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  • ‘If $23bn refinery didn’t work, I would have been dead’, says Dangote

    ‘If $23bn refinery didn’t work, I would have been dead’, says Dangote

    The President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has disclosed that his $23bn refinery project is the “biggest risk” of his life.

    Reflecting on the immense risk he undertook in building the refinery, Dangote, in an exclusive interview with Forbes on Monday, stated that he would have been dead if the refinery didn’t work.

    “It was the biggest risk of my life. If this didn’t work, I was dead,” Dangote said.

    Despite being Africa’s largest refinery with a 650,000 barrels per day capacity, Dangote admitted the project faced uncertainties and stressed the need for Nigeria and Africa to lessen dependence on foreign investment.

    He also stated that Africa has been a “dumping ground” for finished products and that his refinery provides a vital step towards ensuring that Africa has the capacity to refine its own fuel.

    “We have to build our own nation by ourselves. We have to build our own continent by ourselves, not [rely on] foreign investment,” he said.

    Speaking further, Dangote was unsparing in his criticism of what he described as Nigeria’s “oil mafia,” a network he claims wields significant influence in the industry.

    “The oil mafia are more deadly than the one in drugs, because with the oil mafia there are so many people that are involved,” he said. “You might be wining and dining with them, but these are the guys that are really the masters of moving things around.”

    Africa’s richest man also dismissed claims that he had fallen out of favor with President Bola Tinubu following an anti-graft raid on his office last year.

    “We have an extremely, very good relationship. I’ve known him for a very long time,” he said.

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    Bad news on the oil front for Nigeria, by Dele Sobowale
    Dangote Refinery presents Africa with new partnership opportunities – NCDMB Boss
    We’ve invested $700m to end sugar importation in Nigeria – Dangote

    Dangote also dismissed claims that he is shifting focus away from Nigeria, stating that despite setting up a family office in Dubai and involving his daughters in the business, his commitment remains in the country.

    He also revealed future major projects, including a subsea pipeline to transport natural gas from the Niger Delta to Lagos, expanding the refinery’s fertilizer plant, and planning to take the refinery public within the next two years.

    “I’ve been fighting battles all my life, and I have not lost one yet,” he declared.

  • Emery reveals frustration with Villa team

    Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has said he was “frustrated” with his team’s performance after they failed to beat 10-player Ipswich.

    Villa played for nearly an hour with an extra man but Emery said his side were “hurried in some actions” and were “not doing what I usually want”.

    “I was frustrated because we lacked how we wanted to play and how we try to dominate, how we try to impose our plan,” he told Sky Sports.

    “We were sometimes playing with the crowd – supporting us of course, but not under the control that I want.

    “I was trying to tell the players: please try to dominate the game, get good positioning, go higher, try to do passes and we are going to open spaces, trying to get into the box and getting chances.

    “We were great doing it, we had chances to draw and win the match even.

    “But my frustration is we were not doing what I usually want. Usually, we are building the team here with this style. They followed the instructions, but they were a little bit hurried in some actions.

    “We played and deserved to win. We played like we are building a team and we keep going.”

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    16 Feb16 Feb00:53
    Rashford reborn? Best bits from forward’s impressive Villa performance

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    15 Feb15 Feb09:48
    Watkins: We should have won the game

    Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins said his team “should have won the game” against Ipswich after he helped rescue a 1-1 draw.

    Watkins tapped in the rebound from Marcus Rashford’s free-kick hitting the bar after Liam Delap had given 10-player Ipswich a shock second half lead, following Axel Tuanzebe’s red card for two bookings.

    Despite the late equaliser, Watkins said:  “Really disappointing. We created a lot of chances and good chances to win the game. The keeper had an outstanding performance, some unbelievable saves. I think we had enough to come away with three points, so it’s disappointing.

    “It’s difficult to break ten men down when they’re doing all they can to make it hard for you. We had to be patient, we didn’t have that final clinical edge. We should be coming away with three points here.

    “Unbelievable free-kick and I just followed it in. Their CVs speak for himself. It’s great we can bring talent like that off the bench. Everyone is important in the squad, we’re going to need that in the last few games and the Champions League.”

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    14 Feb14 Feb09:42
    Emery: Villa’s squad is stronger after January

    Aston Villa boss Unai Emery claims his squad is now stronger following their business in the January transfer window.

    Villa parted ways with Jhon Duran, Emiliano Buendia, Diego Carlos and Jaden Philogene, with Marcus Rashford, Marco Asensio, Donyell Malen, Andres Garcia and Axel Disasi heading to the west Midlands.

    “Yes,” Emery said when asked if his squad had improved. “But my opinion on how we are doing, the process is still in balance.

    “That is because we have to see. Each match is an opportunity for us to show we can get stronger or not, if we are closer to the objective we have or not.

    “This is the next challenge I have for the next three-and-a-half months in the competitions we play in.

    “We are now in the FA Cup next round, Champions League and the Premier League – the main objective we have. Through that, we are going to be in Europe or not.”

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    14 Feb14 Feb09:33
    Watkins, Mings to return for Villa

    Ollie Watkins (groin) and Tyrone Mings (knee) will be involved against Ipswich.

    January signings Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio are pushing for starts but Pau Torres, Matty Cash, Ezri Konsa, Ross Barkley and Amadou Onana remain out.

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    14 Feb14 Feb07:46
    Emery will need full squad ahead of busy period

    Aston Villa boss Unai Emery knows he is going to need his full squad during a gruelling run of fixtures which sees them play five times in 14 days.

    “When you can feel you are stronger is when you can have some players in the bench really with the performance we are expecting of them to be ready to play,” Emery said at his pre-match press conference.

    “We are facing different competitions, and the difficulties we will face for the next month in those three competitions we are in now, it’s really necessary to have players not injured and to have players as well on the bench being ready to substitute other players and being good impact.

    “This year, the idea is [to] try to learn about the last two years we were here, how we can get again stronger the second part of the season, with Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.

    “We needed to join some players like we did. Of course we are very motivated with the players we have as well because they are as well feeling comfortable with the players we joined helping us.

    “Now, is be competitive, individually, collectively, try to be ready to help the team, playing 90 minutes, playing 70 minutes and sometimes playing even five, 10, 15 minutes.

    “It’s very important, how we can feel stronger.”

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    13 Feb13 Feb11:35
    McKenna: We know what a threat Rashford is

    Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna is aware of the threat Marcus Rashford could pose for Aston Villa on Saturday.

    Rashford signed for Villa on loan from Manchester United during the January transfer window and made his debut off the bench during the 2-1 win against Tottenham in the FA Cup.

