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Sunday
Liverpool and Brighton share the spoils on the South Coast
By Sports Desk
Liverpool FC dropped more points in their penultimate match against Brighton & Hove Albion, as both teams battled to a pulsating 2-2 draw on the South Coast.
Brighton took the lead before Mo Salah shot the Reds in front with two goals in the first half. A moment of indecision by Andy Robertson allowed Lewis Dunk to equalize for Brighton in the 78th minute, setting up a nail biting finish to an exciting affair.
The Reds sit fourth on the league table with 17 points, three behind Arsenal and Tottenham (both tied for the lead), and one point behind the defending champions, Manchester City, who sit in third after losing 1-0 to Arsenal in a rather dull affair at the Emirates.
It was finally great to have this weekend’s ties devoid of the usual VAR and refereeing issues that have plagued the Premier League this year. The fans pay to watch the players, not the referees and VAR, something Howard Webb and the top brass at the English FA need to clearly understand.
The league takes an international break with the teams returning to action the weekend of 10/21/23. Liverpool will take on Everton then, while Arsenal travel to West London to take on Chelsea.
Friday
In leaked audio, Atiku allegedly admits to setting up channels for corruption
The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Atiku Abubakar, has been accused of complicity regarding bribery and misappropriation of public funds.
This came to light in a viral audio shared by Atiku’s former aide, Michael Achimugu, where the former vice-president allegedly admitted to having collected N100 million bribe from Mr Joshua Dariye, a former Plateau State governor, which was paid directly to Marine Float, one of the three firms he registered.Play audio
In the audio recording which Achimugu claimed was with Atiku, the former Vice President is heard explaining how he set up an ‘SPV -Special Purpose Vehicle’ to receive monies from corruption-related dealings.
During his tenure as governor from 1999 to 2007, Dariye was found to have stolen N2 billion in public funds. He was found guilty of criminal misappropriation and criminal breach of trust.
“When the governor sent donations, he sent it to Marine Float. It stayed in Marine Float. One of the subscribers of Marine Float was Otunba Fasawe. That was where the N100 million went to. It did not go to Atiku Abubakar. It went to Marine Float. Marine Float was a special-purpose vehicle,” Atiku revealed in the YouTube phone recording.
Atiku said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had afterwards “very thoroughly” investigated Marine Float accounts but had still not “discovered anything” connecting him to the company’s fraudulent practices.
The former vice president also described how he was in charge of establishing onshore shell companies to operate as a conduit for taking large sums of money from public works contracts for himself and former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He said, “What happened was when we came into office and I advised the president against open corruption.
“I told him to give me three people you trust and I will prepare three companies in which they will be subscribers or rather the directors.
“So that if there is any contract that we give they will act like consultants and they are given a fee. That fee is what we use to fund the party.”
Atiku was accused by Nigerian senators in 2007 of misusing more than $100 million (£51 million) in taxpayer money for personal gain.
A Senate investigation suggested that Atiku be prosecuted for diverting funds to businesses he was associated with.
After the then-president, Obasanjo, transmitted accusations made against Atiku by Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Senate opened the investigation.
The investigative panel acknowledged in a report given to the Senate that it concurred with the conclusion that Atiku had abetted in the transfer of $145 million from Nigerian government accounts to banks.
The panel’s research and conclusions, though, had no effect.
Thursday
Flashback - Atiku Abubakar: Corruption Incorporated
Nigerian opposition presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar said he is willing to disclose his assets if compelled by law and denied a new corruption allegation against him ahead of the Feb. 25 election, the BBC reported on Tuesday.
Atiku, who was vice president from 1999 to 2007, is the main opposition People's Democratic Party's candidate and among the top three contenders to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari, whose final term ends in May.
The candidate, a 76-year-old businessman, has previously faced allegations of corruption, which he denies.
Atiku told the BBC he would disclose his assets if a law was enacted requiring it and that he would "take it in good faith" if he lost the election.
"The law doesn't provide that we should make it (assets) public. But if the law says we should make it public, I will make it public. I don't mind it," he said.
A ruling party official last week filed a motion with the High Court in Abuja asking it to order the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other agencies to arrest and prosecute Atiku over a leaked audio.
On the audio, which Reuters has not verified, someone who sounds like Atiku describes a plan to divert funds from government projects and cover up that the person received the money.
When asked to comment on the audio, Atiku told the BBC: "That voice has disclosed nothing new."
When pressed if it was his voice in the audio he said, "Nothing new."
"All what I know, all corrupt practices or corrupt allegations against me have been investigated in this country more than anybody else and nothing was found against me."
Atiku figured prominently in the corruption trial of former U.S. Representative William Jefferson, who was accused of trying to bribe Atiku in an effort to expand a technology business in Nigeria. Jefferson was convicted in 2009 and sentenced to 13 years in prison. His sentence was subsequently reduced.
Separately, U.S. Senate investigators in 2010 alleged that one of Atiku's four wives helped him transfer more than $40 million in "suspect funds" into the United States from offshore shell companies.
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Monday
Soyinka taunts Obasanjo for ordering monarchs to ‘stand up and sit down’
By Deji Komolafe
Professor Wole Soyinka mocked former President Olusegun Obasanjo over his action to order traditional rulers to ‘stand up and sit down’ at an event in Iseyin, Oyo state, a fortnight ago.
At a gathering on Sunday, Soyinka told some monarchs that he was not in their presence to bark at them to stand up and sit down, which made them laugh.
Former civilian president and military ruler, Olusegun Obasanjo, publicly rebuked some Obas in Oyo for allegedly not standing up to honour him when he was called to the podium.
Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde had invited the ex-Nigerian leader to come and commission a project, but he was enraged that the traditional rulers present did not welcome him appropriately, leading him to disrespect them publicly.
As Obasanjo’s action has continued to receive wide criticisms for being a desecration of traditional institutions and an affront to Yoruba people, the Nobel Laureate joined Nigerians to take a jab at his Egba kinsman at the gathering.
“My royal highnesses, I wish to assure you that I’m not about to bark at you to ‘stand up and sit down’. This is a cultured gathering,” Soyinka said in the video.
Meanwhile, the former leader said he stood by his action in Oyo, following the apology another one of his many estranged wives, Taiwo, tendered on his behalf.
The development has degenerated into another embarrassing public spat between Obasanjo and Taiwo, as they called each other names in recent statements.
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