The Nation Newspaper

Tag: congratulates

  • Ki-Moon congratulates Nigerians on peaceful elections

    Ki-Moon congratulates Nigerians on peaceful elections

    United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon has congratulated  Nigeria on “the largely peaceful and orderly conduct of presidential and parliamentary elections.”

    Ki-Moon, in a statement on Saturday night in New York, encouraged all Nigerians to continue to maintain the peace and to exercise patience throughout the ongoing voting process and the announcement of the final results.

    He condemned the attacks reportedly carried out by Boko Haram in some parts of the country and attempts  by hoodlums to disrupt polling in some areas.

    The UN Chief said that he was encouraged by the determination and resilience shown by Nigerians in pressing forward and exercising their civic duties.

    The Secretary-General called on all actors to channel any complaints that might arise from the elections through the established dispute resolution mechanisms.

    The Secretary-General said he believed that the successful conclusion of the electoral process would mark an important step forward in further consolidating democracy and the rule of law in Nigeria.

  • FIfa U-20 World Cup Qualification: Glo congratulates Flying Eagles

    FIfa U-20 World Cup Qualification: Glo congratulates Flying Eagles

    • Team spies on Ghana, Mali

    Telecommunications company and leading sponsor of Football in Nigeria, Globacom has congratulated the National Under-20 team,  the Flying Eagles for qualifying for  the semi finals of 2015 African Youth Championship (AYC) in Senegal.

    The team defeated Congo Brazzaville by 4-1 in their second Group A match and has successfully booked a place in the FIFA Under-20 World Cup Finals holding in New Zealand in June.

    The Flying Eagles will meet Cote d’ Ivoire in the last group match on Saturday.

    A statement from Globacom in Lagos on Thursday said the Flying Eagles have all it takes to overcome the challenge of their opponents, adding that the team should concentrate and keep working towards winning the Trophy.

    “Nigeria has the ability to retain the trophy and we believe the players are equal to the task,” the statement added.

    Globacom commended the fighting spirit of the young Nigerians who, despite losing a player to red card in the first half still when ahead and defeated the Congolese by 4-1.

    The company is quite optimistic that the Flying Eagles will continue to excel, especially because the team has the benefit of  many of the players playing together since their Golden Eaglets days.

    “The Flying Eagles presently top group A with six points, followed by Cote d’ Ivoire with 2 points, while Congo Brazzaville and host Senegal have 1 point each .

    The top four teams in the championship will represent Africa in New Zealand in June.

    Globacom is the major partner of Nigeria Football Federation and official sponsor of Nigerian National teams.

    However, after booking their place in the semifinal of the AYC, the Flying Eagles have swung into action ahead of next week’s clash for a place in the championship game as team officials are in Mbour today to watch second round of matches in Group B.

    Assistant coach Nduka Ugbade and Rafiu Yusuf from the NFF technical department are at the Caroline Faye Stadium in Mbour to watch South Africa battle Mali and Ghana take on Zambia.

    Ghana Black Satellites, who the Flying Eagles beat and drew with in recent series of warm-up matches, lead Group B after they defeated South Africa 2-0 and Mali pipped Zambia 1-0.

    Nigeria, already on six points after two rounds of matches, will finish top of Group A no matter the results of final group games on Saturday and so they will battle the runners-up in Group B for a place in the AYC final.

  • NFF congratulates Udoh, Oshoala

    NFF congratulates Udoh, Oshoala

    The Nigeria Football Federation(NFF) has congratulated the duo of FIFA-badged referee Ferdinand Udoh and African Woman Player of the Year Asisat Oshoala for the deserved strides they made in the past few days.

    Udoh, 28, and much respected for his athletism, firmness and strict application of the rules of the game, has been selected by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as one of the referees for the 11th African U-17 Championship taking place in Niger Republic between February 15  and March 1 .

    Oshoala, Most Valuable Player of the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup finals in Canada, and also undisputable choice for same honour at the African Women Championship in Namibia last year, signed a professional contract with Liverpool Ladies Football Club of England.

    NFF Acting President, Seyi Akinwunmi, lauded the duo and charged them to see their strides as calls to put in even more effort and diligence into their different vocations.

    “The NFF is happy with the selection of Ferdinand Udoh for the African U-17 Championship in Niger. This underscores that the integrated efforts we are making for the general improvement of refereeing in Nigeria has not gone unnoticed by the organisations that matter.

    “For some years now, we have not had a Nigerian centre referee at major competitions. Now, Udoh is starting with the U-17, which we know is a stepping stone to further glory and much greater glory. Let me reiterate that our objective is to see a Nigerian referee, or referees, officiate at the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia.

    “We congratulate Oshoala who is definitely the new poster girl of Nigeria’s women football. Her contract with Liverpool Ladies will certainly encourage her mates in the National Team to also put in more efforts to attract the attention of the best clubs in the world.”

    Oshoala was duly crowned the African Woman Player of the Year and Youth Player of the Year at the Glo-CAF African Football Awards in Lagos earlier this month, with Nigeria also claiming the Women National Player of the Year diadem.

    Ferdinand Anietie Udoh, born in 1987, became a FIFA-badged referee in 2013.

    Nigeria’s leading assistant referee, Peter Edibi, is presently working at the 30th Africa Cup of Nations finals in Equatorial Guinea.

  • Uche congratulates Super Falcons

    Uche congratulates Super Falcons

    Super Eagles striker Ikechukwu Uche has congratulated Nigeria’s Super Falcons after they won the 2014 CAF Africa Women Championship courtesy of a 2-0 defeat of the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon in the final.

