The Red Devils recruited a number of marquee players in the summer, including Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao, but the former defender believes another spending spree is needed....

Phil Neville believes Manchester United need to
spend another £100 million before they can be
considered genuine title challengers.
The club embarked on a large spending spree in
the summer, acquiring the likes of Radamel
Falcao, Angel Di Maria, Daley Blind and Luke
Shaw, but have secured just five points from thei
opening five games this season.
Many have criticised United’s failure to recruit a
world-class centre-back in the summer – though
the club did spend £16m on Marcos Rojo – and
Neville believes further additions are required.
“I know United have spent £150m,' he told BBC
Radio 5 Live .
“I think there's another two transfer windows of
similar amounts of money needed - maybe
£100m - before they can even think about
winning the title.
“There are still key positions in the team that
need filling. I think the centre-back position is
obviously the key area. Holding midfield or centre
midfield needs addressing too.
“There were no world-class centre backs out
there (this summer). I think that's why in the
next two transfer windows, United might still be
looking for that world-class defender.”
Despite his criticisms, Neville believes that both
Chris Smalling and Phil Jones have bright future
at Old Trafford and insists that United must not
sell off their core group of English players.
“I am certain Chris Smalling will come good and
have full faith in Phil Jones as well,” he added.
“They've bought of a lot of foreign players, (but)
you don't get rid of your English spine.”
Neville left the club at the end of last season
along after the club finished seventh in the
Premier League.

Wenger warns Spurs to follow Arsenal formula

London - Arsene Wenger warmed up for
Saturday's explosive north London derby by
insisting Tottenham Hotspur will never become a
Premier League power unless they follow
Arsenal's blueprint for success.
After being unable to match their title rivals'
spending power for several years, Gunners boss
Wenger is finally reaping the rewards of Arsenal's
decision to leave their historic but antiquated
Highbury home and move into the 60 000-
capacity Emirates Stadium in 2006.
The £390 million cost of building their high-tech
new abode initially proved a problem for Wenger
as it diverted funds that would otherwise have
been used in the transfer market, but the
increased revenue from the Emirates is now
working in his favour.
Wenger last year signed Germany midfielder
Mesut Ozil for a club record £42 million and spent
another £30 million to land Chile winger Alexis
Sanchez before the start of the current campaign.
It is the kind of spending spree that can
transform a team from pretenders to serious
contenders, and Wenger says Tottenham -- who
haven't finished above Arsenal for 19 years --
must follow the same formula if they are to break
into the top four on a long-term basis.
Spurs are pushing ahead with proposals to
redevelop land around White Hart Lane to
accommodate a new 56 250-capacity venue, but
following legal challenges in the High Court could
be set for a season of ground-sharing rather than
being able to move for the 2017-18 campaign as
planned.
"You cannot be in a business where you turn
down 15 000 or 20 000 people every week. If your
competitors have more financial power than you,
at some stage you have to make a decision,"
Wenger said.
"It looks like everybody makes this decision now,
because when you look at Liverpool, Everton,
(they) want to increase their capacity. If you stay
in a smaller capacity, it is even more difficult."
Also on Saturday, Liverpool will look to get their
spluttering season back on track in the
Merseyside derby against Everton.
The Reds have lost three of their opening five
games and needed penalties to see off second-
tier Middlesbrough in the League Cup on Tuesday,
edging a remarkable shootout 14-13 after a 2-2
draw.
Given Liverpool's poor form, it is no surprise boss
Brendan Rodgers hopes the derby can provide the
same morale boost as last year's Anfield clash
with Everton.
The 4-0 victory over their neighbours in January
was the start of a run that brought Liverpool 37
points from a possible 39 and Rodgers said: "We
haven't made the best of starts this season but
in the like-for-like games last season, we're only
a point different.
"We go into this game with a great opportunity to
get a victory in a derby game, which we will hope
can provide a platform for us to go on
consistently, like it did last year."
Everton went down 3-2 at home to Crystal Palace
last weekend, but although they have not won at
Anfield for 15 years, manager Roberto Martinez
says they will approach the game with a positive
attitude.
"The defeat against Crystal Palace, there was
something spooky about it," he said, in reference
to the fact that Palace had also won 3-2 on their
previous visit to Goodison Park in April.
"The last time we beat Liverpool at Anfield was
September 27 (in 1999), so I hope the spookiness
carries on at the weekend."
Three points clear after a 1-1 draw at defending
champions Manchester City last weekend, leaders
Chelsea host third-place Aston Villa. Second-
place Southampton, level on points with Villa,
tackle Queens Park Rangers.
City, meanwhile, visit Hull City, having demolished
second-tier Sheffield Wednesday 7-0 in the
League Cup in mid-week.
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal faces
an injury crisis in central defence ahead of his
side's home game with West Ham United.
The Dutchman will hope to see a vastly improved
defensive display after United lost 5-3 at Leicester
City last weekend.
But with Jonny Evans, Phil Jones and Chris
Smalling injured, and Tyler Blackett suspended
following his dismissal at the King Power
Stadium, Marcos Rojo is United's only available
senior centre-back.
Fixtures
Saturday
Liverpool v Everton - 13:45
Chelsea v Aston Villa - 16:00
Crystal Palace v Leicester City - 16:00
Hull City v Manchester City - 16:00
Manchester United v West Ham United - 16:00
Southampton v Queens Park Rangers - 16:00
Sunderland v Swansea City - 16:00
Asenal v Tottenham Hotspur - 18:30
Sunday
West Bromwich Albion v Burnley - 17:00
Monday
Stoke City v Newcastle United - 21:00

