Kogi Assembly calls for EFCC Chairman's removal, alleges assassination attempt on Gov. Ododo, ex-Gov. Bello

 

The Kogi State House of Assembly, has called for the removal of the Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, over alleged attacks on Kogi State Governor's Lodge in Abuja.

The lawmakers also accused the EFCC of assassination attempt on the former Governor Yahaya Bello and the incumbent Governor Ahmed Ododo, stressing that the persecution of the former governor had gone on for too long and must stop.

The legislators made the call during plenary at the Assembly chamber on Monday in Lokoja, the state capital, 

The assembly members in their various motions, condemned what they described as the EFCC operatives' unprovoked attack on the Kogi State Government Lodge, saying it was an attack on the incumbent Governor and the entirety of the Kogi people.

This followed a motion of urgent public importance moved by Hon. Akus Lawal, representing Ankpa 1 State Constituency; and seconded by Hon Jacob Olawunmi, Mopamuro State Constituency.

Hon. Akus said the EFCC was out to humiliate and possibly kill the present and former governors. His colleagues all supported this. 

Seconding the motion, Hon. Olawumi stressed that the Audited Financial Reports of the State, had always been published by the State Government.

According to Olawunmi, the State House of Assembly can categorically say that no money is missing to warrant EFCC's unwarranted witch-hunting of the former Governor.

Hon. Abu Jibril of Ajaokuta State, said the EFCC boss should be prosecuted for allegedly attempting to kill the governor.

 

"The EFCC's conduct shows that the chairman is incapable of leading a supposed impartial agency like the EFCC

"The Chairman has shown incompetence that warrants his removal.

"We call on President Bola Tinubu to remove the EFCC chairman immediately," Jibrin said .

Also speaking, Hon Bode Ogunmola, Ogori/Magongo State Constituency (PDP), said: "If I am in London and there is a crisis, if I get to the Nigerian House, I will feel safe. 

"If I am in Abuja and there is a crisis, I believe that if I get to the Kogi Lodge, I will be safe. 

"For the EFCC Chairman to order that fire be opened on the official lodge of the Governor, he should be sacked and prosecuted. We should be told why he wants to kill our Governor".

The Majority Leader of the House of Assembly, Hon. Suleiman AbdulRazak, alleged that officials of the EFCC were begging the former Governor to let them pretend as if he was arrested. 

He said it was an embarrassing act, which showed that the anti-graft agency was acting a script written by some political enemies of the former Governor. 

"The President should be notified of the assassination attempt on the present and former Governors; adding that the whole drama was a show to embarrass the former Governor.

"On the fateful night, a coup attempt was committed at the Kogi State Governor's Lodge and called on the President to immediately remove the EFCC Chairman to save the nation from further embarrassment," Abdulrazak said.

Hon Yahaya Umar, representing Omala State Constituency said, "The unlawful conducts of the EFCC show that the intention of the chairman is not to arrest former Governor Yahaya Bello, but to ridicule the state. 

"The chronology of how the event happened shows that the problem of the chairman is not with the offences being alleged, but that they want to disgrace the defendant and Kogi State in general."

On her part, the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Comfort Nwuchiola Egwaba, stated, "The EFCC is just trying to give the former Governor a bad name through their media trial. 

"The EFCC is not sincere in this fight. It has an agenda it is pursuing and the entire people of the state, particularly the women and youths, will not accept this."

The lawmakers unanimously resolved that the EFCC had an agenda different from the fight against corruption, which had been revealed by the way the Commission approached the issue of arrest. 

This, they said, must be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.

The Kogi State House of Assembly also passed a resolution, commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR for his economic policies, aimed at building a strong and virile economy that will be the envy of all.

The Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Aliyu Yusuf, who read out the resolution of the House, stated: 

"The House formally categorizes the April 17 and September 18 incidents as assassination attempts on the former Governor, and by extension, a threat to the life of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo. 

"The unprovoked attack on the Governor’s Lodge and the firing of live rounds within a diplomatic residential zone further demonstrate that the EFCC has fully marinated in a sense of its own importance and power.

"The EFCC now considers itself not only above the law but unanswerable to anyone or institution for its actions.

