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Wednesday, 06 March 2024 18:47

Donald Trump sets stage for Biden rematch

Former U.S. president, Donald Trump, cemented his position as the Republican Party’s all-but-certain nominee for November’s general election after sweeping the Super Tuesday primary contests.

“It is called ‘Super Tuesday’ for a reason. This is a big one,” Trump said in his victory speech, delivered at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida.

As the crowd chanted “USA! USA,’’ Trump said voters had delivered him an amazing night.

 

The results set the stage for a White House rematch between Trump and the U.S. President, Joe Biden, who as the first-term incumbent, had no real rivals for the Democratic Party’s nomination.

Trump easily defeated his last remaining major challenger, Nikki Haley, in primaries held in a slew of States, including California, Texas, Maine, Massachusetts, Virginia and North Carolina.

Other states include; Oklahoma, North Dakota, Minnesota, Colorado, Alabama and Tennessee, according to unanimous projections by broadcasters based on initial vote counts.

Haley was only projected to have won the small north-eastern state of Vermont.

 

There was no suspense as Biden notched wins across the Democratic primaries held Tuesday except in the South Pacific territory of American Somoa, where the little known entrepreneur Jason Palmer prevailed.

“Tonight’s results leave the American people with a clear choice: Are we going to keep moving forward or will we allow Donald Trump to drag us backwards into the chaos.

 

“With a division, and darkness that defined his term in office? Biden asked in a statement.

Millions of people voted in the polls held in 16 of the 50 states, plus American Samoa.

Super Tuesday marked the largest single-day of nominating contests in the presidential primary campaign.

In the primary process, which began in January in Iowa, candidates were awarded delegates with each state they won.

 

One-third of the total delegates available for the Republican nomination were up for grabs on Tuesday.

A candidate needed at least 1,215 delegates out of 2,429 to secure their spot on the November ballot.

The nomination would then be made official at the Republican Party convention in July.

In spite of his overwhelming win, it was not possible for Trump to secure all the delegates he needed on Tuesday.
 

Before she became his 2024 opponent, Haley served in Trump’s administration as his ambassador to the United Nations.

She has waged a long-shot bid appealing to Republican moderates and independents but her campaign had not been able to gain enough momentum to pose a serious threat to Trump.

She lost the primary in her home state of South Carolina last month.

Tuesday’s contests were seen as her last stand.

Her losses fuelled the belief that her candidacy was no longer viable, with political watchers widely expecting her to drop out of the race,  though the primary process would continue in the weeks to come.

Haley’s campaign said the results of the Super Tuesday contests showed that the Republican Party still remained deeply divided.

“Unity is not achieved by simply claiming ‘we’re united.’ Today, in state after state, there remains a large bloc of Republican primary voters who are expressing deep concerns about Donald Trump.

The Haley campaign said this in a statement.

Neither Haley nor her campaign addressed whether she planned on staying in the race.

So far, the 2024 election had been dominated by domestic issues including immigration, crime, reproductive rights and the economy, with many saying they still feel the pinch of inflation.

Worries about Biden’s age, he is 81 and the oldest sitting president in U.S. history have increasingly weighed on his campaign amid physical and verbal blunders.

Trump, who at 77 is only four years younger than Biden, is facing deep legal problems.

He had been indicted in four separate criminal cases and charged with a total of 91 felony counts.

They included his attempts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, which Biden won.

In his Mar-a-Lago speech on Tuesday night, Trump repeated many of the same themes he hit on at his campaign rallies, including his demand that the U.S. border with Mexico be totally shut to migrants.

“In some ways,’’ he said, the U.S. had become a third-world country.

[TNG]

Africa’s highest ranked table-tennis player, Aruna Quadri on Wednesday won a second medal for Nigeria at the ongoing 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana.

This was after the 35-year-old Quadri fell 4-3 to Egypt’s Omar Assar in the final of the men’s table tennis singles event.

The contest between the two rivals lived up to expectations as they thrilled the audience with breathtaking skills.

Assar took the first set 11-8, while Quadri who is currently the world number 14 ranked player, bounced back to claim the second and third 11-2, 11-2.

The Egyptian clinched the fourth set 11-7 before Aruna won the fifth set 11-9.

Assar then won the last two sets 11-9, 11-0 to claim the gold medal.

Offiong Edem won Nigeria’s first medal on Tuesday when she clinched the bronze medal in the women’s singles event.