    The Tractor Boys travel to Villa Park on Saturday afternoon, with McKenna well aware of his talents after working with him as a first-team coach at Old Trafford.

    “I think Marcus at his best would be an addition to any team in the league really so yes, we know what a threat he is,” said McKenna.

    “Of course, the boys faced him as well not so long ago with Man United, but I’ve also seen him up close at his best as well and he can be a fantastic player.

    “So, yes, we know his qualities. We know there’s a chance that we’ll come up against him in some respect on Saturday, whether that’s from the start or off the bench and they’ve got a really deep, high quality forward unit where they can make really impactful subs.

    “So we’ve had to be thorough in our preparation and look forward to taking on that challenge and Marcus will be part of that.”

    Rashford scored in Ipswich’s 1-1 draw with United, which was Ruben Amorim’s first game in charge of the club.

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    13 Feb13 Feb04:48
    Chester announces retirement from football

    Salford defender and former Wales international James Chester has announced his retirement from football.

    Chester began his career with Manchester United but made only one appearance for the club.

    The 36-year-old went on to play for Hull, Aston Villa and Stoke and won 35 caps for Wales, playing in all six games as Chris Coleman’s side reached the semi-finals of Euro 2016.

    Chester, who had made just two appearances for Salford this season back in August, wrote on Instagram: “After 18 years as a professional footballer and over 500 games, the time has come for me to announce my retirement.

    “It’s been an incredible journey, filled with unforgettable moments, amazing team-mates, fantastic staff, and unwavering support at every club I’ve played for.

    “I’m incredibly proud of everything I’ve achieved in the game, and now I’m excited to see what my life brings next.

    “I’ll remain part of the Salford City squad until the end of the season, where I’ll continue learning about the other aspects of football.

    “Thank you all for everything.”

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    12 Feb12 Feb03:15
    ‘MacPhee no stranger to doubling up roles’

    Analysis from Sky Sports News’ Paul Gilmour:

    “It’s understood MacPhee, like Martinez, has a contract until the end of the 2026 World Cup. It’s an assistant coach role but will include set piece responsibilities.

    “Martinez had the final decision and had been impressed by the number of Aston Villa goals from set pieces in recent seasons.

    “MacPhee is no stranger to combining two roles and only left Scotland in September.

    “One challenge for MacPhee will be to sharpen up a Portuguese team that has plenty of attacking talent but little return in this area.

    “Much is made of Cristiano Ronaldo taking every direct free kick but MacPhee can help bring creativity and more goals.

    “The Al-Nassr forward will be able to get an idea of MacPhee’s methods from new teammate Jhon Duran, who recently left Villa. ”

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    12 Feb12 Feb03:15
    MacPhee named Portugal assistant

    Aston Villa set-piece coach Austin MacPhee has been appointed the new assistant coach of Portugal.

    He replaces Anthony Barry who left to join England with Thomas Tuchel.

    MacPhee was chosen by Portugal boss Roberto Martinez and will continue working under Unai Emery at Aston Villa alongside the new role.

    His first involvement will be the Nations League double-header against Denmark in March.

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    11 Feb11 Feb23:51
    One on One: Emery on dynasties, McKenna on loyalty

    On ‘One on One’ this week, Joe meets Aston Villa’s head coach, Unai Emery, to chat about one of the great footballing dynasties you’ve probably never heard of! Plus, they discuss his management style that’s been so roundly praised on this podcast by those who’ve played under him.

    Meanwhile, Jules is off to the manager’s office at Ipswich to speak to Kieran McKenna about back to back promotions, taking your chances, and when to stay loyal.

    If you enjoyed listening to this podcast, please leave us a review and give us a follow so you don’t miss an episode.

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    10 Feb10 Feb06:19
    Villa sign Ozcan on pre-contract agreement

    Aston Villa have signed Turkey youth international Yasin Ozcan from Turkish side Kasimpasa on a pre-contract agreement.

    The 18-year-old defender will spend the remainder of the season with the Turkish club before joining Villa in the summer.

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    9 Feb9 Feb13:02
    Emery praises Asensio and Rashford debuts

    Unai Emery praised the performances of both Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio after the duo made their debuts off the bench against Tottenham.

    Fellow new signings Andres Garcia and Donyell Malen also started as Villa progressed to the fifth round of the FA Cup with a 2-1 win.

    “Andres Garcia and Malen both played in the idea we had,” Emery said.

    “They were consistent and focused. As well, Marcus Rashford and Asensio, we watched their skill and how they helped us and will help us again in the next months in the different competitions we will face.

    “We are in a new way after the changes we did. We are demanding because we still need to improve due to some tactical issues and how we want to compete in the Premier League.”

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    9 Feb9 Feb12:59
    Emery issues Konsa update

    Unai Emery has issued an update on Ezri Konsa’s injury after the 2-1 win against Tottenham in the FA Cup.

    Konsa started the fixture as Villa’s only recognised centre back on the field but was forced off after 27-minutes, leaving them with Lamarge Bogarde and Boubacar Kamara as the central pairing in defence.

    Both players predominantly play in midfield but were forced to fill in with Tyrone Mings and Pau Torres also out injured.

    “We weren’t thinking to be playing against Tottenham with Bogarde and Kamara.

    “Both are more central midfielders than centre-backs.

    “Hopefully we can recover quickly Pau Torres and Tyrone Mings. As well Axel Disasi for next week if everything goes well. For Konsa, hopefully it is not a big injury.”

    Disasi signed on loan from Chelsea on Deadline Day but was cup-tied for the fixture after already featuring for his parent club in the competition.

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    9 Feb9 Feb12:15
    Villa new boys impress on debut

    Sky Sports’ Patrick Rowe:

    Progressing into the fifth round is exciting enough but the cameo performances from new signings Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford have left Aston Villa fans desperate to see more.

    “This is probably the best squad we’ve ever had,” Jacob Ramsey, who scored the first goal against Tottenham in the 2-1 win, told the BBC after the game.

    “You see the bench with (Donyell) Malen starting and Rashford coming on. The squad depth is unbelievable.

    “The starting players have to raise their game as the players coming on are a big threat.”

    Despite only spending a few training sessions with their new squad after signing in the final days of the January transfer window, Rashford and Asensio linked-up seamlessly with their team-mates and were unlucky to walk away without assists to their name.

    Unai Emery now has an abundance of world-class talent at his disposal but the same problem he experienced with Jhon Duran prior to his move to Al Nassr now presents itself again: how can he use them all together?