"Since the EFCC Chairman has shown constantly, gross incompetence, the House has resolved that the President should relieve him of his appointment with immediate effect and replace him with a competent officer who will give Mr. President's crusade for rule of law the needed effectiveness," the lawmakers stated. 

By Stephen Adeleye

Anthony Ujah: Nigerian striker offered management role in Bulgarian club

Experienced Nigerian striker, Anthony Ujah may have had his future sorted even as he's still active football as his Bulgarian club, Botev PD have agreed to sign him as one of their officials after his retirement. 

This was announced by Botev's Sporting Director, Artur Platek that Ujah's professionalism and conduct on and off the pitch will be leveraged to attract more African players to the club. 

Platek said the 33 year old Ujah who joined the club last summer will take up the management role after hanging his boots. 

"Botev's idea is for Ujah to help the inclusion of young African footballers who are attracted to the club.

"The goal is their development and then sale. This is the model imposed on the canaries since the arrival of the new owner, Anton Zingarevich. 

"Anthony is at a level both on and off the field. He shows our young African players how they need to work, and what they need to do to get to his level. 

"That's why he will probably stay in Botev even after the end of his career," Platek told Tema sport. 

Ujah is currently recovering from a serious injury he sustained in the second leg against Panathinaikos of Greece in the second qualifying round of the Europa League. 

The former Warri Wolves attacker tore a tendon and underwent surgery. He will certainly be out of the game until the end of the autumn part of the campaign. 

Anthony Uja was signed in the summer as a free agent after being released by German second division side Eintracht Braunschweig. 

The top scorer started his career with the yellow and black in an excellent way with a goal and assist in their Europa League 2-1 win over Maribor

The vast experience of Ujah plying his trade across three continents of Africa, Europe and Asia as well as his great knowledge of the game in the management as regards to African players and his top notch professionalism are the qualities that endeared Botev PD to offer him a step into a career at football management position.

He will be interfacing between Botev PD and the numerous football clubs and academies in Nigeria and Africa in the transfer of greatly talented young footballers to Europe for their continued development in the round leather game and future sale to other top clubs in Europe.

Amos Ado plans to use Orumogege Football Tourney as platform to harness in Ogbomosoland

 

A former official in the Marketing Department of the Confederation of African de Football (CAF), Mr. Amos Ado has revealed that the Orumogege Football Tournament is a platform designed to harness the numerous football talents in Ogbomoso. 

Amos Ado, Head of Kinetic Sports and Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) of the football tournament, also gave ingredients that can make the beautiful round leather game in Nigeria marketable. 

"Football ball is a very marketable event. We just have to put all our facilities in good shape to attract brands. 

"The playing pitches must be of standard, making sure we televise our footballing event and the most important fans and ensuring our football venues are safe for everyone. 

The former COPA Lagos Beach football organizer and marketing expert gave an insight into how the Orumogege Football Tourney came about. 

"For a very long time, I had it in mind to do something different in football, so I met an organization called Ogbomoso Community Youth Forum (OCYF) and sold the idea of the essence of going into football development, and the rest is history. 

"Our Kabiyesi, the Soun of Ogbomoso, Ọba Ghandi Afọlábí Ọláoyè, Orumógege III, is a youth-loving Kabiyesi, and he accepted that we host the tourney.

" The goal is to discover talent during the tournament and nurture them for the future, as we intend to produce more Seyi Olofinjana (Super Eagles legend) from Ogbomoso We also really need to thank the Soun Ogbomoso, Alainsmith, and OCYF for their support. 

"We're also doing something differently in football in Ogbomoso. The Orumogege Football Tournament is free-age grade and played as knockout football at the Soun Stadium. 

"The LOC opted to make the tournament a knockout based as against the Group Phase to make it very competitive. It has attracted a lot of fans who have been kept on the edge of their seats with dazzling football skills from the 32 teams registered for the event. 

"It has also been a commercial boom for the city as a lot of market women around the stadium are making brisk business selling their commodities to fans. 

