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Nigeria captain  Mikel  Obi admits his side have to improve quickly if they are to make an impact at the World Cup,  AFP  reports. The Super Eagles lost 2-1 to England in a friendly at Wembley on Saturday. Nigeria were punished for a dismal first half display as goals from Gary Cahill and Harry Kane put England in control. Arsenal’s Alex Iwobi pulled one back for the visitors after the interval, but Nigeria couldn’t find an equaliser despite their improved second half performance. Mikel knows Nigeria have to sharpen up in Russia if they to get through a tough group featuring Argentina, Iceland and Croatia. “We are a very young team and we have to learn, it is good for this young team to have a taste of what we are going to face in Russia,” Mikel said. “We have to learn together as a team, we have to improve and that is why we played this game against such a quality side. “We can know where we are and now we go back to trai...

Paolo Guerrero scored twice in a 3-0 friendly win over Saudi Arabia to cap an emotional week for the Peru captain who was cleared to play at the World Cup after his long legal battle against a 14-month drugs suspension. The 34-year-old striker won a last-ditch legal appeal on Thursday to appear at the tournament in Russia despite being banned after testing positive for traces of cocaine following a World Cup qualifier against Argentina last October. The Swiss federal tribunal, Guerrero’s last legal recourse, overturned a ruling by the Lausanne-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) that saw him suspended for 14 months. As well as allowing Guerrero to participate in the June 14-July 15 showpiece, it has also given the player hope of seeing his ban reduced or annulled as it ruled the CAS decision “unjustified”. Guerrero has played just a handful of matches for his Brazilian club Flamengo since he was initially banned on November 3, a ruling that forced him out ...

Chelsea  defender Ola Aina and Bursaspor midfielder Mikel Agu   will not be going to the 2018 World Cup in Russia after Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr  omitted  them from his  final 23-man  squad for the tournament on Sunday. Both players did not feature in  the 2-1 defeat to England in a friendly affair in  London on Saturday, meaning  Rohr had decided to chop them from the   squad before the encounter. Seventeen   of the 23 players picked  by the  German  manager  were in action at Wembley Stadium, with Mikel Obi, Kenneth  Omeruo, Ogenyi Onazi and Ahmed Musa, who represented Nigeria at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, heading to Russia to appear at the finals for the second time. Rohr kept faith with his goalkeeping trio Francis Uzoho, Daniel Akpeyi and Ikechukwu Ezenwa, naming  them in the squad alongside Euro-born quartet  Leon Balogun, William Troost-Ekong, Bryan Idowu  and Ty...

Nigerians have expressed disgust at the attitude of the Super Eagles as they arrived their final camping site in Austria. A video posted on the verified Twitter handle of the NFF shows obviously elated Austrians who had filed out to welcome the Eagles to their Avita Resort Base camp in Bad Tatzmannsdorf, Austria. The Austrians, young and old, male and female, were armed with Nigerian flags which they waved lovingly as they lined both sides of the road leading to the Super Eagles’ camp. As the team filed down from their bus, the elated crowd could not hide the excitement of hosting world-rated Super Eagles in their own country. They laughed, clapped and generally gave the Eagles the ultimate welcome. However, instead of acknowledging the cheers, the team members, one after the other, walked past the crowd, unconcerned, and not acknowledging the efforts put up by the locals. Only one footballer, identified by a Twitterer as Victor Moses, managed to have a handshake with some...

Neymar scored on his return to action on Sunday after three months out through injury as Brazil warmed up for the Russia 2018 World Cup with a 2-0 friendly win. The former world champions beat Croatia at Anfield in Liverpool. The most expensive player in the world has been sidelined since February 25. He had fractured a metatarsal and sprained his ankle playing for Paris St Germain (PSG) in a French league match against Olympique de Marseille. The former FC Barcelona forward, key to his country’s hopes in Russia, came on as a halftime substitute. He then provided the moment of inspiration to win the game in the 69th minute. Willian, impressive throughout for Brazil, picked the ball up in midfield and threaded the ball to Philippe Coutinho who found Neymar in the inside-left channel. The 26-year-old who played from the left flank cut inside and skipped past two defenders before blasting the ball home off the underside of the crossbar. Neymar’s goal was his 54th for ...

