Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola says he would understand if assistant coach Mikel Arteta was lured to Arsenal to become their next manager but hopes the Spaniard remains at the Premier League champions to finish what they started.

Guardiola’s assistant at City since 2016, former Arsenal captain Arteta has been mentioned as one of the leading contenders to succeed Arsene Wenger, who brought the curtain down on his 22-year reign at the London club on Sunday.

“Mikel’s contribution has been amazing,” Guardiola told reporters after City’s 1-0 win over Southampton.

“We work together so good and him staying will (make me) the happiest guy in the world.

“If he decides to move because he has this offer, I will not say you don’t have to go. I want the best for my friends.

“... I will be so sad but I will understand his position. It is his career, his life, but hopefully he can stay and finish what we started.”

Former midfielder Arteta made 150 appearances for Arsenal under Wenger from 2011 to 2016.

Source: Reuters

Thomas Markle, father of American actress Meghan Markle and fiancee of Prince Harry, said he would not attend the couple’s glittering wedding in Britain this weekend, according to reports by celebrity paper, TMZ.

TMZ said Thomas Markle had decided not to attend the marriage of his daughter to the prince, who is Queen Elizabeth’s grandson, because he did not wish to embarrass the royals after media reports that he had staged paparazzi photographs.

Kensington Palace has asked for some understanding over the report.

“This is a deeply personal moment for Ms Markle in the days before her wedding,” Kensington Palace said in a statement.

“She and Prince Harry ask again for understanding and respect to be extended to Mr Markle in this difficult situation.”

A spokeswoman for the prince declined to comment directly on the report or to say whether the statement meant Markle’s father would be at the wedding.

Markle had been due to walk his daughter down the aisle at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle, the queen’s home to the west of London, at a ceremony which will be attended by Britain’s royals and celebrities, and in the glare of the world’s media.

He had also been expected to meet the queen, her husband and the other senior members of the Windsor family this week.

However, Britain’s Mail on Sunday reported that Markle had agreed to stage pictures with a photographer ahead of his trip and the images had been sold to media for more than $100,000.

TMZ said it had spoken to Markle and that he had said a paparazzi agency had approached him and offered him money, although the sum was not close to the reported figure.

He said he had agreed to the pictures because he hoped they would improve his image as previous paparazzi snaps had shown him buying beer and looking dishevelled, TMZ said.

The website also said Markle had revealed he had suffered a heart attack six days ago but had checked himself out of hospital in order to attend the wedding.

Markle’s parents are divorced and while Harry has been pictured with her mother Doria Ragland, there had been speculation about what role her 73-year-old father, a former lighting director for TV soaps and sitcoms, would have.

Harry’s Communications Secretary told reporters last week that both parents would fly over from the United States this week and would play important roles on the couple’s big day.

Earlier on Monday, Kensington Palace said the bride-to-be and her mother would be staying at a luxurious hotel near Windsor the night before the ceremony. They are due to travel to the chapel together on Saturday.

Source: NAN

Melania Trump, President Donald Trump’s wife, underwent a surgical procedure on Monday to treat a benign kidney condition and will remain at Walter Reed medical center for the rest of the week, the first lady’s office said.

Spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said in a statement that Mrs. Trump, 48, underwent an embolization procedure to treat the kidney condition.

“The procedure was successful and there were no complications,” Grisham said.

“The first lady looks forward to a full recovery so she can continue her work on behalf of children everywhere.”

President Trump was expected to visit her at the hospital, which is located in Bethesda, Maryland, a Washington suburb, a White House official said.

The Slovenian-born first lady last week rolled out an agenda for her White House work focused on helping children.

Source: NAN

Official results declared by returning officers in Saturdays council elections in Kaduna state indicate that the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) won in 12 local government areas, while the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) won in five local government areas.

While results from three LGs are still pending, the Kaduna State Independent Electoral Commission (SIECOM), on Monday declared the local government elections results for Chikun as inconclusive.

The SIECOM returning officer for Chikun local government, Dr Samuel Ndams, who made the announcement, said only results from seven wards out of the 12 wards of the area were submitted.