"Thankfully, the tournament powered by OCYF and Alainsmith Nigeria Limited and I am delighted to inform Ogbomoso people that our Kabiyesi, Oba Olaoye Ghandi has assured us the tournament will be held annually, following the success recorded within the few days of the kickoff."

Organizer unveils 25 teams to jostle for Afriskaut NLO Cup

 

Twenty-five top teams in the nation's third-tier football league are set to make a statement when the 2024 Afriskaut NLO Cup kicks off between October 5th and 20th.

The Afriskaut NLO Cup is organized for the champions - that's teams that gained promotion in the regular Division One and U19 Youth League season.

The 2024 campaign will mark the 2nd edition of the NLO Cup but the first under Afriskaut, which will employ its cutting-edge expertise in data-driven football scouting and player analytics.

The Secretariat of the NLO, via its Media Channel, released the identities of the 25 teams and their conferences. 

The Northern Conference is made up of Barau FC (Kano), FC Basira (Lafia), Jnr Danburan FC (Katsina), Dan Lawan FC (Adamawa), Yalo FC (Bauchi), Mamba Pro FC   (FCT), Global Peace FC (Jos), Gimzsoca FC  (Jigawa), Atlantic Integral FC (Niger), Jega United FC (Kebbi), Tahir Babes FC (Kano), Kano Ambassadors FC (Kano) and Shied FC (Kano). 

 

First Bank FC Lagos leads the teams in the Southern Conference, followed by Igbajo United (Osun), Kun Khalifat FC (Imo), Magic Stars (Lagos), Emalex FC (Ondo), FC Ebedei Jnr (Ogun), and Elebuibon Boyz (Osun). Others are May & Frank FC (Calabar), Ahudiyannema FC (Abia), Bendel Insurance Jnr FC (Edo), Ozzala FC (Anambra) and Liqui Moly FC (Lagos)

 

NLO's Chief Operating Officer, Olushola Ogunnowo, said: “The Afriskaut NLO Cup makes the Champion of Champions competition more inclusive than ever before. 

"This allows the clubs to test themselves against a wider range of best opponents and raises the prospect for fans of seeing the top teams go head-to-head. 

"It will also result in more competitive matches for every club across the board. 

"25 teams, 13 from the Northern Conference and 12 from the Southern Conference will ignite the Bwari Stadium in the Federal Capital Territory and the Dipo Dina Stadium Ijebu-Ode, with their best football skills and great goals, which definitely will keep fans on the edge of the seats as they catch a glimpse of the football showpiece."

Caleb Ochedikwu impresses in debut win for Croatian club

 

Nigerian youth international, Caleb Ochedikwu produced man of the match performance in his debut outing for Uljanik Pula helping them to a 2 -1 win over Grobnican in the Croatian top- flight game on Saturday, reports www.totorinews.com.

The former Mavlon FC player was a second half susbtitute and within few minutes on the pitch, he marshalled the midfield, where he also made an assist as Benjamin Pajkovic scored the second goal for the home side in the 70th minute.

Uljanik Pula had earlier opened scoring in the 48th minute through Robert Peric- Komsic, but the introduction of Ochedikwu in the 59th minute gave the team more stability in their quest to subdue their opponents for the maximum points.

He had the command of midfield, winning the tussles, as he also initiated attack from his quick interchange of passes with the attackers, where he almost made it a scoring debut, but the goal-post denied him twice in the game.

Although, Grobnican tried to claw their way back into the game in the 76th minute when Lovro Mikulica scored, there was nothing denying Ochedikwu and his teammates victory with their performance on the pitch.

Speaking after the game, a source close to Uljanik Pula was so delighted with the display of the midfielder, whom he described as a valuable addition to the club.

"He will be a great player. His performance was enough for me, an excellent debut game for the young player," the source said.

"He has big potential and we were all impressed," he added.

Ochedikwu signed for Uljanik Pula last month before the end of transfer window in Europe.

Afriskaut NLO Cup set to kickoff in October

 

The 2024 edition of the NLO Cup, sponsored by Afriskaut, will kick off in October, with the Bwari Stadium and Dipo Dina Stadium hosting the championship. 

In a correspondence dated 7th September to affiliate clubs that excelled in the just concluded NLO regular league season, informed of the date. 

