learnt.

The new understanding came amid security reports that about 500 insurgents in a neighboring country are interested in renouncing terrorism –  in line with the reconciliatory agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari.

But the President is being cautious in rushing at the new offer from some leaders of the sect to avoid what a source described as the “costly mistakes of the past administration of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Buhari has asked security agents to “screen or certify” those spearheading the new negotiation to ensure that the government is dealing with the right Boko Haram leaders.

Some Boko Haram leaders are believed to have been overwhelmed by the President ‘s olive branch.

It was learnt that the President’s reconciliatory agenda made some confidants of the sect to initiate a fresh negotiation between the Presidency and some Boko Haram leaders.

It was gathered that at the preliminary level, a “cautious understanding” has been struck by both parties.

Some mileage gained so far include the following:

• likely release of some Chibok girls to underscore the readiness of Boko Haram for negotiation;
• involvement of some Boko Haram leaders, on whom the United States Government placed ransom, in the peace deal; and
• commitment of the Buhari administration to the negotiation.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The President’s appeal for peace in the Northeast is yielding dividends because a fresh facilitation of talks between the Presidency and Boko Haram has started.

“This latest negotiation, which is at the preliminary stage, is being promoted by some mutual confidants of the Presidency and Boko Haram.

“The new deal may lead to the release of some Chibok girls to set the tone for a comprehensive negotiation by both sides.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “The President is extremely cautious on this offer of negotiation.

“ Buhari has ordered security agencies to screen or certify those Boko Haram commanders interested in facilitating this latest negotiation to ensure that they are bonafide leaders of the sect.

“The position of the President is that why he is not averse to a peace deal, the Federal Government must avoid the costly mistakes of the past which led to a waste of time and huge resources.

“The President wants the release of the Chibok girls and quick restoration of peace to the Northeast; he is ready to negotiate with the right people for sustainable results.”

But there are strong indications that the leader of the sect, Imam Abubakar Shekau, is yet to be involved in the new deal.

“I think we are still at the preliminary stage. At the right time, there is a way the negotiation offer will be forwarded to their leader.

“But the fact that some Boko Haram commanders, whom US placed ransom upon, might be part of the negotiation shows that the crisis can be resolved, if all hands are on deck, “ another source added.

The defunct Joint Task Force(JTF) in the Northeast on November 23, 2012 placed ransom on 19 leaders of Boko Haram.

The list had comprised five members of the Shurra Committee (the highest making body of the sect) and 14 Boko Haram commanders.

But one of the Shurra Committee members, Mohammed Zangina (a.k.a Mallam Abdullahi/Alh. Musa) was allegedly killed in a shoot-out with the Joint Task Force(JTF) in Maiduguri.

With Zangina out, those still wanted are four members of the Shurra Committee of the sect, Imam Abubakar Shekau (N50million); Habibu Yusuf (a.k.a Asalafi) N25million; Khalid Albarnawai (N25million); and Momodu Bama (N25 million).

The fate of Momodu Bama was also unknown as at press time, following conflicting reports on whether he is alive or dead.

The Boko Haram Commanders being sought for by the JTF are Abu Saad (N10million); Abba Kaka (N10million); Abdulmalik Bama (N10million) Umar Fulata(N10million); Alhaji Mustapha (Massa) Ibrahim (N10million); Abubakar Suleiman-Habu (a.k.a Khalid) N10million; Hassan Jazair N10million; Ali Jalingo (N10million); Alhaji Musa Modu (N10million); Bashir Aketa (N10million); Abba Goroma (N10million); Ibrahim Bashir (N10million); Abubakar Zakariya (N10million); and Tukur Ahmed Mohammed (N10million).

Buhari’s “peace agenda” has motivated 500 Boko Haram members in a neighboring country to signify interest in renouncing terrorism.

A third source said: “These 500 insurgents said they were specifically encouraged by the rapprochement of the President.

“They have offered to surrender in return for integration by the administration of the President.”

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said: “If the President gets the right partners in doing a deal, he will consider a peaceful resolution. He has said that unambiguously in the course of the visit to the U.S. If that doesn’t work out, the President has the will and willingness to crush terror using the army.”

Source: The Nation

Emminent lawyers call for prosecution of Senate rules forgery suspects

The National Assembly Clerk, Salisu Maikasuwa, some senators and any other person found culpable in the illegal amendment to the Senate Standing Order should be prosecuted, some eminent lawyers said yesterday.

The police have declared the Standing Order, which was used for the June 9 election of Dr. Bukola Saraki as the President of the Eighth Senate, a forgery.

Prof. Itsay Sagay,  Yusuf Ali (SAN) and Monday Ubani yesterday called for the prosecution of those who had a hand in the alteration of the standing rules applied to pick the Senate President, his deputy and four principal officers.

But the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice in the defunct Second Republic, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), held a contrary position.

 He argued that the police lacked the power to meddle in what he described as the Senate’s internal affairs.

Sagay said he was not surprised by Maikasuwa’s alleged involvement in the matter.

He said the Clerk should be suspended immediately and be put on trial.

