IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

The police in Anambra on Saturday  said no person or group could stop  the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra. The Commissioner of Police in Anambra, Mr Garba Umar, said this in Awka while reacting to the call by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on  residents of the state to boycott the Nov.  18 governorship election. Umar told journalists that he only heard about the said call for  boycott of  the election in the media,  adding that IPOB had not claimed responsibility. He gave an assurance that the police  would ensure a peaceful election  in the state.

“We have the capacity to provide a peaceful atmosphere in Anambra State for that election. “I have not heard from IPOB that it would stop the election apart from what was published in the media. But that is for the media. ” Nobody or group can issue such threat and succeed because we have all it will take to subdue such threat. “The people of the state have the right to have periodic elections to choose their leaders; nobody or group can stop them from exercising such right. We can’t allow it. “We are fully on the ground and we can suppress such threats,” he said.

Umar, who assumed office in the state  on June 21, said consultations were on with relevant stakeholders in the state to ensure a peaceful poll.

Bournemouth have signed defender Nathan Ake for a club record fee from Premier League champions Chelsea. The Netherlands international, 22, had a spell on loan with the Cherries last season and scored three goals in 12 games before being recalled. The fee, reported to be £20m, breaks Bournemouth's previous record - the £15m paid to Liverpool for winger Jordon Ibe in July 2016. Ake has signed a long-term deal and is the Cherries' third summer signing. England striker Jermain Defoe signed on Thursday from Sunderland and Bosnia goalkeeper Asmir Begovic arrived from Chelsea in May.

Ake joined Chelsea in 2012 and made 17 appearances for the Stamford Bridge side. He spent the 2015-16 season on loan at Watford in the Premier League. "I had a great time last season so I'm really happy to be back," said Ake. "The fan haven't seen the best of me yet." Ake, who moved to Chelsea from Dutch side Feyenoord aged 16, has two caps for Netherlands and made his debut in a friendly against Morocco in June. Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe said: "Nathan is an outstanding young player with a fantastic attitude and a great desire to learn and develop.

"He has a very bright future ahead of him and I'm very pleased to say that future is here."

Britain's Andy Murray will begin the defence of his Wimbledon title against a qualifier or lucky loser on Monday. The 30-year-old Scot, who won the tournament for a second time last year, is the top seed and will begin on Centre Court at 14:00 BST.

Seven-time champion Roger Federer faces Ukraine's Alexandr Dolgopolov in his opening match. British number one Johanna Konta, seeded sixth, plays Hsieh Su-wei in the first round on Monday.

Defending champion Murray pulled out of his final warm-up match before Wimbledon because of a sore hip, but was in training at the All England Club on Friday.

Football superstar Lionel Messi will marry his childhood sweetheart in his hometown in Argentina on Friday. The Barcelona player is returning to the city of Rosario to wed Antonella Roccuzzo, whom he met there before he moved to Spain aged 13. Argentine newspaper Clarín has called it "the wedding of the year" and even "the wedding of the century".

Messi's teammates, including Luis Suárez and Neymar, will be among the 260 guests, it said. Many have flown in on private jets. Extra police officers have been drafted in to ensure security is maintained around the hotel, while a private security firm will work inside to keep out any potential gatecrashers.

Around 150 journalists have received accreditation to enter a special press area, but will not have full access to the venue, said organisers.

The Information and Communications Technology building of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, was on fire this morning.

While the source of the fire is yet unknown a Facebook user, Jake C Uche, who is a student of the institution posted the video of the fire incident a few hours ago on his page.

The Presidency on Thursday said the retention of the Presidential Aircraft, NAF 001, in London where President Muhammadu Buhari is currently receiving medical attention was borne out protocol, national security, diplomacy and prestige. The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said this in a statement made available to journalists in Abuja. Shehu was reacting to recent reports especially on the social media over an outrageous fee allegedly being paid for parking the aircraft in London since May 10 when Buhari embarked on his second medical vacation for the year.

He said there is no world leader who travels abroad and is left without plans for immediate return or possible evacuation. Shehu said, “The Presidency is constrained to decry criticisms, mostly on social media, on the retention in London of the Presidential Aircraft, NAF 001 as mostly informed by lack of understanding of protocol around foreign trips by Heads of State all over the world. “It is important to state that for reasons of protocol, national security, diplomacy and prestige, there is no world leader who travels abroad and is left without plans for immediate return or possible evacuation. “From operational point of view, this country’s Armed Forces as represented by the Nigeria Air Force are not to abandon their Commander-In-Chief in whichever circumstance he is. This is a standard operating procedure.”

The Presidential spokesman also debunked the parking fees being reported, saying presidential aircraft enjoy waivers worldwide. He added that where a waiver is not granted, such fees do not exceed £1,000. He urged Nigerians to discard the report which he claimed is emanating from the camp of opposition.