Griezmann deserved Ronaldo's award

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone says Antoine Griezmann was the best player in Europe last season, not Cristiano Ronaldo.

Ronaldo claimed UEFA's Best Player prize ahead of Griezmann and team-mate Gareth Bale after he fired Real Madrid to the Champions League and captained Portugal to Euro 2016 glory.

Simeone feels Ronaldo's trophy successes entitles him to the award, but is in no doubt that Atletico's star forward – who was named Euro 2016's best player after claiming the Golden Boot with six goals for France – has been the best in the continent over the past year.

"He's a decisive player, certainly among the best three in the world," he said of Griezmann, who is set to return to action for Atletico in their LaLiga clash with Leganes on Saturday.

"It's the first game he'll play in. Obviously he'll have a normal process to get to his best, as any player with his pre-season would.

"We always hope for the best from him, there's no doubt about his attitude. We hope he continues in this way, he's a player who gives us a different option in attack.

"Whoever wins deserves to win. Congratulations to Ronaldo. Once more the collective gives power to the individual.

"Certainly, he's won the Champions League and Euro 2016, which puts him in an untouchable place. But for me, without a doubt, Griezmann was the best.

"Unfortunately he could not win the Euros or the Champions League, and Ronaldo justifiably won."

Atletico were held to a shock draw by Alaves in their opening league game last weekend and Simeone expects a similarly stern test against Leganes, who marked their first appearance in the top flight with an impressive 1-0 win at Celta Vigo.

"They had a really good opening game. They worked very well together, with clear ideas in terms of what they had to do on the pitch," added Simeone.

"I expect them to be a team with great enthusiasm, playing at home, having returned to the top division, which is amazing for the fans."

Ali Modu Sheriff is a saint,’ PDP chieftain says

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Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Bode George has said that factional chairman, Ali Modu Sheriff is a saint.

George made the comment in reaction to the conduct of the controversial PDP national convention which held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on Wednesday, August 17, 2016.

Read excerpts of his interview with Daily Trust below:

What is your take on the botched Port Harcourt convention?

It was a divine intervention because there would have been a lot of crises at that convention. God knows that there are genuine people who have been prayerful. PDP is very lucky, as a party, because the control by the Rivers governor and his team from Rivers State was overwhelming.

And when he spoke to us a day before (the convention), we were clapping for him, only to go to the accreditation centre…and can you imagine, Lagos State had 51 delegates but they didn’t give us one card.

They gave Ogun three cards out of the delegates. Oyo got three. Osun and Kwara were given the same thing, likewise some states in the North. What was that for? Where was the transparency that he promised us? And it was his chief of staff that was made the chairman of the accreditation committee and the secretary was the attorney-general of the state.

He (Wike) himself was the chairman of the convention committee and the former deputy speaker of the state’s Assembly was the chairman of the electoral panel. So, everything was run by Rivers. Is it a Rivers State affair? This was a national convention of a political party.

I have never seen such a thing in my life. If we had done it, he would have prevented Lagos State delegates from going in because he wanted to camp Jimi Agbaje there. How? If a zone cannot recommend him (Agbaje), who the hell are you people to decide he is the one you want?

We didn’t interfere with them bringing Secondus or the South-east bringing their own candidate. We would save this party, would do everything that is possible to salvage this party.

The South-west had already endorsed somebody, you refused to take that, you were manipulating people, jumping all around. If we had done that when we were building the party, many of them would never have ended up being governors. If you are a governor, you must show a high pitch of responsibility, respectability and civility. For God’s sake, you are messing up with the Yoruba people.

They are saying, ‘This is what we want’ and you are saying, ‘this is the one you would pick for us.’ And they are taking a man who is yet to get his political teeth in Yoruba land in the PDP to make him the national chairman. It is an insult to the Yoruba people and we will never allow it, very disgraceful, very thoughtless.

What do you think we are in Yoruba land? And nobody goes to the Villa (Presidency) without winning the South-west with 6.5m registered voters. I am happy that it (convention) was postponed.

