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Full List Of AFCON Semi-Finals’ Fixtures & Time.

Th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Cote d’Ivoire 2023 has entered into the penultimate stage with four teams set to battle for two final spots.

With the conclusion of the quarter-finals matches on Saturday, the 24 teams that started the tournament have now be whittled down to just four.In the concluding matches played on Saturday, hosts Cote d’Ivoire came from a goal down to dispatch Mali while South Africa eliminated Cape Verde 5-3 on penalties, after a pulsating goalless 120 minutes to advance to the Semis.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria was the first country to book a spot in the semi-finals with a composed 1-0 victory over the hard fighting Angolans, while DR Congo came from behind to beat Guinea 3-1.

ALSO READ: Baseball Tomorrow Academy Unveils Babe Ruth League Nigeria.

Nigeria, who are now the highest ranked team in the tournament will lock horns with perennial foe, Bafana Bafana of South Africa on Wednesday at the Stade de la Paix, Bouake by 6pm (Nigerian time).

While the host, Cote d’Ivoire confronts DR Congo at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan in the second semi-final fixture by 9pm (Nigerian time).

Semi-finals, Wednesday (feb. 7).

In the concluding matches played on Saturday, hosts Cote d’Ivoire came from a goal down to dispatch Mali while South Africa eliminated Cape Verde 5-3 on penalties, after a pulsating goalless 120 minutes to advance to the Semis.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria was the first country to book a spot in the semi-finals with a composed 1-0 victory over the hard fighting Angolans, while DR Congo came from behind to beat Guinea 3-1.

Nigeria, who are now the highest ranked team in the tournament will lock horns with perennial foe, Bafana Bafana of South Africa on Wednesday at the Stade de la Paix, Bouake by 6pm (Nigerian time).

While the host, Cote d’Ivoire confronts DR Congo at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan in the second semi-final fixture by 9pm (Nigerian time).
Semi-finals, Wednesday (Feb. 7).

1: Nigeria vs South Africa (Stade de la Paix, Bouake, 6pm)

2: Cote d’Ivoire vs DR Congo (Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, 9pm)

Third place play-off, Saturday (Feb. 10)

Loser semi-final 1 vs Loser semi-final 2 (Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan, 9pm)

Final, Sunday (Feb. 11)

Winner semi-final 1 vs Winner semi-final 2 (Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, 9pm). GNN Reports That Nigeria’s Super Eagles is being tipped to win the AFCON23 Cup.

1: Nigeria vs South Africa (Stade de la Paix, Bouake, 6pm)
2: Cote d’Ivoire vs DR Congo (Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, 9pm)

Third place play-off, Saturday (Feb. 10)
Loser semi-final 1 vs Loser semi-final 2 (Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan, 9pm)

ALSO READ: 2022 Commonwealth Games : Nigerian President Receives Queen’s Baton Relay.

Final, Sunday (Feb. 11)
Winner semi-final 1 vs Winner semi-final 2 (Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, 9pm). GNN Reports That Nigeria’s Super Eagles is being tipped to win the AFCON23 Cup.

February 4, 2024
JUST IN: Ex-Yobe gov, Bukar Ibrahim, dies in Saudi Arabia at 73

The former governor of Yobe State, Bukar Abba Ibrahim, died at the age of 73.

He died in Saudi Arabia after a protracted illness, a source who preferred anonymity claimed.

Another source close to the family posted on his Facebook page, “Inna lillahi wa inna ilaihi rajiun.

Sen. Bukar Abba Ibrahim has passed away just now in Makkah. May Allah grant him peaceful repose and Jannatul Firdaus as his final abode Amin Thumma Amin.”

February 4, 2024
Shari’ah council urges EFCC to unmask terrorism sponsors

By Salisu Sani-Idris

The Supreme Council for Shariah in Nigeria (SCSN) has called on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) to unmask religious organisation suspected to be sponsoring terrorism in the country.

This is contained in a statement jointly signed by SCSN President, Sheik Abdularasheed Hadiyatullah and Secretary General Secretary, Malam Nafiu Ahmad on Sunday in Abuja.

The council stated that the disclosure by the Chairman of EFCC about religious groups sponsoring insurgency in Nigeria had sent shockwaves across the country.

