Gernot Rohr has backed his compatriot Bruno Labbadia to make an instant impact with the Super Eagles, DAILY POST reports.


Labbadia was named Super Eagles head coach on Tuesday by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The 58-year-old will be the sixth German to manage the three-time African champions.


Rohr,who was in charge of the Super Eagles between 2016 and 2021 labelled Labbadia a very good coach.

“He’s a very good coach, I hope he’s well treated by the NFF and Nigerian fans,” the 71-year-old was quoted by SCORENigeria.

“He has experience in the Bundesliga, I hope he quickly finds his way in Nigeria, which is a different environment.”

Rohr will come up against Labbadia when Benin Republic face the Super Eagles in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie in Uyo on Saturday, September 7.

Super Eagles forward Ademola Lookman has started training with his teammates at Atalanta despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Soccernet.ng reports.

Just like his compatriot Victor Osimhen, Lookman’s next destination has dominated transfer talks in recent weeks following his impressive performances for Atalanta.

The Nigerian attacker joined La Dea two seasons ago, and he has shone brightly. His stock rose at the end of last season when he scored a hattrick against Bayer Leverkusen in the final of the UEFA Europa League.

Since then, he has been linked to Chelsea, Liverpool, PSG, and some clubs in Saudi Arabia have shown interest in signing him.

Due to the numerous talks surrounding his future, Lookman did not participate in Atalanta’s first two Serie A games. For the past two weeks, he has been training alone, away from his teammates.

However, the talks have cooled off in recent days, and it seems like the former Leicester City man will not get his big move this summer.

According to Atalanta BC, Lookman has returned to training with the full squad, and that makes him available for their next Serie A fixture against Inter Milan at Stadio Giusseppe Meazza.

Lookman’s return to the team would be a big boost against a solid Inter Milan side at home. La Dea lost their last game against Torino, but Lookman has enough magic on his feet to help them return to winning ways next time out.

Italian football administrator Pietro Lo Monaco has criticized Victor Osimhen over the management of his transfer from Napoli.

Osimhen’s exit from Napoli is one of the biggest issues in Europe as it has dragged on since the end of last season till now.

The Nigerian striker has been superb for Napoli in the past three seasons and has attracted interest from a lot of top clubs in Europe and Saudi Arabia.

Osimhen has attracted interest from Arsenal, Chelsea, PSG, and Al Ahli, but the debacle has either been his personal demands, or Napoli’s price tag.

With his future still in the balance, Osimhen has not played for Napoli since the start of the season, missing their Copa Italia game against Modena and their two Serie A games against Verona and Bologna.

The issue has dominated the news in Italy, and football administrator Lo Monaco has expressed displeasure at the turn of events. He believes Osimhen should still not have excluded himself from Napoli’s squad.

“The market sets the price, it all depends on whether the president decides to accept or not. His (Osimhen) management has been a joke, it is inconceivable that a player would dare to refuse to play,” Lo Monaco said, per Calcio Napoli.

The transfer window will close in less than 48 hours, putting Osimhen in a tough position. His next destination remains unclear despite numerous speculations.

Nonetheless, a lot could still happen before 11:59 PM on August 30.

Nigerian businesses and households expect the inflation rate to rise in the next one to six months.

This is according to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s July Inflation Expectations Survey Report released on Tuesday.

The survey showed that respondents expect inflation to rise in the review months with indices of 37.4 for the next month, -26.3 for the next two months and -15.8 for the next six months.

However, the report showed respondents expect the inflation rate to gradually reduce over the next six months.

A further analysis indicated that businesses anticipate that the inflation rate will drop compared to households, with indices of -33.4 and -11.0 points for the next month and next six months respectively.

“Overall, both businesses and households believe that the inflation rate will rise further in the periods”, the survey stated.

It added that the expected inflation rate hike will be driven primarily by changes in energy prices, exchange rates and transportation costs.

The reports come weeks after Nigeria’s inflation declined to 33.40 percent in July, from 34.19 percent in June.

In the past months, the apex bank had continued to tighten Monetary policy measures such as the interest rate which stood at 26.75 percent to tame the inflation rate.

The Governor of Kogi State, Ahmed Usman Ododo, has approved the appointment of 12 new Permanent Secretaries (PMs).

The appointees were chosen from their respective constituencies to fill the available vacancies in the Kogi State Public Service.

A statement released on Wednesday by the Head of Service, Elijah Evinemi, indicated that the governor highlighted the careful selection of permanent secretaries based on merit, fairness, and justice principles.

In a congratulatory meeting with the successful candidates, Mr. Evinemi urged the newly appointed permanent secretaries to meet expectations in their roles and demonstrate utmost loyalty, dedication, and integrity.

The newly appointed permanent secretaries are as follows: Momoh Aziz from Ajaokuta LGA, Negedu Muhammed Bala from Ankpa 1 Constituency, Haruna Jibo Muhammed from Bassa LGA, Ejigbo Akoji from Dekina-Biraidu Constituency, Enimola Enimola A. from Kabba-Bunu LGA, Fashoba Ayo-Sunday from Mopa-Amuro LGA, Adurodija Ebenezer O. from Ogori-Magongo LGA, Enehe Dorcas Omeneke from Okehi LGA, Sanni Haruna Muhammed from Okene 1 Constituency, Ochu Philips Omeiza from Okene 2 Constituency, Shaibu Danjuma Fabian from Olamaboro LGA, and Baiyegunsi Taiwo S. from Yagba-East LGA.

