'HEALTH ISSUES LEFT ME FEELING DRAINED BEFORE MY FIRST FIGHT WITH RUIZ'__ANTHONY JOSHUA.

Unified world
heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua said a health issue left him "tired" and "drained" in the build-up to his June defeat by Andy Ruiz Jr.

Joshua, 30, reclaimed his world titles in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, dominating the Mexican over 12 rounds.
Conspiracy theories had circulated after his initial defeat, one of the biggest shocks in heavyweight history.

"I had some issue with my health which I was going through for a long time," Joshua told the 5 Live Boxing podcast.
The Briton added: "I didn't know what was wrong with me. I felt so tired and drained and thought it must be down to training.
"In the changing room before the fight I got a bucket of ice and was putting my head in it thinking 'why do I feel so tired?'

"The responsibilities of being world champion are difficult. All that stuff, feeling so tired, dealing with obligations.
"Now I have energy, I haven't missed a session."

He added: "After my check-ups it showed what the problem was and this is what you have to get sorted.
"Even in this camp I had an operation done but as I'd started training in June I had no issues."

Joshua refused to say what the operation
was but it is understood the procedure he had was linked to the issue diagnosed after his defeat by Ruiz.

Joshua opens up at last
Joshua had hinted previously that he had something to reveal about what went on before his first career defeat and, after initial hesitation, provided at least some insight to the 5 Live Boxing podcast.
Joshua 'emotional' after regaining heavyweight world titles
'With the fear of humiliation came Joshua's best display'

Theories aired in the interim had ranged form him having shown the effects of being concussed in sparring to having a seizure before the bout at Madison Square Garden.
He now says he feels "back" and "focused".
The two-time world heavyweight champion also said he learned a valuable lesson not to accept opponents at short notice - Ruiz was drafted in six weeks before their fight after American Jarrell Miller failed three drug tests.

Joshua, who will return to the UK in the
early hours of Monday morning with the IBF, WBA and WBO belts, was on the front of Sunday's Saudi newspapers, alongside Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, who attended his fight.
Despite widespread criticism of staging the bout in a country criticised for its human rights record, Joshua said he would "100%" be happy to return to the kingdom on holiday or to perform.

'All challengers are welcome'
Joshua is now expected to face either the WBO's mandatory challenger - currently Ukraine's Oleksandr Usyk - or the man in the same position with the IBF, Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev.

He said he was no longer interested in
calling out WBC champion Deontay Wilder for a historic bout with all four world heavyweight titles on the line.
Chasing a contest with compatriot Tyson Fury was also dismissed as Joshua said he hoped to focus on one "hurdle" at a time.
"Looking so far ahead it can be a blurry vision looking that far out," Joshua told BBC Sport.

"Sooner or later I will be looking directly at the undisputed championship of the world.
"If the opportunity presents itself I will fight Wilder and Fury. Wilder has a fight with Fury in February. Once that is out of the way they can start mentioning my name.

"I can't keep on fighting all the champions, the best in the division and then other people who say they want to step up don't step up.

"All challengers are welcome to take on this current unified champion."
Joshua said to defend his belts "on home soil would be big news" after promoter Eddie Hearn revealed he had been in discussions over a fight at Tottenham's new 60,000-capacity stadium, most likely against Pulev.

"It would be mega," Joshua added. "Looking at how many people came out here shows there is still a big interest in the heavyweight division, especially now we are taking the belts back.
"Sometimes it would be better against a Brit, but if not I follow the mandatories and defend them that way."
Source:https://www.bbc.com/sport/boxing/50704532

APC WINS ALL 16 SEATS IN EKITI LG ELECTION

The candidates of the All Progressives Congress have cleared all the 16 Chairmanship seats in the local government election conducted in Ekiti State on Saturday.

According to the Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission, Justice Jide Aladejana, a total of 14 political parties participated in the election, including the APC and the opposition People’s Democratic Party(PDP).

However, the Chairman denied the story making the round that there was sporadic shooting which led to the death of one Dotun Kosedake at Okitiko unit, Araromi ward in Ikere during the election, saying
investigation revealed that no one was shot at the polling unit.