    However, in terms of problems in football, it is the best one to have.

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    7 Feb7 Feb13:36
    Keane: Has Rashford lost his hunger?

    Roy Keane has questioned Marcus Rashford’s move to Aston Villa “if he lost the hunger at Manchester United”.

    Rashford has joined Villa on loan for the remainder of the season after falling out of favour with United boss Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.

    Amorim said he could not get Rashford to see football the way he does amid conjecture over the England forward’s application in training.

    “If he’s lost the hunger at Man United – how will he get it at Aston Villa?” said Keane ahead of the United’s FA Cup fourth-round tie against Leicester.

    “Once you lose the hunger it’s hard to get it back.

    “It’s sad but it’s been on the cards the last year or two, especially since the new manager’s come in. Clearly they didn’t get on.

    “The manager got no reaction from Marcus. The strange thing for me was I thought when Marcus was going to leave Man United he was going to go abroad and try something new.

    “A new adventure for him, a different league, a different challenge. To go to Villa surprises me a little bit.

    “I know Aston Villa are going along nicely, but you can’t compare them to Manchester United.”

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    7 Feb7 Feb10:14
    Duran scores TWO on Al Nassr debut as Ronaldo strike seals victory!

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    7 Feb7 Feb08:24
    Malen ready to deliver on promise at Villa

    In this exclusive interview with Sky Sports, Netherlands international Donyell Malen speaks to Adam Bate about the reasons for his move from Borussia Dortmund and why he believes Unai Emery is the person to help take his game to the next level.

    Donyell Malen interview: Aston Villa’s flexible new forward aiming to unlock full potential under Unai Emery

    Sky Sports

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    7 Feb7 Feb06:53
    Watkins to miss Tottenham FA Cup clash

    Aston Villa will be without Ollie Watkins for the visit of Tottenham in the FA Cup after he injured his groin in last week’s defeat at Wolves.

    However, Emery hopes he will be available in the next week.

    “For him each day is being important how he is feeling,” the Spaniard added.

    “For Sunday, he’s not going to be available because today he didn’t train and tomorrow he won’t train as well because he needs to recover hopefully for the next week he will be available.”

    Defenders Tyrone Mings, Pau Torres and Matty Cash also miss out, along with midfielder Ross Barkley.

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    7 Feb7 Feb06:35
    Emery: We are competing well in transfer market

    Aston Villa boss Unai Emery on the January transfer window:

    “The transfer window in January is very difficult, but we were competing very well. Now, we have the challenge for the rest of the season to try to recover some good performances collectively and individually that we didn’t have in the first part of the season.

    “In the league we’re not in a position where we can feel comfortable. Our objective and target is to be in the European positions. More or less, we are but not completely.

    “We have to improve and get better performances in the league over the matches we’re going to play in the next month. We have a very good and motivated way in the Champions League, playing in the last 16, getting the performances we had or even better.

    “We have the FA Cup and it’s one match on Sunday. It depends after the match if we can continue in this competition, but our objective in the FA Cup is to try to do a way for a trophy.”

  • Live Tranfer

    Neville: I’ve very little sympathy for Arsenal

    Gary Neville says he has no sympathy for Arsenal after Kai Havertz’s season-ending injury left the Gunners without a recognised striker.

    Mikel Merino stepped up at the weekend in Havertz’s absence, scoring twice late on in a 2-0 win at Leicester.

    As well as Havertz, Arsenal are still missing Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Jesus, with Raheem Sterling, Ethan Nwaneri and Leandro Trossard the only fit forwards available to Mikel Arteta.

    Speaking on The Gary Neville Podcast, Neville thinks it is going to be tough for Arsenal and believes they should have foreseen a situation where they were short in attacking areas.

    “They are going to have to come up with something,” Neville said.

    “I’ve got very little sympathy for Arsenal. They knew at the start of the season that they were short at centre forward. They knew they might be in a position where they didn’t have the quality up top.

    “They have also had two title races so they know what it’s like. This is not an inexperienced team or manager. Could this have been foreseen? Yes. They couldn’t get any business done.

    “I thought it might be Declan Rice moving forwards and it’s ended up being Mikel Merino.

    “Sometimes good can come out of what seems to be bad. You can develop something together.

    “It’s going to be tough for Arsenal. They have to find a way, no excuses. They can’t feel sorry for themselves and I’m sure Mikel Arteta wont.”

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    12 hour ago12h ago12:59
    ‘No excuses!’ | Neville has ‘very little sympathy’ for Arsenal’s lack of striker

    Gary Neville says he has ‘very little sympathy’ for Arsenal’s lack of striker as they attempt to chase Liverpool for the Premier League title.

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    20 hour ago20h ago04:56
    Havertz has surgery on torn hamstring

    Kai Havertz has confirmed he has undergone ‘successful’ surgery after suffering a torn hamstring during Arsenal’s mid-season training camp in Dubai.

    Havertz, who had scored 15 goals for the season when misfortune struck, will now embark upon a period of rehabilitation which is expected to extend into Arsenal’s preparations for next season.

    With Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli also currently injured, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has seen his attacking options severely limited.

    However, midfielder Mikel Merino provided an unlikely solution on Saturday when he came off the bench to score both goals in a 2-0 Premier League win at Leicester.

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    15 Feb15 Feb09:30
    FREE MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: LEICESTER CITY 0-2 ARSENAL

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    15 Feb15 Feb08:39
    Arteta sends title race warning to Liverpool

    Mikel Arteta has warned Liverpool that Arsenal are “not going to stop” fighting for the Premier League title after securing a late win against Leicester City, four days after Arne Slot’s side dropped points to Everton.

    Arsenal: Mikel Arteta fires Liverpool Premier League title race warning after Mikel Merino double closes gap to four points

    Sky Sports

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    15 Feb15 Feb08:03
    Arteta’s message to Liverpool

    Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to TNT Sports:

    “It’s a decent week. Let’s see what happens. We can only do what’s in our control. But you come to any ground and it’s a nightmare. It’s difficult, you have to be at your best to win. It’s going to be a long run.

    What message do you have for Liverpool? “That we really want it. Regardless of what happens or the difficulties we’re going to face, that we’re going to give this a real go. The team wants it, we’ve had seven or eight months working on that. We’re not going to stop, let’s see how far we can go!”

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    15 Feb15 Feb08:03
    Arteta on Lewis-Skelly and Nwaneri

    Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to TNT Sports:

    “Unbelievable. The two of them were involved in the biggest moments of the game. One when [Lewis-Skelly] touches that ball and if not, it’s a goal on the counter attack.

