Serena Williams ended a nine-month title drought with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over Madison Keys in an all-American Italian Open final Sunday.
Serena recovered from an early scare to claim her fourth title at Foro Italico and third in four years.
In an all American Italy Open final, Madison Keys took the early advantage as she raced into a 3-1 lead.
But Williams showed her superior class and came back to win the first set tiebreaker 7-5.
Keys showed the fighting spirit that has helped her reach arguably her biggest final to date.
But Serena always looked in control in the second set winning 6-3 to clinch the match in one hour and 24 minutes.
Williams’ previous title came in Cincinnati in August – a month before her attempt at a calendar-year Grand Slam ended with a semifinal loss to Roberta Vinci at the U.S. Open.
”It feels great,” Williams said, pointing out that she’s only played four tournaments since Cincinnati.
”So it’s not like I was playing every week. So that’s kind of how I look at it.
“But it feels great to win a title, especially on clay.”
It’s Williams’ fourth title in Rome and it comes exactly a week before the French Open begins.
”I’m feeling pretty fit. So I’m looking forward to it,” said Williams.
She will be attempting to defend her title at Roland Garros.
But won’t have to answer any questions about a potential calendar-year Grand Slam this year.
”I’m going to definitely go in there and feel more calm and (not) feel stress to have to win.”
The world No.1 had previously won the title in 2002, 2013 and 2014 but was keen to acknowledge Keys in a warm embrace at the finish.
Hingis Wins Her Fourth Rome Title
Martina Hingis now has four titles in Rome after she and partner Sania Mirza claimed the women’s doubles.
The Swiss-Indian top seeds claimed an overall deserved victory over the Russian pair Ekaterina Makarova and Elena Vesnina.
Hingis and Mirza won the first set 6-1 before losing the second 7-5 on the tiebreak.
But a Champions tiebreak followed where the top seeds claimed victory by a 10-3 scoreline.
Hingis had previously won the women’s singles title in 1998 and 2006 and the doubles with Anna Kournikova in 1999. [myad]
The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff has openly apologized to the party’s chieftains and aggrieved stakeholders over statements credited to him by his personal aides and associates.
The former Borno Governor, who offered the apology today, Sunday, in Jalingo, capital of Taraba state when he spoke to news men, said that “as a well-cultured and astute politician, I would never make any comment that would ridicule the party.”
He made it clear that it is not in his character to join issues with highly respected elders of the party, denying that he ever authorized any of his aides or political associates to react to issues raised by aggrieved elders of the party.
Modu Sheriff said that the aggrieved members of the party reserved the right to complain about issues affecting the party which they considered inimical to the progress of the PDP.
He, therefore, called on aggrieved members to bury the hatchet and join hands with the present leadership to rebuild the party and restore the confidence of Nigerians in it.
The PDP Chairman stressed that as the main opposition party in the country, PDP could not afford to have a divided house and appealed to members to work for the unity of the party at all times.
He explained that the present leadership of the party is poised to lend a listening ear to all shades of opinions with a view to strengthening it to face the challenges ahead.
Modu Sheriff said that the battle for 2019 general elections had started in earnest, and that the party could not afford to remain divided if the desired goal is to be achieved.
“Under our leadership and the support and encouragement of stakeholders and supporters, PDP will definitely bounce back in 2019.” [myad]
The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has described the report featured by an online news medium that he squandered the sum of N260 million days after he was sworn into office as an abuse of thr right to information even as he said the report is libelous.
Mr. Bello, who reacted through his Chief Press Secretary, Kingsley Fanwo, described the report as “libelous,” but did not deny that the funds were drawn.
In a statement signed by Kingsley Fanwo, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, the governor said medium’s investigation into the spending was a clear abuse of the right to information.
“The use of the word ‘squander,’ as far as I am concerned, is a clear abuse of the right to information. Every dime spent by the governor can be accounted for.”
The governor said that he drew the funds to tackle security challenges in the state which he said was a “hotbed” for criminals for over a decade due to its strategic location.
“It is a public knowledge that Kogi State has been contending with serious security breach for the past ten years. Because of the location of the state as gateway to many states of the federation, the state drifted into a criminal hotbed.”
He said that he took shelter in his private residence for weeks after he assumed office due to the poor state he met Lugard Government House, Lokoja, saying that he used part of the funds to renovate his official residence.
“The award of contract to renovate the Government House was justifiable. Weeks after his inauguration, Governor Yahaya Bello was operating from his home because the Government House wasn’t conducive. The award was to renovate Government House and not his personal house.”
