The Nation Newspaper

Tag: drag

  • Aides threaten to drag Saraki, Sani-Omolori to EFCC, ICPC over ‘N4b debt’

    Aides to federal lawmakers are threatening to take Senate President Bukola Saraki and Clerk to National Assembly (CNA) Mohammed Sani-Omolori to anti-corruption agencies.

    This followed alleged non-payment of their allowances and other entitlements for the past three years.

    The workers, under the aegis of National Assembly Legislative Aides Forum (NASSLAF), are protesting the confusion trailing the alleged non-payment of the entitlements totalling more than N4billion, which include Duty Tour Allowance (DTA), 28 per cent salary increment, among others.

    The aides also threatened to shut the National Assembly.

    They protested yesterday at the lobby of the White House before a meeting of the executive members and the Acting Clerk to the National Assembly.

    The protesters sang war songs. They carried placards. One of them read: “We are aides, not slaves”

    The Chairman of the aides’ forum, Sam Melaye, said: “The protest is about our allowances and entitlements. It has become clear to us that they are now passing the buck. The Senate president, who is the chairman of the National Assembly, said the CNA is responsible for our plight, and the CNA is now in turn accusing the Senate president of being responsible for the situation we have been subjected to.

    “But at this point, it doesn’t really matter who is responsible, all we are saying is pay us our entitlements.

    “Our DTA has not been paid for 10 quarters and that’s over N2billion. We are supposed to be trained twice in a year. This has not happened in the last three years and that is supposed to gulp over N2billion and training allowances, which is based on calculation of N1billion per year, is N3billion now.

    “By laid down procedures and yearly budgetary provisions of N250million on a quarterly basis, each of the legislatives aides is expected to go for training on the template of capacity building, the totality of which is N1billion per year, but for the past three years, no category of the aides has been sent on any training, let alone paid the required allowances.

    “All we are saying is that the National Assembly should do the needful

    Read also: Saraki visits Gov. Emmanuel

    “We are going to meet the Acting CNA, since the CNA is not around, but I want to believe that the outcome of the meeting will be favorable to us. But if it is not favourable, we will take on the next step of writing anti-graft agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), in order for them to pay us our entitlements.

    “If our demands are not met, we will shut down the National Assembly.

    “Although there had been protests over this same issue in the past, this is the first time I’m leading protest as the chairman of Legislative Aides Forum and I can assure you, there will be no retreat, no surrender.”

    After its meeting with the Acting CNA, who is also the Clerk to the Senate, Nelson Ayewoh, the group gave an ultimatum of September 14 after which if its demands were not met, it would begin next plan of action.

    National Assembly spokesman Rawlings Agada, who spoke with The Nation on the phone, said the issue will be resolved as soon as the CNA returns from his official assignment outside the country.

    Agada, who said he was not around the complex when the protest took place, however believed that the problem could be as a result of administrative or fund release challenge.

  • Lafarge Africa, Nigerian Breweries drag equities to N19b loss

    Nigerian equities traded on a tight balance of bargain-hunting and profit-taking yesterday at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), but losses by two highly capitalised companies-Lafarge Africa and Nigerian Breweries, weighed down the overall market position.

    With 19 gainers and losers each, the market appeared to be on a momentary pause after the recent streak of rallies with investors looking up to third quarter earnings of companies to determine the next major move of the market. Many companies indicated yesterday that they have scheduled the board meeting to consider their third quarter earnings, usually the last process before the release of the earnings reports for non-financial companies.

    Lafarge Africa, Nigeria’s second largest cement company, which had indicated a rights issue, declined by N2.39 to close at N54.50. Nigerian Breweries- Nigeria’s second most capitalised quoted company, followed with a loss of N1.10 to close at N168.90.

    With these, the aggregate market value of all quoted companies dipped by N19 billion from its opening value of N12.678 trillion to close at N12.659 trillion. The All Share Index (ASI)-the main index that tracks share prices at the Exchange, dropped marginally by 0.15 per cent to close at 36,776.60 points as against its opening index of 36,831.93 points.  The average year-to-date return slipped marginally to 36.85 per cent.

    Total turnover however stood above average with the exchange of 353.19 million shares valued at N3.26 billion in 4,201 deals. The three most active stocks were Diamond Bank, with 215.76 million shares; Fidelity Bank, 15 million shares and FCMB Group, with 14.59 million shares.

    Other top losers were C & I Leasing, with a drop of 18 kobo to close at N1.74; FBN Holdings, which lost 6.0 kobo to close at N6.08 while Diamond Bank and Custodian and Allied declined by 5.0 kobo each to close at N1 and N3.60 respectively.

