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Alli tackles Makinde over N250bn streetlight spending

The Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation has questioned Governor Seyi Makinde’s engineering credentials over the use of diesel-powered generators to operate streetlights across Oyo State.

The organisation alleged that the governor, who has said he studied electrical engineering, spent more than N250 billion on streetlighting projects powered by diesel generators.

It described the expenditure as evidence of what it called waste, poor planning and misplaced priorities under the Makinde administration.

The campaign organisation, through its Director of Media and Publicity, Bisi Oladele, was reacting to Makinde’s statement on Friday in which the governor described Alli as a lawyer who had never appeared in court.

‘It is a tragic irony that Governor Makinde, who studied electrical engineering, cannot devise a sustainable electricity solution for the streetlights installed with about N400 billion of state funds by his government.

‘Instead, the administration continues to power them with fuel-guzzling generators-an outdated, expensive and environmentally harmful arrangement funded from the public purse.

‘At a time when modern cities are embracing solar-powered and energy-efficient streetlighting systems, Oyo State remains trapped in the age of diesel generators under the supervision of an electrical engineer. It is more embarrassingly illogical given the fact that his predecessor undertook the same project with solar system.

‘If not for the prime purpose of enriching self, cronies and deliberately wasting Oyo State funds, why will Governor Makinde destroy the solar infrastructures and electric poles installed by his predecessor instead of repairing and upgrading them to higher solar grade?

‘To worsen the case, Makinde’s streetlight project has become dysfunctional, as load-shedding has become the only way the project operates.

‘This raises serious questions about the governor’s competence, priorities and commitment to prudent management of taxpayers’ money. Should we judge Governor Makinde’s claim as an electrical engineer by his streetlight project, the answer is obvious to all.

‘Equally disturbing is the reported failure of the renovated Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan to secure CAF approval for Shooting Stars Sports Club to host a continental fixture.

‘After committing over N5 billions to the stadium renovation project, followed by great fanfare in 2021, the facility could not satisfy the requirements for the very international matches expected of a major sporting arena.

‘What, then, did Governor Makinde renovate? Who certified the work, and why should Shooting Stars be forced to seek an alternative venue in Abeokuta, Ogun State after Oyo taxpayers had financed the reconstruction of their traditional home ground?

‘The situation represents more than an administrative lapse. It is an embarrassment to Shooting Stars, their supporters and the entire people of Oyo State, and a disgrace to the Makinde-led administration. A stadium renovation that cannot meet the standards required for continental football is another monument to the Makinde administration’s preference for publicity over quality and durable results.

‘From streetlights powered with generators to a refurbished stadium unsuitable for continental football, the evidence points to a government that spends heavily but delivers poorly.

‘The people of Oyo State deserve infrastructure that works, projects that provide value for money and a government capable of planning beyond ceremonies, billboards and political propaganda.

‘Oyo State must move away from expensive improvisation and cosmetic governance that have become the order of the day under Makinde.

‘Public projects must be designed and executed to serve the people-not merely to provide opportunities for political showmanship,’ the statement said.

The campaign organisation added that nothing buttresses the fact that Alli has been living rent-free in Makinde’s mind than the governor using every speaking opportunity to mention and bring the APC governorship candidate into his address.

CRICKET-CPL-LEAD Kingsmen through to final with record-breaking victory over Amazon Warriors

Rovman Powell’s superb cameo at the death carried his Jamaica Kingsmen to a thrilling five-wicket win over the Guyana Amazon Warriors and into the final of the Republic Bank Caribbean Premier League here on Friday.

Player-of-the-Match Powell’s unbeaten 40 off 17 balls with four sixes and two fours powered the Kingsmen to 207 for five with two balls remaining, in pursuit of the Amazon Warriors’ competitive 206 for four at Kensington Oval.

It was the highest successful run chase in CPL playoff history and catapulted the newly renamed franchise into its first final.

The result marked a stunning turnaround for a Kingsmen side that lost its first three matches and looked destined to miss the playoffs.

Alternatively, the loss for the Amazon Warriors was their third straight and will be a hard pill for the franchise to swallow after they won their first six games in dominant fashion to install themselves as favourites to lift the title.

Powell’s heroics overshadowed Shimron Hetmyer’s brilliant 102 not out off just 45 balls, which helped to propel the Amazon Warriors to a formidable total before a mainly Guyanese crowd at The Mecca.

The Amazon Warriors got off to a slow start, losing the wickets of Mohammad Haris and Mavendra Dindyal for nine runs apiece to slip to 20 for two in the fifth over.

However, Shai Hope and Hetmyer forged a superb 96-run partnership for the third wicket that gave them a solid foundation to launch from, after being only 37 for two at the end of the power play.