    “Then Ethan, every tme he was on the ball he looked a threat. One on the crossbar, one off the post, and then a beautiful cross after that.

    “When you see their behaviours and how they’re behaving on the pitch, let them go. Sometimes you want to protect them but sometimes take the handbrake off and let them go to that pace. Why should we stop them? Because they’re 17?”

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    15 Feb15 Feb08:02
    Arteta on super sub Merino

    Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta to TNT Sports:

    “Big win, today was a day with all the questions about being raised with injuries to make a statement. That we are here, we really want it.

    “The first half, we lacked urgency and weren’t consistent on many things, especially with the ball. The second half we picked it up about managed to win the game.

    What did he say to Merino? “That he was going to score. He’s a real goal threat. The moment they started moving deeper and we were more set in the final third, we thought he could deliver those moments. But it’s easier to say it than get it done!

    “Because of the height? They are very different. Mikel has never played as a nine. But he has that timing, that smell that he can smell danger, anticipate danger. And then he can execute it.

    “It was a lot of debate. I didn’t want to drive him crazy. I said to him this morning that he might play there, we believe he could sit there if the game needed the context. He won the game for us.”

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    15 Feb15 Feb06:37
    Merino: I’ve never played as a striker before!

    Arsenal midfielder Mikel Merino said he has never played as a striker before after coming off the bench to put two past Leicester.

    The Spanish midfielder came off the bench to score twice in the final ten minutes, to move the Gunners four points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool.

    “Arteta told me I was going to come in as a striker,” said Merino to TNT Sports. “We were talking this morning about it with one of the assistants and honestly it was a surprise.

    “It’s the first time in my career I’ve played in that position. But he told me to go as a striker, make sure I go with my strengths. Luckily, I could help the team with two goals.

    Asked if he is now a centre forward, Merino replied:”I don’t know. I don’t think so to be honest! I’ve only scored two braces in my career, this is the first time I’ve done it coming off the bench as a striker. It’s a good time to score as I didn’t spent Valentine’s Day with my wife, this goes to her!”

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    15 Feb15 Feb03:29
    Trossard given the nod up front

    Sky Sports’ Patrick Rowe:

    “So there we have it. Leandro Trossard is the man tasked with leading the Arsenal line with no recognised strikers currently available for Mikel Arteta to choose from.

    “Although not his preferred position, Trossard has operated in the role for Arsenal in the past, as shown in the graphic below.

    “He’s scored five goals in 36 appearances across all competitions this season and Arsenal will need that tally to ramp up fairly quickly now, if they want to stay in the title race.”

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    14 Feb14 Feb14:30
    Arteta: Saliba has offered to play up front!

    Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has revealed William Saliba offered a novel solution to their striker injury crisis after Kai Havertz’s season-ending hamstring tear by volunteering to play up front.

    The centre-back played as a striker when he was young and put himself forward to fill the void after Havertz joined Gabriel Jesus on the sidelines.

    Speaking at his press conference on Friday, Arteta said: “Willy is always saying, ‘I played as a striker!’

    “He is so funny. Straight away it was one of his reactions.

    “It’s true that he used to score a lot of goals. But a lot of players played in that position when they were young.”

    Riccardo Calafiori also played as a striker in his youth, while midfielder Mikel Merino has been mooted as another possible alternative in the position.

    “All the options are on the table,” added Arteta. “We are going to have to be creative.”

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    14 Feb14 Feb14:30
    Arteta: Sagoe Jr, Butler-Oyedeji and Kabia will get chances

    Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta says academy forwards Charles Sagoe Jr, Nathan Butler-Oyedeji and Ismeal Kabia will get opportunities amid the side’s injury crisis.

    The Gunners boss is set to be without Kai Havertz for the rest of the season due to injury, as well as Gabriel Jesus, while Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka are not expected to return until next month.

    The injuries leave Leandro Trossard, Raheem Sterling and Ethan Nwaneri as Arsenal’s only available attacking options and Arteta admits academy forwards on the fringes of the first-team may also be called upon.

    Sagoe Jr, who started last season’s Carabao Cup win over Brentford, is training with the first-team having returned from a loan spell at Shrewsbury Town, as are Butler Oyedeji, who appeared from the bench in the recent Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb, and Kabia, the youngest of the trio at 19.

    “He is training with us so any player in that position, the same with Kabi and Nath – they have been very involved with us – will have opportunities,” said Arteta when asked about Sagoe Jr.

    The Gunners boss will not, however, be able to call on the 15-year-old Max Dowman, who travelled with the squad for their training camp in Dubai but is too young to play in the Premier League according to the competition’s rules.

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    14 Feb14 Feb11:23
    Title race back on? Carra, Nev share thoughts ahead of Friday Night Football

    Ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Brighton for Friday Night Football, Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville review some of the Premier League’s biggest talking points.

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    14 Feb14 Feb04:56
    Analysis: ‘Arteta convinced Arsenal have the heart on Valentine’s Day’

    Sky Sports News’ Gary Cotterill at Mikel Arteta’s press conference:

    “A Valentine’s Day poem ahead of the early kick-off on Saturday:

    Arsenal are Red
    Leicester are Blue
    The table is tighter
    After Everton drew.

    “There was a lot of love from Mikel Arteta for his old club on February 14th. Wednesday’s Merseyside Derby helped ease the heartbreak of another striker injury.

    “It’s not only Kai Havertz who broke down this week though. Mikel Arteta’s WiFi did as well. Just at the crucial moment.

    “Arteta was asked where he was and how he reacted when James Tarkowski scored that late equaliser to take two points off Liverpool.

    “He said: ‘It was a funny one because I lost connection in that moment. I was watching on the iPad and I lost the connection, we didn’t know exactly what was going on.’

    “And no one quite knows ‘what’s going on’ up top for Arsenal. The Havertz hamstring means they are now four strikers down, including their top Premier League goal scorer.

    “Arteta explained how Havertz was injured while defending a set piece in training.

    “Then, in another moment apt for Valentine’s Day, explained that he ‘loves’ the challenge of rearranging his forward pack to cope.

    “He says anything is possible. A chance for Raheem Sterling, Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard to shine.

    “He sees Nwaneri moving from the right to the middle at some point – Thierry Henry style – but not yet. Trossard has played there and done well he says. He even didn’t rule out (or in) Mikel Merino playing a false nine role.

    “He called his lack of options up front an ‘accident waiting to happen’ because of the intensity of games and the number of games. A modern football problem for the big teams.

    “It’s perhaps no coincidence that Havertz, Saka and Gabriel Martinelli – also out with a hamstring injury – were among the busiest Arsenal players this season, in terms of minutes played and metres covered.