Ndams said that results from five wards had not been submitted at the collation center, therefore after due consultation with the SIECOM headquarters we decided to declare the LG polls in Chikun local government inclusive.

NAN reports that the SIECOM has announced APC as winner of Birnin Gwari local government area but results have not yet been released.

NAN is yet to obtain the official results for Kagarko and Kajuru LGs, while that of Kaduna South is still being awaited. The APC has claimed victory in the three councils.

Election did not hold in Jaba and Kaura Local Government Areas.

In Kubau, Muhammed Tukur Bashir, the returning office, declared Alhaji Sabo Aminu of the APC who scored 46,535 votes as winner of the polls, beating Alhaji Umar Abdullahi of the PDP who scored 13398 votes.

In Giwa, Abu Shehu Lawal Giwa of the APC won with 57,005 votes defeating Bello Shehu Kago of the PDP who got 2,673 votes as declared by Dr Muhammed Sani, the LG returning officer.

The SIECOM Returning officer of Kauru local government, Prof Musa Yusuf also declared PDPs Shuaibu Goma, who scored 24,393 votes as winner against Alhjai Bashir Tanko of the APC with 21,564 votes.

Also, John Mallam Lugards, the returning officer for Ikara LG has announced Ibrahim Salihu Sadiq of the APC with 42,312 votes as winner for Ikara polls defeaating his PDP counterpart Abdullahi Aliyu who scored 9,248 votes.

In Lere, the Returning officer, Prof Aminu Ahmed Muhammed declared Abubakar Buba of the APC who scored 92,854 as winner beating Jumare Tanimu Magaji of PDP with 16, 231 votes.

The returning officer for Sabon Gari local government, Dr Micah Victor announced Mohammed Ibrahim Usman of the APC as winner after scoring 20, 576 votes against PDPs Suleiman Ibrahim Gambo with 9,580 votes.

Similarly, Prof. Ahmed Babajo Kofa, returning officer for Igabi local government announced Jabir Khamis of the APC who scored 47,630 as duly elected chairman of the local government against Abubakar Abubakar of the PDP with 2,449 votes.

In Sanga, Mr Samuel Shamaki of the PDP emerged winner of the chairmanship contest with 20,843 votes, beating Charles Danladi of the APC, who got 19,757 votes.

Similarly, Mr Nuhu Garba, SIECOMs returning officer has announced PDPs Peter Agite as winner in the Kachia local government chairmanship contest with 42,242 votes to beat his APC counterpart, Peter Dan-Baki, who got 33, 817 votes.

Returning officer, Kaduna North LG, Umar Hayatu announced APCs Saleh Shuaibu, who scored 168,572 votes as winner, beating Muhammad Sabo Babayaro of the PDP who got 12,467 votes, while the PRP candidate had. 4,956 votes.

In Zangon Kataf local government area, Mr Elias Maza of PDP won with 55,643 votes, against the APC candidate, John Hassan with 31,514 votes.

In Jemaa local government, Dr Arnaold Makeri, the Returning officer, announced Mr Peter Averik of the PDP winner with 45,361 votes to beat Mrs Cecelia Musa of the APC who got 25, 973 votes.

Alhaji Lawal Abdullahi-Tukur, returning officer for Kudan LG also announced APCs Alhaji Shuaibu Bawa-Jaja with 72,021 votes as winner in the chairmanship contest beating PDPs Alhaji Kabiru Isiaku who got 3,394 votes

Dr Aliyu Umar, returning officer Soba LG also announced that Mohammed Mahmud Aliyu of the APC who scored 40,903 votes as the elected chairman against the PDP candidate Muhammad Surajo Tukur who got 13,835 votes.

In Zaria LG, Aliyu Idris Ibrahim of the APC won with 42,859 votes
to beat PDPs Yusuf Namadi with 16,033 votes

Similarly, Dr Musa Abdullahi Mahdi, returning officer for Makarfi LG said
APCs Kabiru Musa Mayere won with 25,199 votes against Ibrahim Isyaku of the PDP who scored 13,088 votes.