Like I said, it is a divine intervention. Now you can see that Sheriff is a saint. All he has been complaining about, he was right.

A lot of people were saying if the convention had gone as planned, probably Jimi Agbaje would have emerged as the chairman. Would you have accepted him?

That is what they had planned. They tried to manipulate the system to produce a man who doesn’t even know the party yet to be chairman. Sheriff said it before that he (Agbaje) was in his house, when they came to bring him in and then that didn’t work.

And now you want to bring another musketeer to come and be national chairman. So, Yoruba people don’t know what we want? It is not a matter of life and death, but I will resist anybody trying to insult the Yoruba people.

Singer joins voice against domestic violence

TripleMG singer, Augustine Miles Kelechi, popularly known as Tekno Miles or Golden Boy of Africa, is the latest celebrity to add his voice to the case of domestic violence that seems to have taken center stage in Nigeria in recent times, with husbands either maiming or killing their wives.

The Duro crooner has decided not to be silent on the issue as he took to his Instagram page to send a word to women in abusive relationships as well as warning fellow men against violence towards women.

Tekno Miles rises against domestic violence

In a message posted on his Instagram page, the 24-year-old Tekno shares the story of a female fan that was getting physically abused by her boyfriend because of his passion for her and advised ladies to get out of such relationships.
 

President holds secret meeting with Wole Soyinka

President Muhammadu Buhari is currently holding a closed door meeting with Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka.

The meeting between the duo is said to be taking place inside Buhari’s office at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

Details of the meeting are not yet known.

Soyinka recently admonished Buhari for not taking a firm position against the rampaging Fulani herdsmen who have killed hundreds of people around the country.

Ranieri signs new contract

Claudio Ranieri has agreed a new £3million-a-year contract at champions Leicesterand will pen it before the season starts.
The 64-year-old Italian has two years left on his current City contract after joining last summer.
But the club’s Thai owners have moved to reward him for guiding them to an incredible Premier League title success despite odds of 5,000-1.
His achievements earned him the League Managers’ Association’s annual award in May. Ranieri has previously stated he hoped to sign a new long-term contract at The King Power Stadium as he wanted to finish his career with City.
The deal is expected to see Ranieri double his salary from his current terms of around £1.5million-a-year.

Wenger finding it "very difficult" to find quality players

Arsene Wenger has admitted he is finding it “very difficult” to find quality players in the transfer market - but hasn’t given up hope of doing so.
“We want to spend the money when we have it,” he told Sky Sports.
“What is very difficult today is to find the quality of the players who are available and if you look well despite all the money that is available in England there is very little movement since the start of the transfer market.
“We are in the transfer market and on one side we are focused and concentrated on the players we have to get them in a fantastic shape. On the other hand, of course we are looking outside to strengthen.”

Cristiano Ronaldo lined up by Jose Mourinho

Manchester United hope that Jose Mourinho's arrival can help lure Cristiano Ronaldo back to Old Trafford, according to the Daily Star.
Ronaldo is reportedly free to leave Real Madrid if an offer comes in which matches their £80million price tag.
The Portuguese winger works with agent Jorge Mendes, the man who has orchestrated Mourinho's move to United in recent months.
United are in dire need of a new marquee signing - but their lack of Champions League football could thwart the deal.

And The Sun say that the Real Madrid superstar will be returning to Old Trafford if United meet the La Liga giants' asking price. CRISTIANO RONALDO is available for £80m, according to reports.
The key man in the deal is super agent Jorge Mendes.

Now he has star client Mourinho in position at United he can grease the wheel of business and make himself some serious cash.
He is also Ronaldo's agent and could make the deal happen as long as United want to go through with it.

Singer to release debut album "God Over Everything", August 1

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Patoranking has announced the release date of his debut album “God Over Everything” (GOE).

The singer who broke through in 2013 with the hit single ‘Alubarika’, and has gone on to become one of Africa’s most revered dancehall artistes with his unique fusion of Reggae, Dancehall and Afrobeat, is set to release his debut album.