“If you have ever been to the Kogi State Government House in Lokoja, you will appreciate the rot of the architecture. It was not befitting of one of the most historic government houses in Nigeria. In tandem with the present administration’s drive to turn the economy of the state to a private sector driven one, we need to start our charity at home. People must love to come to our Government House to transact businesses.”
Governor Yahaya Bello insisted that he is committed to fighting corruption and enabling transparency in his administration.
“Let me also put on record that Governor Yahaya Bello administration is contractually committed to fighting corruption and enthroning transparency in the polity. These are the terms of his social contract with the Kogi people.” [myad]
A controversial 46 year old Nigerian oil magnate, Kola Aluko, has auctioned his Bel-Air, Los Angeles mansion, for $21.5 Million, even as Nigerian and European authorities have intensified investigations on him regarding a series of money-laundering and fraud-related crimes.
According to Los Angeles Times, Aluko sold the home last week, even when he was at a $3 million loss having bought the sprawling residence in 2012 for $24.5 million.
Aluko was said to have sold the residence in an off-market transaction using a limited-liability company. An off-market sale in real estate refers to a property that is sold without any form of public advertising.
Aluko’s former home- a contemporary-style showplace in the 700 block of Sarbonne Road, Los Angeles, was designed by architect Paul McClean and built in 2011. The property sits on more than an acre, has a gated entrance, a subterranean garage and a 132-square-foot infinity-edge swimming pool among other features.
For a long time, Aluko had been linked as a business associate of Nigeria’s former Petroleum minister, Diezani Alison-Madueke, who is also currently under investigation by Nigerian and British authorities for money laundering and embezzlement.
Shortly after she became oil minister in 2010, Alison-Madueke awarded Atlantic Energy- an unknown start-up co-founded by Aluko, a very lucrative contract to fund NNPC’s (the state oil company) operational costs in four lucrative oil blocks in which the NNPC owned a stake.
In return for providing funding to the NNPC, Atlantic Energy was to lift the crude produced from the oil blocks, sell it, and thereafter pay the state-owned oil firm its share of profits. But there is an allegation and considerable proof that Atlantic Energy did not make any upfront funding but lifted crude and that a huge chunk of the proceeds from the sale of the crude oil did not make it to NNPC’s coffers and, by extension, the Nigerian treasury.
An email to Kola Aluko to confirm the sale of his Bel-Air property was not responded to as at the time of this post. [myad]
The Presidency has announced a total of N500 Billion palliative measures to cushion the effect of the recent increase in fuel price as result of the removal of fuel subsidy.
The palliatives, according to the Presidency, will directly impact the lives of more than eight million Nigerians in different social investment as provided in 2016 budget spending and will provide succour to ordinary Nigerians.
Senior Special Assistant to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Media and Publicity, Mr. Laolu Akande, who spoke for the Presidency in an interaction with news men in Abuja, said that some of the measures would be starting in a matter of weeks.
He said that one of the palliatives would be the direct payment of N5,000 monthly to one million extremely poor Nigerians for 12 months as provided for in the 2016 budget for which N$68.7 billion has been appropriated.
According to Akande, there is also the direct provision of very soft loan -cash for market women, men and traders, including artisans and Agric workers, adding that it would be for a total of 1.76 million Nigerians, without the requirement for conventional collateral.
“Some of the traders will likely get about N60, 000. A total sum of N140.3 billion has already been appropriated for this in the budget. Payment of between N23,000 and N30,000 per month to 500,000 unemployed graduates who would be trained, paid and deployed to work as volunteer teachers, public health officers and extension service workers among other responsibilities.
“They would also be given electronic devices to empower them technologically both for their assignments and beyond just as 100,000 artisans would also be trained and paid N191.5vbillion has been set aside for this in the past budget.
“Also, at least 5.5 million Nigerian primary school children -i.e starting first in 18 states-three per geopolitical zones-would be fed for 200 school days under the free Homegrown School Feeding Programme. N93.1 billion has been appropriated for this in the 2016 budget.
“One hundred thousand tertiary students in science technology engineering & maths (STEM), plus education will partake in the N5.8billion already provided for this education grant in the budget. This payment would also be paid directly to the students.”
Akande said that when added together this year alone, more than eight million Nigerians would be benefiting from the Social Investment budget, saying that the N500 billion social investment programmes of the Buhari administration is a readymade palliative to lift Nigerians from poverty and economic hardship.
