IMO BREAKING NEWS BLOG

Chelsea have agreed a deal in principle worth £12m, plus defender Marcus Alonso, for Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, according to Guillem Balague.

Aubameyang scored 13 goals in 24 appearances for Barca after joining the Spanish club from Arsenal in January. He had a buyout clause of 100m euros (£83.4m) in his contract, but has only played eight minutes this season. The 33-year-old would be Chelsea's seventh summer signing.

The Blues have brought in French defender Wesley Fofana for a fee in the region of £70m, England forward Raheem Sterling from Manchester City for £50m, Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli for £34m, English midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka from Aston Villa for £20m, Spain left-back Marc Cucurella from Brighton for £60m and Italian midfielder Cesare Casadei from Inter Milan.

A deal for Aubameyang would mean Chelsea chairman Todd Boehly will have spent almost £250m in his first transfer window since buying the club from Roman Abramovich.

The Department of State Services (DSS) has debunk the media report by an Online Newspaper, The Peoples Gazette and report by the Amnesty International that it has been abducting innocent citizens, the Service is not involved in any citizen abduction.

DSS spokesperson, Dr Peter Afunanya, reacted to the media and Amnesty International reports in statement made available to Core TV News, he stated that, as part of its enforcement activities, the DSS arrests when, where and if necessary. This is evidently carried out in line with tenets of democratic ideals.

Adding that “At no time has the agency embarked on its actions without following led down procedures in respect of obtaining warrants of arrest or orders for detention from competent legal authorities. The claim of abduction or use of enforced disappearances is an absolute lie and a make-up narrative designed to bring the Service to disrepute.”

Afunanya further said: “the DSS is law abiding and committed to the protection of citizens and sensitive government installations. In doing this, it will continue to discharge its mandate of intelligence collection and timely dissemination of same to relevant action agencies and stakeholders.

Manchester United have signed Brazil winger Antony from Ajax for an initial fee of 95m euros (£82m). The deal, which includes a potential 5m euros (£4.3m) of add-ons, is the fourth most expensive signing in Premier League history.

The 22-year-old has signed a contract until 2027, with the option of an additional year. "This is an incredible moment in my career to join one of the most iconic clubs in the world," said Antony.

"I'm thankful to everyone who has believed in me, especially my family, and all my coaches and team-mates, because I could not have got here without them.

"Playing under Erik ten Hag at Ajax was perfect for me and my development. His style of football and coaching brings out the best in me, and I am excited by what he has told me about his plans and ambitions in Manchester."

The a Management of the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM has debunk the publication of Vanguard Newspaper dated August 29, 2022 over the purchase of four billion naira uncompleted office . This is contained in a statement signed by the Management of the commission.

The statement reels out that, the Commission does not intend to join issues with the media, it has become imperative that the general public be availed with the facts. "It is on this premise that the Commission state as follows: That the management of the Commission through the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning presented to the Federal Executive Council presided over by His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR an Unfinished property for approval to be acquired as NAICOM Academy and office accommodation following the approval by the immediate past Governing Board of the Commission.

All documents relating to the property clearly state that the property was in an unfinished state. The Commission had prior the FEC approval, obtained a “No Objection” from the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) following the valuation of the property by the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing. Adequate due diligence was conducted on the property for acquisition and all relevant approvals were secured by the Commission. Provision was made in the 2022 approved annual budget of the Commission for the purpose of acquiring the building for the Commission. 

The building is to serve the dual purpose of housing the newly established NAICOM Academy which is an initiative of the present leadership of the Commission to address knowledge gap in the insurance sector regulation and supervision not only in Nigeria but across Africa and beyond and also serve as the new head office of the Commission. In order to address the problem of low insurance penetration, entrench the culture of insurance in every part of the country and enhance the effectiveness of its surveillance in all the geopolitical zones of the country, the expansion of the Commission’s infrastructural facilities is inevitable thus the Commission requires a befitting Office accommodation to curtail any future office space crises.

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed the date for the release of the final lists of presidential and governorship candidates.

INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, released the dates on Thursday during a meeting organized by the Centre for Democracy and Development in Abuja with the theme, “Conducting Nigeria’s 2023 Elections in Volatile Security Environment,” in Abuja.

Professor Yakubu gave the breakdown of activities leading up to the conduct of the 2023 elections, noting that while the final list of the presidential candidates will be out on September 20, that of governorship hopefuls will be released on October 4.

The INEC boss asked political parties and their candidates to focus on issue-based campaigns. He further explained that the commission is collaborating with security agencies to ensure a peaceful election.