His words: “Forgery is forgery. It is a crime. And it is a crime that should be prosecuted. As far as I am concerned, the first thing is that he should be suspended as clerk of the NASS and then should be prosecuted for forgery.

“It has always been my view from the very first day (June 9, 2015) that Saraki fraudulently got himself into Senate presidency, that it would not have been possible without him compromising the clerk of the NASS.

“It was the clerk himself who convoked the little crowd of PDP senators that were there and APC senators that were there.

“In other words, he was the one who got the proceedings started when over 60 of the APC senators were away somewhere else. I am, therefore, not surprised that he was involved in altering the rules of the Senate illegally.”

Ali urged law enforcement agencies to do their work.

 “If a crime has been committed by anybody, the rule of law should take its course,” he said, adding that the  police know the appropriate organ to report to if there is need to prosecute the suspects.

Former Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ikeja branch, Monday Ubani also maintained that all those found culpable in the alleged forgery should be prosecuted.

Ubani said: “The only thing we expect now is that those involved be arraigned and charged to court.  Even if they are senators and are involved in the forgery case, we expect that the appropriate agency should take up that matter  and prosecute them and to also ensure that the case is tried speedily and concluded because it is very important to us.”

Ubani cited China where he said the rule of law will be allowed to take its full course in such a matter to buttress his view for the prosecution of those found culpable.

“China is not a godly nation. They don’t go to church on Sunday. But do you know why China is working today? It is because they allow their laws to work. The rule of law is supreme in China”, he noted, emphasising, “as long as we don’t allow our laws to work, Nigeria would not grow.”

“The moment we begin to obey our laws and do the right thing with our laws, Nigeria will begin to work. Let whoever is culpable be charged to court and be prosecuted successfully.”

another Second Republic lawmaker Dr Junaid Muhammed said if the police report was correct, Maikasuwa should face the music.

Muhammed, a House of Representatives member in the Second Republic, condemned the clerk for his involvement in the conspiracy against due process in the National Assembly.

“Maikasuwa, as a civil servant should have acted in a manner that will support a vibrant institution like the National Assembly, but he has undermined the process of the second era of government,” Muhammed said.

He advised Maikasuwa to go back to his  state if he want to be a politician. “What  he did to undermine the democratic  process is treachery,” Muhammed said.

However, to a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN), the police lack the power to meddle in the Senate’s internal affairs.

Akinjide is in doubt if any lawmaker can be prosecuted on the basis of the police report.

He said: “It would have been better to first see the police report and rules which governs the Senate. But don’t forget, the National Assembly is sovereign. You cannot mix National Assembly rules with party rules. They are two different things. I was in parliament for two terms and I know that party rules are different from parliament rules.

“If they break the rules of the National Assembly, they have not committed any offence. Two, this is not a matter for the police. The National Assembly is sovereign, so it is not a matter the police should be investigating.

“It will be absurd in the House of Commons in London or parliament in America for the police to investigate what they did well or didn’t do well. With the greatest respect to the police, I think they are wrong in what they’re doing.”

Whitney daughter, Bobbi Kristina dies at 22

After six months of her life hanging on the brink, Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown’s daughter, Bobbi Kristina has died at the age of 22.
She passed away in the hospice care facility where she’s been since June 24 when her family decided to take her off all meds.
The family says Bobbi Kristina was surrounded by family and, “she is finally at peace in the arms of God.” As has been reported, a specialist had told them there was no chance of recovery.
Kristina was found submerged in her bathtub on January 31, and police believe she was underwater for anywhere between 2 and 5 minutes. Paramedics were able to resuscitate her, but she was in a medically induced coma and placed on life support.
Ultimately, Pat Houston and Bobby, co-guardians for Bobbi Kristina, had to make the decision to withdraw medications. It was a rare moment of agreement for the Browns and Houstons who had battled about Bobbi’s condition throughout her hospitalisation.
Reports has it that the District Attorney has been gearing up for a murder case, and her boyfriend Nick Gordon would be their first person of interest. Police said there were bruises on Bobbi Kristina’s face and body after Gordon and a friend, Max Lomas, found her in the tub.
Whitney died from a drug overdose in 2012 while sitting in a bathtub at the Beverly Hilton Hotel.

B’Haram burn down Chief of Army Staff’s family home

Suspected Boko Haram terrorists have burnt down houses, including the family home of the Chief of Army Staff, Maj. Gen. Tukur Buratai, in his village in Borno State.

At least, two people were killed and eight injured during the attack on Buratai village on Tuesday.

It was learnt that the terrorists killed two auto mechanics and torched some houses during the attack on the community.

“What really happened was that Boko Haram went there. They killed two motorcycle mechanics and torched some houses. It is not a massive attack. It was an isolated opportunistic attack, but the Army is on top of the situation. Troops are on the ground now,” a source stated.

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Meanwhile, additional roads have been cleared of landmines by troops for use by commuters in compliance with the directive by the COAS to troops in the 3 and 7 Divisions of the Nigerian Army.

The acting Director, Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman, said in a statement that the road linking Biu-Sabon Gari to Damboa in Borno State has been cleared of landmines.

“The public are encouraged to use the road as adequate security measures have been put in place for their safety,” Usman said.