“Long before now, the Presidency has made adequate arrangements in the 2016 budget to ensure that Nigerians are lifted from poverty and hardship.”
“This will not only assuage the current pains arising from the new fuel pricing regime, but will provide ongoing social safety nets for over 8 million Nigerians this year alone.”
He added that this is beside the jobs that would be created by the infrastructural projects that would be restored and the new ones that would soon be taking off.
“The Buhari presidency is keen to ensure that Nigerians are lifted and that if necessary on an ongoing basis palliatives measures would always been considered to address the conditions of the people.” [pmyad]
The Nigeria’s multiple opposition political parties: Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) has accused leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of accepting the fuel subsidy removal and the eventual increase in its pump price, only to turn round and ask Nigerians to begin a nation-wide strike against the price increase on Wednesday. The opposition who cautioned Nigerians not be deceived into embarking on industrial action, asked Nigerians not to trust the Labour unions as they have been compromised. In a statement jointly signed today, Sunday, the CNPP National Chairman, Alhaji Balarabe Musa and the Secretary General, Chief Willy Ezugwu, insisted that the planned strike action scheduled for Wednesday won’t last beyond Friday as the labour unions were using the strike as a ploy to scuttled genuine actions against the increment in pump price as they did in 2012. “What the labour unions are doing now by calling for a strike action was what they did in 2012 during the Occupy Nigeria protests in response to similar increase in the pump price of petrol under former President Goodluck Jonathan. The labour unions later scuttled the action by purportedly entering into an agreement with the then government on behalf of Nigerians and ended up fixing the pump price of petrol at N97.00 per litre. “Nigerians must be beware that the planned strike action scheduled for Wednesday won’t last beyond Friday as the labour leaders have been compromised and are using the call as a ploy to deceive the masses. “We have it on good authority that the labour leaders have compromised. Recall that the labour leaders were at a meeting where the decision to inflict more and more pains on the already impoverished Nigerian people by increasing the pump price was taken and never protested against it. Why the sudden U-turn by the same labour leaders? “The ever increasing hardship enthroned on Nigerians by the current government cannot be tolerated. The federal government and its labour collaborators must be told that the CNPP, the masses and the civil society shall occupy Nigeria until the reversal of the pump price of patrol. Enough of more and more suffering under the guise of fuel subsidy removal.” [myad]
Three Niger Delta Avengers, another set of new militants that have been blowing up oil installations and demanding for independent Niger Delta Republic, have been gunned down. They were killed in what was described as a bloody exchange of gunfire between them and operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSDC), even as two officials of the Corps were wounded.
During the gun battle which took place along Snake Creeks in Nembe, Bayelsa State, many of the suspected hoodlums, who reportedly attacked the armed NSCDC personnel were said to have fled with gunshot injuries.
Security operatives have recently become the targets of militants and sea pirates in the Niger Delta region, leading to the death of at least 10 soldiers and naval officers in the last one month.
Confirming the latest attack, Commandant of the NSCDC in the state, Mr. Desmond Agu, said that his men were on patrol when they came under fire from the suspected criminals.
“NSCDC personnel while on patrol along Snake Creek within Nembe Creeks came under heavy attack from the criminals operating along that axis. After the ensuing gun battle, three of the assailants were killed while the rest escaped with gunshot injuries.
“Two NSCDC personnel sustained minor gunshot injuries but have been treated and discharged from the Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa.”
Agu said that his men other security agencies are working seriously to ensure that security threats in the region are minimized, saying: “the militants cannot take over the creeks because that’s not possible. The nation belongs to all of us. We are talking about protecting Nigeria’s critical assets. We will make sure that in collaboration with the other agencies, the pipelines and other assets are protected.
“We are ensuring that this thing is minimized so that Nigeria will breathe. Nigeria depends largely on oil. On the destruction of pipelines, we are at red alert.” [myad]
“I am ready to stay with the EFCC for years until the allegation (that I collected N25 Million) for the Goodluck Jonathan Presidential campaign) is proved.”
This was the reaction of the immediate past minister of education and former Kano state governor, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau when he appeared before the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
Shekarau who denied ever collecting N25 Million for Jonathan’s campaign in 2015 from the alleged N950m campaign fund shared at his residence in Kano before the 2015 general elections in Nigeria.
He told news men after his release from the custody of the EFCC in Kano said that he is ready to defend himself before any judicial body or court of law.
