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Libyan nightmare: Osime speaks! It’s a disgrace – Ekong
Victor Osimhen, Galatasaray forward and reigning African Footballer of the Year (AFOTY), has expressed solidarity with his teammates at the Super Eagles, over their ill-treatment in Libya, calling on the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to intervene in the situation immediately, as suchh a treatment should not have any place in football as a sport.
Bemoaning the situation, in which the current silver medalists were reportedly abandoned at an airport in Libya, after their aircraft was diverted from its original destination in Tripoli, the country’s capital, Osimhen, who missed the trip due to injuries, expressed huge disappointment, stating that his support was with his colleagues.
He said: “I am disappointed by the unfair treatment my brothers and coaches are facing at the Libya airport last night. Actions like this go against the spirit of sportsmanship. My support is with my team, and I know they’ll stay strong despite these obstacles. I call on CAF and other football bodies to intervene, as my teammates and officials are still stranded at the airport in Libya. This is uncalled for and inhumane. We stand together, stronger than ever.”
Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong who, ascribed the treatment of the team by the Libyan authorities, whom he blamed for the Nigerian side being kept in an abandoned airport with no access to food, drink, or phone connections as “minds -game,” while lamenting in a series of tweets early Monday morning, described it as “disgraceful.
He wrote: “12+ hours in an abandoned airport in Libya after our plane was diverted whilst descending. The Libyan government rescinded our approved landing in Benghazi without reason. They’ve locked the airport gates and left us without a phone connection, food, or drink. All to play mind games. I’ve experienced issues before while playing away in Africa, but this is disgraceful behaviour.”
Stressing the difficulties, he said even the Tunisian pilot, who flew the plane and managed the unexpected change in destination, was subsequently refused accommodation for his crew under government orders, adding that while he was allowed to rest at the airport, the situation was worse for the Nigerian crew members, who were not allowed to stay, forcing them to sleep on the plane.
He stated: “Even the Tunisian pilot, who thankfully managed to navigate the last-minute change to an airport not fit for our plane to land, had never seen anything like this before. Upon arrival, he tried to find a nearby hotel to rest with his crew but was denied at every hotel, again under government instruction. He could sleep there, but no Nigerian crew members were allowed. They have now returned to sleep on the plane, which is parked up.
“The team has decided not to proceed with the scheduled match, citing safety concerns. We will NOT play this game. Nigerian government must intervene and rescue the stranded team. We doubt the safety of travelling by road in Libya and doubts about the quality of accommodation and food they would be provided if they continued with the fixture. We respect ourselves and respect our opponents when they are our guests in Nigeria. Mistakes happen, but these deliberate actions have nothing to do with international football.”
Victor Boniface, his colleague, while echoing the same sentiments, also used his X to call for the intervention of CAF, saying the organization in charge of African football and organisers of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON), to which Nigeria is supposed to play Libya on Tuesday, after defeating them in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, last weekend, could do better.
The Bayer Leverkusen attacker wrote on the development, coming on the heels of the team travelling to Libya for the second leg of their AFCON qualifying tie against the Mediterranean Knights, having secured a 1-0 victory in the first leg: “Been at the airport for almost 13 hours no food no wifi no where to sleep African we can do better @caf.”
“It demonstrates, in the clearest possible terms, that when citizens act with unity, clarity of purpose, and resolve, they can indeed move mountains.”
These were the exact words with which the African Democratic Congress (ADC), reacted to Tuesday’s agreement of the 10th Senate to reverse the controversial provisions in the Electoral Amendment Bill, in which they earlier retained the discretionary provision of transmission of results of election electronically by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman of the coalition party, attributing the U-turn to the resilience of Nigerians, described the development as a victory for democracy and people-powered civic action.
Abdullahi, a former Minister, who called on Nigerians to stay alert and continue mounting pressure on relevant authorities until the amended bill secures presidential assent, is duly gazetted, and takes full legal effect, urged Nigerians to maintain eternal vigilance.