By Kelechi Uzomah, 08064075316

The trio of High Chief Mike Duru-Ejiogu, the Traditional Prime Minister of Anara acient kingdom, his counterpart, High Chief Dr Cyriacus Obialor, the Traditional Prime Minister of Amano Anara and a foremost industrialist, Chief Sylvester Abuchi Oguine has demonstrated their undying love, determination, committement, forsightedness and Passion to contribute their quota in building the Anara of our collective dreams using their hard- earned resources.

This is highly commendable that our big brothers has decided to do the needful by coming together to think out of the box to building a world class City Center that will turn the Community into a tourist center of attraction in Imo State.

This genuine love demonstrated by these great and illustrious sons of the community should be applauded given the obvious fact that the good people of the community had so long sought for the development of the community which has never happened until these kind hearted and committed sons of the community took it upon themselves to building the world class City Center with their own money.

It should be a thing of joy and celebrations that these illustrious sons has decided to wipe away the tears of so many years of underdevelopment which has greeted the community and so many of us with good conscience has been praying to God to bring accelerated development to the community.

Admittedly, Amaraku of yesterday has already overtaken Anara Community in terms of development because her people understood the need to contribute their quotas to developing their community.

In their wisdoms and resolves to building the Anara of our collective dreams, the Isiala Mbano Local Government and Anara Town Union has agreed to relocate the current Motor park to Umuahia road to pave way for the construction of 3 shopping plazas at Anara Motor park

This is their avowed desires and determinations to changing the narratives in the Anara Community in order to change the FACE OF ANARA from Agbero town to a developed city center , the Isiala Mbano Local Government/Anara Town Union after a memorandum of understanding has been signed and sealed.

They designed a modern shopping plaza to be developed in the motor park thereby creating a massive job opportunities for the teeming youths of the community.

It should be noted that the Isiala Mbano Local Government & Town Union looked for developers that will use their money to develop the plazas so that the shops can be shared between amongst them;

*Isiala Mbano LGA 

*Anara town Union 

*Developers 

All efforts to get a developer failed until 3 Sons of Anara namely :

*High Chief Mike Ejiogu 

*High Chief Cyriacus Obialor 

* Chief Uju Oguine

accepted to use their money to develop the shopping plazas and the beatification of Anara Community to new face of Mbano nation.

It should be noted that these great sons of the community has demonstrated their affection and love for their fatherland and have written their names in the guinness book of record.

That is to say that the history of the development of the community can never be complete without a mention of their names. It's indeed a worthwhile ventures they have embarked upon.

This project will cost them nearly N1 billion Naira but even if all the shopping plazas are sold,  they cannot realize upto N1 billion back , but for their undying love and Passion for the Community, these three worthy sons and ambassadors  accepted to use their money to develop Anara to a more befitting and tourist center of attraction in the State.

What a good way to show love to one's fatherland! I am not surprised that these pathfinders of great nobility are showing this kind of love to the community. 

But certain personalities in Anara felt that the names of these 3 Anara sons shall be written in gold forever for  denying themselves and sacrificing everything they have got to making Anara great again. They decided to spread falsehood to the gullible people in the community.

I am of the opinion that those who have started recruiting some sons of Anara Community to carry out rumors that the ATU has sold the motor park to High Chief Mike Ejiogu should henceforth desist from such unfounded lies that can only emanates from the pity of hell. 

It is important  to make it clear to all  lovers of lovers of Anara Community and good deeds  to support these legacy project for the interest of our children and unborn children because there will be a time when our children will ask us of our contributions to the development of the community we called ours and I doubt if we will have tangible reasons or answers to give them when the time comes.

I want to specially call on all the rumor peddlers whose stock in trade is not spread falsehood to desist henceforth before this opportunity presented to us by these illustrious sons of the community slipp off us which our generations yet unborn will never forgive us even till eternity. God forbid!

Let it be on record that a solid agreement has been signed between Isiala Mbano , ATU and the 3 Developers already , some percentages as has also been reserved for the original land owners or family donors.

It therefore becomes important to state here that the existing bungalow shopping plazas in the park won’t be demolished until they complete the first 2 Modern plazas before they can relocate the owners of shops at the current bungalow plazas into the Modern shopping plazas for proper use and then demolish the existing bungalows shops and build the 3rd Modern shopping plazas on same spot of the bungalows so that our people can do their businesses in a very comfortable environment.

It is from the strength of my submissions that I called on the well meaning people of Anara Community to rally round High Chief Mike Duru-Ejiogu, High Chief Dr Cyriacus Obialor and Chief Sylvester Abuchi Oguine in their avowed desires and determinations to building a world class City Center for the community.

History will not take it kindly with any of us who are part of the plot to send us back to Egypt.

Evang. Kelechi Uzomah writes from Ndiama Umuehie Anara acient kingdom.