A chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), Kenneth Okonkwo has hinted on plans to return to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Okonkwo, who served as presidential campaign spokesperson for the party in the 2023 election, he is not impressed by recent developments in the party.

The Nollywood actor, who joined the Labour Party after dumping the APC in 2022, described it as “a secret society led by a group of clowns”.

He added that the party lacks the integrity to take advantage of the internal crisis in other parties.

In a recent interview on Symfoni, Okonkwo said he will not rule out rejoining another party if the LP continues on a “trajectory where they cannot even hold an acceptable national convention”.

“Any party that is not visibly committed to the welfare of Nigerians will most likely not see me there. I don’t rule out going back to anything because change is constant,” he said.

“My own labour party is not impressing me. Assuming they continue on this trajectory where they cannot even hold an acceptable national convention, then you’d tell me I’d be there?

“I was a spokesperson at the presidential level and I did not know that the Labour Party was having a convention. When I saw it on social media, I thought it was fake. They were rejected in Umuahia because it was a leprous convention.

“Those people are clowns. It is the greatest joke I have ever seen in a political party and then you want to position yourself as a party of integrity. You cannot give what you don’t have.

“Aburi and his cohorts, their tenure is over. Let Aburi and his cohorts get behind me. They are workers of iniquity. I don’t rate them. That executive is in charge of the secret society. They should be apprehended.”

Super Eagles of Nigeria dropped again in the latest FIFA world ranking that was released on Thursday, June 20, 2024.

The ranking which was posted on FIFA’s website saw the Eagles drop from 30th to 38th in the world and fifth in Africa.

Ahead of the Eagles in Africa are Morocco (1st), Senegal (2nd), Egypt (3rd) and AFCON champions Cote d’Ivoire (4th).

The Eagles’ drop could be attributed to their poor outings on matchday 3 and 4, in Group C of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic.

After a 1-1 draw against South Africa inside the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo, the Eagles lost 2-1 to Cheetahs of Benin Republic in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

While South Africa maintained 59th spot in the ranking, Gernot Rohr-led Benin Republic move to 91.

With four games played in the qualifiers, the three-time AFCON champions are in fifth place on three points.

They will be back in the World Cup qualifying campaign in March 2025 against Rwanda and Zimbabwe who are in 131st and 129th positions respectively in the latest ranking.

Meanwhile, the top three, however, remain unshakeable. Argentina (1st) retain their place at the summit, with France (2nd) and Belgium (3rd) hot on their heels.

But there is movement behind them, as Brazil (4th, up 1) and England (5th, down 1) swap places.

Meanwhile, Portugal (6th), the Netherlands (7th) and Spain (8th) consolidate their spots in the top ten, whilst Croatia (9th, up 1) overtake Italy (10th, down 1), who nonetheless hold onto a place among the leading pack.

The next FIFA world ranking will be published on 18 July, 2024

Victor Osimhen, Nigeria’s most celebrated striker, recently vented his frustrations on social media towards Super Eagles coach Finidi George.

Osimhen reacted to an online publication suggesting that Finidi questioned his commitment to playing for Nigeria and refused to beg him to join the Super Eagles Super Eagles.

This incident followed Finidi’s resignation after disappointing results against South Africa and Benin, and the Nigerian Football Federation’s (NFF) decision to hire a foreign Technical Adviser.

Finidi, who was dealing with his own professional challenges, took some time to refute the report.

By the time he did, Osimhen had already made his grievance public. The situation has since sparked a week of chaos, dividing public opinion.

Some support Osimhen for defending his reputation, while others believe he disrespected a Nigerian legend and should apologize publicly, with some even calling for his ban from the national team.

Does Osimhen have a ‘bad boy’ reputation?

Amidst this turmoil, there have been revelations that suggest that Osimhen has a history of picking up fights.

According to OwnGoalNigeria, Osimhen’s recent outburst was not his first disciplinary issue with the national team, alleging past conflicts with teammates and coaches.

As per the report, Osimhen had fights with Leon Balogun in 2019 and Francis Uzoho, suggesting a pattern of poor behaviour.

The report also quoted former teammate John Ogu, who mentioned these incidents and described Osimhen as a “combustive player” who often reacts without thinking.

This portrayal has fueled speculation and criticism, with some arguing that Osimhen is a negative influence on the team.

Fact-Check from Soccernet.ng

Soccernet.ng can confirm that while there were indeed training ground squabbles between Osimhen and Balogun, as well as Uzoho, these were typical of the intensity seen in football training sessions globally.

Such incidents are common and are usually resolved quickly, without lingering animosity.

Regarding claims of Osimhen being a negative influence, it is essential to highlight his fierce competitiveness and commitment.

Osimhen’s drive to win sometimes leads to high-intensity interactions with teammates and coaches.

Last season, he had a couple of disputes with Napoli teammates and coach Luciano Spalletti, yet they all knew all he did was for the good of the team. Osimhen’s goals would later power Napoli to their first Scudetto title in over 30 years.

The Edo State Working Committee of the People Democratic Party on Wednesday expelled a former deputy governor of the state, Philip Shaibu, for alleged anti-party activities.