Source: NAN

Another group of ex-Peoples Democratic Party (nPDP) leaders, who joined the coalition that formed the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2014, has slammed the Kawu Baraje group which claimed that the members were marginalised.

Last week, Baraje, a former acting chairman of PDP, and a former secretary, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, submitted a letter to the APC leadership, demanding a response and a meeting within seven days.

Oyinlola had since joined the African Democratic Congress, along with Olusegun Obasanjos Coalition Movement.

The ultimatum he and Baraje gave expires today.

But in a blow to the claims by Baraje, another group of ex-PDP members in the APC not only debunked the claims of marginalization, but also challenged the Baraje group to state where a meeting was held that mandated them to write the letter to the party leadership.

Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Chief Theodore Georgewill and House of Representatives member Abdulmumin Jibrin, in their letter, said Baraje had no mandate or the moral right to write and be making requests on behalf of the group.

According to them, members of the so-called nPDP had been taken care of in appointments. They described the Baraje groups letter as self-serving and a personal agenda, adding that the unseen hands behind the letter could be seen from the signatories.

They also faulted Oyinlolas role since he had left the party to become the coordinator of former President Olusegun Obasanjos Coalition of Nigeria Movement (CNM) when he signed the letter.

The Adamu group insisted that should the party leadership or President Muhammadu Buhari call the Baraje group to a meeting, their group should also be invited as critical stakeholders.

The Adamu group listed the positions being occupied by the former nPDP members, including Senate President, House Speaker, governors, senators, ministers and heads of government agencies. They wondered what else they expected from the Buhari administration.

Copies of the letter were sent to President Buhari and APC stalwart Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Reads partly:

We received with great shock and embarrassment the news that a former acting chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Kawu Baraje led four others to deliver a letter they claimed was on behalf of the nPDP which is defunct and has long dissolved into the APC during the 2013 merger.

In the letter, Baraje stated that we members of the then nPDP group are being marginalised, maltreated and witch hunted in the APC and requested for an urgent meeting with the party and Mr President within one week.

As members of the then nPDP, we are aware that the last meeting that was held by the group was in 2014. Since then, no meeting has been called. Where did Alhaji Baraje and Olagunsoye Oyinlola obtain the alleged resolution to write the said letter? When and where was the meeting held? Who are those that attended the meeting?

We ordinarily would have ignored such a joke, but it is a dangerous joke taken too far. How can you explain that one of the two signatories to the letter, Olagunsoye Oyinlola has since left the APC for the African Democratic Congress (ADP) after going on AWOL to the Obasanjo Coalition for Nigeria. Yet same person is asking to meet the APC leadership to address grievances? This clearly shows the sinister motive behind the letter which is not far from destabilising the party at this most critical time.

In any case, the letter is full of contradictions, false assertions, misrepresentations, distortion of history and facts and in many instances outright lies.

We as initiators and founding members of the defunct nPDP therefore wish to condemn and disassociate ourselves from the letter and apologise for the obvious embarrassment the letter have caused to our party and government.

We wish to reaffirm our support and confidence in the party and Mr President and we do not in any way feel marginalised or maltreated as we are clearly in the league of the biggest beneficiaries of the party.

They added that While the Muhammadu Buhari- led CPC got the president, the Asiwaju Bola Tinubu- led ACN got the Vice President. We the nPDP as we then were eventually got the combination of Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives though under somewhat questionable circumstances.

All of these offices control enormous amount of patronage and instruments of reward. It is strange that we did not see any qualms when the Senate President and Speaker dispensed about 200 appointments, including committee chairmen, without asking for nomination from Mr President, Vice President, the APC as a party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as party leader, Baba Akande, pioneer national chairman and a host of others. Is that not marginalisation?