It called for the unmasking of the religious body allegedly sponsoring terrorism with N7 billion out of N13 billion traced to its account.

The council said that the issue raised concerns about potential fund misuse for activities threatening Nigeria’s peace and security.

” The gravity of the situation calls for immediate public clarification of the group and decisive action to address the disturbing nexus between religious groups and Insurgency.

” Accordingly, we urgently call upon the EFCC to publish the list of all sponsors involved in criminal activities.”

It said that terrorism was a matter of grave concern, and citizens demanded for proper legal action against sponsors and those found complicit in financing activities undermining the nation’s security.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Chairman of EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, recently said that the commission had uncovered a religious sect laundering money for terrorists.

Olukoyede, said this at a one-day dialogue on “Youth, Religion, and the Fight against Corruption,” on Wednesday in Abuja, saying that N7 billion fraud proceeds was traced to another religious organisation.

He said the EFCC had found religious organisations, institutions, sects and bodies culpable of money laundering in the country.

Olukoyede said one of such religious bodies dragged the commission to court to protect its leader after laundered money was traced to its bank account.

The EFCC boss said the religious body got a court injunction restraining the commission from inviting, arresting or prosecuting its leader.

“We will not give up on recovering the stolen funds,” Olukoyede said. (NAN)

February 4, 2024
Breaking: Brutality; Men in Military Uniform Brutalise Unidentified Persons

By Biola Lawal

Abuja (Flowerbudnews): A video of some men in Military Uniform brutalising unknown civilians have hit the net, going viral on several social media channels.

A copy of the video made available to Flowerbudnews shows the uniformed men flogging the unidentified civilians with so much verocity and seriousness.

The unidentified civilians were apparently forced to the ground,- face-down while the Unidentified Persons in uniform took turns to flog them.

When contacted, the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Brig.-Gen. Tukur Gusau told Flowerbudnews that he was also seeing the video for the first time.

‘:I’m just seeing this video for the first time,’: he said.

He reiterated the military’s stance against any forms of Brutality.

”The military has zero tolerance to any brutality against any innocent civilian,” he said.

He assured that the incident would be investigated saying, ‘:I will forward to the appropriate quarters for investigation..” (Flowerbudnews)

February 4, 2024
President Tinubu’s Directive to Resolve OPL 245 Controversy, a Statesman’s Approach to Governance

By Niyi Akinsiju

We have placed the decision taken by President Bola Tinubu on the long-drawn dispute over the controversial Oil Prospecting Licence (OPL) 245 under the Analyst’s lens. We conclude that the President’s resort to statesmanship rather than brinkmanship is a welcome intervention in government-corporate entanglements.

This does not vitiate the dispositions of past administrations over an oilfield that holds a total estimated value of 9 billion barrels of crude.

This is about a quarter of Nigeria’s crude potentials. What is, however, commendable about the President’s current intervention is his realization that no matter how long drawn a matter may be, there must be a closure. And in this matter, especially, the closure must serve the national interest.

Like many Nigerians, we are familiar with the history of its controversial sale in August 1998 on the watch of the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, to Malabu Oil and Gas, a company owned by the then former Petroleum Resources Minister, Dan Etete.

Since that sale, the transaction has remained the subject of various litigations starting with the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in 2001, who terminated the sale and, in turn, handed it to Shell without a public bid.

This, rather than resolve the matter, triggered a deluge of criticism and calls to redeem the transaction that now extended to Malabu on one hand, and Shell and the Italian firm, ENI on the other hand when the President Goodluck Jonathan administration facilitated a $1.3billion settlement among the different claimants to the ownership of the oil fields.

The matter remained unresolved from the sovereign point of view upon which the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari initiated a legal challenge against the sale based on the suspicion of corruption in the $1.1bn settlement by Shell and ENI which was facilitated by the Nigerian Government.

We, however, observed that beginning in 2023, there had been moves to terminate the case in court on the basis of an advice by former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to Buhari citing low chances of success and a potential loss of economic benefits from the prolific oil block.

Our findings, indeed, showed that ENI, Shell and some of their former and current senior staff were acquitted last year by a court in Italy, where they were accused of been aware that part of the $1.1 billion paid to acquire OPL 245 would be distributed as bribe to officials of the Jonathan administration.