He recalled that somebody mentioned his name among top members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who were given N25m each to campaign for the former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan even as he challenged the person that indicted him before the EFCC operatives to prove the allegation that he collected the money.
“I told the EFCC that even if it is one naira that I was accused of collecting, I will not pay until it is proved. Whoever gives me the money should come out and explain where, when and how he gave it to me and anything short of that, I am ready to stay with the EFCC for years until the allegation is proved.”
Shekarau said that the operatives have searched his house and could not find anything incriminating against him, adding that they have collected his account number for further investigation.
He said that he is ever ready for any investigation and would not mind if the EFCC can trace his financial transactions of 20 years back, adding that he was not above mistake, but that he was ready to face any investigation and where found wanting he will defend himself.
He said that as a politician, the development will turn to blessing to him and his followers, saying that this is not a new thing in politics.
The former governor called on his followers to remain calm, and that as a believer, he must accept the destiny whether good or bad.
The former governor and top members of PDP in Kano are being investigated over N950 Million shared at his residence for the 2015 electoral campaigns. [myad]
Several communities in Niger Delta have disowned the new militants, known as Avengers that are agitating for the creation of Niger Delta Republic.
The National Leader of Urhobo Nationality Council (UNC), Olorogun Jaro Egbo, was the first to ask the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) to keep away from Urhobo land, saying that the ethnic group would not sit down and watch people from other nationalities vandalize national assets on its territory for private reasons.
“Our position is that we shall not allow our territories to be used as launching pads for criminal elements out to destroy our national assets.
“We advise anybody, who has issues with the security agencies bordering on criminal breach of trust and financial misfeasance, to summon the courage to face the charges, rather than plunging innocent inhabitants of the riverine communities into untold hardship.”
Also the Niger Delta Liberation Front (NDLF), a non-operational militant group, founded by the late militant leader, “General” John Togo, has also distanced itself from the proposed declaration of Niger Delta and flag-off of Niger Delta currency by the NDA in October 2016.
Spokesperson for the NDLF, “Captain” Mark Anthony, said: “we were made to understand the fact that the group is fighting sinister ambition by trying to drag all of us into its fight. We have not discussed Niger Delta Republic in any meeting. How can some few misguided youths deceive Nigerians into dragging us into their failed battle?”
This was even as the Nigeria soldiers have swung into action, arresting at least five suspected members of the NDA and combing the entire region in search of more members, bombed Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), pipeline at Makaraba community, Gbaramatu clan, in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, on Friday.
Military sources said that the suspects have been transferred to the 19th Battalion, Nigerian Army, Koko, Warri North.
Reports had it that fierce-looking soldiers had invaded Oporoza, the traditional headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom in search of militants bombing pipelines in the state.
The incursion was the second time security agents were storming Oporoza in five days, following directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to the security agencies to crush the NDA which has claimed responsibility for attacks on oil installations and pipelines bearing petroleum products in recent times in the Niger Delta.
A security source confirmed that suspected Avengers’ militants were arrested immediately the blast occurred following the cordoning off of the scene of the incident by security operatives stationed to protect oil facilities in the area.
“The suspects were taken into the custody of the army in the area, but are yet to make statements or admit if they are members of the Niger Delta Avengers or otherwise.”
It was learnt that in Oporoza, military men, numbering about 30, stormed the riverine community at about 7.30 am on Saturday in four gunboats and strutted about, evoking suspicions of imminent brutalization in the fatigued villagers.
Last Monday, at about 12.30 am, soldiers visited the community on a similar mission and did not depart until 5.00 am.
A community leader, who narrated the incident, said: “They came at about 7.30 am and left several hours later. It was obvious that they had come to intimidate us because soldiers do not just come to your community in that way for the fun of it.
“But because they were not talking to us, some of the villagers approached them to find out what their mission was and they said they were in search of militants, who bombed pipelines.”
Ijaw leader and Ibibenimowe (Chief Mobilizer) of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, who confirmed the invasion by soldiers, said: “there was tension as the about 30 military personnel moved into the community marching towards the palace and people thought that should be the right thing to do.
“The Pere (traditional ruler) of Gbaramatu Kingdom, HRM Oboro-Gbaraun II, Aketekpe, Agadaba, already alerted about the invasion, was pleased that they were heading towards his palace, but when he saw that they hesitated to move in, he sent an emissary to them to come so that he would know what was amiss.
“Curiously, the soldiers asked those he sent that they had no reason to see him.