The Imo State Police Command has arrested one Mr. Patrick Adiele and some members his family for allegedly beating a 17-year-old boy, Dominic Adiele, to death. The deceased, Southern City News learnt on Sunday is also a member of the Adiele family from Eziama Ubulu Umuozu, Mgbidi in the Oru-West Local Government Area of the state. The mother of the deceased, Mrs. Emilia Adiele, said she was in a church when her son was killed. Narrating her ordeal, the dejected mother said, “I returned from the church and saw my son, Dominic, on the ground, looking battered. I was told that the children of my late husband’s brother beat him to the point that he became weak. He was taken to the hospital that same day and he died at the hospital. “I am calling on the government and the Inspector-General of Police to intervene in this my predicament and give me justice. My son cannot just die like that. A boy that was healthy until he was mercilessly beaten which resulted to his dea...

The President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has faulted the Police claims that he has been indicted by some suspects arrested in connection with the April 2018 Offa bank robberies in which 30 persons were killed. In a press release signed by his Special Adviser (Media and Publicity), Mr. Yusuph Olaniyonu, the Senate President mainteined that there is no how he could have been involved in armed robbery against his own people. See the press release: “The attention of the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has been drawn to a story circulating online and apparently derived from a Press Conference addressed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Moshood Jimoh, linking him (Saraki) to the Offa robbery. “Dr. Saraki will want the entire public to disregard this claim as a baseless allegation and another ploy by the Police to implicate him by all means. “Let it be known that there is no way I could have been associated with armed robbery agai...

Nigeria on Sunday named a final 23-man squad for the World Cup with Chelsea defender Ola Aina and Mikel Agu from FC Porto placed on standby. However, both Aina and Agu will travel with the team for a training camp in Austria. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) announced the final squad on their Twitter account. Leicester City midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, who has been a major injury concern, made the final cut, while Russia-based defender Bryan Idowu and FC Crotone striker Simeon Nwankwo are the two players who are yet to make an official debut for the team. The team, who lost 2-1 to England on Saturday at Wembley, will fly out of London on Sunday to Austria before they head out to Russia for the World Cup on June 11. FULL SQUAD Goalkeepers:  Ikechukwu Ezenwa (Enyimba), Daniel Akpeyi (Chippa United/RSA), Francis Uzoho (Deportivo La Coruna/ESP) Defenders:  William Troost-Ekong, Shehu Abdullahi (Bursaspor/TUR), Leon Balogun (Brighton Hove Albion/ENG), Kenneth Omeruo (Che...

The Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Abuja, has stated why it invited the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, over the Offa bank robberies of April 5, 2018, in which 30 people, including nine policemen, died. According to a press release on its Facebook page and signed by Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, ACP Jimoh Moshood, the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, “is being invited to report to the Police to answer allegations indicting him from confessions of five gang leaders arrested for active participation in Offa bank robberies and killings of 33 innocent persons.” See the full press statement: UPDATE OF POLICE INVESTIGATION INTO THE OFFA BANKS ROBBERY AND GRUESOME MURDER OF MORE THAN THIRTY THREE (33) INNOCENT PERSONS INCLUDING PREGNANT WOMEN AND NINE (9) POLICE OFFICERS ON 5th APRIL, 2018, IN OFFA, KWARA STATE. • Twenty Two (22) Suspects now in Police Custody. • Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki is being invited to report ...

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has said four-year tenure is too small for anyone in public office to deliver. He said that was so because there were many plans of things to deliver that will take time. Osinbajo said this in an interview at the Financial Times Nigeria Summit held in Lagos. According to the transcript made available to journalists on Saturday, the Vice President granted the interview on Thursday. “I think that for anyone who is in office, it (four years) would be too small because obviously, you have all manner of plans and things to deliver. “But my take is that the moment you have the right people and you put the right structures in place, you can do a lot, and I think we have been blessed with an incredibly good team,” Osinbajo said. He said the present administration wanted to farther ahead in terms of manufacturing. He however described them as infrastructure constraints that cannot be developed overnight. This, he said, was why the governme...