At the halfway stage they had recovered to 75 for two, and the pair signaled their intentions by scoring 20 runs off the 11th over bowled by Saim Ayub.

Hetmyer reached his 16th CPL half century off only 20 balls by smashing wrist spinner Vitel Lawes for a four and six in the next over.

Hope perished soon after, caught at deep midwicket for a well-played 40 off 33 balls, to leave the score 116 for three in the 13th over.

Hetmyer then shared a 65-run stand with Quentin Sampson who scored a brisk 29 off 17 balls, to put the Amazon Warriors on track for a mammoth score.

Sampson was eventually caught at long on off the bowling of Andre Russell in the 18th over, and it looked as though Hetmyer would fall just short of his second century of the season.

He was on 92 with two balls remaining in the innings, but hit Russell for a six over midwicket and then steered him for a four over third man to reach the milestone off the last ball.

In all, he hit eight sixes and four fours, and became the second man behind Dwayne Smith to score two centuries in a single CPL season.

Despite the daunting task at hand, the Kingsmen’s opening pair of Maaz Sadaqat and Kirk McKenzie put on 42 runs in three overs, before Sadaqat was dismissed by pacer Dwaine Pretorius for 41 off 17 balls.

Keacy Carty and McKenzie continued to keep track of the run rate during a 48-run partnership in five overs, until captain Imran Tahir broke the stand by having the latter caught for 34 off 20 balls.

Still the Kingsmen pushed on, with Carty and Ayub adding 62 runs in seven overs to carry them to 152 for two at the start of the 15th over.

Pretorius returned to have Ayub caught at short fine leg for 23 off 17 balls and Carty was unlucky to be run out for 56 off 40 balls at the non-striker’s end after a ball ricocheted off left-arm spinner Khary Pierre’s foot and onto the stumps with him short of his ground, to leave the game interestingly poised at 172 for four in the 17th over.

With 34 runs needed off 18 balls, Powell hit Tahir for a six and four in the 18th over, and dished out the same treatment to pacer Shamar Joseph in the penultimate over that went for 13 runs, to leave the Kingsmen requiring six runs from six balls.

Romario Shepherd bowled two wides and then had Andre Russell caught behind, but new batter Hassan Khan picked up two runs off the third and fourth balls respectively, to seal the result.

The Kingsmen will face the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons in Sunday’s final at the same venue.

Jordan Clarkson wants to play for Gilas Pilipinas again

Filipino-American player Jordan Clarkson expressed his desire to return to Gilas Pilipinas, which is still in the middle of its campaign to qualify for the 2027 Fiba World Cup.

Clarkson last donned the national team jersey in 2023, when he competed for the Philippines in the World Cup hosted by Manila.

With another global tournament approaching, the NBA champion with the New York Knicks threw his name in the hat for a possible return to Gilas Pilipinas.

‘Another World Cup is coming up, and I want to be there,’ Clarkson said in an interview with GQ Philippines.

‘There haven’t been so many Filipino-Americans in the league, and Filipinos, period. So knowing that I get to represent that and kind of change the narrative in any way that I can, that’s what I’m trying to do.’

Clarkson fueled Gilas’ only win in the 2023 World Cup when he dropped 34 points in the Philippines’ 96-75 beatdown of China.

In five games with Gilas, he averaged 26 points, 5.2 assists and 5.6 rebounds per night.

The Philippines, however, has yet to secure a spot in the 2027 Doha Games and currently carries a 4-4 record in Group E of the Asian Qualifiers.

Iloilo City reviews school security after South Cotabato shooting

The Iloilo City government is strengthening security measures in schools following the fatal shooting at Banga National High School in South Cotabato.

Mayor Raisa Treñas said the shooting in Banga on Friday (Sept. 18) was another reminder that local authorities cannot afford to take student safety for granted, even if the incident happened hundreds of kilometers from Iloilo.

‘I am deeply saddened and alarmed by the tragic shooting incident at Banga National High School in South Cotabato, which claimed the lives of students and left others injured,’ Treñas said in a statement on Friday.

‘On behalf of the people of Iloilo City, I extend our deepest sympathies to the families who lost their loved ones. We also pray for the fast recovery of those who were injured,’ she added.

Three people, including the 16-year-old student who carried out the attack, were killed in the shooting at Banga National High School. Six others were reported injured.

The two students killed were both 14 years old.

Authorities said the teenage gunman opened fire on students in a neighboring classroom before turning the gun on himself.

Investigators were also looking into how the minor obtained the firearm and whether his online activities had any connection to the attack.

Lacson: At least 13 land titles cover 170 hectares of Laguna Lake encroachment

At least 13 land titles cover 170 hectares of encroachment on the Taguig side of Laguna Lake, Sen. Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson revealed on Saturday, Sept. 19.