WHO: 1000s of Ebola vaccine doses in coming months

Dakar - The World Health Organisation says
there should be thousands of doses of
experimental Ebola vaccines available in the
coming months and they could eventually be
given to health care workers and other people
who have had contact with the sick.
But Marie-Paule Kieny, assistant director-general
at WHO, cautioned reporters in Geneva on Friday
that no vaccine has yet been proven safe or
effective in humans. Testing has now begun to
make sure they are not harmful to people.
A vaccine may then be put to use in this
outbreak, but Kieny warned that until its
effectiveness is proven, anyone receiving it would
still have to operate as if they are not protected
against Ebola.
The Ebola outbreak sweeping West Africa is
believed to have killed more than 2 900 people.

Why Do You Want To Arrest T.B Joshua?

So many people are shouting, “arrest T. B.
Joshua!” “Lock him up now!” “Throw away the
key.”
Why? Why do you want to arrest TB Joshua? I
read this group of writers from the USA. Over
five of them came together to pen and sign this
long letter demanding for TB Joshua’s arrest.
Summary of it was that he violated building
law. This is all that TB Joshua did. What about
the Town Planning Authority? Where were they?
What were they looking at that they did not
demolish the building? You want to arrest TB
Joshua, but you do not know they should be
arrested first?
Also read: Controversy shrouds TB
Joshua building collapse
TB Joshua only killed 100 plus people who
volunteered of their own volition and not under
compulsion to visit him for miracles. They got
miracles. We cannot say they were forced. Have
you arrested Diezani Alison-Madueke? Where
are those five spirited writers to demand the
arrest of Diezani who has continued to steal $4
million every single day from the poorest
kitchens in Nigeria through her illegal kerosene
“subsidy” scam? Do we know how many her
robbery kills everyday in hardship? Hundreds
every day, and we want to arrest TB Joshua?
Have you arrested Farouk Lawani? Have you
arrested General Ihejrika, the man who
embezzled billions of dollars for our nation’s
security and directly and indirectly facilitated/
sponsored Boko Haram’s success? Have you
clamored for his arrest for the transfer all those
APC’s we are just recovering from Boko Haram
after he was exposed, that were used to kill
Nigerians in the thousands over the past 5
years? Where are your letters calling for his
arrest? No, it is poor, hard-working TB Joshua
you see because he is not the respected Cabal.
Have you arrested Ali Modu Sheriff? Have you
arrested Fayose? Have you arrested Patience
Jonathan known as “the greediest person in
Bayelsa” who was caught smuggling $13.6
million; money for the poor and poisoned people
of Bayelsa, out of Nigeria? Talking about
smuggling, have you arrested Ayo Oritsejafor
and President Jonathan, the gangsta cash and
guns smugglers? Have you arrested Abba Moro,
the self confessed possessed-by-the-devil
Minister who humiliated all our youth, killed
many and again was just exposed in another
major scam, robbing Nigerians of billions? No,
you have not arrested or insisted on the arrest
of all these, but you want to arrest TB Joshua?
Have you arrested the Military officers who
burned down BRT buses? Have you arrested the
soldiers who killed Sheikh Zakzaky’s three sons
and 33 other innocent peaceful protesters in
Kaduna the other day? Have you arrested Stella
Oduah and the manager of Coscharis motors, or
you claim not to know that corruption directly
leads to the death of millions from poor or
unavailable infrastructure, security and all other
responsibilities of the government with public
funds?
Nigeria is a free for all now. Please and please,
do not pounce on petty thieves and petty
killers. You see poor TB Joshua and you all
gather to throw tire and petrol on him and mob
beat him because there is something about him
you never liked… you were always jealous of
him and looked at him as “other.” But you have
left the government of Jonathan to continue to
lead this nation in reckless abandon; to
promote corruption, looting and killing in all
facets of the nation. To destroy every single
facet of society. You have watched Jonathan
promote and encourage stealing as never
known before; you have watched him free killers
and thieves.
Nigeria is a free for all. You have not clamored
for the arrest of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, the
king crook in power, guilty of unlimited crimes
against humanity and responsible for the
veering of Nigeria- all systems- off the cliff
finally, but you want to arrest TB Joshua. No
petty criminal should ever be punished
again. Open all the jails and set them free. If
and until we all rise together and chase out the
entire master killers and thieves in the Senate
and Presidency, please and please, touch not
the “anointed.” Only 100 he killed, Diezani killed
another 1000 today by stealing money for the
construction of their community health centers,
and she is there putting make-up on in peace
and you are shouting about TB Joshua.