The PDP SWC also expelled the South-South Vice Chairman, Dan Orbih, while it also upheld the expulsion of a former member of the House of Representatives, Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, by Ward 2, Oredo Local Government.

The decisions were taken on Wednesday at the PDP SWC meeting in Benin.

Present at the meeting were the Chairman of the Edo PDP, Tony Aziegbemi, and seven other members of the SWC, including Tony Anenih Jr., who joined the meeting virtually.

Aziegbemi said that the trio was expelled for anti-party activities, noting that they had shown that they were no longer in the party and there was no need to keep them in the PDP.

He said that the party would not be affected by their expulsion in the September 21 governorship election in the state, adding the party was well positioned to win at the poll.

The Edo PDP chairman said, “Dan Orbih was expelled because he has been asking members of the PDP to join the opposition party. He also took an appointment as the governing council member of a third-tier institution without recourse to the party before accepting the appointment.

“Shaibu donated about 15 vehicles to the All Progressives Congress and has also been abusing and disrespectful to the leaders of the party in the state. Someone who does these things cannot be termed a true party man.

“Also, Ogbeide-Ihama donated his building on Sakponba Road to the APC for campaign purposes. The building currently bears the billboard of the APC candidate and his running mate.

“The party is working with other stakeholders to ensure that the party wins the election in September.”

The SWC’s decision came days after Shaibu openly declared he would be working for the APC to win the September 21 governorship election while labelling the PDP governorship candidate, Asue Ighodalo, an outsider and a product of godfatherism.

Orbih, on his own, leads the Edo PDP Legacy Group, which had vowed to stop Governor Godwin Obaseki from influencing or installing a successor.

The expulsion of Ogbeide-Ihama by the SWC, however, generated an uproar as the PDP leadership in the Oredo Local Government Area of the state faulted the ex-federal lawmaker’s expulsion.

They declared the suspension null and void and urged the group behind the act not to cause confusion in the local government. 

The chairman of the PDP in the local government, Oduwa Igbinosun, after an emergency meeting in Benin on Wednesday, stated that the local government exco attention was drawn to a purported expulsion of Ogbeide-Ihama by a faceless group led by one Lawrence Aguebor, which according to him prompted the exco to set the record straight.

He explained that the said Lawrence was an ex-official of the ward, and lacked the authority to suspend or expel anyone.

Igbinosun added that the National Working Committee of the party had extended the tenure of all elected excos and made ratification for them to act as a caretaker committee.

Similarly, the executives of the PDD ward 2, in Oredo local government disowned the purported suspension and expulsion of the two-term federal lawmaker.

Secretary of the ward, Mr. Jesuobo Obadigie, who stated this on behalf of the executives, said no such action was carried out.

Flanked by the 12 members of the ward exco, Osayande said: “Honourable Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama remains not just a member, but a prominent and formidable leader of the party, and continues to enjoy the total support of the members in Ward 2.

“It is expected that anyone who loves the party should at this point be focused on actions that will unite the party ahead of the September governorship election.

In a bid to purge the civil service of fraudulent activities, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, HOCSF, Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, has revealed a crackdown on ghost workers based abroad but receiving salaries in Nigeria.

She noted that the verification exercises of the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) helped to expose some of the fraudulent activities being perpetuated by certain individuals in the service.

The Head of Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF) revealed that numerous civil servants who were found to be involved in fraudulent activities were forced to resign from their positions after failing to participate in the physical verification process, which exposed their deceit.

She added that civil servants who are outside the country without official permission and still on the payroll will be sacked after the ongoing verification is completed.

This was as she also disclosed that 1618 civil servants with fake employment letters were also caught and dismissed.

Yemi-Esan revealed this during a media parley with media executives on Wednesday in Abuja, as part of activities to mark 2024 Civil Service Week.

The theme for 2024 celebration is ‘Educate an African Fit for the 21st Century: Building Resilient Education Systems for Increased Access to Inclusive, Lifelong, Quality and Relevant Learning in Africa’.

She said: “There are efforts to tackle Nigerians who have relocated abroad doing news jobs, but are still under the payroll of the civil service.

“The Federal Government is going hard on them, as many of them are voluntarily resigning after the physical verifications.

“Recently, there was a circular that went out to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) that they should do a physical headcount in their MDAs. 

“That means, everybody on the nominal roll, that is receiving salaries, should appear physically and the names of those who did not show up for the exercise should be forwarded.

“In the circular, I cautioned that Permanent Secretaries and CEOs that give wrong information will be held liable if anything is discovered outside of the information that was given.”

She alleged that certain high-ranking officials, who were responsible for providing her office with information, were complicit in the fraud and deliberately withheld details to conceal the vacancies, thereby perpetuating the scam.

“It is a Nigerian thing. We are running hard against the culture that tolerates it. Outsiders don’t know the bashing we get every day trying to do the right thing.

“I expect that once the verification report comes anybody that is not in the country automatically loses his job.

“What we discovered in the last month of that verification is that most of them are now resigning their appointment which is a good development,” Yemi-Ean said.