(NAN)

Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, has extended warm wishes to his former boss, Olusegun Obasanjo, on the occasion of his 87th birthday.

Atiku, who served as Vice President during Obasanjo’s tenure as President of Nigeria, highlighted the remarkable achievements of the seasoned leader, emphasizing that only a few Nigerians can match his contributions to the nation.

In a heartfelt message shared on his official X platform account, Atiku expressed admiration for Obasanjo’s dedication and leadership qualities, stating, “President Obasanjo’s life continues to be a lesson in dedication and qualitative leadership.”

He further prayed for Obasanjo’s continued good health and dedication to Nigeria and the world, saying, “May God bless you with many more years of health and dedication to Nigeria and the world.”

Atiku concluded his message by extending warm felicitations to his former boss on behalf of his family, acknowledging Obasanjo’s significant role in fostering unity and growth in Nigeria.

[NationalDaily]

LEICESTER City manager Enzo Maresca is a very happy man following the return to fitness of Super Eagles of Nigeria midfielder Wilfred Ndidi.

The Foxes claimed their first win in four Championship matches last night, beating Sunderland 1-0 at the Stadium of Light as Ndidi was introduced in the second half.

The Nigeria midfielder had been out since December, missing out on the Super Eagles’ Africa Cup of Nations campaign in Cote d’Ivoire.

Ndidi’s muscle injury also ruled him out of 10 Leicester City fixtures, four of which they lost.

Last night’s away victory kept Leicester City on top of the English second-tier, three points clear of second-placed Ipswich and five of third-placed Leeds United, with the first two spots guaranteed promotion to the Premier League.

“It’s an important win,” Maresca said in his post-match interview. “Especially after three defeats in a row. Sometimes you have to win games in an ugly way. [In the] first half we were quite good, in the second half we suffered, but in this moment, the win is so important.

“The first half, especially the first half an hour, was unbelievable. We had many chances, we missed and we have struggled to score goals in these games. But at the end, it was important to win the game.”

It was a welcome return for Ndidi in midfield, the Nigeria international managing 20 minutes in his first appearance since the end of December.

“I’m very happy. We need him, Wilf is so important to us so it’s good to have him back,” Maresca added.

[NaijaTimes]

The House of Representatives has raised alarms over the insufficient minimum wage for workers in the nation, stating that a monthly salary below N100,000 is not livable for any worker in the country.

Rep. Aliyu Madaki of NNPP-Kano State pointed out on Wednesday that the soaring inflation rates in the nation have rendered basic necessities like food, water, shelter, education, healthcare, transportation, and clothing unaffordable for the average Nigerian.

According to him, Nigeria is a participant in the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

He referenced Article 23 of the declaration, which stipulates that every employed person is entitled to a fair and beneficial salary, guaranteeing that they and their families can live with dignity.

  • “Recall when the fuel subsidy was removed in May 2023, the Federal Government offered palliatives to cushion its effects.
  • “However, the ameliorative effect of this measure has been overtaken by the continued rise in the cost of goods and services.
  • “We are aware that wage award was granted by the president recently, but the purchasing power is low, owing to the continued rise in the cost of living in the country and the fall of the naira.
  • “We are also aware that Trade Economics in 2018 reported the living wage for an individual Nigerian and a Nigerian family to be N43,200 per month and N137,600 per month, respectively. This was a pre-subsidy removal report.
  • “Further note that presently, no labourer can live in Nigeria with a wage of less than N100,000.00,” he said.

What you should know

Workers have had to contend with rising prices of goods and services since the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government, with the attendant inflation and escalating cost of living eaten deep into their pockets and rendering their monthly wages inadequate to meet their basic needs.

  • In June 2023, for instance, workers and some labour leaders demanded that the minimum wage be increased from N30,000 to N250,000, adding that the current situation would increase the demand for a salary review. The amount was later adjusted to N200,000 monthly.
  • Meanwhile, the federal government inaugurated a 37-member tripartite committee on national minimum wage.
  • The committee is tasked with the responsibility of recommending a new national minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
  • The committee, comprising representatives of the federal and state governments, private sector and the organised labour, is to be chaired by Bukar Goni Aji, former head of service of the federation.
 [Nairametrics]

Jude Bellingham has been banned for two LaLiga games for “contemptuous or disrespectful attitudes towards a referee” after he received a red card in the aftermath of Real Madrid’s controversial 2-2 draw at Valencia, Spain’s competition committee confirmed on Wednesday.

