Nigeria News

Register now to receive our news updates via our RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Super Eagles of Nigeria-Provisional 30 man team:

Goalkeepers: Vincent Enyeama (Hapoel Tel Aviv, Israel), Dele Aiyenugba (Bnei Yehuda, Israel), Austin Ejide (Hapoel Petah Tikva, Israel), Bassey Akpan (Bayelsa United, Nigeria)

Defenders: Taye Taiwo (Olympique Marseille, France), Elderson Echiejile (Rennes, France), Chidi Odiah (CSKA Moscow, Russia), Onyekachi Apam (OG Nice, France), Joseph Yobo (Everton, England), Daniel Shittu (Bolton Wanderers, England), Ayodele Adeleye (Sparta Rotterdam, Netherlands), Rabiu Afolabi (SV Salzburg, Austria), Terna Suswan (Lobi Stars, Nigeria) (more…)

Abuja — Members of the Presidential Advisory Council headed by former Defence Minister Lt General Theophilus Yakubu [T.Y.] Danjuma have decided to resign from the council en masse if and when President Goodluck Jonathan decides to contest the 2011 presidential elections, Daily Trust learnt in Abuja.

A source close to the council said the decision, which was made several weeks ago, was arrived at because the eminent council members were worried that wading into the race will severely affect Jonathan’s reputation as an unbiased umpire in the elections and will make it impossible for him to make strides in the socio-economic sphere during the limited time he has in office. (more…)

Lagos — A MAJOR confrontation is brewing between the Lt. General Theophilus Danjuma (rtd) led Presidential Advisory Committee, PAC and former President Olusegun Obasanjo over what is considered as the latter’s undue pressure on President Goodluck Jonathan on who becomes the nation’s Vice President., reports Vanguard

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo is said to be pilling pressure on President Jonathan to look in the direction of Governor Murtala Nyako of Adamawa State, Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa State and Alhaji Muktar Shagari, the Deputy governor of Sokoto State.

Lagos — Barely 48 hours after the presidency asked the Code of Conduct Tribunal to drop criminal charges against former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, President Goodluck Jonathan last Thursday, ordered the Inspector General of Police, Ogbonna Onovo and the chairman of Police Service Commission, (PSC), Mr Parry Osayande to reverse the dismissal of Ribadu, and restore his controversial rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG,says Daily Champion (more…)

Lagos — THE 36 State Governors, after a marathon meeting, Sunday night, reached a consensus over whom to support for the post of Vice President.

Vanguard can authoritatively reveal that the meeting in Abuja, said to have been characterized by fierce horse trading and political calculations, saw the governors going for Gombe State Governor, Alhaji Danjuma Goje, as the candidate of their choice.

Impeccable sources told Vanguard that the governors met under the auspices of Governors’ Forum to assess all the options before arriving at the two-term Governor of Gombe State. (more…)

Lagerback included 33-year-old striker Nwankwo Kanu, who made his national team debut in 1994, while also recalling his Portsmouth team-mate John Utaka and Everton’s Victor Anichebe.

Utaka had been overlooked by former boss Amodu Shaibu for the African Nations Cup earlier this year while Anichebe has only recently returned from injury.

“Individual skills and fitness levels were considered when picking the players,” Lagerback said. “It does not matter if a player is 20 or 35 years old.”

There were also call-ups for Anichebe’s Everton team-mates Joseph Yobo and Ayegbeni Yakubu while injured Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel was also named.

Mikel missed the final three games of recently-crowned English champions Chelsea’s season due to a knee injury and is set to miss the weekend’s FA Cup final against Portsmouth. He is, however, expected to be fit by the end of may in time for Nigeria’s pre-World Cup training camp.

Nigeria are set to play friendlies against Saudi Arabia in Austria on May 25 and Colombia in London on May 30 before head

NEW CALL UP TO THE SUPER EAGLES, Peter Utaka is excited about the opportuity to play for Nigeria in the forthcoming World cup

“Since I was a child, I dreamt of playing in the World Cup. Getting an invitation was a dream come true and I am ready for the contest of who makes the team,” said Utaka in chat.

Utaka said that he is ready for the contest of wins the heart of Eagles’ coach, Lars Lagerback when the 44 invited players hit camp to fight who makes the final 22 list of Eagles for the 2010 World Cup starting June in South Africa.

Utaka is among the 14 strikers penciled down by coach Lagerback for trials before the World Cup. But the OB top scorer said that he was not fazed by the up coming competition for a shirt in Lagerback’s team adding that it was a dream come true.

With 16 goals for his club and topping the goalscorers chart in the Danish League this season, Utaka packs a credential to the camp and if current form and precedent are anything to go by in Lagerback’s criteria for selection then Utaka will have his wish all come true.

“I do believe the coach will be working to select the best players for the team. We will wait and see what happens, because every player will be going out there to give it his best,”said Utaka who also topped in the Belgian league 2007 season before moving to Denmark.

Utaka made his Eagles debut against Congo Dr and score in the 5-2 thrashing of the Congolese CHAN Champions in Abuja last January. (more…)

Nigeria’s new President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is expected to name a new Vice president early this week y and subsequently seek approval of the National Assembly.

“The president is holding consultations as part of efforts to arrive at who will be the nominee for vice president. He will likely send the name to the National Assembly for approval, according to constitutional requirements, by Monday or Tuesday,” a presidency source was quoted as saying

Jonathan, who was sworn in on Thursday hours after the death of Yar’Adua, spent most of yesterday, meeting former Nigerian heads of state, governors, and top officials from the ruling People’s Democratic Party on the choice of his vice president.

A United States based Nigerian, Ibraheem Adeneye,  has been found guilty of charges of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, naturalization fraud, making a false statement to a federal agency and marriage fraud, United States Attorney José Angel Moreno announced today.

(more…)