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Nasarawa State: 200 Golfers to compete in first Ladies Open

Mercy Chukwudiebere
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About 200 amateur golfers have arrived in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, to compete in the first Ladies Open Golf Championship.

The competition is set to take place from September 3 to 5 at the Lafia Golf Club Course.

Lady Captain, Lafia Golf Club, Asibi Omeri-Ogabo, said the club was holding the first edition of the tournament in collaboration with the Ladies Golf Association of Nigeria.

“I am so happy that those I invited and even those that I didn’t invite all came to be with us. So for now, we have about 200 golfers on ground. We are still expecting more.

“We thought we could have the foreigners but we have only two foreigners from Uganda. Other foreigners could not make it due to the Coronavirus pandemic,” she said.

Omeri-Ogabo explained that she pushed for the maiden edition of the championship to raise more awareness on the beauty of the game, to attract more people to show interest in golf, especially in the northern part of the country.

“I felt the need to organise this event in Lafia to help attract more ladies, men and children to join golfing. Its quite an interesting game.

“Another goal for organising this event is to attract businesses in Lafia. With the population here today, many businesses are been patronised. So I feel that what I have done today is something worthwhile,” Omeri-Ogabo said.

She said the tournament would feature amateur golfers from across the country who would be competing for mouth-watering prizes in various categories.

Omeri-Ogabo thanked the Nasarawa State Government under the leadership of Governor Abdullahi Sule for supporting the club to organise the championship.

Dignitaries expected at the event include; the Governor and his wife, Silifat Sule, as well as his Deputy, Emmanuel Akabe and his wife, Mrs Sheila Akabe.

 

 

NAN/Mercy Chukwudiebere

Iheanacho, Iwobi win awards as Eagles beat Liberia

Mercy Chukwudiebere
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Super Eagles duo Kelechi Iheanacho and Alex Iwobi were both awarded the Man-of-The- Match and Most Valuable Player awards in Nigeria’s 2-0 win over Liberia in a Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifying game at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos on Friday.

A first half brace from Leicester City forward, Iheanacho, secured a dominant win for the three-time African champions and he was rewarded with the sum of N1m by one of the sponsors of the Nigeria Football Federation after the game.

The former Manchester City player scored in the 23rd and 45th minutes to shoot the Eagles to the top of Group C after match-day one fixtures, following Cape Verde’s 1-1 draw with Central Africa Republic on Wednesday.

Iwobi was adjudged the MVP of the game and was handed N1m for his performance.

The Eagles dominated the encounter but were wasteful in attack against the Liberians, who offered very little resistance.

READ MORE: Kelechi Iheanacho’s Double Ensures Victory For Nigeria Against Liberia

 

 

Mercy Chukwudiebere

 

Ronaldo arrives in Manchester

Mercy Chukwudiebere
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Cristiano Ronaldo has arrived into the UK just days after sealing a Deadline Day return to Manchester United.

The Portuguese forward joined the club from Serie A side Juventus on a two-year contract, with the option to extend for another year.

Ronaldo was greeted on arrival at a private terminal at Manchester Airport by former team-mate and the club’s technical director Darren Fletcher.

The 36-year-old was released early from the Portugal squad after picking up a suspension for celebrating his stoppage-time winner in a 2-1 World Cup qualifying win over the Republic of Ireland.

New world record
It was the second of two goals which saw the player create a new world record for international goals scored (111).

Ronaldo, who will once again wear the iconic No 7 shirt, is expected to feature for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side in the Premier League clash against Newcastle United at Old Trafford on Saturday, September 11.

He has also been included in Manchester United’s 25-man Champions League squad, with the first game against Swiss side Young Boys on Tuesday, September 14.

Ronaldo has expressed his delight to be back “home” at United and is hungry to create more history with the club.

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner’s return to Old Trafford was made official on Tuesday morning, as he signed a two-year deal with the option to extend for a further year.

ALSO READ: Kelechi Iheanacho’s Double Ensures Victory For Nigeria Against Liberia

Ronaldo scored a total of 551 club goals across spells at Real Madrid and Juventus after leaving United in 2009, and in an interview with the club, the 36-year-old said ‘‘it is now the right moment for him to return.”

Ronaldo told the official Manchester United website, “I have a fantastic history with this amazing club. I was there at 18 years old and of course, I’m so happy to be back home after 12 years. So I’m really glad and looking forward to starting my first game.

