Headlines
AFCON 2019: Super Eagles Maintain 3rd Place Unbeaten Run, as Ighalo Scores Fastest Goal
Odion Ighalo scored the fastest goal so far in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations as the Super Eagles beat Tunisia 1-0 on Wednesday night to win the Bronze medal at this year’s tournament.
After Sunday’s semi-final losses, Tunisia and Nigeria wanted the bronze medal. But it was Gernot Rohr’s side that prevailed in the third place contest in Cairo.
Nigeria shot into the lead barely three minutes into the game as Ighalo tucked home the ball after Ben Cherifia and Meriah made a mess of Jamilu Collins’ cross.
The Carthage Eagles responded well and would have gotten a quick equaliser had Ferjani Sassi’s header not been cleared off the line.
Ighalo who has five goals to his name was forced out few minutes to the end at half-time.
The China based striker appeared to have suffered a hamstring injury.
Tunisia started brightly in the second half and Whabi Khazri’s superb throughball put Chaouat through on goal a minute after the restart. But with only the goalkeeper to beat, Tunisia’s substitute lashed into the side netting.
Thereafter Samuel Chukwueze’s long-range strike looked to be creeping in just after the hour, but Ben Cherifia made a superb save at full stretch.
The introduction of Samuel Kalu also gave Eagles the edge as he forced two saves from the goal keeper with his dead balls.
With the time tickling away, Ghilane Chaalali bundled himself into shooting range as full-time approached, though a weak effort wide of the upright was all he could muster as Tunisia ended their tournament without a medal.
Ighalo with five goals is also the leading goal scorer in the competition.
Premium Times
The National Working Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (NWC) has suspended the National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade; National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu; Deputy Legal Adviser, Okechukwu Osuoha; and National Organizing Secretary, Umaru Bature for one month.
The suspension comes on the heels of the judgement of the Federal High Court On Friday, which stopped the party’s planned national convention.
The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Debo Ologunagba, told journalists in Abuja on Saturday, that the decision followed an emergency meeting of the national working committee, which was held in Abuja.
President Donald Trump of the United States on Friday designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC), in response to allegations of widespread persecution and genocide against Christians.
Writing on his Truth Social account, Trump stated that Christianity faces a serious threat in Nigeria.
The US leader also added Nigeria to a State Department watch list.
“Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter,” Trump wrote.
According to the US president, he was placing Nigeria, Africa’s top oil producer and most populous nation, on a “Countries of Particular Concern” list of nations the US deems to have engaged in religious freedom violations.
According to the State Department’s website, the list includes China, Myanmar, North Korea, Russia, and Pakistan, among others.
Trump said he had asked US Representatives Riley Moore and Tom Cole, as well as the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee, to look into the matter and report back to him.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has removed Hon. Abubakar Gummi from the House of Representatives after he left the Peoples Democratic Party for the All Progressives Congress.
The lawmaker represented the Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency in Zamfara State.
Justice Obiora Egwuatu delivered the ruling, holding that Gummi’s defection breached the Constitution.
The court said the seat does not belong to any politician but to the political party that sponsored the election.
According to the judgment, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, is barred from recognising Gummi “as a member representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency.”
The judge also instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission to “conduct a fresh election” for the vacant seat within 30 days.
The case was instituted by the PDP and its Zamfara chairman, who insisted that Gummi’s move to the APC had no legal justification. They argued that there was no division in the PDP to support his defection, as required by Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution.
Gummi, through his counsel, claimed he left the PDP due to internal crises which he said made it “impossible” to serve his constituents effectively. The judge, however, dismissed his arguments and granted all the reliefs requested by the plaintiffs.
Justice Egwuatu, in a firm comment, warned politicians against what he described as reckless party hopping.
“Political prostitution must not be rewarded,” he declared, adding that lawmakers must not transfer votes won on one party’s platform to another party.
The court also ordered Gummi to refund all salaries and allowances received from October 30, 2024, until the date of judgment. He is also barred from earning any further benefits as a member of the House.
Additionally, the judge imposed a N500,000 cost against the defendants in favour of the PDP.