    Goals from tournament top scorer Desire Oparanozie and Most Valuable Player Asisat Oshoala secured a seventh title for the Nigerians. And Uche, who represents Nigeria’s senior men’s football team, has wasted no time in congratulating his compatriots on yet another AWC win.

    “Congratulations to the super Falcons of Nigeria for making us proud. #respect #Godisincharge #moretrophies #SuperFalcons #Naija,” he tweeted.

    The new African champions are expected back in Nigeria on Monday and are expected to tour Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos with the trophy – an open bus parade – before leaving for Abuja on Tuesday for an expected reception by Nigeria’s President, Goodluck Jonathan on Wednesday.

    The victory in Namibia now means Nigeria are African champions in both men and women’s football, as the Super Eagles are the reigning African champions having won the last edition of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa in 2013, but are presently struggling to qualify for the 2015 edition.

  • Kogi APC congratulates Aregbesola

    Kogi APC congratulates Aregbesola

    The Kogi State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) hascongratulated Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola on his re-election.

    The party chairman, Alhaji Haddy Ametuo, described Aregbesola’s victory as a victory for democracy.

    He said the result of the August 9 poll is a divine intervention against rigging, “especially the scientific method used to manipulate the people’s mandate in Ekiti State.”

    Ametuo urged Kogi indigenes to have faith in God, saying He would repeat what happened in Osun in Kogi.

    His words: “There are signs of the end for the PeoplesDemocratic Party (PDP) in the state. The party leaders and followers are conscious of this.

    “APC is divine intervention for Nigerians against PDP’s violence, fraud, rigging and bad governance.

    God Almighty will surely remove PDP from power next year.”

  • Jonathan congratulates Aregbesola

    Jonathan congratulates Aregbesola

    President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday congratulated Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola on his victory in Saturday’s governorship election.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the President also commended the Independent National Electoral Commission and national security agencies for ensuring that the election was free, fair, credible and peaceful in line with the commitment of his Administration.

    He applauded Osun people who came out en masse in all the local government areas of the state to peacefully and freely exercise their democratic right.

    The statement said the President  believed that the free, fair and peaceful conduct of the election fully reaffirmed his administration’s determination  to positively reform Nigeria’s electoral process.

    The statement reads: “The outcome of the election has also given the lie to the false, unfair and uncharitable allegations that measures put in place by the federal government for the Ekiti and Osun State elections were partisan and designed to achieve a favourable outcome for his party.

    “As Governor Aregbesola prepares to begin a second term in office, President Jonathan looks forward to continuing to work with him and other state governors to further improve the living conditions of Nigerians in Osun and other states of the country.” It stated

    He wished Governor Aregbesola continued good health and a successful second term in office.

  • Ajibola congratulates Shekarau

    Ajibola congratulates Shekarau

    A former Attorney-General and Justice Minister, Prince Bola Ajibola, has congratulated the new Minister of Education, Alhaji Ibrahim Shekarau.

    In a statement by his media aide, Idris Katib, the former minister described Shekarau as a round peg in a round hole.

    He said the former Kano State governor was the type of leader Nigeria needs in the Education sector.

    Ajibola said Shekarau is a lover of education, adding that he would make positive impact on the sector.

    The former Justice Minister hailed Shekarau for resolving the polytechnic teachers’ strike.

    He said: “Alhaji Shekarau is a consummate educationist who can turn things around in the Education sector.”

  • Nelson congratulates Okagbare

    The National Zonal Women leader (South West) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chief (Mrs) Kemi Nelson congratulates Blessing Okagbare for winning a Gold medal for Nigeria in the 100metres women race at a time of 10.85 seconds at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

    Okagbare, noted Nelson has indeed set a new record thereby making Nigerian women and indeed African women proud through her brilliant performance at the Commonwealth Games.

  • Amaechi congratulates Muslims

    Amaechi congratulates Muslims

    Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi has said for the nation to become stabile, the people should face and conquer its challenges.

    In a statement yesterday in Port Harcourt, by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. David Iyofor, the governor congratulated Muslims on the completion of the Ramadan fast.

    He wished Muslims a happy Eid-el-Fitri celebration.

    Amaechi urged them to continually pray for the nation’s stability.

    “Since the civil war, this has been a very trying period in the life of the country. But we must continue to pray for peace, oneness and stability of our nation, because that is one way we can overcome our problems,” he said.

    The governor prayed for wisdom in tackling the current security challenges.

    He urged Muslims in Rivers State to remain peaceful as they join their counterparts around the world in celebrating Eid-el-Fitri.

    Amaechi assured that the state would continue to protect the rights of every resident.

  • Mark congratulates party for successful convention

    Mark congratulates party for successful convention

    Senate President David Mark yesterday congratulated the newly elected leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The party held its National Convention at the weekend at the Eagles Square in Abuja, where it elected 48 national executive members.

    In a statement in Abuja by his Special Adviser on Media, Kola Ologbondiyan, the Senate President urged APC National Chairman John Odigie-Oyegun and other national executive members to put the interest of the nation above personal or party’s interest.

    The statement said: “Whichever political divide we may belong, what must of necessity be paramount is the survival of our country under a democratic dispensation. I know Chief Oyegun as a patriotic Nigerian who would strive to make our society a better place.

    “I can only remind him not to deviate from this path of honour.  Whatever makes for good of the country and its people should, without compromise, be his watch word. The era of intra- or inter-party wrangling should be discarded for good.”

    The statement added: “Senator Mark craves for credible, strong and viable opposition party that would reinforce government resolve to deliver dividends of democracy to the citizenry.

    “What the nation needs now, he suggested, is a collective effort, irrespective of different political affiliation and not political differences, to take Nigeria to the next level.”