    “As for Saka, he won’t be rushed back to help fill the void. But, contrary to reports, there’s no setback in his recovery. The target is still late March to mid-April. Perhaps after the international break.

    “In the meantime, could Arteta be forced to grab his boots? The photo on the cover of Everton’s match programme on Wednesday night showed Arteta jumping for joy after scoring in the Merseyside derby in October 2010. It was some leap.

    “I asked if he could be Havertz’ replacement? ‘Then we would be in big trouble,’ he laughed.

    “He genuinely thinks Arsenal can cope without bringing him back or dipping into the out-of-contract-market.

    “And, even with the benefit of hindsight, he doesn’t regret not taking a risk in the January window.

    “The club did its homework. The club did its best, he says. Again and again.

    “Last season, after their warm weather break in Dubai, Arsenal took 31 of the next 33 points available.

    “Also, at this stage last season – after 24 games – they were two points behind Liverpool. They finished seven points above them.

    “Can such a turnaround be achieved this time? Arteta isn’t ruling it out.

    “Arsenal may not have the strikers. But, more than ever on Valentine’s Day, Arteta is convinced they have the heart.”

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    14 Feb14 Feb03:47
    Nwaneri? Trossard? Arteta addresses Arsenal attack and Saka injury

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    14 Feb14 Feb03:47
    Is there any temptation to bring Saka back early?

    Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was asked about Bukayo Saka’s return with the Gunners struggling for options in forward areas.

    Saka has not featured for the Gunners since tearing his hamstring in their 5-1 win over Crystal Palace in December and there had been reports of a setback for the England international as he continues his rehabilitation.

    However, Arteta denied those reports and the club hope Saka, who joined the Arsenal squad for their warm-weather training camp in Dubai, will be able to return to action in March.

    “In a 10-day injury, three days is a lot because it’s 30 per cent. In three months, a week is probably not that much, but it’s too early.

    “He’s in early stages of rehab. When we get a little bit closer and he starts to do more demanding stuff and more load, we will see where he is.”

    Asked if Saka had suffered a setback, as per a newspaper report, Arteta added: “No, it’s fine.”

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    14 Feb14 Feb02:58
    Arsenal need Odegaard to step up

    The Radar column this week includes a look at the waning goal threat of Martin Odegaard. Why Arsenal need their captain, scorer of 14 open-play goals in 2022/23, to step up now more than ever. Read below.

    Mohamed Salah: Liverpool star’s goals and assists put him on track for greatest Premier League season – The Radar

    Sky Sports

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    14 Feb14 Feb02:33
    Arteta: Some injuries are accidents waiting to happen

    Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta:

    “You cannot prove it, so the evidence we can provide is very limited in many aspects and every case is very different.

    “Some of them we know are based on load and minutes, it’s inevitable.

    “We have players that have been injured that have played 130 games in the last two seasons.

    “At the end, it’s an accident waiting to happen if you continue to load and load and load.

    “Is it this season? Is it the accumulation of that? Is it the stress of that? Is it luck, preparation, methodology?

    “There are a lot of factors and it’s very difficult to point out one thing, but the schedule that is planned is super demanding and, for certain players, especially explosive players, it becomes a real issue.”

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    14 Feb14 Feb02:28
    Arteta: White is back in the Arsenal squad

    Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta:

    “Yes. Ben has been training more regularly now, so we still have to manage his load a lot, but he’s going to be available.”

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    14 Feb14 Feb02:28
    Arteta: Critical period in title race coming up

    Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta:

    “When the gap becomes a little bit shorter than you expected, it’s always really positive – and you need that.

    “At the end, it’s about generating momentum and the next few weeks are going to be critical as well, to understand, after the international break, where we are with six or seven weeks to go in the season.”

  • Reaction as Man City lose to last-minute Bellingham strike for Real Madrid

    Fifth-round

    And then there were 16.

    Here is the draw for the fifth round of the FA Cup. These games will be played across the weekend of 1 and 2 March, however we don’t yet know the picks for TV.

    Preston North End v Burnley
    Aston Villa v Cardiff City
    Crystal Palace v Millwall
    Manchester United v Fulham
    Newcastle United v Brighton
    Bournemouth v Wolves
    Manchester City v Plymouth Argyle
    Nottingham Forest v Ipswich

    Is a penalty shootout just a lottery? Not according to Nottingham Forest boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

    “It was a tough one. This is the FA Cup, we knew how hard it was going to be,” he told BBC Radio Nottingham.

    “Credit to Exeter, but probably we didn’t do one of the best games. At the end we are happy, this is more important.

    “Penalties is not a lottery. We have to prepare them and the boys were really focused on doing things properly.

    “We take our penalty shots in training sessions and did really well .

    Where does this persistent myth of Pep only inheriting great sides come from?! Barca finished 3rd and 18 points off the pace the season before he joined. City scraped 4th on goal difference. He built both of those title winning sides! (Barca being the best ever side). Just odd that it persists despite being provably wrong with 2 seconds of thought!

    Exeter City 2-2 Nottingham Forest (Forest win 4-2 on penalties)

    Nottingham Forest beat 10-man Exeter on penalties

    “It was a heroic effort – it feels like we’ve been playing for about three days,” Exeter City manager Gary Caldwell told TodayPriceNG

    The Grecians are 18th in League One and Caldwell thinks the game against Nottingham Forest can help spur his side on for the rest of the season.

    “The players were outstanding. The mentality, the teamwork, the looking after each other and protecting each other in difficult moments was incredible. It’s something we have to take forward,” he said.

    “We have to use this performance, we have to use this feeling and take this into the next 17 games.”

    Exeter City 2-2 Nottingham Forest (Forest win 4-2 on penalties)

    Nottingham Forest.There was also FA Cup football last night – it just never ends.

    Nottingham Forest are into the fifth round of the competition but Nuno Espirito Santo’s much-changed side – 10 changes in total – needed extra time and penalties to beat 10-man Exeter City at St James Park in the fourth round.

    In the shootout, Exeter’s Reece Cole had his effort saved, while Angus MacDonald smacked the bar for the hosts before Neco Williams scored the decisive penalty for Forest.

    Josh Magennis opened the scoring for League One Exeter after five minutes, but Forest were soon level, then ahead, through Ramon Sosa and Taiwo Awoniyi.

    Magennis got Exeter back in the tie with an equaliser from a set piece in the second half, although manager Gary Caldwell also watched his side go down to 10 men when debutant Ed Turns was given a straight red for an 87th-minute foul on substitute Morgan Gibbs-White.

