Author: Olukayode Oke

Nigeria’s Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), says trade is part of solution to managing the economics of water to incentivise its appropriate use that ensure access and equity. Okonjo-Iweala said this at a news conference organised by the Global Commission on the Economics of Water (GCEW) on the sidelines of the ongoing 2023 UN Water Conference on Wednesday in New York. GCEW, was established in May 2022 at the initiative of the government of the Netherlands as co-host of the conference. Okonjo-Iweala, who is the co-chair of the Commission, said stakeholders should pay special attention…

The Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, is set to release all N1,000, N500 and N200 notes in its custody to Deposit Money Banks. A source at the CBN disclosed this to Newsmen on Wednesday. According to him, the apex bank has concluded plans to disburse old notes to Deposit Money Banks across the country starting from Thursday (today). He added that the development would end the two-month-long Naira scarcity in Nigeria. This comes on the heels of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, planned nationwide strike and protests in CBN offices following the hardship created by the bank’s naira redesign policy.…

The Abia Governor-elect, Dr Alex Otti of the Labour Party (LP), has assured the citizens that his administration will unite rather than divide the state. Otti gave the assurance in his acceptance speech on Wednesday after he was declared the winner of Saturday’s governorship election. He spoke at his Campaign Office, near the Government House on the Bank Road, Umuahia, which overflowed with supporters. The teeming crowd blocked the thoroughfare for several hours, dancing and jubilating over the LP’s landslide in Saturday’s poll.Otti said:  “With deep humility and a profound sense of responsibility, I wholeheartedly accept your mandate to be…

The vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Datti Baba-Ahmed has urged President Muhammadu Buhari not to hold the swearing-in of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, on May 29. Tinubu, the flagbearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was declared the winner of the presidential election on March 1 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). But Baba-Ahmed, speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, argued that the APC failed to meet the requirements of Section 134 (2)(a) and (b) of the Nigerian constitution for election into the office of the President. Addressing Buhari and the Chief Justice of Nigeria…

Real Madrid president, Florentino Perez’s preferred manager to succeed Carlo Ancelotti at the club has been revealed. Real Madrid could be set to begin their search for a new manager in the coming months should Ancelotti leave his role at the end of the season. Ancelotti’s future at Santiago Bernabeu is far from certain after an underwhelming season so far for Real Madrid, where they could end up with just two trophies following a disappointing domestic campaign. The Italian, although, could decide to leave Real Madrid on his own terms anyway, having been linked with the Brazil national team job…

Villarreal winger, Samuel Chukwueze is in the running for LaLiga Player of the Month for March. Chukwueze was a key performer for the Yellow Submarine’s impressive run in the month. Villarreal picked seven points from three LaLiga games in the month. The 23-year-old assisted three of the six goals scored by the club in March. Six other players were also nominated for the award. The other nominees are: Antione Griezmann, David Silva, Raphinha, Iago Aspas and Borja Iglesias.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, candidate, Barr. Peter Mbah has been declared winner of the governorship election in Enugu State. Mbah’s declaration came after days of controversy over the results from Nkanu East Local Government Area. Barr. Chijioke Edeoga of the Labour Party came second in the keenly contested election. According to the Returning Officer, Prof. Maduebibisi Iwe, collation was taken over by the INEC national headquarters in Abuja after those of them in Enugu could not have a common ground. He stated that after a review of the process, the votes for the PDP was reduced from 30, 350…

Former Arsenal, Real Madrid and Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil has retired from football at the age of 34. Ozil won nine trophies during his club career including four FA Cups and the Spanish La Liga title in 2012. He also won 92 caps for Germany and was part of the team that lifted the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. It has been an amazing journey filled with unforgettable moments and emotions,” Ozil said in a statement on social media. I’ve had the privilege to be a professional football player for almost 17 years now and I feel incredibly thankful for the…

Nigeria’s Olympic Eagles were held to a 0-0 draw by Guinea in their 2023 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations final round, first leg qualifying tie in Abuja on Wednesday. Salisu Yusuf’s charges put up a below-par showing in the encounter played at the Moshood Abiola Stadium, Abuja. The Guineans asserted their authority on the game in the opening minutes even though they were unable to carve out any clear cut scoring opportunities. The Olympic Eagles later grew into the game but were unable to break down the resolute Guinean defence. The Nigerian boys upped their performance in the second half,…

Some protesters, under the auspices of Save Nigeria Movement on Wednesday, stormed the National Assembly in Abuja to register their displeasure over the outcome of the February 25 presidential election in Nigeria. The protesters who carried placards with various inscriptions such as “Save our Democracy,” “Politicians are killing our Democracy,” and “INEC killing the Nigerian Democracy,” among others, reiterated their earlier call for the annulment of the 2023 presidential election. The protest, which took off from the Unity Fountain in Maitama, paralyzed vehicular movement in the heart of the nation’s capital for hours. The demonstrators, however, met stiff resistance as…

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State and Senator-elect for Ebonyi South Senatorial zone in the 2023 general election, Wednesday declared his interest to run for the position of the Senate President of the National Assembly. Umahi who stated this during a Statewide broadcast and Press Conference held Wednesday at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Abakaliki, called on the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC to consider zoning the Senate President position to the South East geopolitical zone of the Country. I want to put myself forward for the position of the Senate President. want to appeal to the…

The All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council said the President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu jetted out of the country for vacation, as against speculations that he has been rushed abroad for medical treatment. The media has been inundated by rumours of Tinubu’s alleged illness with claims that he was flown to London, United Kingdom, late on Tuesday night. Reacting to the news of Tinubu’s illness on Wednesday, the APC PCC Director of Media and Publicity, Bayo Onanuga, denied the allegation, saying his principal only went to rest abroad. Onanuga also noted that he would also use the opportunity of vacation to…