Recently, Chinedu Ikedieze, aka Aki, and Osita Iheme, aka Pawpaw, reunited on set after a long while they have acted together in a movie. Years ago, the two actors were inseparable in movies and people loved them together. Once you saw Aki, you would surely see Pawpaw. But as they grew older in the movie industry, they started doing things differently, which made the public to conclude that they had irreconcilable differences. But while speaking with  Sunday Scoop , Aki insisted there was no time he fought Pawpaw. He said, “I just finished shooting a film with my friend, Pawpaw. We have not been working together like in the past because we are both engaged in different projects. I am still shooting  The Johnsons  family series. When they gave us a month break, I quickly went to shoot two films with Pawpaw. I have kept many producers waiting, but some of them looked for other options. I am busy; Pawpaw is busy too. We don’t have any problem. I don’t l...

Neymar will make his first appearance for over three months on Sunday as Brazil boss Tite confirmed the Paris Saint-Germain striker will play in the second half of his country’s friendly against Croatia. Neymar suffered a fractured foot while playing for PSG against Marseille in Ligue 1 on February 25. The 26-year-old had surgery in Brazil amid fears he wouldn’t be fit for the World Cup. But Neymar recovered well enough to be included in the Selecao squad for the tournament, which gets underway in Russia on June 14. Facing a race to be fit for Brazil’s World Cup opener against Switzerland on June 17, Neymar will get a chance to use Sunday’s clash at Anfield to show he is ready to lead the five-time world champions in Russia. “Neymar? He’ll start on the bench because he’s still recovering, and will come on at half-time because we’re preparing as a team,” Tite told reporters at a press conference on Saturday. “I don...

Econet Media’s pan-African broadcast network, Kwesé, has signed Mikel Obi as their first official brand ambassador. The UEFA Champions League, Europa Cup and Premier League winner, who now plays in the Chinese Super League, will represent the broadcaster’s services and initiatives across the continent starting with the 2018 World Cup Russia. Mikel will feature in Kwesé’s upcoming advertising campaigns, which will encompass print, television and radio.  “In choosing the right personality to partner with our brands we wanted someone who embodies what we stand for as an African broadcaster. Mikel represents exceptional sporting talent and is loved by fans across the continent. His commitment to excellence and his work to improve the sporting talent of the next generation of athletes made him the perfect choice for us,” Joseph Hundah, President and Group Chief Executive Officer of Econet Media, said. One of only two African players to have ...

Football lovers who watched the England’s pre-World Cup friendly with Nigeria on Saturday seem to have a beef with Dele Alli each time the footballer gained access to the ball. Bamidele Jermaine Alli, popularly known as Dele Alli, is an English professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur and the England national team. Born on April 11, 1996 to Nigerian father, Kenny and English mother, Denise, Alli was raised in Milton Keynes. In the run-up to the World Cup when a national team was being assembled for Nigeria, Alli opted to play for his country of birth, England. This didn’t seem to sit well with Nigerian football fans who see his decision as not good enough. Alli is not new to controversy, though, as FIFA once banned the England midfielder for one international match following his middle-finger gesture in the 2018 World Cup qualifier against Slovakia late 2017. He was also fined 5,000 Swiss francs (£3,852) by...

A mother of two, Mrs Laruba Dirisu, is still submerged in the anguish which gripped her after the disappearance of her newborn in a private clinic in Kogi State, writes  GBENGA ODOGUN A mother of two, Mrs Laruba Dirisu, didn’t bargain for what she got after she was delivered of a baby at a private clinic in Ayingba, Kogi State, last Sunday. When she went into labour at about 7am that day, her husband took her to Peniel Maternity and Clinic, Ayingba, Kogi State, where she had her two other children. But no sooner had she given birth than the baby vanished into thin air. To compound her misery, the nurse who attended to her, claimed that she was unaware of how it happened. Speaking with  SUNDAY PUNCH,  the new mother said she went into labour on Sunday morning when her husband took her to the hospital where it was revealed that it was time for her to give birth. She stated, “My husband went home to bring some of the things needed for my delivery but before h...

