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When the “greatest democracy on earth” appears to hesitate in a choice between a demagogue and a competent woman, one knows that signs of a bigger problem have long been ignored. A few months ago, I wrote an article about the danger individuals like Donald Trump pose and compared him to a Nigerian politician (we in Nigeria have a long history of electing and supporting populist charlatans). The US Presidential election is upon us, and with everything happening in the Niger Delta, including a meeting between its would-be leaders and representatives and President Muhammadu Buhari, I think another parallel imposes itself. FOR THE NIGER DELTA—From left: Former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Victor Attah; Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, President Muhammadu Buhari, Niger Delta Leader, Chief E.K Clark and former Presidential Adviser on Legislative Matters, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, during the meeting between the Presidency and Pan-Niger Delta Stakeholders on lasting peace in the regio...

  President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday said the sacrifices of fallen officers and men in the war against terrorism in Nigeria would never go in vain. He said their memories would be eternally etched in the hearts and minds of fellow citizens for whose sake they laid down their lives. According to a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the President was reacting to the death of Col. Abu Ali. Shehu quoted Buhari as saying that he was shocked by the news of the officer’s death along with other gallant soldiers during an encounter with the Boko Haram bandits in Borno State. The President said, “A courageous commander does not only give orders, but also joins his men to fight the battle, no matter the risks or the obvious danger. “The late Colonel Abu Ali was an extraordinary officer who inspired respect and adoration among those he commanded. “One of the greatest attributes of a war hero is the ability to help your troop...

      Naira Economic and financial experts say the naira may not fall below 475 against the United States dollar between now and end of December. They based the prediction on declining dollar demand and efforts being made by the Central Bank of Nigeria to boost supply of foreign exchange. The experts spoke in separate interviews on the outlook of the naira. “It appears the exchange rate has got to the peak, which is something around 470/dollar. I think  the naira may not go beyond 475/dollar between now and end of December,” a currency strategist at Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Kunle Ezun, said. He added that holidaymakers returning to Nigeria for Christmas would also make dollar supply to increase. According to Ezun, this will reduce the currency volatility created by dollar scarcity. The Chief Executive Officer, Cowry Asset Management Limited, Mr. Johnson Chukwu, said due to declining economic activities, demand for forex was graduall...

     The ESPN FC crew break down their Premier League Team of the Weekend after the most recent slate of matches.    After each round of Premier League fixtures, ESPN FC brings you its Team of the Weekend. Our panel of experts carefully selects 11 star performers along with a manager.      ESPN FC's Premier League Team of the Week. GK: Victor Valdes came face to face with Pep Guardiola, the man with whom he won two Champions Leagues at Barcelona, and produced a display that recaptured the days when he was part of the best team in European football. Middlesbrough's achievement in snatching a late draw against Guardiola's Man City side was largely because Valdes kept them in the game, something our panel are only too happy to note. Steve Nicol hailed his "important saves early on" while Paul Mariner added that "Valdes made crucial saves to help Boro earn a valuable point." RB: Since a 3-0 defeat against Arsena...

      ESPN FC's Craig Burley talks Michael Carrick and Wayne Rooney's influence on United's easy win over Swansea.  SWANSEA, Wales -- Three points from Manchester United's 3-1 win over Swansea City at the Liberty Stadium on Sunday. 1. United saunter into Swansea   At last, a Manchester United performance full of swagger under Jose Mourinho. There were times at Swansea, especially in the first half, when their passing triangles were reminiscent of the Sir Alex Ferguson era. And their finishing, so hesitant in recent weeks, was at last explosive.  Two summer signings heavily criticised during United's recent malaise made hay against a desperately poor Swansea. Paul Pogba's spectacular 15th-minute goal was rifled in from 25 yards, before Zlatan Ibrahimovic netted in the 21st and 33rd minutes. Swansea staged a fightback over the last 20 minutes after being buoyed by Mike van der Hoorn's 69th-minute header, as some spirit at last re...