If we the nPDP did not view that as marginalisation, then we do not have the moral justification to accuse the President if he appoints his ministers without seeking for our nominees. All the key stake holders of the nPDP were accommodated as follows

Senator Bukola Saraki Senator and Senate President, Hon Yakubu Dogara member of House and Speaker House of Representatives, Senator Abdullahi Adamu- Senator and Chairman Senate Committee on Agriculture, Senator Adamu Aliero- Senator and Chairman Senate Commitee on Customs, Senator Magatakarda Wamakko- Senator and Chairman Senate Committee on Education, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso- Senator and Chairman, Senate Committee on National Planning and Senator Danjuma Goje- Senator and Chairman, Senate Committee on Appropriation.

Others include Senator Abdulaziz Nyako- Senator and chairman Senate Committee on Special Duties, Senator Uchendu- Senator and vice chairman, Governor Aminu Tambuwal- Governor Sokoto State, Governor Abdullahi Ganduje- Governor, Kano State, Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed Governor, Kwara State, Senator Jibrilla Bindow- Governor, Adamawa State, Senator A Bagudu- Governor, Kebbi State, Alh Kawu Baraje- Board chairman.

The letter said that many other members of the nPDP became senators, members of the House of Representatives and occupy many other positions too numerous to mention.

The group said: The only key members that were left with nothing are Governor Rotimi Amechi and Hon Dakuku Peterside who lost the Rivers State gubernatorial election and were promptly accommodated by Mr President. While Rotimi Amechi was appointed Minister of transport, Peterside became the DG NIMASA.

The case is the same at the party level. All the party officials promoted by key nPDP stake holders are still holding their positions in the party. How can we then complain of marginalisation by the party?

A simple fact sheet is as follows: Senator Danjuma Goje- National Youth leader, Senator Wamako/ Governor Aminu Tambuwal- National vice chairman North west, Alh Inuwa Abdulkadir, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso- National Treasurer, Alh Bala Gwargwarwa, Senator Bukola Saraki/ Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed and National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, Governor Rotimi Amechi- National vice chairman South south, Governor Bindow- National vice chairman Northeast, Comrade Mustapha Salihu, Senator Abdullahi Adamu- National Vice chairman Northcentral, Hon Zakari Ede.

Source: NAN

A mammoth crowd welcomed President Muhammadu Buhari to the historic town of Hadejia, Jigawa state, where he went to commission the rehabilitated N9 billion Hadejia Valley Irrigation Scheme(HVIS).

The irrigation scheme is located in Auyo LGA and the huge offered a pleasant surprise to the visiting President, who was accompanied by his host, Governor Muhammed Badaru Abubakar.

President Buhari is in the state for a two day visit.

Source: NAN

The Nigerian Senate said Monday night that it will not stop Senator Ovie Omo-Agege from attending plenary on Tuesday, in compliance with a Federal High Court order.

The Senate had initially stated it would not respect the order, since it has filed an appeal, in a higher court.

But in a sudden twist, the Senate gave its new position in a statement by its spokesman, Senator Sabi Aliyu Abdullahi, chairman of the Committee on Media and Publicity.

The Senate leadership has been briefed by our lawyers on last Thursday judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on whether the Senate has the legal authority to suspend a member for certain misconduct or not.

We have equally filed an appeal against the judgement of the court and a motion for stay of execution of the judgement at the Court of Appeal.

As an institution that obeys the law and court orders, the Senate has decided that it will comply with the judgement of the Federal High Court and do nothing to stop Senator Ovie Omo-Agege from resuming in his office and at plenary from tomorrow May 15, 2018, pending the determination of the application for stay of execution.

The Senate has been advised that since the motion for stay of execution of the Thursday (May 10, 2018) judgement shall be heard and possibly determine on Wednesday, May 16, 2018, we shall therefore respect the subsisting High Court judgement and await the appellate court decision on the pending motion, said Sabi Abdullahi.

The senate backpedalling came hours after Senator Omo-Agege vowed to attend todays session despite the reported beefing up of security by the National Assembly authorities.

Omo-Agege spoke at the APC National secretariat citing his legal victory.

Last week Thursday, a Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the suspension of Omo-Agege for 90 days by his colleagues and declared it illegal.

Justice Nnamdi Dimgba ordered his reinstatement with immediate effect.

The senator representing All Progressives Congress (APC) in Delta Central, was suspended by the senate because he openly criticised the amendment of election sequence carried out by the senate.