“I think it’s the best decision that I have made. It’s right on point in my opinion.

“I moved from Juve now to Manchester, it’s a new chapter, I’m so happy and glad, and I want to carry on again, to make history, to try to help Manchester achieve great results, to win trophies and number one of them, to win great things.”

 

 

PUNCH/Mercy Chukwudiebere

Kaduna Election; Electoral materials arrive late

Lateefat Ibrahim
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As election holds today in Kaduna State, reports indicate that, electoral materials were yet to be distributed in Kaduna North and Kaduna South Local government areas as at 10:00am.
Voice of Nigeria’s Correspondent who went round some of the areas in the two Local government areas disclosed that voters were not seen hanging around polling units to cast their votes.
The polling unit at Unguwan Sarki, Kaduna North where the State Governor usually casts his vote was also empty, as only security men were seen awaiting materials.
Survey conducted around Kaduna North shows that some collating centres which include Unguwan Sarki, Maiburuji, Liman and Shaba respectively were yet to distribute electoral materials as at 10:00am.
Some polling units at Tudun Nupawa in Kaduna South LGA had their materials ready but were yet to start accreditation even with the absence of voters.
While the collation centre at Unguwan Mu’azu and Kinkinau both in Kaduna South were yet to distribute electoral materials as at 10:00am.
However, Igabi Local government area had materials distributed at Rigasa and accreditation had begun but recorded low turnout of voters.
Generally, there is low turnout of electorates.Children and youths were seen playing football on the streets but there is full compliance to restriction of movement within the metropolis.
The State Electoral Commission has earlier, suspended elections in Kajuru, Zangon Kataf, Chikun and Birnin Gwari 24 hours before the commencement of the election to a later date, hence, election is being held in 19 out of the 23 LGAs of Kaduna State.

 

 

Lateefah Ibrahim

South Africa’s top court dismisses bid to postpone local election

Lateefat Ibrahim
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South Africa’s top court has dismissed an application by the Electoral Commission to postpone local elections due on October 27, court documents showed on Friday.
The judgement is a blow to the ruling African National Congress (ANC), which supported a postponement and has struggled to register thousands of councillors expected to contest the municipal elections.
In 2016, the party was hammered in local government elections, losing cities such as Johannesburg to rival opposition parties in the ANC’s worst faring since sweeping to power in South Africa’s first democratic vote in 1994.
This time the polls will test support for the ANC following the coronavirus pandemic and South Africa’s worst civil unrest in years in July, triggered by the jailing of former President Jacob Zuma after he failed to appear before an anti-corruption inquiry.
ANC spokesman Pule Mabe told broadcaster SABC that the party welcomed the judgement and would study it properly before commenting further.
The Electoral Commission said in a statement it would meet over the weekend to chart a way forward, and would make an announcement about the electoral programme on Monday.
In August, the Electoral Commission applied to have the elections postponed after an inquiry recommended a delay because of the pandemic.
In its ruling, the court set aside the government’s decision to have elections on October 27, saying instead the polls must go ahead between that date and November 1.
The commission must, within three days of the court order, determine if it was “practically possible” to hold a voter registration weekend ahead of people casting their ballot, it ordered.
Aljazeera/Lateefah Ibrahim

APC Ward Congress: Abiodun, Amosun inaugurate parallel ward exco

Lateefat Ibrahim
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The last may not have been heard about the crisis rocking the All Progressives Congress, APC in Ogun State as two major groups at the centre of internal wrangling inaugurated factional ward executives across the 236 wards.
A faction led by Governor Dapo Abiodun earlier on Thursday, inaugurated its ward executive, while the other faction led by former Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun took its oath of office on Friday, in Abeokuta, the State capital.
Both Abiodun and Amosun have been locking horns over the party structure with the two groups conducting parallel ward congresses on Saturday, July 31.
Two sitting Senators, Lekan Mustapha (Ogun East) and Tolu Odebiyi (Ogun West) loyal to Amosun had earlier filed petitions against the ward congress before the five-man Appeal Panel set up by the national body of the party to resolve all issues surrounding the congress.