UN Confronts Deadly Ebola Epidermic

United Nations - World leaders gathered at the
United Nations heard dire warnings anda
desperate pleas for assistance Thursday as the
deadly Ebola virus forced Sierra Leone to
quarantine a million people.
US President Barack Obama led calls for a
ramped up response to the growing West African
outbreak, urging governments, businesses and
international organizations to join the fight.
The United Nations did win fresh pledges of
support, and the Group of Seven nations
announced it would keep open vital air and sea
links with Ebola-hit countries in West Africa.
Also Read: Obama urges world to do more to
tackle Ebola
But Obama warned: "We are not doing enough" -
and UN officials said a 20-fold surge in
assistance is needed to come to grips with an
outbreak that has killed close to 3 000 people
"Right now, everybody has the best of intentions,
but people are not putting the kinds of resources
necessary to put a stop to this epidemic," he
said, on the sidelines of the UN General
Assembly.
'Ebola is winning'
Health experts agreed. "Today, Ebola is winning,"
said Joanne Liu, president of the aid group
Doctors Without Borders (MSF).
"The reality on the ground today is this: the
promised surge has not yet delivered," she
warned.
Health systems in the worst-hit countries of
Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea have been
overwhelmed by the epidemic and are in dire
need of doctors, nurses, medical equipment and
supplies.
Canada announced a contribution of $27 million
dollars to the effort and France said it has set
aside 70 million euros in a battle that the United
Nations estimates will require close to one billion
dollars.
The European Union said it would add 30 million
euros to the current 150 million euros it has
provided to fight Ebola.
UN officials could not provide an immediate tally
of the total pledges made at the UN meeting but
the UN's coordinator for Ebola, David Nabarro,
said countries had "responded with generosity."
'Disease of the world '
Sierra Leone on Thursday took the drastic step
of putting more than one million people in five
districts under quarantine-- the largest open-
ended lockdown in the Ebola outbreak.
"My country is at the battlefront of one of the
biggest life and death challenges facing the
global human community," Sierra Leone's
President Ernest Bai Koroma warned by video
link from Freetown.
"Ebola is not only a disease of Sierra Leone and
its neighbors, it is a disease of the world."
The northern districts of Port Loko and Bombali
have been closed off indefinitely along with the
southern district of Moyamba -- effectively
sealing in around 1.2 million people.
With the eastern districts of Kenema and
Kailahun already under quarantine, more than a
third of the population of six million -- in five of
the nation's 14 districts -- now finds itself
unable to move freely.
In New York, the G7 foreign ministers pledged to
work to maintain transport links with the Ebola-
hit countries to allow much-needed help to
reach those in need.
"We warn that although the spread of Ebola
must be contained, affected countries must not
be isolated," said the G7 -- Britain, Canada,
France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United
States.
Several airlines moved in late August to suspend
flights to the three affected countries, although
some have since resumed.
A UN mission on Ebola set up last week is due
to deploy in West Africa on Sunday, bringing
supplies and equipment including protective
suits, trucks, helicopters and other aircraft.
The United States is sending 3,000 troops to
Liberia to help battle the contagion and has
mobilized its experts from the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention to help beat
back the virus.
The CDC estimates that cases in Liberia and