The NLO CUP, a tournament designed by the Board of the Nationwide League One will enable the Champion clubs to compete among themselves and also use the event as a platform for the NLO to showcase the best talents in Nigeria's Grassroots League.

NAEMO Sports, which is one of NLO's partners, will use one of its affiliate brands (Afriskaut) to sponsor the event, which will commence on 5th October 2024 and run until the final on Sunday 20th.

The Bwari Stadium in the Federal Capital Territory will host the Northern Conference while the Dipo Dina Stadium Ijebu-Ode will host the Southern Conference.

The event, according to the Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the NLO, Olushola Ogunnowo, will enable Afriskaut to use their AI-driven technology data collection to assist the clubs in exposing their players to the world while the clubs go into an agreement on a full-time basis to further the relationship of players' data collection, which is the key in promoting and chatting a pathway for the grassroots football clubs players to the world.

The NLO Secretariat will contact the qualified clubs individually for enrollment to enable the league body to have a perfect tournament.

Salim Fargo Lawal: Nigerian striker tops wish list of major Belgian clubs

 

Sensational Nigeria and NK Istra striker, Salim Fargo Lawal is a subject of interest from notable clubs in the Belgian Jupiler league following his impressive performance with the Croatian club.

Totori News scooped that K.V Mechelen, an elite Belgian club side are among the clubs interested is signing the Nigerian attacker, who has continued to improve his game to the delight of the management of the club and fans.

Lawal has been a great phenomenon in Croatia after scoring three goals in 12 league games last season and started in seven games, but the hallmark of the striker, is his energetic performance in every match, that is imbibed with speed, strength and skills, with one of the goals in reckoning for the goal of the season in Croatia.

He has shown tremendous ability to learn fast, added with his professional discipline on and off the pitch, which has endeared him to the technical crew and the management of the club.

The 21- year old former Mavlon FC striker signed a three- year deal with NK Istra last year and he has continued to improve his game in the new season where he had made four starts and despite the transfer interests from clubs both within Croatia and across Europe, Lawal prefers to continue to ply his trade with NK Istra, where he has become the delight of the fans.

At the moment, the decision for Lawal to remain with NK Istra lies with the management of the club, as transfer negotiations are still on the table for the sublime striker.

Dino Sporting Club confirms sale of Stephen Ende, Timilehin Adekunle to Sabah FC

 

Dino Sporting Club is pleased to announce the transfer of Stephen Ende to Sabah FK in Baku, Azerbaijan. This transfer was finalized following a mutual agreement between both clubs regarding the terms of his contract.

Stephen, a standout performer from Dino Sporting Club’s successful campaign in the Creative Championship League last season, will join Sabah FC’s U19 squad, where he will compete in the UEFA Youth League.

Additionally, Sabah FC has secured the permanent transfer of Timilehin Oluwaseun Adekunle. 

Timilehin, who joined Sabah FC last year on loan with an option to buy, will now continue with the club on a permanent basis following the successful completion of the transfer agreement with Dino Sporting Club.

The Chairman Samuel Columbus wishes the players the best.

"We are immensely proud of Stephen’s development and accomplishments at Dino Sporting Club. His move to Sabah FC is a testament to his hard work and our commitment to nurturing talent that can compete on the global stage. We wish him every success as he embarks on this exciting new chapter."

"Timilehin’s permanent transfer to Sabah FC underscores the quality of players we develop at Dino Sporting Club. We are delighted to see him continue his journey at a top club, and we are confident he will continue to excel. His progress is a source of pride for our entire organization."

"At Dino Sporting Club, our mission is to develop world-class talent. The recent transfers of Stephen and Timilehin reflect our dedication to providing our players with opportunities to showcase their skills on bigger stages. We are committed to maintaining this standard of excellence."

"These transfers represent just the beginning of what we believe will be a bright future for Dino Sporting Club. We are building a legacy of excellence, and our players are the cornerstone of that vision. We look forward to continuing to produce talents that will shine globally."

"Our focus has always been on developing players who not only excel on the pitch but also embody the values of discipline, dedication, and sportsmanship. We are confident that Stephen and Timilehin will continue to represent Dino Sporting Club with pride and distinction." He concluded.