 

The All Progressives Congress Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee reportedly ratified and adopted the results of Abiodun – led ward parallel congress.
Accordingly, the Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee  approved the immediate inauguration of Ward Executives.
The action, subsequently paved the way for inauguration of factional ward executives by both groups.
 Abiodun, on Friday, backed ward chairmen, who took oath of office, administered by the party’s lawyer,  Honourable Abeeb  Ajayi
at the Mitros Hall,  Abeokuta.
Addressing the ward chairmen after the inauguration,  the State chairman,  APC Caretaker Committee in Ogun State,  Yemi Sanusi, urged them to  run an inclusive administration in their respective wards.
Sanusi said the door of the party is widely open to receive as many Nigerians desiring to join the progressives train,  adding that unity and  peace should be pursued at all times to ensure the continued success of the party.
He also charged the ward chairmen to shun pride, divisive tendencies and one man-show,  saying such attitude breeds only disagreement and faction.
Less than twenty -four hours after the inauguration of Governor Abiodun – backed ward executives, Amosun’s loyalists stormed his constituency office located at Leme, Abeokuta, on Friday and inaugurated its faction’s ward executives.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Sarafa Tunji Ishola, Senator Odebiyi, former APC State Chairman, Derin Adebiyi, Amosun’s elder brother, Alhaji Abidoye Amosun, among other Amosun loyalists were present at the parallel inauguration.
Addressing the gathering, Odebiyi, who was Amosun’s Chief of Staff, said
 “I don’t have much to say. Let’s continue to do the right thing and very soon, our wishes and aspirations would come to pass.”
Adebiyi described Amosun – backed ward executives as the “authentic one. We have submitted our results and they have approved of it,” he said.
He said: “We are in the majority and no reasonable and responsible party will abandon the majority of the minority.”
Two warring groups have expressed their readiness to conduct parallel Local Government congresses on Saturday, VON’s correspondent reports.
Governor Abiodun while addressing party stakeholders in Abeokuta, ahead of preparation for Saturday’s Local government congress of the party, assured members of the party of a level playing ground.
Abiodun who is also the leader of the party in the state, urged members of the party to jettison their self interest and work for the success of the party.
He said: “We should continue to be all inclusive. We must involve people who have joined us, as they intend to actualise their aspirations.”
Governor charged party members on the need to actively build a team, which will consolidate the victory of the party.
“We will not allow anyone to steer the ship of the party off-course. The party must be put first,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of Amosun group, his elder brother, Alhaji Abidoye Amosun asked loyalists of faction to mobilise en masse and participate in the Saturday’s LG congress.
Lateefah Ibrahim

Australia reports daily COVID-19 cases, braces for worse

Kamila Bello
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Australia has reported worst wave of COVID-19, over 1,756 infections on Saturday, another record high. Officials urged people to get vaccinated and warned that worse is yet to come.

Most of the cases were again in New South Wales, which has been fighting an outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant since mid-June. The state reported 1,533 new cases and four further deaths.

The Australian Capital Territory 32 and Queensland one. Recent daily infections are running about double the levels of Australia’s previous worst wave of the pandemic a year ago. Neighboring Victoria reported 190 cases.

New South Wales and Victoria authorities have focused on speeding inoculations to make the cases less virulent.

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer, Brett Sutton said, “The overall trend is a slow and steady increase. That’s why vaccination is so critical, as is following the rules.”

New South Wales, the most populous state and home to Sydney, expects more than 1,000 new cases a day for at least two more weeks, with hospital admissions likely to peak in October.

Health officials said, “Over 137 of the 173 people in intensive care in hospitals were not vaccinated.”

Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, together home to nearly 60% of Australia’s 25 million people, have been under strict lockdown for weeks.

“Only about a third of those aged 16 and over have been vaccinated, although the pace has picked up considerably, with the federal government racing to secure more Pfizer shots.”

Australia has recorded just under 60,000 COVID-19 cases and 1,036 deaths, far fewer than many comparable countries.

READ ALSO: COVID-19: Australia’s Melbourne to extend sixth lockdown

Kamila/Reuters

 

 