Sierra Leone could rocket to 1.4 million by
January -- in a worst-case scenario based on
data obtained before the world ramped up its
response.
World Bank president Jim Kim said the "spread,
the magnitude and the complexity of the Ebola
crisis is like nothing we have ever seen" and
warned it could lead to the "potential meltdown
of the continent."

Govt to sustain preventative measures against Ebola

Lagos - Medical experts on Tuesday advised
Nigerians and government at all levels to sustain
the preventive measures put in place to combat
the spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).
They gave the advice in an interview with the
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos against
the background of the World Health Organisation
(WHO) declaration that Nigeria had to some
extend contained the virus.
WHO says: "The outbreaks in Senegal and Nigeria
are pretty much contained."
NAN also reports that the Federal Ministry of
Health reported that there has not been any new
case of EVD in the last 15 days.
"Since the outbreak of the disease, Nigeria
recorded 19 confirmed cases (15 in Lagos and 4
in Port Harcourt) and seven deaths," it said.
In his comment, Prof. Oyewale Tomori, a
virologist with WHO, advised Nigerians to sustain
the hand cleaning routine as Nigeria was not yet
totally free of EVD.
"I really commend the Federal and State
Governments for their efforts in curbing Ebola
virus in the country, but we have to sustain those
efforts.
"So long there are still cases of Ebola virus in our
neighbouring countries - Guinea, Sierra Leone and
Liberia - we are not out of the woods yet because
another Patrick Sawyer can still come into the
country.
"Nigerians should not also relax. We have to
continue to practice proper hygiene, especially
hand cleaning in everything we do,’" he advised.
Also, Dr Dan Onwujekwe, a public health expert
with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research
(NIMR), Yaba, urged Nigerians to see regular
hand cleaning routine as a way of life.
Onwujekwe said that hand cleaning routine was
not for the prevention of EVD, but for the
prevention of other infectious diseases.
"We lay emphasis on hand washing hygiene
because the hand is the most active part of
human body. It goes round and can carry viral
organisms around and into the body.
"Government at all levels should also intensify
awareness and promotion of regular hand
washing as the number one strategy.
"Proper hand washing is very important in that it
is able to inactivate viral organisms,’’ he said.
In his remark, Dr Bamidele Oke, another virologist,
who works with NIMR, said that there was still
risk of cross-border transmission from the high
risk countries.
"While some people are still on surveillance in
Port-Harcourt, and we have not had new cases in
recent days, we should not relent in monitoring
and surveillance of the disease.
"Moreover, Ebola virus was imported to Nigeria
and it is not endemic.
"We still need to maintain strict surveillance at
our borders because there are still cases of Ebola
virus in other neighbouring countries," he said.
Another expert, Dr Philip Oshun, Head, Ebola
Response Team, Lagos University Teaching
Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, urged Nigerians to
continue to maintain strict hygiene practices to
fight against any infectious disease.
"Although, there are no new known cases of Ebola
virus, there are, however, contacts in Port
Harcourt still under surveillance.
"Nigerians should continue to take precaution and
not be pre-emptive in thinking that the threat has
been eliminated," he said.
NAN reports that the Lagos State Government
had on Friday said the last suspected case of the
EVD in the state had been cleared having tested
negative after surveillance.