    On the upside, Flour Mills of Nigeria, which announced ongoing arrangements for a supplementary capital raising, led the contrarian stocks with a gain of N1.13 to close at N29. Cement Company of Northern Nigeria followed with a gain of 86 kobo to close at N9.32. PZ Cussons Nigeria rose by 50 kobo to close at N23.74. Cadbury Nigeria added 40 kobo to close at N10.40 while Northern Nigeria Flour Mills chalked up 27 kobo to close at N5.77 per share.

  • Congo DR drag Eaglets to Tata Raphael

    • CAF picks Cameroonian officials

    With work still ongoing at their main stadium, the artificial surface of Tata Raphael Stadium in Kinshasa will host the Golden Eaglets and Congo Democratic Republic’s much anticipated Niger 2015 Under-17 African Championship qualifier today.

    The match was earlier scheduled for the TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi but the Federation of Congolese Football Association (FECOFA) informed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) of the change in venue a few days before the Golden Eaglets’ departure.

    The Tata Raphael Stadium is the same venue local side AS Vita Club humbled Kano Pillars 3-1 in an African Champions League fixture in February.

    Meanwhile, continental soccer ruling body, CAF, has picked officials from Cameroon to handle the second round first leg fixture expected to be watched by a capacity crowd.

    The centre referee will be 31-year-old Antoine Max Depadoux Effa Essouma, who became an international referee in 2013, with his compatriots, 40-year-old Thierry Bruno Tocke and 36-year-old Hamadou Sadou serving as first and second assistants respectively.

    The fourth official is 36-year-old Mandeng Bakalay Cosmas Jerome while Michel Gasingwa from Rwanda will serve as Match Commissioner.

    Dignitaries expected  to watch the match include Nigeria’s Ambassador to the Congo DR, Dr. Grant Ehiobuche, Governor of Kinshasa City, Mayor of Kalamu Community, DR Congo’s Minister of Youth Matters and Sports as well as executive members of FECOFA.

    Ambassador Ehiobuche has equivocally told the Golden Eaglets to go for victory against the home team: “I will be there with you and that means, President Goodluck Jonathan (GCFR) is also with you in spirit,” he said during the team’s lunch on Friday.

    “Please, grant us victory against Congo DR because I was so ashamed when our team, Kano Pillars were beaten here the last time.You are our future hope and I want you to prove that by beaten Congo DR,” Ehiobuche added.

  • Pre-season Training: Man City drag Iheanacho, Nwakali to Scotland

    Pre-season Training: Man City drag Iheanacho, Nwakali to Scotland

    English Premiership side, Manchester City has included Nigerian duo of Chidiebere Nwakali and Kelechi Iheanacho for their pre-season training in Scotland.

    Nwakali and Iheanacho were recruited by the big spending side into their youth team following their superb performance with the Golden Eaglets’ gold medal-winning side at last year’s FIFA Under-17 World Cup.

    But the duo have joined the rest of the first team for their pre-season ahead of the 2014/2015 season which would end in Scotland on the 18th before the team’s tour of the USA  on the 22nd.

    Speaking with Sportinglife, Nwakali said he was happy with the development which would invariably boost his career,adding he stands a chance of playing for the A team as soon as possible.

    ” I’m really happy that I was picked as one of the players for the pre season camp in Scotland and that means I would have to work very hard,” said Nwakali who is fondly called Guti by admirers.

    He added: ” Of course, I will do my best because right from my days with the Golden Eaglets, we have been taught how to be focussed and not get carried away.

    “This is good step for Kelechi and I; we shall do our best because this is a great opportunity for us.”

    Nwakali and Iheanacho has already signed a pre-contract deal with Man City which could translate to a professional contract when they clock 18 especially if they impress coach Manuel Pellegrini during the pre-season camp.

     

  • ILLEGAL TRANSFER: Ekiti Utd set to drag Sunshine Stars to NFF court

    ILLEGAL TRANSFER: Ekiti Utd set to drag Sunshine Stars to NFF court

    The management of Ekiti United has resolved to report Sunshine Stars of Akure to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over allegedly poaching one of its players Anthony Bello Clement without due process.

    The club’s secretary Olowolafe Ayodeji told SportingLife that Clement failed to resume with the rest of the squad after the World Cup break last week.

    Ayodeji claimed that the management has made several efforts to locate Clement only to discover that he had since been training with Sunshine Stars.

    Clement joined Ekiti United 5th of January this year from Road Safety of Abuja on a free transfer.

    Ayodeji said the club was shocked that a club like Sunshine Stars could have a player of another club in their team without proper agreement with his club.

    He said the club has already reported the case to the officials of the Nigeria National League (NNL), stressing that they will go to any length to get justice.