 

The England international was shown a red card for arguing with referee Jesús Gil Manzano, who had already blown his whistle moments before Bellingham scored what would have been a game-winning header.

The referee’s post-match report said Bellingham had shown an “aggressive attitude” and allegedly shouted “It’s a f—ing goal” repeatedly.

The Spanish Football Federation’s Disciplinary Committee handed Bellingham a two-game ban – the minimum possible for the offence, under its rules – on Wednesday, for what it called “attitudes of disrespect or a lack of consideration towards the referee,” with a €700 fine for the club, and €600 for the player.

In evidence to the committee, Madrid argued that Bellingham had not displayed an aggressive attitude, saying that the player had only spoken once to the referee, and denied that his words were offensive or insulting.

 

The committee found that the club had not proven their case beyond doubt based on the evidence presented, and so the body consequently had to accept the referee’s interpretation of Bellingham’s conduct.

Bellingham will miss Madrid’s LaLiga games against Celta Vigo on Sunday and Osasuna on March 16, returning for their match with Athletic Club on March 31.

 
 

He is set to feature for Madrid in the Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday, as they host RB Leipzig in the second leg at the Bernabéu.

Bellingham is also one yellow card away from a possible one-match suspension in the Champions League after picking up two already this season.

[Leadership]

 

Mohamed Salah has given Liverpool a major boost after the Egypt star travelled to Sparta Prague for Thursday’s Europa League clash following his recent injury lay-off.

Salah joined his Liverpool teammates on the flight to Prague after missing the previous four games due to muscle fatigue.

The 31-year-old has played just 46 minutes for Liverpool since leaving the Africa Cup of Nations early when he sustained a hamstring injury in a group-stage game against Ghana in January.

Salah’s substitute appearance came against Brentford on February 17, the forward scoring at the Gtech Community Stadium before subsequently being sidelined with a muscle issue.

He trained with the rest of the Liverpool squad on Wednesday and could feature in the last 16 first-leg meeting with Sparta.

Salah’s availability is significant for Reds boss Jurgen Klopp ahead of Sunday’s seismic showdown with Manchester City in the Premier League.

Second-placed City will arrive at Anfield one point behind leaders Liverpool in a tense title race.

Quadruple-chasing Liverpool won the League Cup final against Chelsea without Salah and also beat Luton, Southampton and Nottingham Forest in his absence.

 

 

 

 

But having Salah back is a huge lift for Liverpool heading into the decisive final weeks of Klopp’s last season in charge.

The Egyptian has scored 19 goals in all competitions this season, including 15 in 21 league games.

Klopp has taken his strongest available squad to Prague, with the likes of Darwin Nunez and Wataru Endo in contention to start after coming on as substitutes in last weekend’s win at Forest.

[DailyTrust]

Edo North Senator, Adams Oshiomhole has denied reports that he has a deal with Governor Godwin Obaseki to impeach Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu.

This is coming after the state Assembly served Shaibu an impeachment notice on Wednesday, amid his face-off with Obaseki.

Oshiomhole said Shaibu’s impeachment is the sole responsibility of the Edo State House of Assembly and the state judiciary.

 

In a statement signed by his media office, the senator said political parties have no constitutional role to play in any impeachment process.

The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to an article circulating on social media regarding a purported plan by the Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki to call on lawmakers of Edo State House of Assembly to begin impeachment proceedings against his deputy Hon. Philip Shaibu.

“Ordinarily, we would neither be concerned nor bothered by what methods the characters in the unending feud within the Edo State PDP employ to settle scores among themselves.

“However, we are compelled to clarify and set the record straight because in the said article, it was falsely claimed, and I quote “

“ _Our reporter also gathered that the governor have(sic) already gotten across to Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to help him lobby and talk to the APC lawmakers in the House to support the impeachment move against Comrade Philip Shaibu”

“We wish to categorically state that Senator Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole has not, at any time, engaged in discussions with Governor Godwin Obaseki regarding plans to impeach his deputy, as the apex leader of the APC in Edo State, is solely focused on fostering goodwill between the people of Edo State and the APC, with the goal of winning the upcoming governorship election and returning the state to a path of progress under an APC government.

“Also, it is important to state that matters of impeachment are the sole responsibilities of the Edo State House of Assembly and the Edo State Judiciary. Political parties have no constitutional role to play in any impeachment process.

“Therefore, the notion that Senator Adams Oshiomhole can influence the actions of APC lawmakers, should there be any impeachment exercise in the Edo State House of Assembly is simply preposterous.

