Author: statereporter

The 2024/2025 UEFA Champions League season marks a significant change in the competition’s format, introducing a more intense and competitive structure. What is the New UEFA Champions League Format? UEFA Champions League 2024/2025 Match Schedule Phase Matches (League Stage): Knockout Rounds: Key Dates for UEFA Champions League Draws Final Venue: Allianz Arena Important Notes As the tournament enters its 70th campaign, UEFA has implemented a new format that replaces the traditional group stage, aiming to enhance the competition’s excitement and unpredictability. Here are details of the new format, the match schedule, and key dates for this season. What is…

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has supported the call for former President Goodluck Jonathan to join the 2027 presidential race. Recall that the Governor of Bauchi State, Bala Mohammed vowed to jettison his presidential ambition if Jonathan indicates any interest to contest. Some northern elites and politicians who are displeased with President Bola Tinubu’s administration have also called for Jonathan’s return to the presidency. Reacting to the development during an interview with Punch, the Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Ibrahim Abdullahi, said the position of the Bauchi governor and northern elites resonated with the opposition party. He said,…

The Federal Government has established a 10-member inter-ministerial committee to implement the Supreme Court’s recent ruling granting financial autonomy to local governments. The committee, chaired by Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, aims to ensure local governments receive direct funding from the Federation Account, bypassing state governments. The Supreme Court’s July 11 verdict declared it unconstitutional for state governors to hold onto funds meant for local governments, ordering direct payment to the latter. The committee’s members include representatives from various ministries, agencies, and stakeholders, tasked with ensuring compliance and effective implementation of the ruling. The committee’s…

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has ordered former Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, to present himself for arraignment. The court in its verdict on Tuesday, August 20, also restrained him from taking further action until he is arraigned. Additionally, the court has set aside the judgment previously delivered by the Kogi State High Court. Bello’s whereabouts have been unknown since the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, attempted to arrest him during a raid from his residence in Abuja, a few months ago. Governor Usman Ododo had scuttled attempts by EFCC’s operatives to arrest Bello from his residence…

Maria Branyas Morera, the world’s oldest living person, has passed away at the age of 117, her family announced on Tuesday. Branyas, who was born in the United States and lived through two world wars, died peacefully in her sleep at the Santa Maria del Tura nursing home in Olot, northeastern Spain. Guinness World Records had recognized Branyas as the world’s oldest person in January 2023, following the death of French nun Lucile Randon at the age of 118. Branyas’s remarkable life spanned over a century, and she had become an inspiration to many. In a poignant message on her…

Mojisola Awesu, a 21-year-old female student of the Kwara State College of Health Technology, has been found dead. Awesu went missing after she was reportedly contracted by her friend to act as a girlfriend for a private varsity student at a party for the sum of N15,000. The Kwara Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Toun Ejire-Adeyemi, in a statement on Tuesday, August 20, said she was found dead at a refuse dump in the Aleniboro area of Ilorin, Kwara State capital on August 12. She added that on August 13, a report of a missing person was made by one…

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has announced a significant milestone in remittance inflows, with the country receiving $553 million in July 2024, representing a 130% increase compared to the same period in 2023. This figure marks the highest monthly total inflows on record and reflects the CBN’s ongoing efforts to boost liquidity in Nigeria’s foreign exchange market. In a statement released on Tuesday by the CBN’s Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi Ali, the surge in remittance receipts is credited to several policy measures introduced by the apex bank aimed at enhancing the country’s foreign exchange liquidity. These…

ExxonMobil has refuted claims of being responsible for the recent oil spill in the Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, which affected over 27 coastal communities. The village head of Mkpanah, Denis Essenem, had attributed the spill to ExxonMobil, stating that the company is the only major oil operator in the area. However, ExxonMobil’s Regional Communications Manager, Ogechukwu Udeagha, denied any involvement, stating that there has been no release of oil from their facilities. A preliminary report from the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency did not identify any Mobil facility as a potential source of the…

In a bid to enhance healthcare services in Borno State, Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has disbursed over N209.8 million to 170 primary healthcare centers (PHCs) across the state’s 27 local government areas. During a ceremony at the Government House in Maiduguri on Monday, Governor Zulum symbolically presented cheques to representatives of selected health facilities from each of the three senatorial zones. This funding is expected to improve the quality of healthcare services provided to the people of Borno State. This according to the Government is part of the governor’s efforts to strengthen the healthcare system and ensure that citizens have…

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has dismissed the appeal filed by the Edo State House of Assembly, thereby affirming that Comrade Philip Shaibu remains the Deputy Governor of Edo State. The appellate court upheld the earlier ruling by the Federal High Court, Abuja, which nullified Shaibu’s impeachment and ordered his immediate reinstatement. This development follows Shaibu’s controversial impeachment on April 8 by the Edo State House of Assembly, where he was accused of perjury and leaking government secrets. However, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court had ruled that the impeachment process did not follow due process, and…