    “The information from within said he has since been training with Sunshine Stars Football Club of Akure. Sunshine Stars as a professional club  run by people of high integrity and of repute should know what to do in such a case. I am telling you that the team is ready to take the matter to the league body for justice,” Ayodeji said in a mail forwarded to SportingLife.

    “We won’t stop him from joining Sunshine Stars if he wishes to move but what we are saying is that they should do the right thing by signing him legally. Our doors are open for negotiations.”

     

  • 3SC drag Sunshine, LMC to NFF

    3SC drag Sunshine, LMC to NFF

    The management of Glo Premier League side, 3SC has said they will appeal against the verdict of the League Management Company (LMC) in the inconclusive Matchday 30 encounter against Sunshine Stars on Sunday in Akure.

    The Akure Gunners were up by 2-1 against the Oluyole Warriors at half time when the Ibadan-based side refused to continue with the game on alleged attack on them by unidentified supporters of the home side.

    However, the league body on Wednesday ordered 3SC to pay N3 million as fine as well as the forfeiture of three points and three goals to their opponents, Sunshine Stars.

    But an official of 3SC, Jubril Arowolo said the club management has already forwarded their ground of appeal to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Organising and Disciplinary Committee for their consideration and necessary action.

    “The management is already working on an appeal to the NFF Organising and Disciplinary Committee where we hope to lay bare all the facts and evidences at our disposal to the committee and we believe we’ll get fair hearing.

    “We won’t begrudge LMC for interpreting the incident the way they did and returning guilty verdict, we’re relieved to know the LMC decision could be appealed, so we’re taking the option of appeal and we’re optimistic the NFF O&D Committee will surely upturn the verdict in our favour.

    “We’ve asked why didn’t the LMC interpret the law same way they did in the botched game involving Akwa United and Warri Wolves in Uyo. We’ve done our home work on the appeal and just expecting the NFF O&D Committee to communicate us with the date our appeal will be heard.

    “We strongly believe that the facts of the case we hope to table before the committee will surely guide them in taking an appropriate decision. We’re not worried by the LMC verdict as we strongly believe that no matter how much concerted efforts made to hide the truth it will ultimately prevail,” said Arowolo to supersport.com.

    3SC are bottom of the 20-team elite league on 35 points from a possible 90.

     

  • AMEOBI AFCON SAGA: NFF won’t drag Newcastle to FIFA, unless…

    AMEOBI AFCON SAGA: NFF won’t drag Newcastle to FIFA, unless…

    NIGERIA Foootball Federation (NFF) General Secretary Musa Amadu has revealed to SportingLife that the football body cannot take the case of Newcastle player Shola Ameobi to FIFA unless the player requests the NFF to intervene.

    He siad: “The NFF cannot do anything about the case until Shola Ameobi requests the Federation to intervene in writing. This is an issue that has to do with a clause in his contract.

    “If such a clause exists in the contract, and the player is willing to play in the Nations Cup, he should write to us, and we will request FIFA to invoke Article 62 of player’s eligibility clause of the FIFA statute which would compel the club to release him, or forfeit using him all through the duration of the championship.

    “If they do, they would stand the risk of losing such points to their opponents. But in the first place, Shola would have to signify interest to play first”.

    Foluwashola “Shola” Ameobi, born on 12 October 1981 is a Nigerian footballer but raised in England, Ameobi was capped by the England under-21 team before making his Nigeria debut in 2012. He is the older brother of fellow footballers Tomi and Sammy.

    Ameobi has made more appearances for Newcastle than any other current player at the club, and received a winner’s medal in 2010 when the team lifted the Championship trophy. Ameobi has the nickname the “Mackem Slayer” due to his scoring record against rivals Sunderland.

    In late 2009, Ameobi declared his interest in playing for Nigeria. On 14 January 2011, he was announced in the Nigerian national squad for the first time, for a friendly against Guatemala in the United States, in February. He withdrew from the replacement game against Sierra Leone after breaking his cheekbone in a Premier League match.

    On 1 November 2011, it was announced that FIFA had cleared Ameobi to play for Nigeria.

    In November 2012, Shola received his second call up for the Nigeria national team against Venezuela. He made his debut on 14 November, appearing as a substitute in the 60th minute for former teammate Obafemi Martins. In stoppage time at the end of the game, Ameobi laid a perfect pass into Ogenyi Onazi to make the score 3–1 to Nigeria.

    His recent announcement in the 32-man team released by Coach Stephen Keshi in preparation for the Africa Nations Cup holding in South Africa, sparked a row with his club coach later coming out to announce that the player would not be available for the AFCON as there is a clause in his contract that stops him from the tournament. He signed the contract two years ago.