The new album will be released on August 1, and will contain new single ‘No Kissing Baby’ featuring Ghanaian Sarkodie, with very few details revealed about the inclusion of his earlier singles.

“Expect the unexpected.” Patoranking said about the “GOE” album. “It has a song for everyone, for people of all ages, class and from all parts of Africa. I wanted to pay homage to my roots and also embrace the new school African music scene that is taking over the world. I can’t wait for the world to hear it, to hear us.”

Patoranking this week released the video to his new single "No Kissng Baby" the visuals was directed by DAPS. He has had a great year so far, starring as a judge on acclaimed TV show, The Voice.

For exclusive information about Patoranking’s debut album and the journey thus far, follow @FireRepublik on Instagram and Twitter. Also, follow the conversation via the hashtag #GOEtheAlbum.

Manchester City forward meets new coach, Guardiola

Nigerian and Manchester City forward, Kelechi Iheanacho on Sunday, July 3 met his new club coach, Pep Guardiola during the club’s kit launch.

Guardiola will next season manage City having signed for the Premier League club after three years at Bayern Munich.

Although Iheanacho would have probably met Guardiola in private, the duo was publicly seen together for the first time on Sunday.

Iheanacho and Guardiola were seen together on stage at 'Cityzens weekend' as the club unveiled their new kit ahead of next season.

Manchester City stick with their traditional blue colour with a darker feel to it.

According to City, the new strip incorporates cutting-edge Nike AeroSwift technology and is befitting of Guardiola’s ‘renowned attention to detail’.

The new shirt, the club says is designed to enhance mobility, reduce weight and remove the distractions that hamper performance.

Alongside Iheanacho, players from the youth sides and women's team were also at the unveiling.

Drama in store as Zlatan writes final chapter

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is to write the final chapter in a glittering career with Manchester United in England's Premier League and although drama is guaranteed, a happy ending is not.

A reunion with Jose Mourinho at one of the game's most iconic clubs who have fallen on hard times is a perfect recipe for a season of twists and turns, on and off the field.

The prospect of one of the biggest egos in the game at one of the largest clubs in the world, and in a country which has often questioned Ibra's self-confessed greatness, will make for compelling viewing when the new season kicks off in August.

 

But given his advancing years, the recent turmoil at Old Trafford and the lack of Champions League football next season, there are clouds on the horizon.

After leaving Paris St Germain following four trophy-laden seasons in the French capital, the 34-year-old arrives at a club reeling from three turbulent seasons in which they have struggled to recreate the glory days of Alex Ferguson.

Ibra's arrival should be a major boost to United as they seek to re-establish themselves as a force in the Premier League, but he is not without recent baggage of his own.

 

He may have banged in goals for fun in France, but his underwhelming performances in the Champions League as PSG were knocked out by Manchester City at the quarter-final stage attracted much criticism.

It is not the first time he has failed to shine against an English side, leaving many fans to wonder if in fact he was worthy of the slew of league titles he won in Netherlands, Spain, Italy and France, or if he simply played for teams that were much better and richer than their domestic rivals.

He departed PSG only to return to France a few weeks later with Sweden for Euro 2016, but once again he went missing when his side needed him most against Ireland, Italy and Belgium.

Indeed, the ease with which the Irish journeyman backline comprised of Sunderland's John O'Shea and Ciaran Clark, who was relegated from the Premier League last season with Aston Villa, was able to handle him will be cause for concern for his new employers.

As his brief spell at Barcelona showed, he is not known for calming troubled waters in the dressing room and he could clash with United's other big names such as Wayne Rooney as a new hierarchy is established.

In his favour is his excellent relationship with new United boss Mourinho.

They won the Italian league title together at Inter Milan and the Portuguese coach is one of the few people in football whose opinion Ibrahimovic respects.

It is clear that a career spent as one of the most feared frontmen in the game has taken its toll on Ibrahimovic, and despite his enormous physical strength, he has battled a number of niggling injuries in recent years.

