The Chairman of the Ondo State Primary Election Committee, Governor Usman Ododo of Kogi State, has announced that polls will be conducted in all 13 wards of Okitipupa Local Government Area of the state by 12 noon on Sunday (today). In a statement he signed, the governor said: “Having received reports of the primary election from the 203 wards in the 18 local governments of Ondo State, the primary election committee has decided that election will be conducted in all the 13 Wards of Okitipupa local government with total validated registered members of 9,515, because of validated reports that the…
Author: Prince Ade ADe
Stefanos Tsitsipas claimed his 11th career title with victory over Casper Ruud in the final of the Monte Carlo Masters last Sunday Stefanos Tsitsipas will face Casper Ruud in the final of the Barcelona Open a week after beating the Norwegian to win the Monte Carlo Masters. Greece’s world number seven Tsitsipas overcame Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic 5-7 6-4 6-2, while Ruud edged past Argentine Tomas Etcheverry 7-6 (8-6) 6-4. Ruud, the world number six, has lost in three finals this year. Meanwhile, American Taylor Fritz and Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff will contest the final of the BMW Open. Number three seed…
Bernardo Silva fired defending champions Manchester City back into the FA Cup final as the Portuguese midfielder’s late strike sealed their 1-0 win over Chelsea at Wembley on Saturday. Pep Guardiola’s side were second best for long periods of the semi-final but Chelsea wasted a string of chances before Silva delivered the knockout blow six minutes from full-time. Shaken by their Champions League quarter-final loss to Real Madrid on penalties in midweek, City took a while to shake off the gloom from the end of their treble bid. They were hampered by the absence of Norway striker Erling Haaland after…
Nigeria’s oldest football club competition has been renamed again. The tournament which began as Governor’s Cup was later changed to Challenge Cup, Coca-Cola FA Cup, Federation Cup, Aiteo Cup and Tingo Cup. At a well-attended official event in Lagos on Friday, the Ministry of Sports Development, the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF and strategic partners GTI Assets Management and Trust Limited announced that the competition will now be known as the President Federation Cup. Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh, NFF President, Ibrahim Gusau and GTI Group Managing Director, Abubakar Lawal attended the event along with other dignitaries. It was…
A group of international sports federations have criticised the decision of World Athletics to award prize money at the Paris Olympics as undermining the values of Olympism and the uniqueness of the Games. Recall that last week, the world athletics governing announced that it will become the first federation to offer prize money at the Paris 2024 Olympics. The Association of Summer Olympic International Federations, ASOIF on Friday released a statement condemning the announcement by World Athletics president Lord Sebastian Coe that track and field gold medallists at the Paris Games will receive Fifty Thousand dollars and extend prize money…
The Nigeria Police Force has detained a female police officer who was the aide-de-camp to embattled former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, Saturday PUNCH has learnt. The ADC was arrested alongside other police officers attached to 48-year-old Bello, and is being detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. Their arrests and detention followed a Thursday night order by the Inspector General of Police, Olukayode Egbetokun, directing their immediate withdrawal from the former governor. Senior police sources, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity because they did not have authorisation to comment publicly on…
The Oyo State Government says the demolition of buildings allegedly belonging to Yoruba Nation agitators was based on a court order. This is according to the Oyo State Commissioner for Lands, Housing, Survey, and Urban Development, William Akin-Funmilayo, who spoke at the sites of the demolished buildings located separately at Shagari area, Toye Oyesola Street, Boluwaji and at Zone 4, Irorun Oluwa Community, Fatusi Ayegun road, Odo Dudu area, both in Oluyole Local Government Area, Ibadan. He advised residents of the state to always report any strange, suspicious, or threatening activity in their vicinity to the appropriate authorities immediately after…
Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate Tunde Onakoya, 29, is attempting to break the global record for the longest chess marathon in New York City’s Times Square. Onakoya is partnering with his United States counterpart, Shawn Martinez, in this remarkable feat. The marathon, which has already exceeded 23 hours, is scheduled to end on April 19. Despite facing health challenges during the marathon, including intense vomiting and stomach pain, Onakoya has remained steadfast. When given the choice to quit, he declared, “I will play on for the dreams of millions of children.” His determination has garnered widespread support, with…
Stanley Nwabali could leave Chippa United at the end of the season, according to the Chilli Boys chief executive officer, Siviwe Mpengesi. Nwabali caught the eye with his impressive displays for Nigeria at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire. The 27-year-old is reportedly a target for clubs within and outside South Africa. Mpengesi confirmed that a number of foreign clubs are interested in the shot stopper and declared that he will allow him leave if they receive a suitable offer. “We are talking to a few clubs abroad. We also believe that he needs something better, especially…
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland is a doubt for his side’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea on Saturday. Haaland was substituted late on during Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final defeat on penalties by Real Madrid. City boss Pep Guardiola said after the game that the 23-year-old had asked to be taken off. “We will see,” said the Spaniard on Haaland’s availability to face fellow Premier League side Chelsea at Wembley. “It was a tough game, a lot of action, high intensity for both sides. Erling felt something, a muscular issue. That’s why he told me he could not continue. “The [doctor]…