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AFCON Qualifier: S’Eagles’ll Miss Home Fans -Ahmed Musa
Super Eagles skipper, Ahmed Musa, has declared that Nigeria will aim to secure victory over the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone even without their fans at the newly renovated Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin City.
The Super Eagles will take on the Leone Stars in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Friday before facing the side again in the reverse fixture in Freetown on November 17.
The three-time African champions are leading Group L with six points after victories over the Republic of Benin and Lesotho.
Gernot Rohr’s men could qualify for the next edition of the continental tournament if they beat the Leone Stars home and away.
Aware of this, Musa has revealed his side will leave no stone unturned in their quest to secure maximum points in the double-header, especially at home, where they will miss their ever-supportive fans.
“It is true we don’t know much of the Sierra Leone national team, but we have resolved to play our best game to beat them at our home and away,” Musa told newsmen.
“Two victories over them will give us the ticket to AFCON, so we won’t joke with the games.”
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) recently set guidelines for the return of the AFCON qualifiers, which had been suspended due to the Covid-19 outbreak, and as part of the laid down rules, all matches will be played behind closed doors.
“Playing without our ever-supportive fans at the newly refurbished Samuel Ogbemudia stadium will not affect our games both in Benin City and Freetown, though we will miss them,” he continued.
“It’s quite a pity that Edo fans will miss the opportunity of seeing us play live because of the pandemic but we shall try to win for them.
“For me and the team it is a very sad [playing without fans] moment because playing in Benin in the hometown of my mom, I’d love to see my family members watch but there is nothing we can do because of the situation in the country with the pandemic so we have to play like that.”
Musa has made 93 appearances for the Super Eagles, scoring 15 goals, and will hope to continue his consistent performances for the West African giants against Sierra Leone.
Meanwhile, Joseph Yobo has stressed the importance of Nigeria beating Sierra Leone at home when they face off in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifying game on Friday.
Yobo, an assistant to Super Eagles Coach, Gernot Rohr, believes the Super Eagles must take the home tie in Benin City seriously, as it could go a long way in deciding their qualification for the continental showpiece.
“These are big games. There’s a difference between friendly matches just like the ones we played, [against Algeria and Tunisia],” Yobo said .
“It was experimental where we gave younger players the opportunity to show themselves. But this is a qualifying match where if we do well in both games we will almost qualify for the AFCON.
“We expect big performance and very good results. If we have to do the mathematics, I think four points will get us through. But when you play at home, it’s crucial, it is so important to play very well and to take the three points.
“Away from home we know is always difficult especially Sierra Leone. If I can remember the last time we were away to Sierra Leone was 2008 and it was very difficult and I scored the only goal. So, it’s a difficult place to go to but football has also changed so the first game is what is important.
“I try not to bother much about the second game. All we have at this moment is the first game so we need to play very well and our performance will get us the three points.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has won 20 out of the 23 local government areas in the just concluded local government election in the State, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clinched three local governments.
According to the results released by the Rivers State independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), yesterday, the APC won the chairmanship seats in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Opobo Nkoro, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Khana local government areas.
APC also won in Gokana, Tai, Oyigbo, Bonny, Eleme, Etche, Omuna, Akuku Toru, Asari Toru, Degema, Ikwerre and Emohua local government areas.
The Commission, however, said the PDP won in Port Harcourt City, Obio/Akpor, and Ogba Egbema Ndoni local government areas.
Chairman of the Commission, Dr Michael Odey, who announced the results at the Commission headquarters in Port Harcourt, said Ofori Owolabi of the APC scored 28,755 votes to emerge winner of the election for Abua Odual while Solomon Ochomma, also of the APC, emerged chairman elect for Ahoada East after scoring 54,509 votes.
Odey said Eugene Epelle also of the APC scored 84,125 votes to emerge winner in Ahoada West, while Bob Fubara was elected the chairman-elect for Akuku Toru after scoring 63,593 votes.
Similarly APC chairmanship candidate Lucky Otuo Promise emerged chairman-elect for Andoni after scoring a total of 126,181 votes, APC’s George Onengiyeofori emerged winner in Asari Toru after scoring 56,383 votes, while Pepple Blessing Abinye garnered 13,543 votes to emerge winner in Bonny Local Government Area.
Other APC candidates elected include Michael John Williams who scored 16,536 votes to emerge chairman-elect for Degema Local Government; Obarlllormate Ollor (77,452) for Eleme; Dr Chidi Julius Lloyd (114,380) for Emohua; Njoku Boniface (100,649) for Etche; Confidence Deekor (96,478) for Gokana, while Wobodo Charles got 62,746 votes to emerge winner in Ikwerre Local Government Area.