Jamb hands over candidate to police for altering result

Lateefat Ibrahim
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The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board JAMB has handed a 19 year–old candidate in the 2021 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, Chinedu Ifesinachi John, to the Nigeria Police for investigation.
John had claimed he scored 380 in the examination conducted in June this year and was surprised to receive 265 from the board after the results were released.
After several enquiries, 265 kept appearing as his score as against the 380 score.
Following the alleged “alteration” of the UTME score, his father, John Ifenkpam approached an Enugu – based lawyer, Ikeazor Akaiwe who wrote to JAMB for another opportunity for the boy to retake the examination and demanded N1 billion as damages.
The lawyer said the N1 billion was to cover for the physical and emotional trauma the boy had been through from being offered “two separate scores.”
Master John claimed that his UTME scores from 2019 till 2021 had been “altered” by the board, thereby denying him the opportunity to study his desired course – Medicine.
The candidate, his father and lawyers traveled down to Abuja from Enugu state following an invitation from the management of the board led by the Registrar of JAMB, Prof Ishaq Oloyede.
Initially, the boy was given few minutes to “appear clean” in a closed session with his father and lawyers about the results he was parading but insisted that his original score from the examination was 380.
After several attempts by the board to clarify doubts about the results, JAMB tendered evidence to counter the claim by John and his legal representatives.
At the Friday meeting, documentary evidence tendered by the board showed that John actually scored 265 not the 380 he had claimed.
Professor Oloyede accused the candidate of result tampering, explaining that he will be handed over to the police for investigation and subsequently prosecuted.
The registrar said John was among  eleven other candidates who allegedly forged their results that the board would prosecute.
He said the original result issued to john would be withdrawn pending the end of the investigation.
However, the candidate later confessed after the Board discovered that he saved his sister’s number on his phone as 55019 and used the phone to send the fake result to his phone.
John however pleaded for mercy that he had to do that when the result he got was not up to what could give him his desired programmme.
Lateefah Ibrahim

Apple delays plan to scan iPhones for child abuse

Lateefat Ibrahim
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Apple has delayed plans to roll out detection technology which would have scanned US users’ iPhones in search of child sexual abuse material.

 

It follows widespread criticism from privacy groups and others, worried that the on-device tracking set a dangerous precedent.

 

Apple said that it had listened to the negative feedback and was reconsidering.

 

There were concerns the system could be abused by authoritarian states.

 

The so-called NeuralHash technology would have scanned images just before they are uploaded to iCloud Photos.
Then it would have matched them against known child sexual abuse material on a database maintained by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

 

If a match was found then it would have been manually reviewed by a human and, if required, steps taken to disable a user’s account and report it to law enforcement.
It was due to launch later in the year.

 

In a statement, Apple said: “Last month we announced plans for features intended to help protect children from predators who use communication tools to recruit and exploit them, and limit the spread of child sexual abuse material.

 

“Based on feedback from customers, advocacy groups, researchers and others, we have decided to take additional time over the coming months to collect input and make improvements before releasing these critically important child safety features.”

 

Privacy campaigners expressed concern that the technology could be expanded and used by authoritarian governments to spy on citizens.

 

The Electronic Frontiers Foundation has been one of the most vocal critics of the system, gathering a petition signed by 25,000 customers opposing the move.

 

Its executive director Cindy Cohn told the BBC: “The company must go further than just listening and drop its plans to put a backdoor into its encryption entirely.”

 

“The enormous coalition that has spoken out will continue to demand that user phones – both their messages and their photos – be protected, and that the company maintains its promise to provide real privacy to its users.”

 

Apple has been an exponent of privacy and end-to-end encryption in the past.
BBC/Lateefah Ibrahim

US funds Afghan humanitarian aid, not the Taliban

Lateefat Ibrahim
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The United States Congress is expected to finance the United Nations’ humanitarian work in Afghanistan but is unlikely to directly fund a new Taliban-led government, according to US officials, as the world body prepares to discuss aid for the war-torn country.

UN chief Antonio Guterres is travelling to Geneva to convene a high-level conference on aid for Afghanistan on September 13.
Since the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan, the US had set aside an estimated $130bn for security, governance, and development and humanitarian needs in Afghanistan.
Congressional aides told the Reuters news agency that lawmakers were nearly certain to provide humanitarian aid for internally displaced Afghans and refugees, but not to the government itself, at least for now.
Even before the Taliban victory, Afghanistan was heavily aid-dependent – with 40 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) drawn from foreign funding.
The UN has warned 18 million Afghans are facing a humanitarian disaster, and another 18 million could quickly join them. According to reports, as many as 500,000 could also flee the country for fear of the Taliban.
The Taliban has yet to form a government, but there have been reports that an announcement is imminent.
Meanwhile, fighting continues between the Taliban and resistance fighters in Panjshir Valley north of Kabul, raising fears of more civilians being displaced.
Aljazeera/Lateefah
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