He said that the violence that erupted in the area, which he ascribed to cult clash was not within the precinct of the polling unit.
Declaring the results on Sunday as presented by the Returning Officers, the SIEC boss said, the APC candidate in Ado Local Government, Mrs Motunde Fajuyi polled a total of 27,578 votes to defeat other 13 candidates in the election, while in Ido/Osi, Mr Adeola Adedimeji Lawrence of APC polled 15,879 to emerge victoriously.
The winners also include Ekiti East : Ogunjobi Esan polled 11, 946, Efon; Mr Adetunji Bode Stephen scored 9, 356 , Ekiti Southwest, Hon Amire Kola Kolade had i 13,97, Ilejemeje: Akinola Oladunjoye scored 5, 477 votes while in Moba, Mr. Aborisade Michael got 13,028.
Ijero: Hon Ropo Ige (16,744 ) , Ikere: Mr. Oluwafemi Ayodele (13, 244), Gbonyin: Hon Ayodele Fadumiye (13,320), Emure : Hon Paul Awopetu (11, 392), Ise/Orun: Mr. Mr Alabi Olanrewaju (12, 400 ), Ekiti West : Kareem Agunbiade (21, 874) , Ikole : Mr. Sola Olominu polled (21,228), Oye: Mr. Foluso James Ojo (20,352) and in Irepodun/Ifelodun, Mr Shina Ogunleye won with 22,896.

The PDP candidate only had a good showing in Ekiti East local government, where the candidate got 4,033 votes to emerge the runner up.

Speaking about the election further, Justice Aladejana said: “Nobody was killed at ward 7 unit 006 in Ikere on Saturday. Nobody was shot. Though, we heard that someone came violently and made away with unused ballot papers. Even in the whole unit, there were just 280 registered voters and this does not in any way vitiate the outcome”.
The SIEC Chairman, who described the election as peaceful, commended the security agencies in the state for ensuring that no one was intimidated during the poll.

Why Sowore Is A Person Of Interest To DSS - Presidency Speaks Up

The presidency has offered an explanation as to why Omoyele Sowore is a person interest to the DSS.

According to Punch Metro, the Presidency has said that detained activist, Omoyele Sowore, is a person of interest to a security organ like the Department of State Services, which does not need the permission of President Muhammadu Buhari to do its work whenever it needs to act.

It noted that Sowore’s antecedents and actions ordinarily make him a person of interest to the DSS.

It said so far the agency had acted within its constitutional powers and did not need to seek Buhari’s approval to act on security matters.

The Presidency was reacting to media reports on Friday’s re-arrest of the convener of the #RevolutionNow protests.
It noted that no government would fold its alms and allow a country to be destabilised under it.

The Presidency also said Sowore was no ‘ordinary citizen’ expressing his rights as perceived by the public but a former presidential candidate and convener of revolution protests against a democratic government.

“The DSS does not necessarily need the permission of the Presidency in all cases to carry out its essential responsibilities that are laid down in the Nigerian Constitution – which was the foundation for the restoration of democracy in our country in 1999.

“However, it should not surprise anyone who has followed his actions and words that Sowore is a person of interest to the DSS”, the Presidency said in a statement by Presidential spokesperson, Mr Garba Shehu, on Sunday.

PREGNANT WOMAN, TWO OTHERS DIE IN A MOTOR ACCIDENT.

A pregnant woman and two others died in a fatal car accident at Lamenco Area of Osogbo, the Osun state capital on Saturday December 7th.

A pregnant woman died Saturday evening as a result of an auto accident that occurred at Lamenco Area of Osogbo, the Osun state capital.

A truck popularly referred to tipper, with registration number FNN 364 XA, loaded with sand was heading towards stadium on the West bye pass before its break failed as it approached the sloppy Lamenco roundabout.

According to an eye witness, Mathew Alalade, the tipper crushed a commercial motorcyclists with the two passengers on the bike.

He said the two passengers, a male and female died on the spot while the motorcyclists was rushed to the hospital for treatment.

Another source, Wale Okiki corroborated that the tipper lost it break while it was approaching the roundabout and was left with no choice that to use the median as a barrier but unfortunately the motorcyclists had gotten to the spot.

He added that apart from the motorcyclists and the passengers crushed by the tipper, it also smashed another Nissan Premere vehicle, with registration number EJG 581 AA, that was negotiating the bend.

Wale said, “The tipper lost it break and was struggling to stop the car but failed, he was attempting to climb the wall of the roundabout when he crushed the commercial motorcyclists with the two passengers on it.