Other APC winners from the APC include Akuro Tobins (32,285 votes) for Okrika; Hon Obasi Uchechukwu (38,530) for Omuma; James A James (38,822) for Opobo Nkoro; Vincent Nemieboka (36,374) for Ogu/Bolo; Hon Mbakpone Okpe (70,080) for Tai LGA, while in Oyigbo, Okechukwu Akara scored 101,495 votes to emerge winner.
Meanwhile, the RSIEC chairman announced Dr Gift Worlu of the PDP with 328,823 votes to emerge winner in Obio Akpor; Shedrack Ogbogu, also of the PDP, scored 51,051 votes for Ogba Egbema Ndoni Local Government Area, while in Port Harcourt City, Sir Alwell Ihunda garnered 235,054 votes for PDP to emerge winner.
The APC also cleared the councillorship seats in Abua/Odual, Andoni, Ahoada East, Ahoada West, Okrika, Ogu/Bolo and Khana, Oyigbo, Bonny, Eleme, Etche,Tai, Khana Opobo/Nkoro and Degema local government areas.
Similarly APC councillorship candidates also emerged winners in Asari Toru, Degema, Akuku Toru, Gokana and Khana while PDP cleared the councillorship seats in Obio/Akpor, Port Harcourt city, and Ogba Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Areas
Meanwhile, the Forum of State Independent Electoral Commissions has passed a vote of confidence on the just concluded local government election in the State.
National Chairman of the forum, Hon. Mamman Nda Eri, said this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt.
Eri said all the chairmen across the country were in Port Harcourt to monitor the election as well as gain experience in an election under emergency rule.
John Bibor & King Onunwor
The National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) says that Nigeria is accountable for 70 per cent of 11 million illegal arms and light weapons in West Africa,
Mr Alex Ebimiebo, the South South Zonal Director of the NCCSALW, made the remark at the Naval Warfare Course 9 Inter-Agency seminar, organised by the Naval War College in Calabar on Thursday.
Ebimiebo presented a paper themed, “Strengthening Security Agencies Collaboration to Counter Illicit Arms Proliferation for Enhanced National Security in Nigeria.”
He said that the illegal arms dealings were largely responsible for Nigeria’s 2.2 million Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) and 26,000 refugees in neighboring countries.
Ebimiebo further said that arms proliferation had led to economic distortions, an increase in violence, crime, and impediment to peace building.
He, however, called for concerted effort from all Nigerians to tackle the menace, saying that NCCSALW would take the fight to the society since security is the responsibility of everyone.
“So, as a result, everybody is a stakeholder, so as such, we need to involve the whole society in this fight and the center has a lot of programmes for collaboration with our sister agencies.
”We also have advocacy and sensitisation programmes that we take to members of the general public from time to time,” he said.
Meanwhile, Rear Adm. Akinola Oludude, Commandant, Naval War College, expressed concern on the influx of illicit arms into Nigeria since 2020.
He attributed this to the extensive borderline of about 4,470 kilometers between Nigeria, the Republic of Benin, Niger, Chad, and Cameroon.
He also noted that the nation’s maritime domain that extended over 853 kilometers of coastline and of the Gulf of Guinea had also not helped.
The commandant said that the 2021 survey by the NCCSALW revealed that over six million illegal weapons were in circulation in the country.
Oludude said that out of the figure, about 70 per cent were in the hands of non-states actors.
”The impact of this illicit arms proliferation is profound and multifaceted.
”These weapons bred various forms of insecurity, including terrorism, banditry, kidnapping, communal clashes, and armed robbery.
“Inter-agency collaboration is needed to tackle the proliferation of illicit arms and weapons,” he said.
Oludude said that no single agency, no matter how well-resourced, no matter how well-dedicated, could effectively tackle the complex challenge alone.
He stated that the nature of the recent arms proliferation demanded a joint and multi-agency approach.
“Therefore, this seminar provides a vital platform for us to collectively examine the complexities of this complex challenge,” he said.
Also speaking, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Eastern Naval Command, Rear Adm. Kennedy Ezete, urged the participants to translate the discussions and recommendations of the seminar into concrete actions.
He advised the participants to take the knowledge and insights gained to their respective agencies and organisations and implement them
According to him, “we must ensure that the suggestions and way forward developed here are implemented effectively and that the partnerships forged are sustained.
”This requires a commitment from all stakeholders, including the leadership of our security agencies and the wider community.
”Share your experiences, implement the strategies that have been suggested, and continue to work collaboratively to counter illicit arms proliferation.
“We must also continue to invest in training, technology, and intelligence gathering to enhance our capabilities.”
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