News
Buni’s lawyers, rebels plotting to stop convention – El-Rufai
Factual Pursuit of Truth for Progress
Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State on Wednesday said governors of the All Progressives Congress discovered a grand plot between the lawyers of the embattled Chairman of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Mai Mala Buni; and some fifth columnists to postpone the national convention of the party through a court injunction.
El-Rufai said the governors informed President Muhammadu Buhari of this plot on Sunday, reason why he ordered the immediate removal of Buni and the installment of Governor Abubakar Bello of Niger State as the acting chairman.
The Kaduna State governor said these on a television programme, adding that the plan was to postpone the convention till May which coincides with the deadline set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for all political parties to conduct their presidential primaries.
He said the court injunction which was obtained in November last year, was never challenged by Buni. Rather, Buni’s lawyers agreed with the position of those who instituted the suit.
El-Rufai stated, “We got to know of a court order last year. It was obtained in November. A member of the party went to court to say there must not be a convention until his case against the party is disposed of which can take months or years and the lawyers of Buni went to court and agreed with the person and nobody knew about this order.
“It was a hidden nuclear weapon to destroy the convention which further made us believe that there are fifth columnists in the party that want to bring this party down because if we don’t have (convention) and we go ahead with the primaries we might likely have our candidates lose all their seats as the case in Zamfara.
“We reported to the President that no action had been taken on the order. He said the Niger state governor must take over on Monday and we should use whatever legal means necessary to make sure that the convention is delivered.”
El-Rufai added that at least 19 out of the 22 APC governors as well as the President were firmly behind Bello as the new caretaker chairman of the party.
He said there were about two governors who were still backing Buni, adding that they were the ones sponsoring fake news.
“Bello has the President’s full backing and the backing of at least 19 of the 23 progressive governors and deputy governors. There are some governors not fully on board and are the ones planting fake stories. Since Monday he took over, we have substantial progress,” said the governor.
News
Many feared dead as explosion rocks Kano
Factual Pursuit of Truth for Progress
At least three residents of Kano were killed while many are currently trapped in an explosion which rocked Sabongari area of the state.
Details of the incident are still sketchy, but it was gathered that an explosive device went off in the early hours of the day.
It is being reported that a suicide bomber struck in the area.
Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) are currently at the scene.
News
Court remands three suspects for stealing transformer cables in Osun monarch’s palace
An Osun State Magistrate court sitting in Ilesa, on Monday remanded three suspected thieves in police custody for stealing transformer cables valued at N700,000 in Owa Obokun of Ijeshaland, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran’s palace.
The suspects, Owolabi Abimbola,33, Sulaiman Mutiu,25, Samson Oluwafemi,25, and others now at large are facing four-count charges on the committed offence.
According to the Police Prosecutor, Inspector Adigun Kehinde, the stolen transformer cables were the property of IBEDC Ilesa branch.
He told the court that the defendants on May 11, 2022, conspired, stole and diverted to their own personal use a transformer cable at the Owa Obokun Palace.
Adigun argued that the offence committed by the defendants was contrary to sections 516, 400, 451(6), 383(2) of the Criminal Code Cap 34 Vol ll Law of Osun State 2002, which saw the suspects pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them.
In his ruling, the presiding Magistrate, A.O Awodele fixed further hearing on the case till May 18th and ordered that the defendants should be kept in Police custody.
News
Rio Ferdinand reacts after Cristiano Ronaldo failed to make Premier League Player of the Year shortlist
Rio Ferdinand has reacted to Cristiano Ronaldo’s omission from the Premier League Player of the Year shortlist, saying it’s ‘laughable’ while insisting he will ‘100 per cent’ stay at Manchester United next season.
Ronaldo’s return to the club from Juventus hasn’t gone as planned after enduring a frustrating first season at United, who have missed out on Champions League qualification. Though, he has 18 Premier League goals to his name.
Despite his individual performance, there was no room for the Portuguese star on this season’s Premier League Player of the Year shortlist, which consists of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jarrod Bowen, Joao Cancelo, Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah, Son Heung-min, James Ward-Prowse, and Bukayo Saka.
Now, Ferdinand has questioned how Saka, who has registered six goals and 11 assists for Arsenal, has earned a nomination ahead of his old team-mate.
‘Saka’s in the in the Player of the Year nominees?’ the former United defender asked on the Vibe with Five podcast. ‘I wouldn’t have had Saka in there yet, as well as he’s done.
‘I wouldn’t have had him over Ronaldo, no, not this season. Ronaldo should be in ahead of three of four of those guys in there.
‘He probably doesn’t win it but in terms of nominees, it’s laughable. He’ll take it as a disrespect but these are the things that fuel him, he’ll be thinking, “how dare you?”.
‘If it’s based on stats, he’s like, “I’ve banged in more goals than most of them on that list other than Salah, so what are you talking about?”‘
