Breaking: Alhassan resigns from Buhari’s cabinet to vie for governorship

The minister of women affairs and social development, Senator Aisha Alhassan has resigned her position in order to contest the 2019 governorship election

President Muhammadu Buhari confirmed the resignation in his acceptance of her notification through a letter conveyed to her dated July 27, 2018.

In the letter, however, President Buhari raised a condition of supporting her so long as she vies on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

Alhassan had famously last September vowed that she would not support Buhari’s second term ambition on the claim that he had promised to serve only one term and that she would only support former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Abubakar who was at that time in the APC has now defected to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. It was yet unclear yesterday if she would follow Abubakar to the PDP.

Alhassan was the candidate of the APC in the 2015 governorship election and lost it by the whiskers.

In his acceptance of her resignation letter, Buhari said:

I have today received your letter notifying me of your intention to contest for the governorship of Taraba State in the 2019 election.

Let me thank you on behalf of the Federal Executive Council and Nigerians for your services as minister under this administration. I note with passion your past contribution to our great party APC during and after the 2015 elections.

As you are aware I am totally committed to free and fair elections. Our policy is to support all APC candidates. I wish you well in your ambition to be governor of your state. Rest assured that all security agencies as well as INEC will have my full support to conduct free, fair and transparent elections in 2019

Newcastle signs Japan forward Muto from Mainz

Newcastle United announced they had completed the signing of Japan forward Yoshinori Muto from Bundesliga club Mainz after he was granted a work permit on Thursday.

Muto, who underwent a medical and agreed personal terms with the Magpies last week, has joined the Premier League club on a four-year deal.

The transfer fee is believed to be around 11 million euros (£9.8
“I am very happy to be a player for Newcastle United,” the 26-year-old said. “I am really looking forward to playing in front of the fans.

Pinnick remains authentic president – NFF

The Nigerian Football Federation on Thursday passed a vote of confidence on the Amaju Pinnick-led Executive Committee, affirming that it remained the duly elected committee recognised by FIFA.
It also warned that future litigation brought against the Federation before “ordinary courts of law” by any of its members would attract the automatic expulsion of the erring member.
The decision came 24 hours after a Federal High Court in Jos, Plateau State, refused to grant Pinnick’s request to stop Chris Giwa from taking over as the NFF President.
Justice Musa Kurya of a Federal High Court in Jos had on June 5 made an ex parte order directing the current NFF board to vacate the Glass House for Giwa and his followers.

BREAKING: Saraki arrives PDP NEC meeting

President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has arrived the ongoing National Executive Committee meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The meeting, which is its 81st,  was put together by the national leadership of the party to welcome Saraki and other defectors from the All Progressives Congress.
The Governor of Benue State, Dr. Samuel Ortom, among other defectors,  is also attending the meeting.

Tambuwal attends PDP NEC meeting

The Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, has arrived the National Executive Committee meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party in Abuja.
Tambuwal returned to the PDP from the All Progressives Congress on Thursday,
His arrival sent attendees at the meeting,  which holds at the NEC Hall,  into a frenzy.

Umahi bars APC from using Abakaliki Stadium for rally

Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, has barred members of the All Progressives Congress, Ebonyi State Chapter, from using the Abakaliki Township Stadium as venue of its rally scheduled to hold on Saturday.
Umahi, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, made the assertion on Thursday while addressing members of the State Chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria during a courtesy visit.

FG spends N49bn to feed pupils in two years -Presidency

The Presidency on Thursday said the Federal Government has spent N49bn on the feeding of primary school pupils under the National Home-Grown School Feeding Programme, a component of the government’s Social Investment Programme, in the last two years.
The Special Adviser to the President on NSIP, Mrs. Mariam Uwais, disclosed this to journalists in Abuja.

Uwais said 8, 596,340 pupils were currently being fed in 46,247 public primary schools in 24 states.
The 24 states, according to her, include Abia, Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Niger, Ogun, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, and Zamfara.

From stardom to oblivion, cases of Nigerian struggling musicians

No matter how the story of the Nigerian music industry is told, singer, Bisade Ologunde, aka Lagbaja, will surely be given a honourable mention. While most artistes are eager to stamp their face in the consciousness of the public, Lagbaja entered the scene determined to shield his identity.
Fondly called the ‘masked one’, Lagbaja enthralled the populace with his anonymousness and thought-provoking music. He called his brand of music Africano which is a combination of afro jazz, afrobeat, afropop and highlife. Some of his hit songs included Ikira, Lagbaja, Konko Below, Feyin e, Nothing for You, Never Far Away, among others.

Eko Theatre Carnival takes centre stage

The Eko Theatre Carnival commenced on Sunday at the Nike Art Gallery in Lekki, Lagos, with a political performance by Segun Adefila’s Crown Troupe.
During the opening ceremony, Adefila, who donned a masquerader’s outfit alongside his troupe, delivered a spoken word performance infused with dance to depict the state of the nation. It was well received by both the international and indigenous audiences present.
The performance told the tale of insecurity, oppression, economic meltdown in the country, drawing the attention of the elite to the pending situations.

Many ladies move around with ‘packaged beauty’ – Mike Bamiloye

Veteran film-maker, Mike Bamiloye, has warned men to look beyond physical beauty when searching for a potential bride.
In a telephone interview with our correspondent, the evangelist gave the advice to people desirous of a successful marriage.
He said, “Men who want to get married, who desire to have the right lady, must not depend upon beauty because there are a lot of packaged beauties these days among ladies. You can’t trust the hair they have on, nor how beautiful they appear because it may have been packaged with makeup. Men should rather be patient and seek a woman that fears God.”