Afriskaut's data-driven approach powers NLO Cup

 

The Nationwide League One (NLO) has played a critical role in the development of Nigerian football by consistently supplying top talents to the Nigerian national teams, European and African teams, likewise the Nigeria Premier Football League and Nigeria National League clubs. 

Established formally under the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) in 2008, the league has become a foundational platform for young players across Nigeria to showcase their talents and Afriskaut is proud to partner with the Nationwide League One to sponsor the NLO Cup.

Afriskaut's partnership with the NLO is a perfect blend of the league's rich history of player development and Afriskaut's cutting-edge expertise in data-driven football scouting and players analytics.

Afriskaut aims to create a benchmark for youth talent in Nigerian football and brings its expertise in football talent identification, data-driven insights, and marketing to elevate the league's profile and the players within it.

Afriskaut will employ cutting-edge technology to collect and analyze vital player data as well as key football parameters, including speed, distance covered, key passes, assists, and more.

This data will not only enhance player development but also provide scouts and clubs with the necessary tools to make informed decisions, ensuring that Nigerian football talent is showcased on the world stage.

The Afriskaut sponsorship agreement was sealed with executives of Afriskaut and the NLO Chief Operating Officer, Olushola Ogunnowo.

Ogunnowo highlighted the significance of the partnership while speaking with the NLO Media Department, saying, “This partnership with Afriskaut for the NLO Cup for the next five years is a historic step for Nigeria's football growth, and demonstrating the Secretariat deep-rooted commitment to the over 400 clubs in the nation's third division league. 

"The NLO Cup tournament is organized to determine the champion from the eight (8) Nationwide League One teams and 17 Nationwide U19 Youth League teams that gained promotion to Nigeria National League and NLO Division One. 

"It's also more of a scientific scouting with Ai technology event geared towards helping the teams expose their players to the international market. 

"With the sponsorship, the NLO Cup will become one the most prestigious sporting events, showcasing our best talents to top clubs in Europe and off course, a global audience."

This collaboration is a significant step toward raising the visibility and credibility of Nigerian football, with the NLO Cup set to become a premier event that reflects the highest standards of youth football excellence.

MOK Foundation President empathizes early exposure of youths to sports

Youths' early engagement in sports has been described as means to nurturing them to greatness. 

The Founder of MOK Foundation, Muhydeen Kayode Okunlola gave the advice when he received players and officials of Olalomi Royal VC in his office on Monday. 

Okunlola who is also the Principal Partner of Luxiar Construction Limited reemphasize his commitment in youth empowerment and which has inspired him to venture into sports like football, volleyball and other series of sports, stressing that it will make any youths that have talents to showcase it from the grassroots to international scene. 

"What inspired me to go into sports development is because I am a youth and I believe in youth empowerment and I believe venturing into sports like football, volleyball and other series of it makes the youth that have talents to be able to showcase their talents from the grassroots to international," he said. 

He further stressed that, doing this will help them to focus on their goals and for them to get to fit into it in other to help them achieve their goals. 

Okunlola also noted that, a lot of graduates are knowledgeable in terms of skills in different kinds of games, saying that if the foundation can venture into such, it will help them achieve their dreams and make the nation proud.

While commenting on what he has seen on the Olalomi Royal Queens, the sports philanthropist affirmed his impression with the results so far, noting that the team has full potential to grow and compete in top leagues in Nigeria just as he commended the club for impressive showing of bravery and determination.

The Chairman of Olalomi Royal Volleyball Club doled out the sum of 200,000 naira to motivated the team ahead of their remaining matches at the ongoing 2024 CGC Volleyball Premier League.

Responding, Head Coach of Olalomi Royal VC, Oluwabukola Faremi, applauded Muhydeen Kayode Okunlola for his unwavering support.

Faremi revealed that the support of MOK has motivated the players to excel during the league.

The assistant head coach of Nigeria U17 Girl's team said, “I want to applaud our Chairman, Muhydeen Kayode Okunlola for his financial support to the team. The only way we can repay him is to be amongst the top three in the first phase of the league and I am working towards it”.