He cited the updated data from the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA).

According to Lacson in a statement, the PRA update was based on vetted digital and satellite maps, which showed that some of the titled areas are actually underwater.

‘There are titled areas that are still water,’ the senator disclosed.

‘When the PRA vetted them using digital and satellite maps, they found that the titles covered even water,’ he said.

‘These are 13 titles covering an area of 170 hectares on the Taguig side of Laguna Lake,’ he divulged.

In a DZMM interview, Lacson also pointed out that 170 hectares on the Taguig side alone account for nearly one-third of an estimated 560 hectares of reclaimed area covering portions of Laguna Lake in Rizal and Laguna.

With this situation, the lawmaker said it will be a ‘blessing’ if the government will confiscate the 170 hectares of land due to its being a ‘prime property,’ and to avoid it negatively affecting the environment.

However, he reiterated that cases should still be filed against those responsible for this fiasco.

He guaranteed that he and his office will continue to help the ombudsman and the relevant agencies on the investigations.

It was Lacson who formally submitted to the Office of the Ombudsman at least 45 case studies backed by official documents detailing ‘systemic anomalies’ in flood control infrastructure projects.

Rocks and fallen trees block Baguio-Bontoc Road in Benguet

Fallen rocks and trees blocked the Baguio-Bontoc Road in Atok, Benguet, prompting the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to declare the road impassable on Saturday, Sept. 19.

DPWH personnel were deployed to clear the road along Kilometer 53, with the Bureau of Fire Protection and municipal responders assisting.

According to the agency, clearing operations will begin once visibility improves, authorities said.

Motorists, particularly those driving large vehicles, were advised against using the alternate provincial-barangay road because of its limited capacity and one-way traffic.

Congestion has already been reported along the alternate route.

INEC: Bye-elections test readiness for 2027 polls

Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said every bye-election conducted by the Commission provides an opportunity to assess its readiness for the 2027 general elections.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Adedayo Oketola, Amupitan described Saturday’s bye-elections in Gombe, Kano, Bauchi and Delta states as crucial operational benchmarks for testing the nation’s electoral infrastructure.

The four legislative bye-elections were held in the Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency of Gombe State; Dawakin Kudu State Constituency of Kano State; Sakwa and Disina State Constituencies of Bauchi State; and Udu State Constituency of Delta State.

Amupitan said no electoral contest should be regarded as trivial or routine, stressing that every off-cycle poll serves as an important dress rehearsal for nationwide elections.

He said the four bye-elections would provide ‘indispensable operational lessons’ for the Commission as it systematically charts its roadmap towards the 2027 General Election.

‘We must resist the temptation to view any exercise as merely an ordinary bye-election. Every election is a critical component of our broader preparations for the 2027 General Election, allowing us to continuously audit our logistics framework, stress-test our technological deployment, and evaluate administrative field readiness.’

Amupitan reassured Nigerians of the Commission’s resolve to uphold electoral integrity, noting that operational bottlenecks encountered before polling were swiftly identified and resolved.

‘Our primary mandate in the Situation Room is monitoring and proactive crisis resolution. Whatever administrative or field challenges arose before the day of the elections, the Commission was able to nip them in the bud effectively. We remain committed to refining our processes so that every subsequent exercise reflects higher standards of efficiency and public confidence.’

He thanked everyone present in the situation room, especially the technical team, for ensuring the Commission was able to monitor the multi-state exercise seamlessly and assess the field performance without any hitch.

Police arrest man with pump-action gun, 11 cartridges in Anambra

The Anambra Police Command has arrested Okechukwu Igwegbe for allegedly possessing a pump-action gun and 11 live cartridges in Uruagu, Nnewi.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Tochukwu Ikenga, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday in Awka.

Ikenga said the suspect was arrested on Sept. 18 by operatives of the command’s Tactical Team, led by Ezekiel Imoh.

He said the arrest followed credible intelligence received by the command concerning the suspect’s alleged possession of the firearm and ammunition.

‘The Anambra Police Command has arrested one Okechukwu Igwegbe over suspected unlawful possession of a firearm and 11 live cartridges,’ he said.

According to him, operatives recovered one pump-action firearm and 11 live cartridges from the suspect during the operation.

Ikenga said the recovered firearm and ammunition had been secured as exhibits and were undergoing further investigation.

He said the suspect had so far declined to make a statement to the police regarding the matter.

The PPRO said the suspect had not provided information on the source of the firearm and ammunition or circumstances surrounding their possession.

‘The command, however, wishes to state that the investigation is continuing through other lawful and independent means,’ he said.

