Good Day! Below is a Summary of News Stories Across Nigeria and Abroad:
1. The President-elect, Bola Tinubu, and the Vice President-elect, Kashim Shettima, have urged the Presidential Election Petition Court to dismiss the application by Atiku Abubakar and the Peoples Democratic Party for a live broadcast of proceedings. They argued that the relief sought by the applicants are not such that the court could grant it. Besides describing the application as frivolous, they said the court is not a soapbox, stadium or theatre where the public should be entertained. Through their team of lawyers, led by Chief Wole Olanipekun, they wondered why a petitioner would file an application to distract the court and waste its precious time. They stated, in the counter affidavit, that the application relates to policy formulation of the court, which is outside the PEPC’s jurisdiction as constituted. PUNCH
2. The U.S. Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken has assured Nigerian President-elect Bola Tinubu of the U.S. commitment to further strengthening the U.S.-Nigeria relationship with the incoming administration. Blinken, in a statement by U.S. State Department Spokesperson, Matthew Miller, said he called the President-elect on Tuesday to discuss issues of interest. The Secretary noted that the U.S.-Nigeria partnership was built on shared interests and strong people-to-people ties and that those links should continue to strengthen under President-elect Tinubu’s tenure. DAILY POST
3. Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has tackled the Federal Government for tagging its five-day warning strike as illegal. The strike commenced at 8am on Wednesday, May 17, and would end Monday, May 22. NARD National President, Emeka Orji, who was a guest on television on Wednesday, asked the Federal Government to point out the part of the law that makes the strike illegal. Orji indicated that the association had satisfied all the provisions before embarking on a strike, adding that the National Executive Council (NEC) has given the association the mandate to proceed on a warning strike. CHANNELS
4. A Nigerian man, Yemi Mobolade has been elected as the new mayor of Colorado Springs, a community in the state of Colorado in the United States. According to The Colorado Sun, Mobolade is the first Black man to be elected to lead the city during political instability as a result of his electoral success. He defeated his challenger, Wayne Williams on Tuesday night in the city’s runoff contest, despite zero experience in politics. Mobolade had received 57% of the vote to Williams’ 43% as of 7:15 pm on Tuesday. Williams conceded at about 7:30 pm. When the second batch of results was released shortly before 9 pm, the percentages had not shifted. Mobolade will succeed Mayor John Suthers, a former federal prosecutor, and Colorado attorney general who was term-limited, to become the city’s 42nd mayor. VANGUARD
5. President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana is expected to chair the public presentation and launching of two new books on the legacies of President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday, May 19, at the State House Conference Center, Abuja. In a terse statement on Wednesday by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the president on Media and Publicity, Babagana Kingibe, the Chairman, Organizing Committee for the event, other distinguished guests expected at the book presentation include Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the President-elect, and Senator Kashim Shettima, the Vice President-elect. DAILY POST
6. Nigeria on Tuesday battled to a 3-3 draw with Colombia in a preparatory friendly ahead of FIFA U20 World Cup at the Estadio 20 October in Tristán Suárez, Buenos Aires. The Flying Eagles went behind in the tie after 26 minutes when central defender Abel Ogwuche put the ball past his own goalkeeper Chijioke Aniagboso to give Colombia the lead. The seven-time African champions levelled up in the 44th minute when winger Jude Sunday fired a scorching shot from outside the box, but the South Americans were soon back in the lead before half-time after they converted from the penalty spot. CHANNELS
7. Kenya’s 10km road race world record holder, Rhonex Kipruto, became the latest Kenyan athlete to be suspended for a doping offence on Wednesday by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU). The AIU said the 23-year-old, who won 10,000m bronze in the 2019 World Championships, had been “provisionally suspended” for the “use of a Prohibited Substance/Method (ABP)”. The ABP (Athlete Biological Passport) can show discrepancies that can reveal the effects of doping. Kipruto set the 10km record of 26 minutes 24 seconds in Valencia in 2020 – he finished a disappointing ninth in the 10 000m at the Olympics in 2021. LEADERSHIP
8. The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has welcomed his new wife, Olori Opeoluwa Elizabeth Akinmuda, to the palace in Ife. Reports circulating online suggest that the palace has sent invitations to relatives and dignitaries for the wedding Thanksgiving service and reception of the new queen, scheduled to take place on Saturday, May 20, 2023. The traditional entry of the Queen into the esteemed Ife Oodua Palace in Ile-Ife will precede the event, symbolising her integration into the royal household. PULSE
9. Former Big Brother Naija, BBNaija, reality show housemate, Kate Jones, popularly known as Ka3na, has reportedly lost her ex-husband, Jones. In a viral video on social media, the reality star was seen breaking down in tears as she bade her British husband goodbye. The mother of one dressed in all black with her daughter and held tightly to his coffin. It can be recalled that Ka3na had in a post on her official Instagram page in 2022, announced her divorce from her foreign husband days after celebrating her wedding anniversary. DAILY POST
10. The Federal Government has condemned the attack on the convoy of United States consulate workers in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State by yet-to-be-identified gunmen on Tuesday. This was made known in a statement signed by the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Francisca Omayuli, on Wednesday. According to report the convoy of embassy officials who were on a humanitarian mission in the state came under fire while they were passing through the area. The Federal Government extended its sympathy and condolence to the families of the deceased as well as to the United States Consulate and Mission in Nigeria over the unfortunate incident. PUNCH
PROCYON NEWS