Lawyers ask court to stop president

Pressure mounts on president to choose new
running mate.

The Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, has
been asked to restrain the Peoples Democratic
Party (PDP) from fielding President Goodluck
Jonathan as its presidential candidate for the
February 14, 2015 election. The plaintiffs, Mase
Daphine Acho, Saeeq Umar Sarki, both lawyers,
and Murtala Abubakar, also asked the court to
stop Vice-President Namadi Sambo from running
along with Jonathan because the duo is ineligible
for reelection. Besides the PDP, Jonathan and
Sambo, another defendant in the suit, filed on
Friday, is the Independent National Electoral
Commissioner (INEC).
The moves to stop the president came barely a
day after his adoption by the PDP as its sole
presidential candidate for the 2015 election.
Although the party’s National Executive
Committee, which adopted Jonathan at a
meeting in Abuja last Thursday was silent on
whether or not he would run again with Sambo,
the party clarified yesterday that since both have
harmonious working relationship, the president
would run with his deputy in 2015.
Irrespective of the assurances, New Telegraph
learnt at the weekend that the president has
come under intense pressure to drop Sambo.
According to the court process in the suit seek-
ing to stop the president from running obtained
at the weekend, the plaintiffs’ counsel, Mustapha
Ibrahim, Mr. Abdul Mohammed and Aliyu Lemu,
argued that by virtue of the Supreme Court’s
decision in Marwa V Nyako (2012) 6 NWLR (Part
1296) at 199, both Jonathan and Sambo were
not qualified to be elected as president and vice-
president respectively. The plaintiffs said
Jonathan and Sambo were caught by the
provisions of the constitution which state that no
person can stay in office of the president and
vice president for a period beyond eight years.
They submitted that Jonathan and Sambo, at the
expiration of their current tenure, would have
held office for five years. The plaintiffs also
stated that Jonathan and Sambo had held office
for two terms recognised by the 1999
Constitution to wit: (i) the first term was held to
conclude the unexpired term of the late President
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua between May 6, 2010 to
May 29, 2011and the second term is still being
served from May 29, 2011 to May 29, 2015.
The plaintiffs, however, asked the court to
declare that Jonathan and Sambo do not have
the capacity to serve as president and vice-
president respectively for another term of four
years after the completion of their tenure in office
in view of the combined effect of the provisions
of sections 135(2) (a) and 137(b) of the 1999
Constitution.
They further asked the court to declare that
Jonathan and Sambo, having spent five years in
office as president and vicepresident respectively,
are not eligible to contest for the office of
president and vice-president for another term of
four years thereby amounting to a contravention
of the combined provisions of sections 135(2)
(a) and 137(b) of the constitution.
Other reliefs sought by the plaintiffs are: A
declaration that the first oath of office subscribed
to by Jonathan on May 6, 2010, being the oath
of office administered on him to occupy the office
of president for the purpose of completion of the
unexpired term of office of the late Yar’Adua
must be taken into cognizance in computing the
number of years that he has served and can
serve as president, in determining the effect of
the combined provisions of sections 135(2) (a)
and 137(1) (b) of the constitution.
An order of the court restraining INEC from
recognising Jonathan and Sambo as presidential
candidate and running mate picked by the PDP
or any other political party for the 2015
presidential election. The plaintiffs said allowing
Jonathan and Sambo to contest in the 2015
elections would amount to a breach of the 1999
Constitution, which the duo had sworn to
uphold.
They said the intervention of the court was
required for the interpretation of the provisions of
the 1999 Constitution. According to them, it will