    In the end, Forest avoided a potential banana skin and they will face Ipswich Town at the City Ground at the start of next month.

    Here’s my controversial Pep take….He is massively over-rated. Inherited the greatest side ever at Barca, took Bayern backwards and performed as expected at the richest club in the world. Of course, as a United fan, I’m sure I would be singing a different tune had Fergie convinced him otherwise

    I’ve always wondered, who is it that makes these Tifos? They’re hardly something you can just stitch together in

    The Champions League Final in Munich springs to mind. Yes, their City and their Stadium but it was Champions league

    Keep your Pep Guardiola takes and favourite Tifo memories coming in.

    Very shortly we’ll start building up to tonight’s Merseyside derby and Celtic’s match with Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

    Re 09:27 – When Pep arrived at City the spine of the team was Kompany, Fernandinho, Aguero, and David Silva. He’s won two titles and a treble since they left. Not only is it yet another moving of the goalposts as far as City are concerned (remember when we wouldn’t be a great team till we won in Europe), it’s demonstrably untrue to say Pep hasn’t had to rebuild the team

    Man City 2-3 Real Madrid

    Manuel Sanchez
    Spanish football journalist on the Football Daily podcast

    I think Real Madrid have taken a lot of pressure off themselves with the win. I think it will boost the confidence of the players a lot. They needed this.

    It has always been difficult for the Madrid mindset to get this kind of victory against Pep Guardiola when he was at both Barcelona and Man City. I think the players needed this and the fans needed this because they wanted this kind of victory against Guardiola and having the second leg at home now is a big advantage for them.

    I think the Madrid players have realised now how bad that City are at defending and how badly they handle their nerves at this moment. The level of confidence of Man City right now is so low and they need to smell that blood and come for it and I think they will go for it in the second leg a

    Nothing worse than a soft apple. A great coach is someone who is a serial winner, a great manager is someone who can make the most out of a depleted squad and still contend. Klopp, Mourinho, Fergie, Wenger…and I’d say up and coming for that list is Nuno. It’s the ability to inspire an underdog team to victory. Pep is a master tactician, but he isn’t the best manager.

    Man City 2-3 Real Madrid

    For Jack Grealish to get the nod, I mean, I was surprised. He started just based on his performance as this season.

    So, you know, gets the nod and then had a part in the Manchester City goal, didn’t he? Wonderful.

    Ball into Gvardiol and down in Haaland, finished. And then a few minutes later, he comes off, which pretty much summed up his season, really.

    He can’t find a rhythm. Let’s hope he has a possibility of making the second leg.

    Summary

    Champions League reaction as Bellingham’s winner for Real Madrid sinks Manchester City at Etihad

    Final Merseyside derby at Goodison: Everton v Liverpool (19:30 GMT)

    Celtic host Bayern Munich in Champions League (20:00)

    Nottingham Forest scrape through to FA Cup fifth round beating Exeter on penalties

    PSG, Juventus and Dortmund all win play-off first legs

    Get Involved: #bbcfootball, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

  • Turkey demands rebuilding of Gaza, rejects Trump’s plan

  • I never said Tinubu, Akume, Kalu were corrupt when I was EFCC chairman — Ribadu

    ABUJA — THE National Security Adviser, NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, has debunked the allegation that in his capacity as the chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, he labelled President Bola Tinubu, who was then governor of Lagos State, corrupt.

    Ribadu made the denial in reaction to the allegation by the leader of Northern Star, Hajia Naja’atu Muhammad.

    In a Tiktok video, Hajia Muhammad berated Ribadu for serving in Tinubu’s government, whom he castigated when he was EFCC chairman.

    Ribadu, who claimed that the allegation is malicious, demanded a public apology and retraction within seven days.

    The NSA, in a letter by his lawyer, Dr Ahmed Raji, SAN, said publicly or privately, he never called out Tinubu for corruption.

    The letter reads: “Clearly, in the text of your recording you stated that when our client served as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes, EFCC, he allegedly named President Bola Tinubu, alongside Sen. George Akume and Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu (all former Governors, and in that order) as the governors in Nigeria who stole the most from public treasury.

    “You also stated that today, our client who once held the above odious view about President Tinubu has turned around to be his staunchest defender; especially, with regard to what you stated to be the government’s agenda to silence voices of dissent to the government, citing the alleged arrest of a certain Prof. Usman Yusuf as an example.

    “You also stated that our client’s alleged attitudinal change towards President Tinubu means that he has either become a liar or that he lied when he allegedly described President Tinubu, Sen. Akume, Sen. Kalu and other governors as thieves.

    “Privately or publicly, our client has never expressed the above viewpoint about President Tinubu and/or Senators George Akume and Orji Uzor Kalu, which you attributed to him.

    “In fact, our client has never held such a viewpoint about the President; hence, it came as a complete surprise to him when his attention was drawn to the aforesaid publication by you against him.

    “In the foregoing premise, our client hereby challenges you to provide evidence of your allegations therein against him; which have cast him as double-faced, duplicitous and deceitful in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society.

    “Although masked as a clarion call to the North to rise up to your perceived injustice against the North by the government of the day, your publication is also inciteful of violence towards our client. Given this far-reaching ramification of your publication, our client will not sit back and watch his hard-earned reputation and goodwill destroyed by your malicious decision to not only lay false allegations against him, but also, to cause the same to be published for the world’s attention.

    “Your intention to bring our client to public ridicule, opprobrium, scorn and shame etc., is laid bare when it is considered that you deliberately caused same to be published on social media, where it has since gone viral.

    “Surely, the damage occasioned to our client by your deliberate but ill-advised action is unquantifiable.

    “However, our client will be assuaged if you retract the said publication and tender an unreserved public apology to him in at least five national daily newspapers within seven days of receipt of this letter.

    “If not, we have our client’s further instructions to seek redress against you in a court of law where exemplary damages will be claimed against you. Kindly be advised.”

