Good day! Below is a Summary of News Stories Across Nigeria and Abroad:
1. The Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union, COEASU, the umbrella body of lecturers in the nation’s Colleges of Education, has directed its members nationwide to go to work two days weekly until the Federal Government yields to its demand of a 200 per cent increase in salary. The announcement was contained in a statement signed by the union’s National President, Dr Smart Olugbeko in Abuja on Wednesday. Olugbeko said the decision was reached at the COEASU’s extraordinary meeting held on Tuesday, amid the difficulty of its members to get to work as a result of hike in the price of petrol. DAILY POST
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2. The Federal Government through the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission is set to issue an order against moves by Point of Sale agents to hike transaction charges across the country. The Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Babatunde Irukera, confirmed this exclusively to Newsmen on Wednesday. According to him, the order would be issued in a couple of hours. He noted that following its first advisory to the Association of Mobile Money and Bank Agents in Nigeria, which was ignored, it is now ready for more definite enforcement. PUNCH
3. Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmoud Yakubu and his National Commissioners on Wednesday, met with members of the various transport unions which the commission had engaged during the 2023 General Elections. The meeting which had as its main objective, the review of the conduct of the 2023 General Elections, was also attended by electoral officers. According to the Commission, a review of the conduct of the engaged transport unions vis-a vis the implementation of the MOU signed with unions on the provision of logistics, is sacrosanct. Also, the meeting took stock of how the electoral officers, who served as field supervisors carried out their assignments. CHANNELS
4. Russian President Vladimir Putin will not attend a BRICS nations summit in South Africa next month, the country’s presidency said on Wednesday, ending months of speculation he could be detained. Putin’s potential visit has been a thorny diplomatic issue for Pretoria. The Russian leader is the target of an International Criminal Court arrest warrant — a provision that South Africa as an ICC member would be expected to implement were he to set foot in the country. VANGUARD
5. The United Kingdom Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) has cleared a Nigerian-born medical doctor and social media influencer, Olufunmilayo Ogunsanya, of rape and abusive relationship allegations levelled against him by ex-girlfriend, Bola Aseyan, in 2020. Recall that Mr. Ogunsanya earned a degree from Nigeria’s Olabisi Onabanjo University in Ogun State, Nigeria before, relocating to the UK in 2012, to complete his medical studies and launch a career. In 2020, Ms Aseyan, a medical doctor and ex-girlfriend of Ogunsanya, took to social media to accuse him of sundry charges that included rape, domestic abuse and mental torture. Mr Ogunsanya, who was at the time prominent on Twitter for his medical opinions and analyses, promptly admitted his involvement with Ms Aseyan but strongly denied rape and abusive charges and pushed out evidence that appeared to exonerate him at the time. The Police in the UK intervened in the matter and found no evidence of wrongdoing against Mr Ogunsanya. LEADERSHIP
6. Regina Daniel, Nollywood actress and the wife of popular Nigerian billionaire, Senator Ned Nwoko has been appointed the Social Secretary of the 10th Assembly Senators’ Wives Forum Executive Council. Her appointment was made on Tuesday at the first inaugural meeting of the 10th Senator’s wives association of Nigeria, hosted by the wife of the Senate President, Ekaette Akpabio. Announcing her appointment on her Instagram page on Wednesday, the excited actress expressed her commitment to contributing to the growth of Nigeria. DAILY POST
7. Benjamin Mendy signed for French club Lorient on Wednesday after the former Manchester City and France defender was acquitted in a sex offences trial in England last week. “Lorient are happy to announce today the signing on a two-year deal of the French international left-back Benjamin Mendy,” the Ligue 1 club said in a statement. Mendy, 29, was cleared of sex offences last week, ending a three-year court process. The player, who would have faced a lengthy jail term if convicted, had previously been cleared in January of six counts of rape and one of sexual assault following a six-month trial. PUNCH
8. President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday said Russian strikes had “deliberately” hit sites in Ukraine used to export grain after Moscow attacked the coastal region of Odesa for a second night in a row. Russia pounded Ukraine’s southern region of Odesa with missiles and drones in the early hours of Wednesday, the second consecutive night of attacks since Moscow pulled out of a grain export deal. The Office of the Prosecutor General said it was the largest attack on the Black Sea coast of Odesa so far and that 10 civilians, including a nine-year-old boy, had been injured. CHANNELS
9. Comedian and filmmaker, Ayo Makun, popularly known as AY, has said he will no longer make efforts to end the longstanding feud between himself and colleague, Basketmouth. Recall the duo have been at loggerheads for 17 years over what AY claimed was an unpaid N30,000 debt Basketmouth owed him. Basketmouth, however, denied such, stressing that they were never friends. In a recent interview with Teju Babyface, AY, who claimed he has been making efforts over the years to reconcile with Basketmouth, said he no longer minds going to his grave with their rift. Asked if senior colleagues were aware of their beef, the thespian confirmed their awareness, adding that they told him at some point to stop forcing reconciliation when Basketmouth was proving difficult. VANGUARD
10. Super Falcons captain, Onome Ebi, claimed the team is fully prepared for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The competition which will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand will start on Thursday. The Super Falcons were eliminated in the second round by Germany four years ago in France. Ebi however believes they can do better this time around. LEADERSHIP
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