A 54-year-old man, Abayomi Adewunmi, has been arrested by the police for allegedly forging the licence of a Lagos-based firm, Nucleus Ventures Limited, to import four vehicles into Nigeria. The police alleged that Adewunmi and other suspects at large hacked into the company’s data on the website of the Nigeria Customs Service to process shipping documents, which he used to import the vehicles – two Toyota Prado Jeeps, a Toyota 4runner and a Mercedes Benz GLE. Saturday PUNCH  learnt that Customs discovered the fraudulent act after the vehicles had been cleared, and suspended its import licence. The agency was said to have subsequently notified the firm, which deals in manufacturing of paper products. It was learnt that a letter was addressed to the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation to assist in unearthing the particulars of the vehicles. Following the information provided by the ministry, the case was reported at the Olosan Police Station and Adewunmi was tra...

The police in Lagos have arrested a 38-year-old businessman, Williams Peter, for allegedly refusing to pay a debt of N600,000 he incurred in a gambling game. One Solomon Adetoro, who operated the game centre, was also apprehended by the police for conniving with Peter to allegedly defraud the management of the gambling firm. Our correspondent learnt that Peter approached Adetoro at the gambling outlet on Olowu Street, Ikeja, Lagos, on May 24, 2018, to play the game. He was said to have placed several bets without winning and promised to pay the following day. The native of Rivers State reportedly returned to the outlet the next day, took another round of bets and lost until the money accumulated to N600,000. Saturday PUNCH  gathered that the operator did not report the debt to the management until it was discovered by an official, who came to take a record of bets around 9:00pm. Adetoro and Peter were subsequently arrested by the police from the Ikeja division where the case...

Nigeria defender William Troost-EKong has said there were doubts about his ability to play well for Nigeria when he was first called-up to the team. Troost-Ekong made his debut for Nigeria in 2015 and has gone on to make 19 appearances for the Eagles. He was pivotal as the Super Eagles became the first African team to qualify for the Russia 2018 World Cup. In an interview with   on Thursday, the 24-year-old Dutch-born defender, who has formed a solid partnership with German-born defender Leon Balogun, said he was disappointed when he was told by former Super Eagles coach Sunday Oliseh that he was not physically capable of playing in Africa. He said, “There were a lot of doubts over me because I did not play for a big team in Holland before my first call-up. Then, on top of that, being ‘Oyibo’, or half-white, you have to prove yourself even more. “My partner at centre-back (new Brighton signing Leon Balogun) is half-German, half-Nigerian, so he is ...

Football fans have gone crazy for Nigeria’s new Nike kit as they queued up along Oxford Street on Friday morning to get their hands on it before it sells out,  Daily Mail  reports. The kit has been a huge hit with fans for its retro look and received more than three million pre-orders according to the Nigerian Football Federation before it finally went on sale. Nigeria will debut the in-demand kit in their friendly against England on Saturday evening at Wembley as they continue to prepare for the World Cup. London is home to thousands of Nigerian ex-pats and people with Nigerian heritage, meaning the kit had no shorter of takes at Nike’s central London HQ. Football kit collectors were also keen to get their hands on the funky shirts, as well as profiteers looking to make some quick cash. Some of the shirts were available to buy on eBay by Friday afternoon, with bidding reaching £100 for one medium-sized shirt. Nike have released a whole collection alon...

The Lagos State Government has partnered Balmoral Group, an events solutions company in West Africa, to build a football viewing village at the Eko Atlantic City. The Russia 2018 World Cup starts on June 14. In a statement on Wednesday, Balmoral Group said the football village would be a state-of-the-art viewing center that will run throughout the duration of the World Cup. It said the scope of the village would be beyond football as it would extend to all aspects of life to bring together all lovers and fans of football. It said the viewing village would have viewing screens that would project all 64 matches every day of the tournament, adding that there would be food, music, drinks and entertainment to keep the fans going.