The country lost all other cases it filed in other foreign jurisdictions over the matter and it is also true that earlier this year, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) conceded at a Federal High Court in Abuja that it had no evidence to secure the conviction of key persons and companies including former Attorney General Mohammed Adoke over the Malabu saga after spending huge resources on law suits.

So it is against this backdrop that we welcome the President’s approval of a negotiated settlement in order to pave way for oil prospecting in the lucrative oil block that has been described as one of Africa’s juiciest but which had been idle for nearly 30 years inspite of holding billions of barrels of crude oil.

This will go a long way in boosting the country’s daily crude and gas production output, meaning more revenue at a time the country has, for years, been struggling to meet its OPEC quota.

It is our considered opinion that a negotiated settlement is a far better option than continuing with long drawn legal disputes which the country spent huge resources on without success.

What the President has approved is cost effective, and the benefits of crude and associated gas estimated at 9 billion barrels is massive in a country yearning for more foreign investors.

The earlier Nigeria begins to exploit OPL 245, the better in view of the country’s commitment to Net zero emissions based on a 2050 Global Energy Transition Plan timeline.

It is in this regard that we advise President Tinubu to speed up the process of issuing an Oil Mining Licence (OML) to either or both of the two international oil companies, which have shown interest in further development of the block or any other prospective investor.

We further urge the President to take concrete steps to ensure that licensing processes for oil blocks are done in a manner devoid of controversy like that of OPL 245. (Flowerbudnews)

February 4, 2024
Dominican Republic 2024: Flamingos to battle Central African Republic in Douala

Flowerbudnews

FIFA World Cup bronze-medalists Nigeria will begin their quest for a place in this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup on Feb. 4, when they take on their counterparts from Central African Republic in a second round, first leg encounter in Douala, Cameroon.

The Central Africans have for many years now made Douala home, as a result of lack of an approved stadium for international matches in Bangui or any other city in their country.

They hosted the Super Eagles in a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier in November 2021, which the Eagles won 2-0 in Doula.

The match already scheduled for Sunday will hold at the Stade de la Reunification de Douala at 3.00 p.m. Cameroon time.

Nigeria’s Flamingos, who won the bronze medals of the last edition of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup hosted by India, after a penalty shootout defeat of Germany, have appeared at every edition of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals apart from the 2018 finals in Uruguay.

Already, the Confederation of African Football has appointed Tunisian official Emna Ajbouni as referee, with her compatriots Khouloud Amri, Ameni Hammemi and Asma Chouchane as assistant 1, assistant 2 and fourth official respectively. Eugenie Mbainaye from Chad will serve as the commissioner.

For the return leg in Nigeria, Moroccan official Zakia El Grini will be referee, with her compatriots Ihsane Ennouajeli Nouajli, Karima Khadiri and Sabah Sadir in the roles of assistant 1, assistant 2 and fourth official respectively. Naa Odofoley Nortey from Ghana will be the commissioner.

The second leg will hold at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Saturday, Feb. 10. (Flowerbudnews)

February 3, 2024
Abduction of election officials’ – INEC suspends rerun elections in 20 Polling Units in 3 states

The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has suspended ongoing re-run elections in some constituencies due to what it described as “disruptions, irregularities and abduction of election officials”.

National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun disclosed this in a statement issued Saturday in Abuja.

affected areas are Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency, Akwa Ibom State. Suspension of elections in two Polling Units (Village Hall, EdemUrua 003 in Ini LGA and Village Hall Mbiabong Ikot Udo 003 in Ikono LGA) where all election materials were carted away by hoodlums.

“Enugu South 1 State Constituency, Enugu State. Suspension of elections in all eight Polling Units where the original results sheets were not available for inspection by voters before the commencement of polls.

“Kunchi/Tsanyawa State Constituency, Kano State. Suspension of elections in all ten Polling Units in Kunchi LGA due to invasion, vandalization, and disruption by thugs”, he stated.

Olumekun said the decision of the Commission aligns with the provisions of Section 24(3) of the Electoral Act, 2022.

“Further necessary measures for the affected constituencies will be announced after the Commission’s meeting on Monday.