He accused the senators of making provision for election sequence in the amended Electoral Act in disfavor of President Muhammadu Buhari,

The 2019 general election sequence released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) placed the presidential election first, but the senators reversed it

Buhari refused to assent to the bill and the court had also ruled that the senate had no power to alter the sequence of election as fixed by INEC.

The court also presided over by Justice Nnamdi Dimgba declared Omo-Ageges suspension unconstitutional.

Omo-Agege, a lawyer had challenged his suspension in court.

Dimgba said that the reason given by the Senate and the Senate President for suspending Omo-Agege was unconstitutional.

While the legislator has powers to take disciplinary measures against its members, the reason given for the punishment is an unconstitutional reason.

I hereby nullify the suspension of the plaintiff (Omo-Agege) which was based on the recommendations of the Senate Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions with immediate effect.

Dimgba also ordered the Senate to pay Omo-Agege any outstanding salaries or allowances which were due to him during the period of the suspension.

The judge stated that the decision recommended by the committee to punish Omo-Agege for going to court was wrong and contravened Sections 4 and 6 of the constitution adding that he had a right to go to court.

Access to court is one key indicator of a democracy, the exercise of his rights cannot be a basis for punishment.

The judge further stated that the court took judicial notice of the fact that while the suit was pending in court, the senate went ahead to suspend the senator for 90 legislative days.

In sanctioning a legislator, the legislature must act within the law. While this suit was pending, and to the knowledge of the Senate and the Senate President, they went ahead and imposed a sanction on him.

The judge also said that the 90 legislative days suspension was against Order 67, Rule 4 of the Senate Standing Rules which provided for a lawmaker to be suspended for only 14 legislative days.

He maintained that suspending the senator for more than 14 days was denying his constituents the required representation.

He, however, held that the legislature had the powers to sanction any lawmaker who set out to make comments or act in a way that could bring disrepute to the institution.

But that the legislature went out of track and arrived at a wrong and false end by punishing the senator for exercising his rights.

According to him, Omo-Ageges right was not breeched when the senate referred him to its committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions as he erroneously believed.

Omo-Agege, who represents Delta Central Senatorial District, filed the suit to challenge his suspension from the senate.

He asked the court to among other reliefs, grant an order restraining the defendants, their servants, agents, privies or officers from interfering with his rights and privileges as a senator and to make any order that it may be deem fit

Source: NAN

Israeli forces killed 55 Palestinians on the Gaza border in the conflicts bloodiest day in years on Monday as clashes and protests coincided with the deeply controversial opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem.

The clashes, which left more than 2,400 Palestinians wounded, erupted before a White House delegation and Israeli officials opened the embassy at an inauguration ceremony in Jerusalem and continued throughout the day.

It was the bloodiest day in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since a 2014 Gaza war.

The dead included eight children under the age of 16, according to the Palestinian envoy to the United Nations. The Gazan health ministry provided the overall death and injury toll.

Tens of thousands had gathered near the border in protest while smaller numbers of stone-throwing Palestinians approached the fence and sought to break through, with Israeli snipers positioned on the other side.

The embassy inauguration nonetheless went on as planned, attended by a Washington delegation that included US President Donald Trumps daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner, both White House aides.

Ivanka Trump helped declare the new embassy open and a plaque and seal were unveiled before the 800 guests at the ceremony.

Trump addressed the ceremony by video.

Our greatest hope is for peace, he said despite the Palestinian anger the move has provoked.

The United States remains fully committed to facilitating a lasting peace agreement.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Trump in his address that by recognising history you have made history.

Protests and clashes

Source: NAN

President Muhammadu Buhari has declared that Nigerias agricultural revolution is real and on course and assured Nigerians that government will sustain the positive momentum in the sector by implementing the right policies.

He gave the assurance an event to mark the commencement of the rehabilitation and expansion of the 6,000-hectare Hadejia Valley irrigation project in Jigawa on Monday.

Buhari, who is in the state on a two-day working visit, promised that government would provide the needed financial resources to prosecute peoples oriented projects.

