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Update: Mourners throng Mandela’s home. Jonathan arrives Paris after private visit to Germany. PDP plots to halt defection of Reps.  Anambra: Tribunal allows APC to inspect election materials. Labourer arraigned for burying charm in neighbour’s house. Eagles’ll surprise World Cup giants – Babayaro, Ojigwe. Adeboye welcomes all to Holy Ghost Congress. N77m fraud charge: Court strikes out suit against Oyo Commissioner. President Jonathan empowers 3,500 people in Oyo. FG should resolutely pursue structural reforms — IMF. It was very difficult to arrest my kidnappers — GUO Motors boss. Winners Chapel begins Shiloh Tuesday. Jonathan receives Solomon Lar’s remains in Abujaa. Jang Declares three days mourning, renames university after Lar. Iyayi: Officaiting Priest booed for calling on ASUU to suspend strike.

India to host 2017 Under-17 World Cup – FIFA

FIFA president Sepp Blatter confirmed Thursday that India will host the Under-17 World Cup in 2017.

Eight venues have been shortlisted to be pared down to six — Goa, Pune, Mumbai, Bangalore, Cochin, Kolkata, Delhi and Guwahati.

The news was greeted with elation among Indian officials

“This is historic, this is what we have been waiting for,” said Praful Patel, president of the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

“FIFA has been extremely supportive of All India Football Federation’s ambitions and taking Indian Football to the world level,” said Patel.

“Both FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and FIFA Secretary General Mr Jerome Valcke have always been huge supporters of Indian Football.”

Patel also thanked the Indian government for providing “the necessary guarantees” and told the AIFF website the move could revolutionise the game on the Indian sub-continent.

“Hosting a tournament of such a stature will also help galvanise the face of Indian Football among the masses and youth of the country.

“At the moment, football is popular in certain pockets in India. With the U-17 World Cup taking place, I strongly believe that the popularity will swell overnight and the mission of making football a pan-India sport will be realised,” Patel said.

AIFF general secretary Kushal Das added: “I cannot sum it up in words what this means to Indian Football,” as he expressed gratitude to the government, FIFA and Patel.

In all, 24 teams will take part.

China hosted the first U-17 event in 1985.

Nigeria’s Golden Eaglets are defending champions after winning the last event in the United Arab Emirates last month

Chile will be the next hosts in 2015.

AFP

The G-7 was created to reform PDP not to defect to APC - Aliyu

The Governor of Niger State, Dr. Babangida Aliyu, on Thursday said the focus of the group of seven Peoples Democratic Party governors that spearheaded the formation of the New PDP was to reform the party and not to defect to any party (APC).

Aliyu said this when the International Federation of Women Lawyers, led by its Country Vice President, Barrister Hauwa Shekarau, paid him a courtesy visit at the government house Minna, stressing that he would remain in the party.

He said, “Let me seize this opportunity because I kept on reading some things in the national dailies and for the benefit of those who may not understand that I led the so-called G7 as a result of a reform that we are looking for in our party. The idea was not to leave our party but to reform it.

“Along the line, some people found it more expedient to leave the party; that is their choice and I respect that. Those of us who feel that if you want a reform and you want to do it within, I think our views should be respected. People must not go and play politics in whatever form where it creates more problems.

“For us in Niger State, we welcomed the development of two party system rather than having so many parties that will end up creating political prostitution, but you have two parties at least. And I am seizing this opportunity because there are lots of misinformation out there.”

Speaking on the reason behind the formation of the G7 Governors, Aliyu said, “The idea was that we saw some actions that were happening and some people were taking the success of the PDP that have been elected since 1999 for granted.

“There was the need to make people understand that you cannot take people’s support for granted. And you need really to revigorate it, so that it comes back to be properly accepted by the people.

“I have always said my intention was not to leave the PDP, but to reform it. I said, it is not a one-man show or not about me, not about my ambition, it is about the people. And I said, there is no way I will take any decision without coming back to my people, and the majority of my people prefer that we stay in the PDP and we will stay and make it work

CAF awards: FOUR Super Eagles players make CAF's 10-man shortlist

Super Eagles stars Mikel Obi and Emmanuel Emenike are still in the race for the 2013 CAF African footballer of the Year after the top 10 nominees were named on Thursday.

Other Nigeria stars in the top 10 are goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and Ahmed Musa, MTNFootball.com reports.

All the four players were involved as Nigeria won a third Africa Cup of Nations in February and also qualified for a fifth FIFA World Cup.

Cote d’Ivoire’s Yaya Toure, who won the prestigious award last year, is also still in contention as his compatriot Didier Drogba.

Other players in the shortlist are Asamoah Gyan (Ghana), Pierre-Emerick Aubemeyang (Gabon), Mohamed Aboutrika (Egypt), and Jonathan Pitroipa (Burkina Faso).

The nominees for the best African Player based on the continent have also been whittled down to five.

They are – Sunday Mba (Nigeria), Aboutrika, Ahmed Fathy (Egypt), Rainford Kalaba (Zambia) and Treso Mputu Mabi (DR Congo).

Aboutrika won last year’s version of this award.

The CAF Awards will be staged in Lagos on January 9, 2014.

TRAGEDY: Truck rams into classroom in Abia, 7 school children dead

A truck driver Thursday, at Ogbor Hill area of Aba, Abia state, South-East, Nigeria lost control and rammed into a classroom killing 7 school children.

Fifteen other school children also sustained various degrees of injuries during the accident. They were pupils of Glorious International Academy located on 42 Opobo road, Aba.

The truck with Registration number, Akwa Ibom AA 702 KTA was said to be on its way to Ovom waterside to evacuate sand when it lost control and rammed into the fence of Glorious International Academy located on 42 Opobo road.

The pupils were said to be having their morning devotion in a classroom when the incident occurred.
According to eyewitnesses account, the pupils have concluded their examinations and were said to have returned to the school to have their end of the year party.

After a visit to the school by a source, police and operatives of Federal Road Safety Corps were seen inspecting the scene of the accident even as sympathizers were seen in groups discussing the development.

Blood stains covered the floor of the classroom, just as broken desks, biscuits, plates which were to be used for the end of the year party for the pupils.

Also, some parents and relations who lost their children and wards were seen weeping uncontrollably while others were making inquiries regarding the whereabouts of their children and wards.

End of an era! Nelson Mandela dies at 95

South African Government has announced the death of Nelson Mandela. South African president Jacob Zuma announced that the former president and anti-apartheid revolutionary passed away peacefully in the company of his family in his home in Johannesburg around 8:50 this evening Dec. 5th. He was 95 years old.

His death marks the final chapter in a life that changed South Africa forever. What a man! May his soul rest in peace, amen.

President Jacob Zuma said flags will be flown at half-mast across South Africa immediately with a state burial to follow. The UK government have also announced that flags will be flown at half-mast in the UK. Rest in peace, Madiba!

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