Appointment Of 1,192 Additional Aides

Naija News reports that Governor Ododo’s latest appointment comes days after controversies over his appointment of 1,192 additional aides to his government.

These appointments were confirmed in a statement issued last Monday by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Folashde Ayoade.

However, the development has not settled well with opposition camps and other concerns of the state’s citizens.

SDP Reacts To Ododo’s Additional Appointments

The Kogi State chapter of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) has criticized Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo

Reacting, the Director of Media for the SDP campaign organisation in Kogi State, David Ijele, faulted the incumbent administration, describing the appointment as a misplaced priority.

“They haven’t paid those who laboured for the state, yet they are employing youths to be used as thugs,” Ijele said.

The SDP chieftain stated that Governor Ododo’s days in office were numbered.

Speaking further on the party’s legal battle against the incumbent administration, Ijele insisted that the Supreme Court would rule in favour of the SDP candidate, Yakubu Ajaka.

“The Constitution is very clear on the BVAS, and we believe the Supreme Court will give justice to the people of Kogi State and chase these charlatans out of Lugard House,” Ijele announced.

A Nigerian Navy officer, Abdul Rasheed Muhammad, has been arrested for the murder of Aminu Ibrahim, the son of former Chief of Naval Staff Vice Admiral I. I. Ibrahim (retd).

During a press briefing on Wednesday in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh, revealed that Muhammad killed Aminu and stole his car two weeks ago. Igweh confirmed that the vehicle, a Prado SUV, has since been recovered.

“About two weeks ago, Aminu Ibrahim, the son of Vice Admiral I. I. Ibrahim (retd), was robbed and killed in the Maitama area of Abuja, and his Prado SUV was stolen. I want to inform you that Abdul Rasheed Muhammad, a serving Nigerian Navy personnel, committed the murder. He has confessed to the crime, and we have recovered the Prado Jeep,” Igweh stated.

Speaking to journalists, Muhammad, a seaman in the Navy, admitted to the crime. He explained that he was assigned to the former Naval Chief’s residence as a security guard.

“I work at the house. He wanted to go out at night, around 11:30. He said he needed security, so I followed him with my gun. Along the way, he stopped to check his ATM, as if he was going to buy something. I thought maybe I was going to escort him to a market or somewhere. Then, when I came out through the other door, I shot him, took the car, and left. He did not do anything to me; I killed him to steal his car,” Muhammad confessed.

In a related development, 94 members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria were also paraded for their involvement in the death of two police officers on Sunday.

Former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu might be in another trouble while serving his sentence in the UK.

Recall that he is currenlty serving 10 years in prison for human trafficking last year.

According to a new report by TheNation, Ekweremadu is currently under investigation by the London Metropolitan Police in a new case linked to him.

A documentary by Chude Jideonwo titled: “Daniel vs Ekweremadu,” the police are investigating a case involving Ekweremadu, although details are scarce due to the ongoing investigation.

Part 1 of the two-part docu-series was released on Friday, 23 August. It is written and directed by award winning filmmaker and TV host, Chude Jideonwo.

In an email from a spokesperson to the police, Alexandra Meek to the producers as shown in the documentary, she said: “With regards to the live investigation, which is linked – On Tuesday, 8 November 2022 detectives from the Met’s Specialist Crime arrested a woman on suspicion of conspiracy to exploit for the purposes of organ harvesting.

“The woman, who is in her 50s, has been released under investigation. Enquiries remain ongoing.”

Ms Meek, who is senior communication manager for the MET Police, gave this as a reason for the police’s inability to participate in the documentary.

According to Chude: “‘Daniel’ is the name given by a journalist and adopted by the documentary filmmakers for the victim-survivor of the first conviction under the UK’s Modern Slavery Law – under which Ekweremadu became the first to be sentenced to jail alongside his wife, Beatrice and a doctor-friend, Obinna Obeta.

“It follows a directive from the judge of the case for the real name to remain undisclosed.

“‘Daniel vs Ekweremadu’ tells the story of Senator Ekweremadu’s fall from Nigerian deputy senate president to British jailbird upon his conviction for organ harvesting.

Shot in Nigeria and the United Kingdom, the series includes exclusive access to British prosecutors, police, the family of the survivor-victim amongst others in this first-of-its-kind thriller-style documentary from a West African independent studio.”

The 2023 PDP Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Atiku Abubakar, has criticized President Bola Tinubu’s Federal Government for the 18-year age limit on NECO and WAEC exams, calling it absurd and a barrier to scholarships.

Recall that the Federal Government has banned individuals below 18 from participating in the NECO and WAEC exams.

This was revealed by the Minister of Education, Prof. Tahir Mamman, during his appearance on Channels Television’s ‘ Sunday Politics’ program.