Ikenga said investigators were working to establish the provenance of the firearm and ammunition and determine the circumstances surrounding their possession.

He said they would also establish whether the recovered items were connected to any criminal activity or other persons of interest.

‘The investigation will include appropriate forensic examination and ballistic tracing of the recovered firearm, where applicable,’ he said.

He added that the ammunition would be verified while other available evidence would also be assessed.

The PPRO said investigators would review relevant intelligence and interview persons who might possess useful information about the matter.

He said investigators would pursue other lawful leads to establish the source, movement and possible use of the recovered firearm.

Ikenga said the suspect would be treated in accordance with the law throughout the investigation.

He said this included respecting the suspect’s right to remain silent and all other applicable constitutional and legal safeguards.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra, Nnanna Ama, commended the operatives for their vigilance and intelligence-led intervention.

Ama reiterated the command’s commitment to disrupting the circulation of illegal firearms and ammunition through intelligence-led policing.

He urged members of the public to provide credible and timely information to the police and other security agencies.

Ama said such information remained vital to preventing crime and protecting communities.

We repatriated 50,000 Nigerian refugees home in three years – NCFRMI

The National Commission for Refugees, Migrants and Internally Displaced Persons (NCFRMI) said it has returned no fewer than 50,000 refugees into the country in the past three years.

NCFRMI Federal Commissioner, Malam Aliyu Ahmed, revealed this in a speech at an event to celebrate his three years in office on Friday in Abuja

He also restated NCFRMI’s commitment to managing the more than 6.7 million displaced persons in the country.

According to him, some of the IDPs were from neighbouring countries.

‘In the last three years, we were able to return about 50,000 Nigerian refugees back into the country.

‘Within the last three years, we were able to take care of displaced individuals who are living in camps and also those that are living within the host communities.

‘We shall continue to manage about 6.7 million displaced individuals in this country. We are also managing the affairs of the refugees within and outside the country.

‘We have refugees from other nations living in Nigeria. And, of course, we have our own Nigerians who are living in other countries like Cameroon, Republic of Niger, Chad, Liberia and many others.

‘Just recently, we received 1,400 Nigerians from Republic of South Africa; and we have been receiving like that across the 36 states of the federation.

‘These are some of the most peculiar tasks on the shoulders of the NCFRMI.

‘But, with the support we are receiving from President Bola Tinubu, we are able to manage and then move on with our mandate,’ Ahmed said.

The NCFRMI boss further explained that within the last three years, the commission has been taking care of host communities accommodating the displaced persons.

‘This is because you cannot attend to only the displaced individuals; you must equally consider those who are receiving these IDPs in their communities,’ he said.

Ahmed said that the commission is putting efforts towards having an authentic and reliable data of migrants and displaced persons in the country.

He said a consultant had been engaged, adding that soon, NCFRMI would have a robust data management system for migrants and indigenous displaced persons.

He noted that most of the attention had been to the IDPs and the refugees.

‘Recently, Nigerian migrants were repatriated back into the country; we have been providing trainings for refugees, migrants and displaced individuals as a durable solution

‘This is against providing envelopes to Persons of Concern. The Federal Government cannot continue to fend for this 6.7 million displaced Nigerians.

‘We are into pure durable solutions now. And in doing that, we have engaged our IDPs into farming activities so that they can produce and fend for themselves.

‘Also, through the training, they should be able to take care of themselves and fend for themselves.

‘We have also been providing them with education because once we allow those children to live in camps without being educated, we are more or less rearing criminal in our societies.

‘The commission has taken it upon itself to provide education for the displaced children that are living within the Camps,’ Ahmed said.

During the celebration, different heads of departments in the NCFRMI reeled out the achievements recorded within the three years under Ahmed’s leadership.

I sleep too much

Oversleeping is when a person sleeps longer than expected. Sleeping longer than expected may be normal, as some people naturally require more sleep to feel well-rested. For others, though, oversleeping may be caused by underlying factors affecting their typical sleep patterns.

Oversleeping is a normal response to an increased need for sleep, which can happen after several nights of poor quality rest, when a person is sick, or after mentally or physically demanding activities. But for people who consistently oversleep and don’t wake up feeling rested, an undiagnosed health issue or sleep disorder may be to blame.

Key Takeaways

Oversleeping is when you sleep more than your body needs, which can harm your health.

Health risks include obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and cognitive problems.

Finding the right amount of sleep and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule can help prevent the negative effects of oversleeping.

If oversleeping may be due to a health condition or medication, discuss your concerns with your doctor.

What Is Oversleeping?

Oversleeping involves spending more time in bed than the recommended number of hours. Experts provide general recommendations on how much sleep people need based on their age.