Today's Headlines: Caution Wike, Ortom over utterances, stakeholders to PDP; Doping: Nigeria stripped of CWG relay gold
Caution Wike, Ortom over utterances, stakeholders tell PDP
Source: Punch paper
Against the backdrop of the recent war of words between the camps of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and those of Nyesom Wike and Samuel Ortom, former governors of Rivers and Benue States, some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party, on Friday, have called on the party to caution the former governors.
Ortom had recently described Atiku as a frustrated man who was yet to come to terms with his rejection by five former aggrieved governors under the aegis of the Integrity Group.
Ortom’s jibe was a reaction to a statement credited to Atiku’s Special Assistant on Public Communication, Mr Phrank Shaibu, who accused the ex-governor of gross incompetence while in office.
On his part, Wike has openly shown solidarity with the All Progressives Congress-led government with speculations making the rounds that he has been enlisted as a ministerial designate to serve in the yet-to-be-constituted cabinet of President Bola Tinubu.
In an exclusive interview with Saturday PUNCH, a member of the PDP National Executive Committee and immediate past National Secretary of the party, Senator Ibrahim Tsauri, said no party member is bigger than the PDP, adding that the party will soon do the needful.
Doping: Nigeria stripped of CWG relay gold
Source: Punch paper
The Commonwealth Games Federation has stripped Nigeria of the gold medal it won in the women’s 4x100m relays at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
This comes after an investigation on the positive doping result returned by Grace Nwokoch, a member of the quartet.
Nwokocha was provisionally suspended by the Athletics Integrity Unit after her sample returned an Adverse Analytical Finding for Ostarine and Dihydroxy-LGD-4033, a metabolite of Ligandrol.
Both are non-Specified Substances, listed under Other Anabolic Agents in the WADA 2022 Prohibited List.
Others in the quartet who won gold are Tobi Amusan, Favour Ofili and Rosemary Nwokocha.
According to the statement published on the Games’ website on Friday, the Federation Court disqualified Nwokocha’s results from the women’s 100m, women’s 200m and women’s 4x100m, with all resulting consequences, including the forfeiture of any points and prizes.
With the withdrawal of Nigeria’s gold medal, England were promoted to first position, Jamaica second and Australia third.
South-West Not Biafra: Gani Adams warns Ekpa against sit-at-home protest in Lagos
Source: Punch paper
The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, has cautioned the factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Simon Ekpa, against plans to stage a sit-at-home protest in Lagos State.
Reports had quoted Ekpa as hinting in a tweet on Wednesday of plans by IPOB to replicate the protest in Lagos.
However, Aare Gani Adams in an interview with The Tribune said such an attempt will not be condoled noting that the South West region is not Biafra Republic.
He also cautioned the Finland-based IPOB leader to desist from repeating the mistake that led to the Civil War and drop the move which he described as counterproductive.
Imo gov election: Uzodimma restates commitment to violence-free election
Source: Punch paper
Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has restated his commitment to a violence-free process as the November 11 governorship election approaches.
The governor said this at a pre-election workshop organised by the state government in collaboration with the African Union Development Agency – New Partnership for Africa’s Development AUDA-NEPAD in Owerri, on Friday.
Uzodimma, represented by his Deputy, Prof. Placid Njoku, called on stakeholders in the electioneering process to work towards a peaceful poll to enable votes to count.
He advised politicians not to make the election a do-or-die affair, but to abide by the rule of law so that the will of the masses will be reflected in the ballot.
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