The Nation Newspaper

Tag: victory

  • Eagles’ victory can propel Nigeria’s bid — Amadu

    Eagles’ victory can propel Nigeria’s bid — Amadu

    The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Thursday said that the Super Eagles’ success at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) could propel the country to bid for the hosting right of the 2019 edition.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Eagles narrowly defeated Burkina Faso 1-0 to win the trophy in South Africa, 19 years after it won the cup for the second time in 1994 in Tunisia.

    Musa Amadu, the General Secretary of the NFF told NAN in Abuja that the NFA intends to bid for the AFCON 2019 but would need to get the Federal Government’s nod before doing so.

    “The decision for Nigeria to bid for the 2019 Nations Cup is not to be done in isolation by the NFA. It is a national bid and you have to get the approval of the necessary authorities before you can make a move; right now I’m not aware we are bidding for it,” he added.

    He, however, added that the Super Eagles’ success could propel Nigeria to bid for the hosting right of the competition in 2019. The secretary noted that Nigeria had all it takes in terms of facilities to bid and host AFCON having successfully done so in 1980 and 2000.

    The secretary added that the Super Eagles’ victory at AFCON had also put the NFF under pressure to deliver on its activities.

    “Every achievement has its own challenges. For all intents and purposes we have put behind us the celebration of the Nations Cup victory, but that has added extra responsibility on us and the Super Eagles’ to deliver as African champions.

    “I know that preparations will begin in earnest in early March for the 2014 World Cup when the coach will call his players to camp in readiness for the qualifying match against Kenya. I can confirm that the match would be played on March 23 in Calabar. The Kenyans would come with the intention of causing an upset; that alone is a big task and we must be prepared,’’ he said.

    Amadu, however, gave assurances that the Super Eagles would get the maximum points and remain on top of Group F.

  • Oshiomhole: victory for Edo people

    EDO State Governor Adams Oshiomhole yesterday described his victory at the Election Petition Tribunal as an affirmation of the “voice of the people.”

    The governor extended an olive branch to the petitioner, Charles Airhiavbere, to join him in moving the state forward.

    He spoke at a campaign rally to celebrate his victory. The march took off from the High Court on Sapele Road to the Oba Ovoramwen Square down to Mission Road to the New Bini Market up to New Lagos Road to Lawani Street to Ibviame Street to Wire Road down to Oba Market and climaxed at the Oba Ovoramwen Square.

    The governor said though in a democracy, contest was important, however the manner and ways in which the petitioner had gone to challenge the victory leaves much to be desired.

    “It’s very clear. Edo people spoke loud and clear on July 14 and I won the 18 local governments.

    “You were in court and you have heard the allegations and you have equally heard the findings of the court that this was just an exercise in futility.

    “Nigerians were unanimous that the election was the best. It is clear that it was an empty petition, designed to waste the time of the court and also to waste our time.

    “I promise all the great people of Edo State that I will give my all to the state. I want to assure the Benin Monarch that we will take Benin Kingdom to the next level.”

  • Ghana President set for victory

    Ghana President set for victory

    Ghana’s President John Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) was heading for victory yesterday in an election that has been described as a close race.

    Mahama had garnered 50.66 per cent of the vote and Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotice Party (NPP) 47.76 per cent.

    The electoral commission was releasing results on its website, but the most recent available included only 173 of 275 districts. Those results put Mahama at 49.61 per cent and Akufo-Addo at 48.9 per cent.

    A run-off election is to be held on December 28 if no candidate receives more than 50 per cent. Eight candidates contested the election.

    Ghana, a new oil producer with a booming economy, is seeking to live up to its reputation as a beacon of democracy in West Africa.

    Observers from the Commonwealth, West African bloc ECOWAS and local group CODEO have all said the vote held over Friday and Saturday had appeared peaceful and transparent.

    Nigeria’s ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo who led the African Union (AU) and the ECOWAS monitoring team said the election was credible.

    The opposition however issued a scathing statement alleging fraud.

    “Indeed, we have enough concrete evidence to show that the 2012 presidential election was won by our candidate, Nana Akufo-Addo,” the NPP said.

    “We have noticed a pattern of fraud, where substantial numbers of votes are either added to the NDC candidate or subtracted from the NPP presidential candidate.”

    It demanded an audit of collated vote figures as well as of data from the biometric verification machines used in the election before the results are officially announced.

    “We call upon our party members and the general public to ignore the tainted provisional results announced through the mass media,” the NPP said.

    A crowd of about 200 NPP supporters sought to march on the electoral commission Sunday afternoon. They remained peaceful as they stood behind security forces who blocked a main road to the commission, shouting “we want justice,” an AFP correspondent reported.

    Akufo-Addo has not spoken publicly, but Mahama told reporters his team had “a fair idea” of the results based on its own tallies, but would wait for the electoral commission to make an announcement.

    “We all will await peacefully the (commission’s) verdict and we will abide by whatever verdict the electoral commission gives,” said Mahama.

    The 54-year-old took power after John Atta Mills died in July. Akufo-Addo, 68, a Britain-trained human rights lawyer and son of a former president, lost by less than one per cent in the 2008 poll.

    Some analysts say the parties do not have major ideological differences, but the ruling NDC is seen as slightly centre-left while the NPP is viewed as more free market-oriented.

    Ghana’s presidential and parliamentary polls were held on Friday, but polling stations in some areas re-opened on Saturday after problems with a new biometric system and late delivery of materials led to delays.