be colossal waste of resources to allow
Jonathan and Sambo to run even when they
were ineligible to contest.
The defendants are yet to file their defence to
the suit. However, New Telegraph learnt
yesterday that the president has come under
more pressure to drop Sambo as his running
mate in the 2015 election. The pressure, it was
learnt, is coming from some powerful elements in
the party who had hitherto opposed Jonathan’s
emergence but lately decided to support him on
certain conditions. One of the conditions given
was that Jonathan would drop Sambo and
replace him with one of the serving governors
from the North-West geopolitical zone.
Those pushing this position have tipped Governor
Sule Lamido ( Jigawa State) and Governor
Ibrahim Shehu Shema (Katsina State) as a
possible replacement for Sambo. Also, Governor
Babangida Mu’azu Aliyu of Niger State may also
be considered for the position.
Although Aliyu is from the North-Central and not
North-West where Sambo hails from, the role the
governor has played in recent years as Chairman
of the Northern Governors’ Forum has made him
a prominent figure in the region. Presidency
sources told New Telegraph that although
Sambo had a cordial working relationship with
his boss, the vice-president was said to have
lacked the much needed political clout and
electoral value that could make a Jonathan/
Sambo ticket attractive to the electorate in the
North.
“A lot of politicians in the North do not reckon
with Sambo because he does not really belong to
the ‘core group’ of northern leaders. Even though
he was the governor of Kaduna State, the old
political capital of the North, Sambo is perceived
as too lukewarm and not vibrant enough to
protect the interest of the North. In fact, some
politicians in Kaduna have asked Jonathan to
drop him (Sambo) or else they will move their
support to the All Progressives Congress ( APC)
in 2015.
“The feeling among Northern politicians is that
Sambo is unpopular and if Jonathan wants to
win the votes of the North, he must run with a
Northern figure who is charismatic and
commands respect among the Northern elite,”
the source said. The vice-president may,
however, survived the plot as the PDP yesterday
expressed the hope that Jonathan will run in
2015 with him .
According to the party, the duo has been working
harmoniously and there will be no reason to
change a “winning team.” It also said the
automatic ticket granted the president last
Thursday might not extend to governors and
lawmakers seeking re-election.
PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa
Metuh, who described Sambo as “the second
most loyal vice-president in the country” said at
a press briefing in Abuja that many people were
trying to speculate on whether Jonathan and
Sambo would run a joint ticket in 2015. “Why
don’t we wait until the president declares?
The PDP has mentioned that it is a winning
team. The president has done very well. I believe
there is no need to maginfy or attempt to import
any difference between the president and the
vice-president. The president and the
vicepresident have worked so well.
“The vice-president has been the second most
loyal vice-president in the history of this country
besides the president when he was the vice-
president. I believe he enjoys the confidence of
the president. And by 2015 elections, if the
president accepts to run, then we will be able
take it to the next level,” he stated. On whether
governors and lawmakers seeking re-election too
will benefit from the automatic ticket given to
Jonathan, Metuh said their cases were not
similar.
“The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the
PDP, besides the national convention, is the
highest decision making organ of the party. And
it is therefore only the national caucus and
executive that can handle such decisions. Some
decisions do not go down the line to states and
local governments and so on.
There is only one NEC of the party but we have
36 states and 774 local government executives.
So the decision of the NEC can only be reversed
by the national convention,” he said.