Author: Vardiafrica

A goal in each half was all Nigeria needed to claim the bragging rights against Ghana’s Black Stars in a 2-1 win on Friday evening. The Super Eagles scored first courtesy of Cyriel Dessers’ penalty and a sweet finish from Ademola Lookman of Atalanta. But Jordan Ayew scored a late spot-kick to give the 10-men Ghana a consolation. Nigeria, fresh off a great campaign where they finished runners-up at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) were without the CAF Player of the Year Victor Osimhen, and defender William Troost-Ekong among others. Both are nursing injuries. But from the blast of…

Catherine, Princess of Wales, on Friday announced that she has cancer and is in the early stages of chemotherapy, asking for “time, space and privacy” as she completes her treatment. Kate, as she is widely known, said the discovery of cancer, after successful abdominal surgery in January, was “a huge shock” but she was “well and getting stronger every day”. The 42-year-old princess did not disclose the exact nature of the cancer but described the last few months since she went into hospital as “incredibly tough” for her and her family. “In January, I underwent major abdominal surgery in London…

Several gunmen burst into a large concert hall on the edge of Moscow on Friday and sprayed the crowd with automatic gunfire, killing at least 40 people, injuring more than 100 others and setting fire to the venue in a brazen attack just days after President Vladimir Putin cemented his grip on power in a highly orchestrated electoral landslide. Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin described the attack as a “huge tragedy” and which state authorities are investigating as terrorism. The attack, which left the concert hall in flames with a collapsed roof, was the deadliest attack in Russia in years and came as…

President Bola Tinubu on Friday urged Nigerians to patronise made-in-Nigeria products and services to sustain the recent gains of the naira in the foreign exchange market. He said the recent appreciation of the value of the naira against the dollar does not spell Uhuru yet. Therefore, he called for more collaboration from citizens, whom he urged to blow the whistle on persons seen engaging in practices that undermine the local currency. Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, disclosed these to journalists when he delivered Tinubu’s message at a State House briefing on Friday Upon assuming…

The Rivers State House of Assembly has ruled against Governor Siminalayi Fubara to enact the Rivers State House of Assembly (RSHA) Service Commission Law. The House of Assembly had convened an unscheduled sitting on Friday during which they observed that more than the constitutionally required 30 days had elapsed since they sent the notice of the amendment to the Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission law to the governor for his assent. This makes it the second time the Rivers State House of Assembly will override the governor to pass a law this year. In January, the lawmakers voted…

Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has appointed his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the head of the Military in the East African country.   According to Reuters, the news was relayed in a statement by the nation’s defence ministry on Friday.   Muhoozi Kainerugaba a forty-eight (48) year-old general in the Ugandan military widely believed to be his father’s successor would replace Wilson Mbasu Mbadi, who was removed and appointed as a junior minister.  In 2002 Muhoozi caused much controversy when he threatened on his X page to invade neighboring Kenya. This prompted his father President Museveni to remove him as the commander of Uganda’s land…

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has commended Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, for repealing the law that allowed former governors and their deputies to collect pensions. He admonished other state governors to emulate Otti to reduce the cost of governance. The former President spoke during a courtesy visit to Otti at the Governor’s country home in Nvosi, Isialangwa South Local Government Area. He congratulated the Governor for ending the pension to former governors and former deputy governors which he described as daylight robbery. “The pension scheme for former governor here is atrocious, it’s like daylight robbery because it allows them to…

Alex Otti, governor of Abia, has signed the bill which repeals pension payments to former governors of the state and their deputies. On Tuesday, the Abia house of assembly passed the bill for a law to repeal ‘The Abia State Governors & Deputy Governors Pensions Law No 4 of 2001’. The law stipulated that former Abia governors and deputies are entitled to 100 percent of the annual basic salaries of the incumbent governor and deputy; their cooks, stewards, drivers, and gardeners are to be paid by the state; and are entitled to three police officers and two operatives of the Department of…

The National Economic Council (NEC) says it has received reports for the creation of state police from 16 states of the federation. Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who heads the NEC, disclosed this in a statement issued by Stanley Nkwocha, his spokesperson, after NEC’s 140th meeting on Thursday. Nkwocha said Nebeolisa Anako, NEC secretary, made a presentation on submissions by states on the state policing initiative. He said 20 states are yet to send in reports, but added that all states expressed their support for the establishment of state police. The states that have sent in reports and those yet to were not…

President Bola Tinubu has reacted to the alleged padding of the 2024 Appropriations Act by the members of the Nigerian Senate. The President while hosting the lawmakers at the State House in Abuja for Ramadan Iftar (breaking of Muslim fast) on Thursday claimed that those spreading the allegation of irregularities in the budget legislative process are not properly informed. He said he knew the figures that he tendered before the Senate and also what was eventually approved by them, adding that the Senators were people whose integrity had helped his administration since his inauguration. He said, “I know the arithmetic…