    Elections since the return to civilian rule in 1992 have seen both parties voted out of office, establishing Ghana’s democratic credentials in a region that has had its share of rigged polls and coups.

    Obasanjo described the election as peaceful, transparent, free and fair, and should, therefore, be emulated by other African countries.

    He said: “By this successful and peaceful election, Ghana has again added another beautiful block to the already political edifice it has built over the years.”

    The former President spoke when he visited President Mahama at his official residence in Accra.

    Also at the meeting was Vice President Paa Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, Alhaji Baba Kamara, Ghana’s High commissioner to Nigeria among others.

    Obasanjo said Ghana’s democracy had reached a level where there would not be any need to resort to any court cases regarding this year’s election.

  • Ideye happy with victory

    Ideye happy with victory

    Dynamo Kiev forward Brown Ideye has commented on the capital side’s 4 – 2 away win over Hoverla on Friday evening, a game which corresponded to the 18th round of matches in the Ukrainian championship.

    Dynamomania.com quoted the Super Eagle as saying: ”It was a tough game because the field was very poor. Because of this, we have tried to play with long passes, but the most important thing is that Dynamo won three points. It is important that we finish this year with victory.”

    Against Hoverla, Ideye notched his 13th goal of the season, surpassing his 12 – goal tally of the 2011 – 2012 campaign.

    ”Yes, I’m very happy. Dudu gave me a long ball, I did not drop the ball on the ground and shot was accurate,” Ideye said.

  • Kenyan community celebrates victory

    Kenyan community celebrates victory

    Having her walking cane and smiling broadly, the step-grandmother of Barack Obama celebrated yesterday in Kogelo, the tiny Western Kenyan village, where people danced and rejoiced after the United States president won four more years in the White House.

    Kogelo, a dirt-road town where children play soccer in bare feet, was the home of Barack Obama’s father, and claims several relatives of the president among its population. The family matriarch is Sarah Obama, who was married to the president’s late grandfather.

    “Take the great job that people have given to you and lead them well,” Sarah Obama advised her relative by marriage after his victory. “They have shown immense love to have voted for you.”

    Residents hoisted branches of green leaves, red plastic chairs and even one-speed bicycles into the air to celebrate Obama’s win.

    “The community is happy. The community is waking up from their sleep to come and celebrate,” said Kennedy Rajula, the president’s cousin.

    Sarah Obama is the second wife of Obama’s paternal grandfather. Obama referred to her as “Granny” in his memoir, “Dreams from My Father,” and described meeting her during his 1988 trip to his father’s homeland and their awkwardness as they struggled to communicate.

    Kenya takes great pride in its association with Obama, and Prime Minister Raila Odinga told The Associated Press that the election victory was a great day for the U.S. and Kenya.

    “Obama’s victory has proved that it was not a fluke the first time round, that the American society has changed, that the people of America have now, basically living the American dream of a people who are united by race, by religion, by ethnicity and so on,” Odinga said. “People are prepared to work together to build their country.”

    Kenya has its own presidential election coming up in March. The country’s last vote in late 2007 turned devastatingly violent, and more than 1,000 people were killed. Many people in Kenya vote along tribal lines, adding to the tension, but Odinga said the U.S. vote showed that elections should be decided based on issues.

    “This is what we should learn from these elections, American elections, and try to see if we cannot replicate it here in Kenya, that we move away from personality based campaigns or ethnic based campaigns and move toward issue-based campaigns,” Odinga said.

    John Githongo, a former adviser to Kenya President Mwai Kibaki on ethics and governance who resigned and then exposed hundreds of millions of dollars in government corruption, said Obama enjoys “an unprecedented level of trust” among the people of the world, though he said there are some in Kenya who worry the U.S. will now begin cracking down on corruption and tribalism in Kenya. “Many leaders thrive on corruption and whipping up tribal sentiments to consolidate political support,” he said.

    Eric Lugalia, a 31-year-old pilot, said he is excited Obama won again. “It also motivates us before our elections. Him being Kenyan, it motivates us to vote wisely for leaders who can bring change, unlike voting along tribal lines as we do.

     

  • Keshi promises Nigerians, Imoke sweet victory

    •Pomp welcomes Eagles to Calabar

    NOT KNOWN to be flippant when it comes to making promises, Super Eagles boss, Stephen Keshi, momentarily threw that to the winds when he assured Nigerians and especially Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River and the people of the state that the national team will offer a sweet victory to the nation come Saturday October 13 when they square up against Liberia at the UJ Esuene Stadium.

    Keshi who was overwhelmed by the huge reception accorded the team on arrival at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, thanked the leadership of the state and urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the team. “Because by God’s grace come Saturday we will give the nation a sweet victory and qualify for the Nations Cup in South Africa,” he said.

    Keshi also spoke on the arrival of his army of European based professionals, revealing for the umpteenth time that he has the promise of all of them to be in Calabar today at the latest. He assured that there was enough time to prepare the team for the game against the Lone Star of Liberia, arguing that the fact that most of the players invited have been playing regularly for their club sides is enough to make up for lost time.

    The team was welcomed at the airport by the Commissioner of Sports, Hon. Patrick Ugbe, and a retinue of other top government functionaries, with the State chapter of the Nigeria Football and Other Sports Supporter Club drumming away to the delight of the seven home based players and officials.

    The Arik Air Plane that took the team to Calabar, left Abuja at 10:50am and arrived the airport at 11:50, about an hour flight, that was described as fairly smooth. The team has since moved into its abode at the Metropolitan Hotel, while expecting the foreign based legion to start streaming in later in the day.