On a sunny morning, Mrs. Blessing Okonkwo’s eyes were laden with tears as she held her eight-year-old son, Uche, close to her chest. The boy breathed heavily when he was finally sat down on a chair, facing his mother. Blessing first noticed that something was wrong with her son’s health in 2011, a year after he was born. Uche was breathing at a fast pace, his lips were turning bluish. She was getting scared. “I had to quickly take him to a hospital, where they carried out a series of test on him and there they said he had a hole in his heart,” she said. “Since 2011, he has been on drugs, morning, afternoon and at night. At times, he would be admitted for two or three weeks in the hospital. Eventually, my boss, who I worked for as a cook, said I should take him to the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital.” A 2016 medical report signed by the Consultant Paediatric Cardiologist, Dr. B.A. Animasahun, of the Department of Paediatrics and Child He...

The Bayelsa State Police Command says the violence witnessed in Amassoma, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area was a direct aftermath of infiltration of the university town by unidentified armed men. Security operatives had recently clashed with protesters leading to the loss of at least five lives with many persons injured and properties of the Niger Delta University vandalised. The police in a statement by command’s spokesman, Asinim Butswat, said the Commissioner of Police, Don Awunah, had set up an investigation team. He said the team, headed by an Assistant Commissioner of Police is to conduct a thorough inquiry with a view to unmasking those armed men whose “premeditated action and orchestrated violence triggered the crisis that caused destruction of properties and temporarily disrupted the peace of the university town.” Butswat urged the people of Amassoma in particular and Bayelsa in general to go about their lawful business as peace and security had been ...

The Nigeria Labour Congress has expressed shock over the statement by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, that the new minimum wage could not be implemented in September 2018. The congress decried the delay in the implementation of the new minimum wage, noting that the expected increase in salaries was the difference between survival and extinction for many workers. The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, in a statement on Friday, queried the sudden change in the proposed implementation date, noting that Ngige had without any prompting, informed the world that the Federal Government would start paying the new wage in September. He said, “The current volte face by the Minister of Labour is not only provocative, it is also insensitive, especially in the face of the excruciating suffering being endured by Nigerian workers, particularly as occasioned by the increase in the cost of living. “Do we need to remind the minister that he was once a civil servant who alway...

Queen Josephine Diete-Spiff, the wife of the Chairman of the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, King Alfred Diette-Spiff, on Friday relived her experience on how she was drafted to be trafficked to Europe for sex slavery and her escape. Queen Josephine said despite the pressure, threats and deceits adopted by human traffickers and their agents, she rejected their offer. She said after rejecting their offer, she had to resort to doing menial jobs at construction sites in Benin City, Edo State, to survive and escape their tempting promises. The monarch’s wife, who is also the Chairperson of the State Traditional Rulers Wives Association and the Niger Delta Royal Queen Forum, made the revelation during a call on her by members of the Young Mothers Support Foundation. YMSF is an international non-governmental organisation campaigning against teenage pregnancy and child molestation. Josephine said she turned down a proposal from even her close friends to travel to Italy f...

The Not –Too- Young- To -Run movement, a conglomeration of youth groups, has called on the National Assembly to amend the Act signed by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday. The groups made the demand at a press conference in Abuja on Friday. The new law reduces the eligible age for those seeking to be members of the state Houses of Assembly and House of Representatives from 30 to 25 years; and those aspiring to be President from 40 to 35 years. The age limits for senators and state governors were not reduced as originally proposed by the sponsors of the bill. Speaking on behalf of the groups, Mr. Samson Itodo of the Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth and Advancement, said the National Assembly must amend the Act and ensure that the age limits for senators and governors were reduced. He said, “The bill as assented to by the President reduces the age qualification for the office of the President from age 40 to 35; House of Representatives from 30 to 25 and state A...

