Top Stories
Exposed! N100b road contracts scam rocks Edo
From COLLINS EKE, Benin
AN alleged monumental fraud running into billions of naira allegedly squandered on the Benin City road network, by Governor Oserhiemen Osunbor has sparked off a cold war in Edo State....
'Independence Day is time to bless Nigeria...
Let's celebrate our country’
Being a keynote address by Pastor Chris Oyakhilome, President, Believers Loveworld Inc. (a.k.a Christ Embassy) at the Grand Launch of the 2008 edition of ReachOut Nigeria...
 Presidency starves INEC of funds
By CHUKS EHIRIM, Abuja
THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), still gasping for breath, amid unending attacks from the public, surprisingly, in recent times has been suffering .....
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From CHUKS EHIRIM, Abuja
AS Nigerians take stock of the dividends of 48 years of freedom from colonial rule, while curiously awaiting the mandatory Independence Anniversary...  
MIKANO Generators
By KELECHI DECA
MIKANO Generators is a subsidiary of Mikano International Limited, a company with 27 years experience in the areas of Building/Civil Engineering Construction and Steel...
ReachOut Nigeria campaign reaches climax
By AZUKA MORDI
AT the grand launch of this year's edition of the ReachOut Nigeria with Rhapsody of Realities campaign, President of Believers Loveworld (also known as) Christ Embassy, Pastor Chris....



NEWS

• Shake-up imminent in ANPP
• As Third Mainland bridge re-opens: Lagosians heave sigh of relief
• Court orders arrest of PDP chieftain in Kaduna
• Imo deputy governor clashes with kinsmen  
• Principal, vice escape kidnap attack
• Village head, four others quizzed
• Group alerts of plot to rip-off Rivers officials
• Forum cautions Ijaws on minister for Niger Delta
• National Identity Cards in a fix 
• Group wants WAEC probed
• Nobody can stop my judicial commission of inquiry –Jang
• Fayose commends Oni's unity govt plan 
• Shun ostentatious living, Moslems told
• NEMA advises stake-holders on disaster management
• I'm okay with JTF operations –New Defence Chief 
• Monarchs endorse Akpabio for second term
• Anambra PDP Crisis: Ubah hails Gana's committee
• Rivers to get tourism dev. commission
• COREN goes tough on erring members
• 22 German students take courses in Hausa
• Varsity don raises alarm over materialism
• Speak your mother-tongue, Ohakim tells Nigerians

Relating Stories

• Adenuga, Otedola fingered in N92b bid for Newcastle
• NFF demands prompt report from match commissioners
• WBC Heavyweight bout: Bring on Klitschko now –Peter
• Fall-out of African U-17 ouster: Dike's boys still useful –Iroha
• Damola dares to be the best
• UEFA Champions League: Scolari targets clean sweep
• Eto'o relishes current form
• Atletico face up to Simao absence
• Mikel flays Makelele comparison
• 'Zaki is like Shearer'
• Oliseh tasks Amodu on Olympic Eagles

Adenuga, Otedola fingered in N92b bid for Newcastle

By DIPO OKUBANJO

THE men behind the bid to buy troubled English Premiership club, Newcastle United, are gradually being unvieled with Globacom Chairman Dr. Mike Adenuga and Africa Petroleum boss Mr. Femi Otedola figered as the leading protagonists in the much hyped deal.

Newcastle which features Nigerian international, Obafemi Martins, has hugged the headlines in recent weeks for all the wrong reasons, with manager Kevin Keegan suddenly calling it quits and owner Mike Ashley,in the wake of fans' appathy, deciding to sell the club for 400 million pounds sterling (N92 billion).

A nameless and faceless group of up to eight Nigerians, fronted by a certain Chris Nathaniel, chief executive officer of the NVA Management, was said to have tabled a strong bid for Newcastle and had in fact raised 350 million pounds at the time of filing this report.

Sources who would want to remain in the background confided in National Daily that the Nigerian oil barons being touted as prospective buyers of Newcastle are prominent Nigerians two of which are Adenuga, Otedola.
Adenuga's Globacom has been the title sponsor of the Nigerian national team and the Premier League for some years now while Otedola is regarded as a keen patron of the game. Otedola caused a stir in Ghana last January when he breezed in to offer support to the Super Eagles during the 2008 Nations Cup. "Needless to say,these are very wealthy people and passionate football lovers as well," said a source."The incentive is the fame and fortune this investment is certain to bring." Remarkably the proposed takeover of Newcastle buy the said Nigerians came during a week when the Nigeria Football Federation placed advertisement in some national dailies seeking for sponsorship for a number of competitions such as the National League, the Amateur league and the Women's league.

Reportedly a deal between the Nigerians and Ashley may happen in the middle of this week. But a preponderant of the British media seemed skeptical about the whole arrangement.
"This whole Nigerian episode stinks of a quick-fix, slap-dash solution in which a bunch of footballing novices have had a whip-around to purchase a club they know nothing about," they averred.