“INEC invites the security agencies to investigate the incidents, while the Commission commits to thoroughly interrogating any breaches involving its officials”, he added.

February 3, 2024
Despite our diversity, Delta remains one united state – Oborevwori

Delta State Governor, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori has said that despite the state being populated by different ethnic groups, the state remains one united family.

Speaking at the Ozoro Country home of former Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Leo Ogor, Governor Oborevwori thanked the Isoko nation for their support for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the years and for his emergence as Governor of the state.

The Governor had earlier led top government functionaries including his Deputy, Sir Monday Onyeme, Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Emomotimi Guwor, Member representing Isoko Federal Constituency, Hon. Jonathan Ukodhiko, Majority Leader of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Emeka Nwaobi, members of the House and other top government functionaries to the funeral ceremony of Mrs Catherine Odior, mother of the member representing Isoko North State Constituency, Hon. Bernard Odior.

He reiterated his resolve to be Governor for all Deltans and lauded Hon. Leo Ogor for being an exemplary party man.

Governor Oborevwori said: “Anytime I come here I am always very happy because there is no time I come here that you don’t receive us very well.

“When I was Speaker and I used to come here with our leader the immediate past Governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa, we are always happy coming here because he is somebody that likes to host his people.

We are happy to be here in your house even though we came here for a funeral service.

“Our dear leader we thank you for always standing for the party and we pray that God will continue to bless and keep you.

are one leader that has been very consistent because I remember when I came here on consultation you assured me and told me to go and sleep.

“You are somebody who believes in this party and I remember when we were looking for a replacement for our late Majority Leader, and the meeting was held here for almost three hours and you eventually agreed with the choice of the system in the interest of the party.

“You are a complete party man and on behalf of the Delta State Government, I thank you for always standing for the party.

“Delta State is one united family and as I have promised, I will be Governor for all Deltans.

“I want to appreciate you and we commiserate with you on the death of the mother of Hon. Bernard Odior and it is our prayer that God will grant her soul eternal rest.”

Earlier in a sermon, at the funeral service at Alaka Grammar School, Ozoro, District Superintendent of the Christ Apostolic Church, CAC, Pastor TBO Erhimu, said the best time to prepare for heaven and hell was while on earth and not in the grave.

He reminded the living of the need to give their lives to Christ to guarantee a place in heaven in death, stressing that there was no repentance in death.

The Cleric described the deceased as a mother that used her life for the service of God and humanity and charged her children to uphold her enviable legacies that endeared her to people while she was alive.

He commiserated with late Odior’s family on the death of their matriarch and urged them to cast their trust on God as the only one that can fill the gap created by her demise.

February 3, 2024
MTC To Unveil First Female As Guest Speaker At Maris Lecture

The Maris Trust Council, MTC, organisers of the Maris Annual Public Service Lecture, is set to unveil the first female Guest Speaker for this year’s edition of the lecture series.

Secretary, MTC, Comrade Fidelis Egugbo, made the disclosure on Saturday morning in a statement he made available to journalists in Asaba, Delta State.

According to Egugbo, the general public, participants at the annual lecture series in particular, played vital roles in selecting who will deliver the lecture.

He said, “it is a thing of joy to say that in the next couple of days, we shall unveil the Guest Speaker at this year’s edition of Maris Annual Public Service Lecture.

We can confidently say that this year’s edition shall be delivered by a woman who has recorded first in several areas; of course, she will be the first female to feature as Guest Speaker at the annual event which is used to proffer solutions to the challenges of the society.

“We are grateful to the government of Delta State led by Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori for making the state conducive for the MTC to again, choose the state as host for the lecture which has participants from all over the world.

We also thank participants who are patiently waiting to know who will deliver the lecture and to those who suggested topics and guest speakers for this year’s lecture, we say, thank you as we look forward to your active participation and physical presence at the lecture.

“For those who will be attending the lecture from outside Asaba, you can make use of the Asaba International Airport; Asaba is safe, have hotels of international standards, good cuisine and hospitable people.

By God’s grace, this year’s edition shall hold on its traditional date of Wednesday of the Holy Week, that is, the Wednesday before Easter Sunday, March 27, 2024 at 12 Noon.

“Thank you. “

February 3, 2024