The Spanish right-back has taken to social media following his skipper’s clash with Gunners supporters in their game against Crystal Palace

Arsenal defender Hector Bellerin has posted a message of support for team-mate Granit Xhaka after the captain told fans to ‘f*ck off’ during the Gunners’ 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace at the Emirates.

Unai Emery’s side raced into a 2-0 lead inside the opening 10 minutes after centre-backs Sokratis and David Luiz scored following corner kicks, but Arsenal allowed their opponents back into the contest.

VAR ruled that Calum Chambers had fouled Wilfried Zaha in the box and Luka Milivojevic duly converted the penalty, before Jordan Ayew restored parity with over half an hour left to play.

Following Palace’s equaliser, Emery substituted Xhaka for young winger Bukayo Saka, a decision met with cheers by the home faithful.

Xhaka, recently named Arsenal captain by Emery, appeared to take the fans’ reaction to his substitution poorly and walked off the field slowly, prompting boos from the Gunners support.

The midfielder then cupped his ear to the crowd and swore at them as he reached the sidelines, before ripping his shirt off and dropping it as he went straight down the tunnel, further inciting the crowd.

“[Xhaka] is wrong,” Emery said in his post-match interview.

“He is wrong, but we are going to speak [internally] about that situation. I want to listen to him and also to be calm, but, really, he was wrong in this action.”

Right-back Bellerin has since posted a message of support for his team-mate on social media that reads: “We are all humans, we all have emotions, and sometimes it’s not easy dealing with them. It’s time to lift each other up, not to push each other away. We only win when we are together.”

It remains to be seen if Emery will strip Xhaka of the captaincy following the incident, but if he does, Bellerin will be among the names to replace him.

The Spaniard is one of Emery’s ‘five captains’, alongside Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Mesut Ozil, although Xhaka was chosen as the main captain of the five.

Ozil is in the process of being frozen out by Emery, having played just twice this season, which leaves Bellerin, Aubameyang and Lacazette as the leading contenders to take the armband.

Governors of the 36 states of the federation are now meeting in Abuja to review deductions over N614 billion being made from states accounts following bailout funds given to them by the federal government.

Basically, the governors are asking that some of the deductions be made from the money the federal government is owing them for projects executed on their behalf.

Also, the governors, it was gathered, are seeking for an extension of time in the planned deductions by the Central Bank of Nigeria

Equity news.ng gathered that the governors are calling for a committee be set up between them and the Central Bank of Nigeria for a proper reconciliation of the dedications to be made.

The states have recently commenced the repayment of the money they collected as demanded by the federal government.

But they are arguing that the deductions are too much and seeking extension of the period of repayment at a less stringent rate.

Other items for deliberations at the meeting include the following:
-Update on Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation PHC Meeting in Seattle, Nov. 12-13, 2019 and other side meetings; Proposal for recovery of funds due to state governments (Withholding Tax (WHT); Collection of ground rent. NTEL, MTEL etc.), and briefing by NEC Ad-hoc Committee on Excess Crude and other Special Accounts of the Federation,

The meeting under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) is ongoing.

The Court of Appeal, Enugu Division on Monday reserved judgment in a case filed by Mrs Juliet Ibekaku-Nwagwu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) against Sen. Ike Ekweremadu.

Ibekaku-Nwagwu is challenging the declaration of Ekweremadu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner of the Feb. 23 Senatorial election for Enugu West.

The National and State House of Assembly Elections Petitions Tribunal in Enugu had in its judgment on Sept. 9, 2019 affirmed Ekweremadu as duly elected.

At the resumed hearing, counsel to the appellants, Mr Henry Bello, said that the notice of appeal contained 17 grounds of appeal.

Bello said that the appellants also formulated eight issues for determination in the appeal.

He said that the crux of the appeal was based on non-compliance to the Electoral Act by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in declaring the first respondent as the winner of the poll.

The counsel said that the election was conducted on Feb. 23, 2019, adding that collation started on the same day and had continued until Feb. 24.

He however, said that while the collation of the Enugu West Senatorial election was still going on, the third respondents announced the result in defiance of the provisions of the electoral act.