Following a groundswell of outrage across the country, regarding its initial decision to retain the 2022 provision and subsequent protests, which saw Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Labour Party in 2023 and Rotimi Amaechi, former Governor Rivers State, teaming up with a group of Nigerians on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, the Senate eventually bowed to pressure mandating the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to transmit elections to the INEC Result Viewing Portal (IReV), real time, but with a proviso to use manual collation only as a contingency in cases of technological failure.
Hailing the development, ADC stated that the recant by the lawmakers was beyond a simple legislative reversal, but a reflection of the resilience, alertness, and growing political awareness of Nigerians from all segments of society.
The statement, added: “The decision of the 10th Senate to urgently reverse the contentious provisions of the Electoral Amendment Bill that it passed is a significant victory for the Nigerian people.
“This outcome is not merely a legislative U-turn. It is a testament to the resilience, vigilance, and rising political consciousness of Nigerians across all walks of life. From street protests to digital campaigns, the Nigerian people have once again shown that sovereignty truly belongs to them.
“In the face of the ruling APC’s habitual disregard for due process and democratic values, the Nigerian people have reaffirmed their place as the ultimate custodians of our democracy.
“In this regard, the African Democratic Congress salutes the courage and tenacity of Nigerians. We commend every citizen who raised their voice, whether online or offline, to resist legislative mischief that threatened to undermine our electoral integrity.”
Calling on Nigerians to remain steadfast, stressing that the development represents only a step in the right direction, not the final victory, the party, added: “We must now ensure that this momentum is sustained until the amended bill is not only passed but duly assented to by the President, properly gazetted, and becomes an enforceable law of the Federal Republic.
“We must remain vigilant to ensure there are no last-minute betrayals or technical ambiguities, the kind that often lead to ‘stories that touch.’ Let this be a reminder that democracy does not thrive in silence or indifference. It demands participation, persistence, and sometimes, peaceful defiance.”
Nyesom Wike, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on Tuesday, confirmed that President Bola Tinubu has once again intervened to stem the political schism between the Rivers State House of Assembly and Siminalayi Fubara, the governor that would have led to the latter’s impeachment.
But the Minister, left a caveat – this is the last time the President would be making such an intervention – as he added that both sides would now have to work according to the terms agreed at the parley.
In the latest faceoff which started early in the year, 27 members of the assembly said to be loyal to Wike, had launched a fresh impeachment move against the governor – the third since he took office in 2023, accusing him of sundry infractions of the constitution including spending money without appropriation.
Fubara, who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), last year, was believed to have run to the President for succour, whose intervention is believed to have halted the move.
Giving details of the rapprochement, Wike told reporters in Abuja, on Tuesday that the President playing a fatherly role stepped in to resolve disputes between the two parties.
His words: “He is very kind to the people of the state. If there seems to be any problem between the legislature and the governor, as a father, he really has to intervene.
“This is the second time Mr President is intervening and I believe by the grace of God that this will be the last time Mr President will intervene.”
Wike, who has since been linked to the crises from the outset and in firm grips of the lawmakers, also pointed out his own role in the matter, saying: “I have told them to obey Mr President and I know that they would not hesitate.”
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday finally sent the name of Usman Isa Dakingari, former Governor of Kebbi State to the Senate for confirmation as as a non-career ambassador after last month’s embarrassing mix-up in which his name suddenly appeared for posting to Turkey without legislative clearance.
Tinubu, in a correspondence conveying the appointment, which was read by Godswill Akpabio, said: “I write for confirmation by the Senate, the appointment of Usman Isa Dakingari as non-career ambassador,.
“Whilst I hope that the senate will consider and confirm the nominee expeditiously, please accept, distinguished senate president, the assurances of my highest consideration.”
After reading the letter at plenary, the Senate President, said the matter would be referred to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs for consideration and report back to the Committee of Whole within one week.
Electoral Act: Don’t go to sleep, maintain eternal vigilance, ADC tells Nigerians
This is the last time Tinubu will intervene in Rivers’ row – Wike
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