He was happy that the economic diversification and inclusive growth programmes of the government were already yielding positive results, particularly in key food-producing states.

The President further applauded the World Banks assistance to the project, which when completed would increase water availability for all-season farming in Jigawa and beyond.

On his part, the Minister of Water Resources, Suleiman Adamu, said works on the first phase of the project which started in the early eighties during the administration of President Shehu Shagari and received some funding under the Petroleum Special Trust Fund had suffered frequent abandonment due to lack of funds.

Adamu, however, revealed that with some funds allocated under the US$495 million World Bank-assisted Transforming Irrigation Management in Nigeria (TRIMING) project in five different irrigation locations in the country, the project would be completed by 2021.

By the time the project is finished in three years, there would be about 6,000 hectares of farmland and the Jigawa State Government also plans to key into the project that will benefit over 25,000 farmers, the Minister explained.

Buhari had earlier inaugurated the 42-kilometre Tasheguwa-Guri Road and the 32-kilometre Abunabo-Kadira-Guri road constructed by the state government .

He also inaugurated the 250,000 solar-powered water supply scheme in the state.

Source: NAN

The lingering nationwide strike embarked upon by health workers may suffered a set-back following resolve by doctors to render services and kick against the demands of the health workers.

The National Chairman of JOHESU, Mr Biobebelemoye Josiah, has therefore alerted of efforts by the doctors to frustrate ongoing talks to end the four-week-old strike.

Josiah raised the alarm when he fielded questions from newsmen in Abuja, and also accused the Ministry of Health of collaborating with the doctors in suppressing JOHESUs legitimate demands from the government.

JOHESU had on April 17 embarked on industrial action to press home its demands bordering on improved healthcare facilities and welfare.

The strike by the union has so far crippled healthcare delivery in public health institutions across the country but the doctors render service.

Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, had confirmed that negotiations were on with JOHESU to end the strike.

Negotiations are still on with JOHESU and the Minister of Labour is leading the negotiation, and we expect that we will conclude on all issues very soon.

The Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) had in a statement threatened to withdraw their services across health institutions in the country if the federal government acceded to the demands of JOHESU and other health workers.

The NMA wishes to draw the attention of the Federal Government to our correspondence of April 21, 2014, on the above, in which we reminded Government of the collective bargaining agreement we had with the Federal Government of Nigeria in January 2014.

The doctors drew the attention of government to the concluding part of their letter no. NMA/PRE/SG/03/0751 of 21st March 2014.

It states: In view of the above, the NMA painfully wishes to inform the Federal Government of Nigeria that any award to the non-medically qualified health professionals that violates the January and July agreements of 2014 shall result in the resumption of the suspended withdrawal of service of 2014. Please take this as a notice.

The above reminder is predicated on the extension of the ongoing strike action embarked upon by the amorphous body called `JOHESU.

The basis of the strike is callous and ill motivated for pay parity between her members and doctors with the resultant erosion of relativity and further hierarchical distortion in the health sector vis--vis her clandestine romance with some top government officials.

For the avoidance of doubt, the Nigerian Medical Association wishes to restate her positions on the various demands of JOHESU:

We oppose vehemently, any adjustment in CONHESS SALARY SCALE with resultant pay parity between doctors and healthcare professionals allied to medicine, and hereby reaffirm that relativity is sacrosanct, the statement read in part.

The president of JOHESU, however, alleged that the two ministers of health were not serious in ending the strike in view of their position in support of the demands of the doctors at the detriment of JOHESU.

He said: This very agreement was entered into and then a memo was made to Mr President as they claimed even though they gave us a copy later.

When they made this memo it was in December and the ministry of health defended her budget in February, but did not deem it to include that the amount it worked for the payment or settlement of this very issue.

This goes a long way to show that there was dishonesty, insincerity from the beginning on the part of the ministry (Federal Ministry of Health) because most probably the minister is a doctor; minister of state (Health) is a doctor and minister of labour who is supposed to be the chief negotiator, is also a medical doctor. (NAN)

Source: NAN