Sports
I Will Continue To Oppose Muslim-Muslim Ticket- APC Chieftain, Vatsa Vows
Former Niger State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Jonathan Vatsa, has declared that no amount of harassment, intimidation or blackmail will force him to abandon his opposition to the Muslim-Muslim ticket.
He also commended Kaduna State Governor, Senator Uba Sani, for reportedly choosing a Christian as his running mate ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
Vatsa, an APC chieftain, said Governor Sani’s reported decision to pick a Christian from the Southern Kaduna Senatorial District as his deputy reflected political maturity, fairness and religious sensitivity.
Speaking to journalists in Minna, the former APC Publicity Secretary in Niger State said the governor had distinguished himself from his predecessor, Nasir El-Rufai, by embracing what he described as a “faith-balanced” ticket.
According to him, the decision would promote peaceful coexistence, strengthen political inclusion and reassure Christians in Kaduna State of their place in governance.
“I want to commend Governor Uba Sani for this singular gesture towards the Christian community in Kaduna State.
He has distinguished himself from those who profess love for Christians publicly but sideline them when it comes to appointments and elective offices,” Vatsa said.
He urged Christians in Kaduna State to rally behind Governor Sani, insisting that the governor deserved their support for what he described as an inclusive approach to leadership.
Vatsa, however, reiterated his opposition to the Muslim-Muslim tickets adopted by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, describing the arrangement as politically insensitive and unacceptable.
“I stand by my earlier condemnation of the same-faith ticket at the federal level and in Niger State. These decisions are politically insensitive and unacceptable,” he stressed.
Vatsa insisted that no amount of harassment, intimidation or blackmail would make him change his position, stressing that speaking against any form of marginalisation was a moral obligation.
“Even if you don’t like the messenger, you should take the message. You don’t go to church to sing choruses and dance with Christians and when it comes to appointments or elective offices, you marginalise them,” he said.
Vatsa maintained that he would continue to speak out regardless of threats, adding that as a pioneer member of the APC who sacrificed for the party ahead of the 2015 elections, nobody could intimidate him.
“Anything anybody thinks he has acquired to harass and intimidate others is temporary because when the time comes, we shall all leave with empty hands,” he further added.
Lionel Messi has completed his purchase of Spanish second division club CD Eldense.
The deal is subject to regulatory approval and is the second Spanish club that Argentina great Messi has invested in, with the 39-year-old having bought Catalan side Cornella in April.
“Club Deportivo Eldense officially announces the acquisition of the club by Leo Messi, marking the start of a new and exciting chapter in the club’s history, which spans more than 100 years,” CD Eldense stated on their website., external
CD Eldense are 19th in the 22-team Spanish second division with one win and five points from their opening seven games.
Former Barcelona forward Messi, who won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, plays for American club Inter Miami in Major League Soccer and announced his retirement from international football in August.
An eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, he reached a “preliminary agreement” to become CD Eldense’s majority shareholder in September, with the process now complete.
“The arrival of one of the most important figures in the history of sport as owner of CD Eldense marks the beginning of a long-term project aimed at promoting the club’s sporting, institutional, and social development,” added the Alicante-based club
Portuguese winger Leão, who wore Ronaldo’s No. 7 shirt in the UEFA Nations League match between Portugal and Denmark, admitted after the game that the gesture held special meaning and that Ronaldo is his idol.
Leão stated in the mixed zone at Parken Stadium: “Yes, Ronaldo is an idol for me, a childhood idol. The number 7 has special meaning to me—it’s the day my children were born. I just tried to honor the shirt and enjoy the game with my teammates. I think the most important thing is that we played a good game and won.”
When asked about Ronaldo’s withdrawal from the national team’s current training camp, Leão declined to elaborate but expressed his belief that Ronaldo would be happy about the victory: “That’s not something for us to discuss. We proved we are a team, and I’m sure he’ll be happy at home for this victory. I have a good relationship with him, and I know what kind of person he is. The most important thing is the team. We got another three points, and we are first in the group. Now it’s time to rest and prepare for Monday’s game. (…) This situation is not up to us. The most important thing is the team, and to respond as a team.”
Regarding the victory in Denmark, Leão emphasized the team’s organization and attacking prowess: “We knew it would be a tough game. They were playing at home with their fans supporting them. They are a team very similar to Norway, very strong physically, but the coach prepared us very well. In both games, we started very organized. Then we created scoring opportunities, we were very efficient, and scored four goals.”
Cristiano Ronaldo left Portugal’s training camp on the eve of the Nations League match against Denmark, but the No 7 shirt will not lie vacant.
According to report,Rafael Leao will wear the number 7 shirt on Thursday evening for the match at Parken Stadium in Copenhagen, the forward moved in the summer from AC Milan to Galatasaray.
The Nations League regulations stipulate that the players on the teamsheet must be numbered from 1 to 23. That is why Portugal could not avoid giving CR7 the No 7 shirt. Former Real Madrid, Juventus and Manchester United striker Cristiano Ronaldo is in the squad, but Francisco Conceicao is not, sidelined by a thigh problem, although tests ruled out a lesion.
According to report,the fallout from Ronaldo’s departure has hit the Portugal national team, with the national side’s official profile said to have lost around 500,000 followers in just a few hours. Portuguese fans, however, are convinced the man chiefly responsible for the situation is Cristiano Ronaldo himself: according to a poll by ABola 8.1% blame federation president Pedro Proença, 13.7% head coach Jorge Jesus and 78.2% the Al Nassr forward.
The row is not going away any time soon: Marca reports that Ronaldo was promised and guaranteed greater respect by the federation until 2027 to convince him to return to the national team, while Portuguese media say even Portugal’s Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, has asked for a meeting with head coach Jorge Jesus to hear every detail of what happened.
-
Health & Wellness1 year agoPresident Tinubu Directs Cut in Dialysis Cost from ₦50,000 to ₦12,000
-
Business6 months agoDangote Refinery Reduces Petrol Gantry Price To ₦1,200 Per Litre
-
Business6 months agoAfter Plea Bargain, Court Discharges Stella Oduah of ₦2.5bn Fraud
-
International News6 months agoIndian Police Arrest Nigerian Over ₦290m Drug Haul
-
News1 year ago
CBN Debunks Fake Circular on New ₦5,000 and ₦10,000 Notes
-
Business2 years ago
Dangote; We Did Not Fix ₦600/Litre Petrol Price
-
Trending News1 year agoNELFUND Disburses ₦86bn To 449,000 Beneficiaries
-
News1 year agoPICTURE: In Lagos Couple Sentenced to 22½ Years for Cannabis Trafficking