     Former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro A former Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has been fingered in a new N400m scam . Impeccable sources in the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission told our correspondent on Sunday that Obanikoro, who was released last Friday, might be invited again soon to explain his alleged role in the scam. The ex-minister, who returned from the United States on October 17, spent three weeks at the Abuja office of the EFCC for allegedly receiving N4.7bn from the Office of the National Security Adviser and distributing over N3bn to Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State and Senator Iyiola Omisore, who were the governorship candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party in Ekiti and Osun states respectively in 2014. Obanikoro subsequently returned N100m to the EFCC with a promise to return another N480m. His American and Nigerian passports were subsequently seized before his re...

                                              Ajarat The family members of a 40-year-old woman, Mrs. Ajarat Muritala, who was on admission at the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Ogun State, have blamed her disappearance from the hospital’s female ward on the negligence of the nurses. They also lamented that police investigation into her disappearance was at snail pace, saying no progress had been made in finding the woman since she went missing on October 12. About six nurses were reportedly with the woman and other patients in the ward before she was discovered missing.  Ajarat was receiving treatment on a heart related disease at the OOUTH. The mother of four children was said to have gone into a coma on October 11...

        Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello There was anxiety in Kogi State on Sunday following the non-appearance of Governor Yahaya Bello in public in the last two weeks. Sources said the governor might have been flown abroad to treat an undisclosed ailment. All state functions have been put on hold leaving the Deputy Governor, Simon Achuba, with only the duty of receiving visitors on behalf of his boss. However, the governor’s spokesman, Kingsley Fanwo, has  denied that the governor is nursing any ailment. In a statement issued on Sunday night, Fanwo urged the public to discountenance “the rumour,” describing it as lacking any iota of truth. “My attention has been drawn to the spurious rumour that there are concerns over the health of the Kogi State Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello. “I want to state clearly here for the avoidance of doubt that the rumour lacks any iota of truth. It is a reflection of the depth the en...

Lionel Messi, with his 500th Barcelona goal, and Luis Suarez saved the Spanish champions from a second defeat in six days as they came from behind to win 2-1 at Sevilla on Sunday. Victory keeps Barca just two points adrift of Real Madrid, who were 3-0 victors over Leganes thanks to a double from Gareth Bale. Madrid also announced that Cristiano Ronaldo will extend his contract with the European champions until 2021 on Monday. Messi inspired a spirited Barca fightback fresh from a 3-1 defeat at Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday after a first-half dominated by Sevilla. With the cast of the Game of Thrones among those watching on in Seville, the game got off to a frantic start. The hosts had two shots on goal inside 50 seconds, but from a Sevilla corner Barca broke forward at lightning speed and Suarez’s effort from Neymar’s layoff was brilliantly saved by Sergio Rico. Sevilla remained on the front foot for most of the first-half and got their reward ...

        Former Nigeria's First Lady, Patience Jonathan   The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission froze a bank account belonging to businesswoman, Bola Shagaya, after discovering that she gave kickbacks to Patience Jonathan, sources within the agency said. According to the sources, Shagaya, who is founder and Chief Executive Officer of Bolmus Group International – a diversified Nigerian conglomerate with interests in oil, real estate, banking, communications and photography – became a subject of investigation due to her links to Dame Patience Jonathan, the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan. A source at the EFCC said, “When we were investigating Patience and looking into her accounts, we discovered that Bola Shagaya had been making huge and regular payments into her (Patience’s) bank account. “We then discovered that the monies were kickbacks. The Ministry of Trade and Investment gave suspicious commission to Sh...

Niger Delta militants have asked the Federal Government to drop charges against Government Ekpemupolo, also known as Tompolo, and other leaders of the region. The militants also criticised the meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and Niger Delta elders, saying the elders were only at the meeting to promote their selfish interests. Leaders of the Niger Delta Peoples Democratic Front, Ultimate Warriors of Niger Delta, and other major players in the Niger Delta Avengers, who spoke with SUNDAY PUNCH on Saturday, said they were not a party to the 16-point demand presented by their leaders to Buhari. The leader of the NDPDF, simply identified as General Playboy, said, “The stakeholders are talking about negotiation. They are talking about $10bn for Niger Delta people; they (stakeholders) are thinking about oil blocs that will be released to Niger Delta people and how they will share it among themselves. That is the only thing they are thinking of. “They have refused...

        Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has attributed the failure of the Federal Government to engage 200,000 graduates in October as promised to the need to get the required equipment. He however assured Nigerians that the graduates would be engaged in the next two weeks. According to a statement on Sunday by his spokesman, Mr. Laolu Akande, the Vice-President disclosed this while speaking at the Apostolic Coalition Summit in Lagos. “The programme should have commenced as of October 31, 2016, but is delayed on account of the fact that we are trying to get as many of the equipment that we require,” he was quoted to have said. Osinbajo was referring to the tablets that would be given to all the 500,000 N-power undergraduate participants, according to the statement. He further disclosed that out of the 200,000 unemployed Nigerians that have been selected, 150,000 would teach and serve in their communiti...

            Lt. Col Ali (right), a recipient of the Chief of Army Staff Award for exceptional bravery and excellence. The Minister of Defence, retired Brig.-Gen. Mansur Dan-Ali, has described the death of Lt-Col. Muhammad Abu-Ali as tragic and unfortunate development in the theatre of operations in the North East. Abu-Ali was killed by the Boko Haram terrorists in their failed attack to capture Malam Fatori in northern Borno on Friday. The minister in a statement issued by his Public Relations Officer, Col. Tukur Gusau, on Sunday also described the late Abu-Ali as a major pillar in the war against terrorism and insurgency in the region. Dan-Ali, who said he received the death of officer with sadness, prayed to Almighty Allah to grant the “war hero an eternal rest”. The minister also commiserated with the father of the deceased officer, Etsu of Bassa-Nge Kingdom in Kogi, retired Brig-Gen Abu-Ali, his family and t...

Democratic presidential nominee, Hillary spraks during a debate-watch party at The Space at Westbury on September 26, 2016 in Westbury, New York. Photo: AFP  Just two days before the bitter US presidential election, national polls gave the edge to Hillary Clinton, with results too close to call in some key battleground states where the race will be won or lost. A final NBC/WSJ poll showed the Democratic White House hopeful with a four-point lead ahead of her Republican counterpart Donald Trump, at 44 to 40 percent in a four-way national survey out Sunday. “If you only have 44 percent of the vote that means you’re vulnerable if most of the undecideds break in a certain way,” pollster Nate Silver of the news website FiveThirtyEight.com told ABC’s “This Week.” “In that sense both candidates still need a good turnout on election day and still have their work cut out for them,” Silver said. That was nowhere more apparent than in Ohio and Florida polling results...

                      Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale / AFP PHOTO / CURTO DE LA TORRE Gareth Bale hit both goals as Real Madrid extended their lead at the top of La Liga to five points with a 3-0 win over Leganes on Sunday. Bale signed one of the most lucrative deals in football history on Monday to keep him at the European champions until 2021. And the Welshman earned his bumper new wage as he struck twice in seven minutes just before half-time, whilst Alvaro Morata added a third 14 minutes from time. Barcelona can close to within two points at the top, but face a huge challenge when they travel to fourth-placed Sevilla later on Sunday. Bale also scored Real’s fastest ever Champions League goal in midweek against Legia Warsaw, but his fine strike in the Polish capital was forgotten as Real blew a two-goal lead to draw 3-3. There was to no such comeback...

Real Madrid's Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo controls a ball during the Spanish league football match Real Madrid CF vs Club Deportivo Leganes SAD at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid on November 6, 2016. / AFP PHOTO / JAVIER SORIANO Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has called on Cristiano Ronaldo to follow in his footsteps by retiring at the Santiago Bernabeu with the Portuguese the latest Real star set to sign a bumper new contract. Widespread Spanish media reports on Sunday said Ronaldo will follow Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos in signing a deal tying him to the European champions until 2021, by which time he would be 36. “What he has to do is finish his career here,” said Zidane despite another off-colour display by Ronaldo in Sunday’s 3-0 win over Leganes. “Cristiano is unique for what he has done and what he is going.” Zidane retired in 2006 after five years with Madrid. “It is his dream to end his career here. I am happy that he ca...