Mamman stated that the federal government has instructed WAEC, responsible for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination, and NECO, which administers the Senior School Certificate Examination, to enforce the 18-year age requirement for candidates taking these exams.

In response, the former Vice President took to his verified Facebook page on Wednesday to criticize the policy as outdated.

Atiku labelled the policy as controversial and called for universal condemnation from those who value intellectual freedom and accessibility.

He stated, “Tinubu’s policy on age limit for tertiary education admission belongs in the Stone Ages.

“The recent policy of the Federal Ministry of Education pegging age limits for entry to tertiary institutions is an absurdity and a disincentive to scholarship.

“The policy runs foul of the notion of delineation of responsibilities in a federal system of government such as we are practising, and gives a graphic impression of how the Tinubu government behaves like a lost sailor on a high sea.

“Otherwise, how is such anti-scholarship regulation the next logical step in the myriad of issues besetting our educational system?

“To be clear, the Nigerian constitution puts education in the concurrent list of schedules, in which the  sub-national government enjoys more roles above the Federal Government.”

The former Vice President highlighted that the most effective global approach is to allow sub-national governments to establish their education laws or regulations.

Atiku continued, “Therefore, it is extra-constitutional for the federal government to legislate on education like a decree.

“The best global standard for such regulation is to allow the sub-national governments to make respective laws or rules on education.

“It is discouraging that even while announcing this obnoxious policy, the government inadvertently said it had no plan to cater to specially gifted pupils. That statement is an embarrassment to the body of intellectuals in the country because it portrays Nigeria as a country where gifted students are not appreciated.

“The irony here is that should the federal government play any role in education, it is to set up mechanisms that will identify and grant scholarships to gifted students not minding their ages before applying for admission into tertiary institutions.

“This controversial policy belongs in the Stone Ages and should be roundly condemned by everyone who believes in intellectual freedom and accessibility.”

The Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, Femi Gbajabiamila, has explained why the federal government is yet to implement the Steve Oronsaye report.

Speaking to newsmen on Tuesday after a visit to the headquarters of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) in Abuja, Gbajabiamila said the federal government is working out all necessary modalities to ensure a smooth implementation of the policy.

The Chief of Staff also shut down suggestions that the report has been thrown under the carpet or is being ignored.

He, however, added that there is no timeline yet for the implementation of the Oronsaye report.

Naija News recalls the Federal Executive Council (FEC) chaired by President Bola Tinubu, in February, approved the full implementation of the Oronsaye report to merge some parastatals, agencies, and some commissions, while others will be subsumed, scrapped or relocated.

The government further set up an eight-man committee with the mandate to make recommendations on the mergers, scrapings, and relocations within 12 weeks.

However, six months later, the report has not been implemented.

The Oronsaye report is expected to reduce the cost of governance and streamline efficiency across the governance value chain.

Origin

In 2011, then President Goodluck Jonathan set up the Presidential Committee on Restructuring and Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and Agencies with Steve Oronsaye as chairman.

On April 16, 2012, the committee submitted an 800-page report identifying, amongst several other things, overlapping agencies, causing wastage in expenditure.

The report said there were 541 parastatals, commissions and agencies and recommended that 263 of the agencies should be reduced to 161, 38 agencies abolished and 52 merged.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), has highlighted that Nigeria’s average Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate has been steadily declining since 2014, indicating a downturn in the economic well-being of Nigerians.

Speaking at Sunday’s Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) annual general conference, Okonjo-Iweala noted that Nigeria’s economic fortunes reversed following a decade of positive growth between 2000 and 2014 when the average GDP growth rate was approximately 3.8%. During this period, GDP growth outpaced the nation’s population growth by around 2.6% annually.

However, the situation has deteriorated since 2014, with GDP growth showing a negative rate of 0.9%. Okonjo-Iweala attributed this to the government’s inability to sustain the positive growth of previous administrations.

“Many of the significant challenges the NBA faces today are rooted in Nigeria’s failure to maintain the rate of economic growth that consistently outpaced our population growth. We had periods of reform and faster economic growth not solely dependent on oil prices. Still, we failed to build on these gains, leading to diminished job prospects and reduced well-being for many Nigerians,” she said.

She emphasized that between 2000 and 2014, Nigeria enjoyed an average GDP growth rate of 3.8%, significantly above the 2.6% population growth rate, which improved living standards. In contrast, the following decade saw an average annual GDP per capita growth of -0.9%, indicating a decline in living standards due to a lack of sustained positive growth momentum.

To address these issues, Okonjo-Iweala called for sustained good economic policies regardless of the administration or political party in power. She argued that policy inconsistencies have contributed to Nigeria’s economic fortunes’ reversal and advocated for a social contract between the government and the people that transcends political changes.

“Maintaining good economic and social policies, ensuring policy consistency, and implementing additional reforms will help guide Nigeria towards the progress we all desire,” she added.

Recent data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that Nigeria’s GDP growth rate declined to 2.98% in the latest quarter, down from 3.46% in the previous quarter but higher than the 2.31% recorded in the corresponding quarter of 2023.