“Senator Oshiomhole has not and will not engage in any deals with Governor Obaseki on this or any other political issue.”

[DailyPost]

The President of African Development Bank, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, on Wednesday, said the future of the Nigerian youths does not lie in any country but in Nigeria.

He said this in Lagos while speaking at the 2023 Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership in Lagos.

Adesina was awarded the 2023 Obafemi Awolowo Prize for Leadership Award.

Former heads of state, state governors, royal fathers and other distinguished Nigerians graced the event.

Past winners of the prestigious award are Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka; former South African President, Thabo Mbeki; and lawyer, Aare Afe Babalola.

Adesina added that Nigerians must make the country a viable place for people to stay and not a place to run away from.

“I refuse to believe that the future of Nigeria’s and Africa’s youths lie in Europe, North America, Asia, or anywhere else. I believe that their future must lie in Africa, growing well, robustly, able to create quality jobs and decent earnings for our young people.

“There is absolutely no reason in the world how we have a demographic asset that then becomes a global negative externality. Let’s take pride in ourselves and let’s make our demographic asset our economic asset globally. I firmly believe that their future lies right here in Nigeria,” he said.

The former Minister of Agriculture from 2011 to 2015 decried the migration to other countries by Nigerians, especially youths, as it does not develop sustainability.

“While one might argue that our growing diaspora is good as they send back billions of dollars, higher than the oil revenue that we have, this is not the way to develop sustainably.

“Nations that develop do all they can to keep their best human capital at home and additional resource skills elsewhere, with flexible immigration and labour policies,” he said.

He said AfDB unveiled a $614m programme to support Nigeria’s digital and creative enterprise to create 6.3 million jobs and add N6.4bn to the economy.

“I always say to myself, how can we have 477 million people under the age of 35 and there are no financial institution? That means we have missing institution and market failure problems and that is why the African Development Bank decided that we will create what we call Youths Entrepreneurship Investment Bank,” Adesina added.

Speaking about the event, former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.), described Adesina as a brilliant man, who “represents the best of Nigeria.”

 

“The choice of Dr Akinwumi Adesina can only be described as having been very well done. He represents the best of Nigeria, hardworking, diligent, brilliant, forward-looking, and deeply patriotic,” Gowon stated.

[Punch]

A 37-year-old Nigerian woman working as a caregiver in the United Kingdom slumped on February 22, and died two days later.

The victim, Chidimma Susan Ezenyili, known as Suzy, collapsed while on duty in the street of Bishop’s Stortford.

 

Ezenyili who was a lawyer in Nigeria was tendering an elderly woman, Ian Hale in Scott Road, but a report said she was not feeling well herself but managed to work before her collapse on the fateful day.

 

Ezenyili and her husband, Friday left Nigeria in August 2023, to go and work as caregivers on sponsorship visas to give their toddler daughter Mandy a better life. 

The 37-year-old migrated to the UK and had been caring for the 86-year-old Hale for the past five months.

Hale’s daughter, Catherine Segal, said, “She (Ezenyili) was driven there by her husband with their three-year-old daughter as she wasn’t feeling well but didn’t want to let my dad down.”

When Segal recounted the incident, she said the caregiver collapsed on Thursday, February 22, and stopped breathing and did not have a pulse.

“Naturally, her husband started shouting for help. The neighbourhood raced to help. Myself and my husband ran outside along with our next-door neighbour and our neighbour from across the road,” Segal said.

Segal further said, “We had two GoodSAM first responders arrive shortly after to assist. The community first responder along with several ambulances, police and the critical care team arrived to take over attempts to save her life and were successful in getting her on life support in the ambulance.”

The caregiver was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge, where doctors at the neurosciences critical care unit discovered she had suffered a severe brain haemorrhage.

 

Segal and Ezenyili’s manager from Harlow-based Care at Hand Ltd, Elisha Newberry, went to the hospital with Friday to support him.

In his narration, Segal’s husband, Saul said, “Sadly, life support was turned off two days later, on February 24, and she passed with her husband by her side.”

But Segal said, “Suzy came here as a carer to fill a need in our community. She was qualified in law in Nigeria and was planning to attain her qualifications to practise law here after her sponsorship as a carer finished.

“She was a really good carer. Kind, considerate and always willing to help no matter what the circumstances.

“Her dream was for her daughter, Mandy, to attend school in the UK and to make a new life here where she would have the opportunities that Suzy and Friday never had growing up in Nigeria.”

[Vanguard]