A female police candidate, Christiana Danjuma, slumped and died in Abuja on Friday during medical screening in the ongoing police recruitment exercise. Danjuma from Kaduna State, was said to have slumped while filling the medical test form and was rushed to the National Hospital, Abuja where she was confirmed dead around 11am. The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Jimoh Moshood, said in a statement that the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris had ordered an investigation in to the incident. He explained that her body which was earlier deposited at the National Hospital mortuary had been released to her family. The statement read, “The Nigeria Police Force regrets to announce the sudden death of Danjuma Christiana, a female PC recruit candidate with number PSCRKD094 from Kaduna State undergoing medical screening for the 2018 police recruitment. “The said late Danjuma slumped while filling the medical test form; she was resuscitated and rushed to National Hospi...

The National Emergency management Agency has received 186 Nigerians from Libya, with the assistance of the International Organisation for Migration. The 186 persons arrived at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport between Wednesday and Thursday. A flight with 154 returnees arrived at the airport at about 8:45pm on Thursday while 32 arrived on Wednesday morning at 3:45am. After profiling of the returnees, NEMA said they were 99 female adults, 75 male adults, eight infants and four children. The Zonal Coordinator, South-West, NEMA, Suleiman Yakubu, said the returnees were those living in Libya without any intention of going further to Europe. He said they voluntarily chose to return home when the opportunity came from IOM due to futile attempts at a better life in Libya. Suleiman said most of them worked there but could not repatriate their funds due to certain restrictions. He said, “The Federal Government policies are already on to give equal opportunities to every N...

A member of the seventh House of Representatives and erstwhile governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Opeyemi Bamidele, and one other person have been shot. The shooting took place at the All Progressives Congress secretariat in Ajilosun, Ado-Ekiti, during a reception organised for the governorship candidate of the party, Dr. Kayode Fayemi. It was learnt that the bullet came from the rifle of a mobile policeman who was among those deployed to ensure security. Bamidele has been rushed to an unknown hospital for treatment, while the yet-to-be-identified second victim is feared dead. The reason behind the rage of the policeman has yet to be ascertained. But an eyewitness said that the policeman was provoked by some thugs who waylaid dignitaries at the secretariat. The rally, which attracted a huge crowd of party supporters and admirers across the state, began on a good note from Akure airport, Ondo State, before things went awry. Bamidele was standing with Governor of Ondo Stat...

The Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, has discharged and acquitted a former Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Patrick Akpobolokemi, who was charged with an alleged fraud of N2.6bn. In a lead judgment on Friday by Justice Yargatta Nimpar, a three-man appellate court panel upheld the no-case submission filed by Akpolokemi in response to the criminal charges. The Appeal Court overruled the decision of Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court in Lagos, who, on October 16, 2017, dismissed Akpobolokemi’s no-case submission. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had, on December 4, 2015, arraigned Akpobolokemi alongside five others for allegedly diverting N2.6bn from the coffers of NIMASA between December 2013 and May 2015. The funds, the anti-graft agency claimed, were approved by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan for the implementation of a security project tagged, “International Ship and Ports Security Code in Nigerian Por...

The Presidency on Friday said it has released a document outlining the policy and programme achievements of the Muhammadu Buhari administration since its inception three years ago. According to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, the 41-page document highlights the administration’s successes in the economy, security and the fight against corruption, “which are the three priorities of the government’s change agenda.” “The document is organised into the following sections: Resetting the Economy; Restoring Growth, Growing What We Eat; Making Business Work; Doing More With Less; Investing In People; New Vision for the Niger Delta; Plugging Leakages; and Justice Reforms. “The fact sheet, which will be updated regularly, showcases improving economic indices, rising investment in agriculture and infrastructure, successes in the fight against terrorism, and ongoing efforts to improve security ...

President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday admitted that it was difficult for anybody to defend him or his government. Buhari who spoke while receiving members of the Buhari Media Support Organisation at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, however, did not disclose the reason why he believed it was difficult to defend him and his government. But he said members of the group, who have been defending him and his government, had been doing so as a sacrifice. This he said was because members of the opposition were in possession of what he described as incredible resources that the ruling party could not match. According to him, this is why the opposition has been sponsoring mischief that his government cannot stop. Buhari said, “I don’t think I can thank you enough for your steadfastness under very difficult circumstances.  It is not easy to defend this administration and more in particular to defend me. But your consistency has given me a lot of confidence. “I know you ...