                                        Liverpool / AFP PHOTO / Geoff CADDICK /  Liverpool swept to the top of the Premier League as Sadio Mane’s double inspired a 6-1 rout of Watford, while Tottenham rescued a 1-1 draw at north London rivals Arsenal on Sunday. Jurgen Klopp’s side have emerged as genuine title contenders and they moved one point clear of second placed Chelsea thanks to a scintillating goal spree at Anfield. The Reds took the lead in the 27th minute when Senegal winger Mane met Philippe Coutinho’s corner with a header that looped past Watford goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes. Just three minutes later, Roberto Firmino picked out Coutinho on the edge of the penalty area and the Liverpool forward fired home with a fine low strike. Klopp’s team were three up two mi...

Kaduna Refinery   The consolidated performance of three of Nigeria’s refineries in Warri, Kaduna and Port Harcourt is below 20 per cent, the latest financial and operations report of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has shown. Similarly, the loss in revenue by each of the facilities has continued to drag despite the steady amount of crude oil they are taken it. An analysis of the latest ring-fenced refineries performance in August 2016 as released by the NNPC showed that the precise consolidated capacity utilisation of the three refineries was 19.9 per cent. The three refineries are the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company, the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company, and the Port Harcourt Refining Company. The report further stated that the consolidated revenue losses of the three facilities dropped from the 5.13 per cent in July to 3.23 per cent in August. On the individual performance of the refineries in August, the NNPC said the ca...

                                  Sonala Olumhense Sonala Olumhense As everyone now knows, Dr. Reuben Abati, who was President Goodluck Jonathan’s spokesman for four years, was recently arrested by the anti-corruption agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Unrefuted reports say he was confronted with an allegation he received N50m from his government’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki and his $2.1 billion military equipment fund that was diverted to other uses. Hopefully, some of this is false, otherwise it is professionally insulting.  I mean, others were picking up money by the truckload but Abati only got one Ghana-Must-Go?  At the lower levels, Olisah Metuh, who was not even a government man, is talking transactions in the hundreds of millions.  Doyin Okupe,...

                         Temidayo Ekson Fast rising actress and mother of four, Temidayo Ekson, has been through a lot, courtesy of her failed marriage. In a chat with Saturday Beats , the actress explained what led to her separation from her husband and how she has been coping with her four children. She said, “From the outset, I have always wanted to get married to a man I love with all my life. We got married and had kids but marriage is not a bed of roses. I put in everything needed to make the marriage work and I made up my mind to quit acting. Before I got married, I was into modelling but I also quit the modelling gig because I saw my estranged husband as a jealous person. It is just the grace of God that kept me all through the period because I went through hell. “I did not enjoy my marriage; I endured it instead. If I had wanted to leave my m...

New school hip-hop artiste, Ycee, is currently on cloud nine over his deal with Sony Music Africa. According to the artiste, it is the beginning of greater things to come. The unprecedented deal will see the rapper’s first song, ‘The First Wave’ released under the Sony umbrella. With this move, Ycee joins the likes of Nigerian superstar Davido, as part of the Sony Music family. Michael Ugwu, General Manager, Sony Music West Africa, stated, “I’m extremely proud to welcome Tinny Entertainment and the amazing talent that is Ycee to the Sony Music Entertainment West Africa family. I’ve watched this team grow over the past few years and I am amazed at how they have navigated the industry to reach this stage. Ycee is the future of Hip Hop in Africa and will be front and centre of SME West Africa’s strategy as we take Africa to the world.” According to Arokodare ‘Tinny’ Timilehin, CEO Tinny Entertainment, “We are very excited about the future for both Ycee and Tinny Ent...