With retirement looming, he has also devoted more time to his commercial interests and there is little doubt that playing for global brand like Manchester United played a big part in his decision to move to England.

What is undimmed, however, is his burning desire to win and while it may not be guaranteed that he will do so at Old Trafford, it will be fascinating for English football fans to see if he can live up to his own considerable hype.

Edo PDP asks INEC to ignore embattled chairman’s candidate

The Edo state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ignore Ali Modu Sheriff’s candidate for the upcoming governorship elections.

The PDP also added that Osagie Ize-Iyamu remains the only recognised candidate who will stand in the elections.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Ahmed Makarfi faction, Prince Dayo Adeyeye said "In Edo, the Sheriff faction is saying INEC must recognise the candidate submitted by it (Sheriff faction). How would INEC take something from a man that is only a busybody to the party?

“If a court had ruled that Sheriff is not the chairman of the PDP, how then would a court say that INEC should recognise a candidate recognised by Sheriff.”

Adding that “Sheriff is saying that he is the national chairman of the PDP by a court order even when the governors and other members of the party have rejected him. Some people are trying to use the judiciary to destroy Nigeria’s democracy.

“An example is what is playing out in Abia State. But we are not going to allow our nation’s democracy to be destroyed. Nigeria has become a laughing stock and we must sensitise people to this because it (indiscriminate court injunctions) is a new development.

APC slams Deputy Senate President over letter to UN

The Enugu state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has slammed the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu for the united nation about his forgery case.

The party also called on Ekweremadu not to politicise the allegations of forgery levelled against him and the Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

The Deputy Senate President had alleged that there was an attempt to silence him as the leader and highest ranking member of the opposition in the country, all in the name of prosecuting an alleged forgery case.

According to the  Enugu APC Chairman, Ben Nwoye, “After all, how many indicted citizens of foreign nations have ever written to Nigerian government to intervene in their matter.

“Calling on UN to intervene on the forgery amounts to seeding our sovereignty to foreign nations. The CIA director and many US senators and government officials were over the years indicted and convicted, did they write to Nigeria?

“Some of the officials pleaded guilty and resigned and never wrote to any foreign country, including Nigeria. Those involved should face trial and stop invoking tribal, religious and ethnic sentiments.”

“We want to advise them to stop heating up the polity. After all, there are millions of Nigerians who are facing different trials like rape, corruption, among others, have they written the international community for interventions? We don’t want a situation where the law of the land would be for a selected few," he added.

Nwoye also said Ekweremadu’s action was aimed at embarrassing the APC government.

APC confirms existence of cabal in President’s government

The Kwara State branch of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said that there is truly a cabal in President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.

The claim was earlier made by Senate President, Bukola Saraki who said that some powerful people were controlling Buhari.

The Kwara APC’s comments are contained in a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari on Tuesday, June 28, 2016.

It reads:

The statement by Mr. Femi Adesina on behalf of Mr. President is not only unpresidential, it also failed to convincingly dismiss the widely held view of Nigerians that, indeed, there is a government within the government of Mr. President.

It is instructive to note that the Senate President is not the first Nigerian to express such observations.

The Senate President, through the press statement he personally signed, only called the attention of Mr. President to the danger ahead if the ugly situation is permitted to fester.

In fact, the statement by Mr. Adesina is the clearest indication that a government exists within the government of Mr. President. The President that we know, the President that we have worked with, the President that we have worked for, the President that we voted for, would not have directed his media adviser to issue such an un-presidential statement. That statement is a confirmation of the Senate President’s observation.

The intention of people like Adesina in the Villa is to create a discord between Mr. President and the Senate President, but that will never happen. It is the same cabal that embarrassed Mr. President himself by padding the 2016 national budget, including the budget of Aso Rock, to the extent of inflating some figures in the Villa expenditures.

It is the same cabal that has made it nearly impossible for many ministers and Special Advisers to have access to Mr. President. The Presidency should be reminded that a cabal hijacked and destroyed the government of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

My life is in danger – Uche Ogah says

The governorship tussle in Abia state has assumed a new dimension, as rumours of death threats have started making the rounds.