Gbenekama added: “Gbaramatu people are not Niger Delta Avengers. We have nothing to do with the militant group. This is the second time soldiers are invading our community in five days and causing a lot of fear among the people.
“Oporoza is not the only community in Delta State; they should leave Oporoza and Gbaramatu Kingdom alone. I have read media reports that Niger Delta Avengers membership is spread across Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, South East, South West and other parts of the country. So, why is the military intimidating the people of Oporoza.
“The people are worried because the military had invaded the community in the past. The memory is still fresh in their minds. They are not militants, but under a similar situation, they bombarded Oporoza.
“As a community, we have no link with Niger Delta Avengers. We do not know them and we do not wish to be part of them, soldiers should leave in peace.” [myad]
Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, an All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Rivers South East Senatorial District at the yet to be concluded legislative re-run election in Rivers State has accused the traditional ruler in Yeghe community in Gokana Local Government Area (the Ogoni land), of hiding serial killers who have gunned down many respected citizens of the area. Speaking at the funeral service in honour of Late Chief Hon (Dr.) Vincent Elvin Eebee, a lecturer in the Ken Saro Wiwa Polythecnic, Bori, who was recently assassinated, Senator Abe asked: “where is the chief of Yeghe community? Late Eebee was a chief here. Why is the chief of the community not here? This is the kind of community that you are breeding here today. Those who are promoting education are killed while those who are putting children in the bush with guns become the lords of the community. They are the ones who decide who will live and die. But, it will not work that way.” He stressed that nobody has the power to kill everybody in the community even as he asked the people in the community to “be bold and courageous. Nobody can kill everybody; that person does not exist. Nobody is bigger than the laws of the Federal republic of Nigeria. No juju is bigger than God Almighty. And so, all these will come to a timely end.” He said that the only way the people can reject what is happening is to expose these criminal activities openly so that the criminals would have no hiding place. In so doing, Abe said, Dr. Eebee would not have died in vain as he died for speaking the truth. Senator Abe who was once the Secretary to the Rivers State Government frowned at the incessant killings in Yeghe community and cited the cases of late Clement Faa, Pius Gbarasia, Barine Court, Chief Moses, the town crier of the community and many others who were killed by gunfire. “Today, Yeghe community is a place where a man who has a Ph.D will be gunned down on the field of Yeghe and people who have guns will live. What is happening in Yeghe is a statistical impossibility. Out of a population of how many that how many people will be killed by gunfire. Check it, there is no other community that this number of people have been killed by guns. What is the crime of these people that they cannot live their lives in this community?” Senator Abe said that there must be peace in Yeghe community and in Ogoni land, pointing out that the people know the perpetrators but live in fear. “Yeghe was a peaceful place. This was a prosperous place. This was a place where everybody could come and feel at home. I grew up in this place. My father lived here. I know the town very well. The vision that the fathers of this community had have been bastardized. Those who are doing this will live to regret it. There must be change here”. Abe urged Governor Nyesome Wike to do the needful and help this community to enjoy peace even as he acknowledged hearing the governor on radio, directing the military to go after criminality in the state and appealed to him to be sincere. “Let it not just be words for today. Let it be words backed by action that will be consistent; where we will show that the protection of lives and property of the people of Rivers state is more important than politics. I want to appeal to the governor that his being in office should not create a situation where people cannot freely express their opinions, live their lives and pursue their own dreams because he being a governor is a dream that he has pursued. “Those children who want to go to school; those women who want to go to the market; Dr. Eebee who wanted to build his house and support the church; they all have their dreams and they should be allowed to pursue their dreams in peace.” Earlier, while reading the biography of her late husband, Mrs. Tambari Vycent Eebee, in an emotionally laden voice, said that her late husband ran to the community for safety but unknown to him that the community was a lion’s den. “While in the quest to continuously add value to humanity, his life was cut short by the enemies of progress through gun shots on Thursday 21st of April, 2016 in his very home town, Bua Yeghe while returning from work at the Polythecnic, Bori. What a tragedy and what an irony that where you ran to as a safe haven was unknown to you a lion’s den.” Dr. Dakuku Adol Peterside, Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Chief Tony Okocha, Chief Victor Giadom, Hon. Morris Pronen, Hon. Dr. Innocent Barikor were among other top party chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who attended the burial ceremony. [myad]
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Serena Williams ended a nine-month title drought with a 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over Madison Keys in an all-American Italian Open final Sunday.