Yemi-Esan, who is set to retire on August 14, as announced by the director of communication, Mohammed Ahmed, during the parley, has been spearheading the purge to restore integrity and transparency in the civil service.

She vowed to continue the clampdown, ensuring that only legitimate civil servants receive their rightful compensation.

Yemi-Esan noted that so far, 69,308 civil servants who participated in the compulsory verification exercise have been fully integrated into the IPPIS after their verifications.

France captain, Kylian Mbappe, on Wednesday, returned to light training with a bandage covering his broken nose.

Mbappe suffered the injury during their Euro 2024 opening game against Austria.

Hours before his first public appearance after the incident, the forward wrote on Instagram: “Without risks, there are no victories”.

It is understood that the Real Madrid-bound player underwent more tests on the nose injury.

Mbappé showed up for a late-afternoon practice session 30 minutes after his teammates came out.

The 25-year-old was initially seen running with the ball alone, with a trainer, and later speaking to France coach Didier Deschamps, before taking part in a shooting drill with other players.

Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF), announced that the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS) verification exercises had uncovered 1,618 civil servants with fake or illegal employment letters.

Speaking in Abuja during a media conversation as part of the 2024 Civil Service Week Celebrations, Yemi-Esan revealed that 69,308 civil servants who participated in the compulsory verification exercise have been fully integrated into the IPPIS after their verifications. 

Yemi-Esan highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance civil servants’ capacity and talent. Under the Structured Mandatory Assessment-Based Training Programme (SMAT-P) in the Federal Civil Service Strategy and Implementation Plan (FCSSIP 2021-2025), 8,905 workers have received training.

Addressing corruption within the civil service, Yemi-Esan noted that her initiatives have led the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to identify and investigate over 3,600 public servants. The clean-up effort has also resulted in the removal of numerous individuals, including retirees, who were improperly on the payroll.

Efforts are underway to address the issue of Nigerians who have relocated abroad but continue to receive salaries from the civil service. Yemi-Esan warned that the Federal Government is cracking down on this practice, and many of these individuals voluntarily resign following physical verifications. Civil servants abroad without official permission and still on the payroll will be dismissed once the ongoing verification is completed.

Yemi-Esan discovered that many employees who have left the country but continue to receive salaries are primarily in parastatals rather than core ministries. She accused some top officials of plotting to ensure these positions were not declared vacant.

“It’s a Nigerian thing. We are running hard against the culture that tolerates it. Outsiders don’t know the bashing we get every day trying to do the right thing,” Yemi-Esan remarked.

She added that once the verification report is finalized, any employee not in the country will automatically lose their job. She also noted a positive development: many individuals have started resigning their positions during the verification process.

The police in Edo State have been given seven days ultimatum to arrest the killers of one Glory Adekolure.

Within Nigeria had reported on Wednesday how Adekolure, a UNIBEN fresh graduate, was beaten and raped to death by some yet-to-be-identified persons. 

The incident was said to have happened at Iyowa Community, Benin City, on Thursday, June 13, 2024.

After her gruesome murder, the body of the 22-year-old was dumped close to her mother’s house.

A family source disclosed that the 22-year-old was on her way home after processing her clearance forms when she she met her grisly end in the hands of the diabolical men. 

Reacting to the incident, Obaseki directed Edo State Commissioner to go after the perpetrators of the heinous act.

The governor’s directive was contained in statement by the state’s communications and orientation commissioner Chris Nehikhare.

According to the statement, the state government expressed shock and sadness over the incident.

“Governor Godwin Obaseki has ordered the Commissioner of Police, Funso Adegboye, to fish out the perpetrators of the evil act within the next seven days,” he said.

Manchester United are considering signing Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee, who currently plays for Bologna in Italy.

The 23-year-old, whose mother is Nigerian, had an impressive debut season with Bologna, helping them secure qualification for the Champions League for the first time in their history. 

Manchester United is in the market for a new forward following Anthony Martial’s departure. They face competition from the Italian club AC Milan, which is prepared to meet Zirkzee’s release clause of €40 million (£33.7m) and has reportedly agreed on personal terms with the player.

Zirkzee had to cut short his holiday in Florida recently after being called up last-minute by the Netherlands for their Euro 2024 campaign. He was on the bench for the Netherlands’ 2-1 victory over Poland in their Group D opener.

In a recent interview with Corriere Di Bologna, Zirkzee commented on his future: “At the moment, my focus is solely on Bologna. I will decide based on what is best for the club. I will only make decisions that feel right to me.”

During the previous Serie A season, Zirkzee scored 11 goals in 34 appearances for Bologna.

Crystal Palace have offered a new deal to Michael Olise, amid interest from Chelsea.

This is according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

The Italian journalist revealed that the new deal comes with higher salary and new release clause for 2025.

He stated that despite this, Chelsea are still confident as they push to agree on personal terms; it’s up to the player.

Aside Chelsea, Bundesliga heavyweight Bayern Munich and Newcastle are also allowed to talk to Olise.

The 22-year-old scored 10 goals and made six assists in 19 league appearances for Palace last season.

He is currently with the French U-23 squad for the Paris Olympic games.