Premium Times reports that Uche Ogah’s aide, Peter Kalu revealed that his boss has gone into hiding for his safety.

Kalu also added that Ogah has been receiving death threats from different quarters.

 The electoral body’s action was based on an Abuja High court ruling ordering the Abia Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu to vacate office.

Ikpeazu has since asked residents of Abia to be calm, adding that he has gotten an injunction to stop any judicial officer in Nigeria from swearing in Ogah.

Reports say the Abia Chief Judge, Theresa Uzoukwu is also hiding somewhere in the state.

"We're ready to die," PDP forbids Ogah's inauguration as governor

The Abia chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has declared that it will resist any attempt to inaugurate, Sampson Ogah, as the new governor of the state.

“We are ready for them, we are ready to die,” the party said, adding, “If they do it, then they are inviting anarchy and confusion in the state."

The party made the resolution and declaration at the end of its emergency meeting in Umuahia on Thursday, June 30.

The state Chairman of the party, Johnson Onuigbo, accompanied by members of the executive committee, said the party got wind of a plan to flood the state with military personnel.

Mr. Onuigbo said such an invasion would trigger off anarchy, adding that the party was poised for showdown over the planned inauguration.

He described the judgment of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which ordered that Mr. Ogah be sworn in as “a rape of democracy.”

The court, presided over by Justice Okon Abang, on Tuesday ordered Governor Okezie Ikpeazu to vacate office as governor over the case of tax evasion.

Justice Abang also ordered that Mr. Ogah, who came second in the PDP primaries, should be sworn in as the governor.

Mr. Ogah was also issued the Certificate of Return by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja on Thursday.

The PDP chairman, however, said the judgment and issuance of Certificate of Return to Mr. Ogah had undermined the peace and tranquillity enjoyed in the state.

“Abia is not safe. I didn’t want to believe the rumour that the state will soon be invaded by the army because this is not a war zone.

“We want to inform the world that there is tension in Abia because democracy is about to be raped.

“As a party, we will resist any move by anybody to undermine the peace in the state,” Mr. Onuigbo said.

He said that as a law-abiding state, the government had obtained an exparte injunction “restraining the state Chief Judge or any other judges from swearing in Mr. Ogah as governor”.

“We are ready for them, we are ready to die,” he said, adding, “If they do it, then they are inviting anarchy and confusion in the state.

“We are in a democracy so we want the world to hear and know that we are being shortchanged in Abia,” he said.

Mr. Onuigbo said the party had sent emissaries to Mr. Ogah to persuade him “to sheath his sword and allow peace to reign in Abia” to no avail.

He said that at the end of the current crisis, the party would met out sanction to Mr. Ogah for disregarding entreaties from the chieftains of the party.

‘President not meeting Jonathan in London,’ UK says

The United Kingdom has denied reports that it arranged a meeting between President Muhammadu Buhari and his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan in London.

The denial was contained in a statement released by the Press Officer of the British High Commission in Abuja, Joe Abuku.

It reads:

“Reports suggesting that the British Government has set up a meeting with President Buhari, former President, Jonathan, and representatives of Niger Delta groups to discuss a solution to recent violence in the Niger Delta region are incorrect.”

“We are aware that President Buhari is currently in London seeking medical attention. We are not aware of any meetings on the Niger Delta while he is there.”

Buhari is in London to receive treatment for a persistent ear infection.

Militants threaten to attacks state Governors

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The Joint Niger Delta Liberation Force (JNDLF) has threatened to attack any Governor who sabotages their efforts.

JNDLF, according to Vanguard, has agreed to dialogue with the Federal Government.

The militants’ commander for general duties, General Akotebe Darikoro said “We shall continue to engage in dialogue if our demands are met. Our representatives for the dialogue, especially the governors and others will not betray our demands with the federal government. Any betrayal on their own part shall be viewed as betrayal of the entire region and we shall go after them immediately as they know our mode of operation in which they will not escape from us.”