  • The year 2025 might well become the best for the literary community as authors are wasting no time in churning out inspiring works. In addition to an impressive number of books making the rounds on the internet as books to watch out for in the first quarter of the year such as ‘Dream Count’ by award-winning author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, an evocative piece on life in Nigeria, was launched last week. Titled, “Obalende: A Nation in Motion”, the novel written by a pastor of the Redeemed Church of God, and a former banker, Dr. Wale Adeduro, was presented to the public at the Kongi’s Harvest Arts Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos. The Book launch brought together the ‘Obalendes’, friends and family, and many notable figures including former Minister of State for Finance, Mr. Remi Babalola who was the Chairman of the occasion and his lovely wife; Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA) Secretary-General, Toyin Akinosho, pa Tunde Ojo and many others. ‘Obalende: A Nation In Motion’ passes as a very important addition to literary offerings by Nigerian authors especially as it speaks to issues regarding the girl child, family, etc. More so, it is one of the few books already out in 2025. Through a girl-child’s experience in a developing nation, the book tackles overwhelming issues troubling the Nigerian society. In the book, Dr. Adeduro, a past Acting General Manager of the Musical Society of Nigeria, MUSON and an active board member of the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA), weaves together themes of social decay, poor parenting and the huge monster- corruption, to produce a most compelling compendium on Nigeria’s developmental challenges. The moving narrative captures the essence of Lagos in the 1980s weaving an evocative tale of nostalgia and societal reflection.

    The year 2025 might well become the best for the literary community as authors are wasting no time in churning out inspiring works. In addition to an impressive number of books making the rounds on the internet as books to watch out for in the first quarter of the year such as ‘Dream Count’ by award-winning author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, an evocative piece on life in Nigeria, was launched last week.

    Titled, “Obalende: A Nation in Motion”, the novel written by a pastor of the Redeemed Church of God, and a former banker, Dr. Wale Adeduro, was presented to the public at the Kongi’s Harvest Arts Gallery, Freedom Park, Lagos.

    The Book launch brought together the ‘Obalendes’, friends and family, and many notable figures including former Minister of State for Finance, Mr. Remi Babalola who was the Chairman of the occasion and his lovely wife; Committee for Relevant Arts (CORA) Secretary-General, Toyin Akinosho, pa Tunde Ojo and many others.

    ‘Obalende: A Nation In Motion’ passes as a very important addition to literary offerings by Nigerian authors especially as it speaks to issues regarding the girl child, family, etc. More so, it is one of the few books already out in 2025.

    Through a girl-child’s experience in a developing nation, the book tackles overwhelming issues troubling the Nigerian society. In the book, Dr. Adeduro, a past Acting General Manager of the Musical Society of Nigeria, MUSON and an active board member of the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA), weaves together themes of social decay, poor parenting and the huge monster- corruption, to produce a most compelling compendium on Nigeria’s developmental challenges. The moving narrative captures the essence of Lagos in the 1980s weaving an evocative tale of nostalgia and societal reflection.

    The book event officially kicked off with a spoken word performance by Chinyere Ogbonna. Covering critical areas in the novel, young Ogbonna mesmerised the audience with her performance and left everyone pondering which way Nigeria owing to her piercing question on what the future holds for Nigerians.

    While recommending the novel to everyone particularly schools, teenagers and mothers, Mr Babalola highlighted the book’s accessible yet sophisticated literary style. He commended Pastor (Dr.) Adeduro who is fondly called Pastor WAO for his dedication, tenacity, and brilliance in creating the literary work. “This achievement speaks to Pastor (Dr.) Adeduro’s prolific and cerebral mind as a literary artist and former columnist. My relationship with him spans over the decades, first as co-pioneers at Zenith Bank and later as co-tenants in the Akoka area of Lagos. He is more than just a friend; he is a true brother. He is a man of many hats: a banking professional, entrepreneur, productivity coach, pastor, columnist, and creative writer, among others. I am therefore not surprised that he has churned out this excellent piece of novel,” he added.

    According to him, “The book offers a compelling narrative that deeply resonates, particularly regarding our shared experiences and values during our adolescent years, with a special focus on the girl-child in Nigeria. Your dedication, diligence, passion and love of art is the essence of this book.”

    Speaking further he said, “Permit me to highlight a few themes captured in “Obalende: A Nation in Motion” that are particularly relevant and concerning for the Nigerian society to address urgently: poverty, promiscuity, sexual abuse, indecency, adolescent vulnerability, and dysfunctional family structures. These issues have taken on more worrisome dimensions, and our society cannot afford to gloss over them if we are to foster an environment conducive to raising responsible adults and future leaders.

    “We must pay greater attention to the family institution as the building block of the society. The more

    “We must pay greater attention to the family institution as the building block of the society. The more functional our families are, the better our society will become. This begins with promoting strong African values and ethics, educating the girl-child, hard work, social responsibility, and improved socio-economic well-being.”

    The author, a former columnist for several major Nigerian newspapers, said he was hopeful that the book will impact readers greatly. He disclosed that plans were on the way to ensure the book gets to every corner of the nation noting that the aim was to eventually have it as a recommended textbook in all Nigerian schools.

    Highlights of the occasion were the author’s performance titled, ‘Guilty As Charged’; reading of excerpts from the book by the author and some guests.

  • Herdsmen/farmers’ clashes, our major challenge in Ivo — Ajah, council chairman

    Herdsmen/farmers’ clashes, our major challenge in Ivo — Ajah, council chairman

    CHIEF Emmanuel Ajah, who is serving his second term as chairman of Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, in this interview shared his challenges of administering the council and his achievements so far.

    Challenges

    The major challenge we are facing is insecurity due to illiteracy. When we assumed office, insecurity was the major challenge in Ivo LGA. Then, there was a place called Ojukwu bus stop. Nobody could pass that bus stop and if you passed it successfully, you go for thanksgiving. There were no military and police checkpoints in my place. The place was too porous and deadly. Anybody could come into the community, do anything and get away with it. So, when I came in, I took it upon myself to secure my place. First, I wrote to the former governor and he approved it.

    “I brought in Army and Mobile Police security checkpoints. Today, we have military and police personnel manning our area. I built a lot of security houses, especially at Ojukwu bus stop and put solar light there to provide light. The securitymen are staying there and that is the best in the South-East. The Chief of Army Staff came in December to host soldiers in my area and others in South-East states for their FOB ceremony.

    We have tackled internal insecurity of kidnapping and armed robbery and what we are tackling now is farmers/herders  clashes. This is the major problem. The clashes are taking my time and money. It gives me sleepless nights. I want to ensure that our people return to the farm. We have put everything in place. We don’t discuss security matters in the open.

    Education

    In education, I encouraged the students through scholarships and paying their examination fees.

    “We also organised skills acquisitions for talented people in Ivo. We gave them money to enroll into skills acquisition programmes and also gave them money for empowerment to start up their own businesses.

    Healthcare, roads, agriculture

    In the health sector, we have health centres, which we support in one way or the other. We also cleared bills of some indigent people who could not pay their hospital bills after receiving treatment.