The rider and a female passenger died on the spot while another male passenger was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
The incident resulted into traffic until the Osun State Ambulance Service arrived the scene to evacuate the bodies and the survivor to the hospital”.

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the state Governor on Public Health, Pharmacist Siji Olamiju said the incident involved five persons, three on the motorcycle and two persons in the Nissan vehicle.

He said two persons, a young lady and motorcyclists died on the spot, while the other woman who was pregnant was rushed to the state hospital, where she was eventually died.

WOMAN TORTURES AND BURNS THE BODY OF A 10-YEAR-OLD GIRL CLAIMING SHE WAS A WITCH.

Neighbours, who know about her ordeal, were said to have informed the estate chairman and managed to capture a video clip of the injuries.

A 10-year-old girl resident in Sandfield Estate, Satellite Town, Lagos, has been rescued from her guardian identified simply as Mrs Anaeme, who tortured her for allegedly being a witch.

The woman had reportedly subjected the little girl, Chidera, to serial assaults with marks of violence visible all over her body.
It was gathered that the torture took the worst dimension recently when Anaeme reportedly used a hot object to inflict injuries on the girl’s back.

Neighbours, who know about her ordeal, were said to have informed the estate chairman and managed to capture a video clip of the injuries.

The case was consequently reported at the Agboju Police Station, leading to Anaeme’s arrest on Wednesday.

There are, however, concerns that the case could be brushed under the carpet as the suspect was released the following day on the grounds that she is nursing a year old child.

The estate Chairman, Donald Ejikeme, said he called the Divisional Police Officer of the station when she found that the woman had been released but he was told that she would be transferred to the Gender Unit of the Lagos State Police Command in Ikeja on Monday.

He said, “Some months ago, I was driving out of the estate in the morning when I saw the little girl, carrying a bucket around. I had to stop and collected the bucket from her. I asked her why she was carrying a bucket when other children were in school. She was mute.

 I took a second look at her and noticed that she was unkempt and there were bruises all over her body.

“I asked our security man to get her details. I didn’t see her again afterward until a neighbour came to report to me that the girl cries every night because her guardian usually locks her up in the toilet and torture her.

“I asked the neighbour to get video evidence so we can take it up. I then reported the case to the DPO on Wednesday. When I saw the woman walking around the estate on Thursday, I had to call the DPO and he promised that she would be taken to gender unit on Monday.”

Ejikeme said on the day Anaeme was arrested, the police found the girl in a church where the woman took her to for deliverance.

He added, “She said the girl possesses evil spirit. The pastor was arrested. He denied telling the woman that the girl is a witch. He was later released after some elders in the church

Cardi B Visits Orphanage Home In Nigeria

The talented and super attractive American rapper who is currently in Nigeria, visited an orphanage bearing many gifts with her entourage.

She posted via her instagram handle:
'Gotta thank the ladies and the gentlemen that nurtured these kids that need just a little bit of more love and protection and gear them up for a better place ,destiny and future.

People like YALL MATTER !'

WILD JUBILATION IN SAGAMU AS ANTHONY JOSHUA RECLAIMS IS TITLES.

Amidst the family members jubilation, Joshua’s fans rocked fireworks and blocked the Cinema Street in jubilation.
There was wild jubilation in Sagamu on Saturday night after Anthony Joshua regained the WBA, IBF, and WBO heavyweight titles by defeating Andy Ruiz Jr.

After the fight, his relatives were seen exchanging pleasantries and hugging each other.
They were seen chanting victory songs and dancing.

Amidst the family members jubilation, Joshua’s fans rocked fireworks and blocked the Cinema Street in jubilation.
For almost 15 minutes, vehicles could hardly move.

Joshua’s uncle,  Mr Wale Joshua, commended the boxer for being humble in defeat.

“We are happy. We commend his gallantry. He made us proud and he stood by his words of wisdom. He has always told us not to be weighed down by defeat,” he added.
Also, Joshua’s uncle, Mr Ogunsanya Gbenga, said, “Our ancestors are behind him. Our forefathers are not dead.

They are strongly awake to see him come to limelight again.”
Head of Anthony Joshua Fans in Sagamu, identified as Mr Naira, added, “This is the most massive we have had. The crowd is huge. Over 5000 are here.

“He should learn from earlier defeat. He should never underrate anyone regardless of their size or height. We are expecting him here after the victory.”