The Ijaw community in the Gbaramatu kingdom has also called on the militants to stop bombing oil pipelines.

 

Teaching Hospital doctors embark on strike

The University of Uyo Teaching Hospital Branch of the Association of Resident Doctors has embarked on an indefinite strike over "incomplete salaries’’.

The President of the association, Dr Christian Adeneye, made the announcement in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo on Friday.

Adeneye explained that resident doctors in the hospital had been receiving incomplete salaries since 2014, saying that all efforts to make government see reason on the mater had failed.

"We are embarking on an indefinite strike from today. The problem is about the incomplete salaries that we have been receiving for two years now.

"We have been negotiating with the Federal Government but there is insincerity on the part of government.

"We have been mandated nationally. All centres that are yet to comply with the implementation of the payment of our full salaries should embark on an indefinite strike.”

He said that the strike had not been postponed as was speculated by a section of the media. The unionist confirmed, however, that there was a meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representative, Mr Yakubu Dogara, where it was agreed that medical centres that were already enjoying full salaries should not join the strike.

The president said that the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital was not in the list of teaching hospitals enjoying full salaries, so doctors there had to embark on strike.

He appealed to patients to bear with doctors on the development, assuring that work would resume as soon as government agreed to pay.

Adeneye said that doctors had shown enough understanding since 2014, when they started receiving incomplete salaries. Patients were being attended to by nurses, senior doctors and other medical workers.

Former Head of State returns to Nigeria after death rumours

Amidst death rumour which trailed his three-week medical trip to Germany, the former Head of State, Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, has returned to Nigeria on Friday, June 10, 2016.
On arrival, IBB, as he is fondly called was received by the Niger state governor, Abubakar Sani  Bello, Engineer Abdulkadir Kure, Mohammed Babangida (son), Aisha Babangida (daughter), Umar Ndanusa and former federal permanent secretary, Idris Adamu Kuta.
Governor Bello said his return will put to rest the rumour adding that Nigeria still needs the former military ruler around for his counsel.
He said: “Despite unfounded rumour about the life of our national icon, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, we are grateful that it pleases Allah (SWT) to preserve his life and bring him back safely and healthier to continue in the good work of nation building.
“General Ibrahim Babangida remains one of the few leaders in this country that we still need around to tap from their wealth of experience and knowledge and we are
“Your safe return has finally put a lie to the rumour and the evil machinations of those who are playing God. We are grateful to Allah (SWT) that He has silence them”.
Babangida ruled Nigeria from August 27, 1985, to  August 27, 1993 after he overthrew General Muhammadu Buhari in a coup.
He annulled the June 12, 1993 elections, a poll which was considered by many as free and fair.
 grateful he is back and kicking like the old soldier he is.

WHO issues stricter virus guidelines to prevent sexual transmission

The World Health Organisation (WHO), on Tuesday said travellers should practice safe sex for no less than eight weeks after returning from areas with Zika infections, doubling the time period that was recommended in its previous guideline.

According to WHO spokesman in Geneva, new studies had shown that the virus is present in body fluids for longer than previously known.

The Zika outbreak in Latin American countries including Brazil, has raised concerns among scientists and athletes about the infection risk during the summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in August.

Zika is mostly spread through mosquitoes, but WHO noted in a new guidance document that mounting evidence has shown that sexual transmission of the Zika virus is possible and more common than previously assumed.

"Men and women who are planning to conceive a child or who experienced the flu symptoms associated with Zika, should practice safe sex for no less than six months after returning from Zika regions,’’ WHO recommended.

While most Zika patients recover quickly, the virus could cause brain malformations in unborn children, as well as other neurological disorders.

An international group of 151 scientists demanded in an open letter last week that the games in Rio be postponed or moved to avoid intensifying the spread of the Zika virus.

WHO disagreed and argued that the best way to stem the spread was to take precautionary measures, especially personal protection against mosquitoes and practising safe sex.