On a preliminary objection brought by Mr Anthony Ani (SAN), counsel to the second respondent, the PDP, Bello urged the court to strike it out for being academic and lacking in merit.

“We adopt our replies to the preliminary objection and the three briefs of the appellants in argument of this appeal and urge the court to allow the appeal set aside the judgment of the tribunal,” Bello said.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ani had earlier drew the attention of the court to a House of Representatives appeal which he said was reserved for judgement.

The SAN said that the case with appeal number CA/ E/ EAPP/ 15/2019, which affected three out of five local government areas involved in the instant case had similar issues.

Ani said that they filed a preliminary objection on the current case which they incorporated at page three of their brief.

“The appeal is incompetent and a mere academic exercise. We urge the court to strike out the affected paragraphs and the appeal and affirm the decision of the tribunal,” Ani said.

Counsels to the first and third respondents, Chief Justina Offiah (SAN) and Mr Emeka Udeogba respectively after adopting their briefs, urged the court to dismiss the appeal and affirm the decision of the tribunal.

Thereafter, the Chairman of the panel, Justice I. M. Saluwa reserved judgment on the matter on a date that would be communicated to the parties. (NAN)

South-East Governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and some other Igbo Leaders have written an Appreciation letter to President Muhammadu Buhari over his approval of 10 billion naira for the renovation of Enugu International airport.

It will be recalled that the Igbo leaders paid a visit to the President a few weeks ago over the airport’s shut down. Shortly after the meeting, the Presidency announced the release of the funds for all airport repairs.

The letter was signed by Governors David Umahi of Ebonyi, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State, Willie Obiano of Anambra State and Emeka Ihedioha of Imo state. it was also signed by the chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Senator Sam Egwu and Bishop Goddy Okafor.

Read the transcript below;

“We thank you for your kind and speedy approval of special fund for the Reconstruction and Expansion of Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu. Indeed, we are happy that in no distant time now, the Enugu Airport will become a true representation of International Airport under your administration.”

“The South-East Governors and leaders heartily appreciate you for the quality and great progress on our Second Niger Bridge which will unarguably connect the South East region with other neighbouring zones and the country in general. We are equally grateful for other ongoing projects and programs in South East.”

“We are hopeful that your administration will soon intervene in some of our interstate roads as well as our ecological challenges. May God continue to bless you our president, and may your reign bring greater prosperity for our dear country, Nigeria.”

– Shehu Sani advised northern political leaders to allow the south to take over the presidency from President Buhari in 2023

– The ex-Kaduna lawmaker said it is the turn of the south, considering the unofficial rotation principle and the support the south gave the Buhari presidency

– Sani warned that the country may be plunged into crisis and violence if the north refuses to honour the zoning arrangement Senator Shehu Sani has cautioned political leaders in the north not to contemplate on retaining the presidential seat when President Muhammadu Buhari completes his term in 2023.

The outspoken former lawmaker who represented Kaduna Central in the eighth National Assembly said the northern leaders would be inviting disunity and violence to the country if they hold on to power, The equity news reports. Sani said following the zoning principle which is also responsible for the actualization of the Buhari presidency, it is the turn of the south to occupy the Aso Villa seat come 2023.

Presidency 2023: Shehu Sani speaks on why north should allow south to take over Shehu Sani urges northern leaders to allow the south to take over the presidency in 2023 Source: UGC The lawmaker added that the southern part of the country supported the election of President Buhari and should be rewarded with the 2023 presidency for their support.

Sani alleged that some prominent northern leaders have been convening meetings all with the agenda on how to retain the presidency seat beyond 2023. According to him, their argument is that the administration of President Buhari favours the south more than the north. The lawmaker advised political leaders in the south to be united, adding that the north can take advantage of their disunity and still keep the presidency beyond 2023.

Equity news.ng previously reported that Yerima Shettima, the national president of the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, said the 2019 presidential election had shown that the north has the most number of voters. Yerima also claimed that the southeast will support the north to produce Buhari’s successor in 2023, adding that the north needs to be compensated.