    “In the area of roads, I constructed one kilometer of concrete road leading to the town. Although I did not start the Atani bridge, I  completed it and right now, vehicles including lorries and trucks are making use of the road.

    “When I came on board, there was no Magistrate court and no High court building in my area. There was no place for the judges and magistrates to conduct their court proceedings. The High court was sitting in the local government hall while Magistrate court was sitting at Ohaozara Council Area because the Magistrate court was burnt when the Akaeze community had fracas that forced the government to move the court to a nearby community.

    I have built a High Court complex and a Magistrate Court complex in Ishiagu which the Chief Judge came to commission and we are enjoying it today.

    “In Agriculture, I saw that the most important thing was to empower the poorest through agriculture. You know we always cultivate rice, cassava and yam and we have fertile land. When I came on board, the first thing I did was to buy bags of fertiliser and distributed them to 1,000 farmers and later, I distributed inputs to 5,000 farmers, shared kits, and distributed herbicides.

    Relationship with state government

    “The Governor has his own manifesto that is “People’s Charter of Needs.” We work together for the good of our people. No friction over local government fund and other things. We have never had an issue over funds.”

  • Edo gov poll: Oshiomhole storms tribunal as hearing on PDP’s petition resumes

    ABUJA– Legal fireworks have resumed before the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, presented their 16th witness.

    The witness, Haruna Ibrahim, told Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member panel that he served as a polling unit agent during the gubernatorial election that was held in the state on September 21, 2024.

    He told the tribunal that though the election was properly conducted, he observed some irregularities in the form of over-voting and immediately complained to officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, at the polling unit.

    Ibrahim mounted the box shortly after a former governor of the state, Adams Oshoimhole, who is currently representing Edo North Senatorial District, stormed the tribunal to show solidarity with Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who was declared the winner of the governorship contest by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

    Aside from Oshiomhole who piloted the affairs of Edo State from 2008 to 2016, equally at the tribunal to observe the proceedings, is the immediate Deputy Governor of the state, Philip Shaibu, who had since defected from the PDP to the APC.

    It will be recalled that the tribunal had on Thursday, admitted in evidence, 148 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System Machines, BVAS, that were used during the conduct of the disputed governorship poll.

    The electronic devices, which were tendered by a Senior Technical Officer in the ICT Department of INEC, Anthony Itodo, were admitted in evidence on a day that two Ward Agents of the PDP explained that they refused to sign results of the election owing to irregularities they said took place at the collation centre

    during the computation process.

    The petitioners had subpoenaed INEC to produce the BVAS machines that were used in 133 polling units where election results are being disputed.
    INEC had declared that Okpebholo of the APC secured a total of 291, 667 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ighodalo of the PDP, who got a total of 247, 655 votes.

    Aggrieved by the outcome of the poll, the PDP and its candidate approached the tribunal, praying it to nullify INEC’s declaration of the APC and Okpebholo as winners of the contest.

    The petitioners, among other things, contended that the governorship election was invalid because of alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.

    They equally argued in the petition marked: EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, that Governor Okpebholo of the APC did not secure the highest number of lawful votes that were cast at the election.ABUJA– Legal fireworks have resumed before the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja, as the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, presented their 16th witness.

    The witness, Haruna Ibrahim, told Justice Wilfred Kpochi-led three-member panel that he served as a polling unit agent during the gubernatorial election that was held in the state on September 21, 2024.

    He told the tribunal that though the election was properly conducted, he observed some irregularities in the form of over-voting and immediately complained to officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, at the polling unit.

    Ibrahim mounted the box shortly after a former governor of the state, Adams Oshoimhole, who is currently representing Edo North Senatorial District, stormed the tribunal to show solidarity with Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who was declared the winner of the governorship contest by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

    Aside from Oshiomhole who piloted the affairs of Edo State from 2008 to 2016, equally at the tribunal to observe the proceedings, is the immediate Deputy Governor of the state, Philip Shaibu, who had since defected from the PDP to the APC.

    It will be recalled that the tribunal had on Thursday, admitted in evidence, 148 Bimodal Voter Accreditation System Machines, BVAS, that were used during the conduct of the disputed governorship poll.

    The electronic devices, which were tendered by a Senior Technical Officer in the ICT Department of INEC, Anthony Itodo, were admitted in evidence on a day that two Ward Agents of the PDP explained that they refused to sign results of the election owing to irregularities they said took place at the collation centre

    during the computation process.

    The petitioners had subpoenaed INEC to produce the BVAS machines that were used in 133 polling units where election results are being disputed.
    INEC had declared that Okpebholo of the APC secured a total of 291, 667 votes to defeat his closest rival, Ighodalo of the PDP, who got a total of 247, 655 votes.

    Aggrieved by the outcome of the poll, the PDP and its candidate approached the tribunal, praying it to nullify INEC’s declaration of the APC and Okpebholo as winners of the contest.

    The petitioners, among other things, contended that the governorship election was invalid because of alleged non-compliance with provisions of the Electoral Act.

    They equally argued in the petition marked: EPT/ED/GOV/02/2024, that Governor Okpebholo of the APC did not secure the highest number of lawful votes that were cast at the election.

  • I’m not desperate to be Nigeria’s president – Peter Obi

    I’m not desperate to be Nigeria’s president – Peter Obi

    Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election, has criticized the state of leadership in Nigeria, adding that he is not desperate to be Nigeria’s president.

    Speaking to graduating students, Obi encouraged them to embrace a spirit of service, emphasizing that effective leadership stems from a commitment to driving positive change rather than personal ambition.

    “All of this is to inspire you to ignite the change and provide support,” he said. “It’s not about saying, ‘I want to be in charge, I want to do this, or I want to do that.’”

    Addressing claims of desperation, Obi clarified: “When people say I’m desperate, I say, ‘No, I am not desperate to be Nigeria’s president. I am desperate to see Nigeria work because it can work.”

    He urged Nigerian youths to help usher in the “right leadership that the country needs for development.” Citing economist and Nobel laureate James Robinson, Obi noted, “Last year, Robinson said that Nigeria is a country that knows what to do to prosper but refuses to do it.”

    The former governor likened the country’s situation to allowing drivers who have already reached their destinations to continue steering the vehicle, warning that such leadership would inevitably lead to losses.

    “You cannot let people who have passed their time or reached their destinations drive you. That is what you need to help reignite. Use what you have to help us change society. Don’t become part of the problem,” Obi said.

    He further challenged the youth to rise above the failures of past generations, stating: “You are victims of Nigeria’s situation because our generation and the one before us refused to do what was right. Now we are all suffering for it.”