Sports
Ricketts-led family withdraws bid to buy Chelsea FC
Ricketts-led family withdraws bid to buy Chelsea FC
The Ricketts-led consortium has withdrawn its bid to buy English Premier League club, Chelsea.
The Chicago Cubs owners and their partners opted not to submit a final bid for the Blues.
It is believed that the consortium members have been unable to agree on the final composition of their offer.
Cubs owners Tom and Laura Ricketts had partnered with US billionaires Ken Griffin and Dan Gilbert on a cash-only bid to buy the Blues.
Final bids were due to be submitted to New York merchant bank the Raine Group on Thursday, but the Ricketts-led group has now withdrawn its candidacy.
“The Ricketts-Griffin-Gilbert group has decided, after careful consideration, not to submit a final bid for Chelsea FC,”read a Ricketts family statement.
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“In the process of finalising the proposal, it became increasingly clear that certain issues could not be addressed given the unusual dynamics around the sales process.
“We have great admiration for Chelsea and its fans and we wish the new owners well.”
The Ricketts’ bid for Chelsea had come under fire from Blues supporters, over family patriarch Joe Ricketts’ historic emails from 2019.
Supporters had staged a small demonstration at Stamford Bridge, with the Ricketts family working hard to prove an inclusive and diverse bid to buy the club.
Those objections have however not played any part in the Ricketts withdrawing their bid for Chelsea.
Russian-Israeli billionaire Roman Abramovich put Chelsea up for sale on March 2, amid Russia’s continued invasion of Ukraine.
The 55-year-old was then sanctioned by the UK Government on March 10, with Downing Street claiming to have proven his links to Vladimir Putin.
Chelsea has been granted a special Government licence to continue operating, though under strict terms.
Abramovich cannot profit from Chelsea’s sale, but had already vowed to write off the club’s 1.5 billion pounds (1.96 billion dollars) debt.
The Ricketts’ withdrawal leaves LA Dodgers part-owner Todd Boehly, Sir Martin Broughton and Boston Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca as the remaining Chelsea bidders.
(dpa/NAN)
Sports
Dabiri-Erewa Congratulates AJ for Defeating Ngannou
Dabiri-Erewa Congratulates AJ for Defeating Ngannou
By: Michael Mike
Chairman/ CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri- Erewa has congratulated Anthony Joshua, a British-Nigerian boxer for defeating Francis Ngannou on Friday night in Saudi Arabia.
The NiDCOM boss gave the commendation on Saturday in a statement issued by the Head of Media, Public Relations and Protocol, Abdur- Rahman Balogun.
Dabiri-Erewa said that the victory has brought more glory to Nigeria and has shown what can be achieved by being resilient.
She said: “We are proud of you and urge you to continue to use your professional prowess to extol the virtues of Nigerian heritage.
Anthony Joshua secured his unflinching victory against Ngannou with a destructive second-round knockout at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
This knockout has delivered the most powerful statement to the heavyweight division as he has done what his compatriot Tyson Fury could not do to Francis Ngannou.
Dabiri-Erewa Congratulates AJ for Defeating Ngannou
News
Musa to Build School in Kano, other parts of Nigeria
Musa to Build School in Kano, other parts of Nigeria
By: Michael Mike
The Captain of Super Eagles, Ahmed Musa has revealed his plan to build school in his hometown Kano and other parts of the country.
Musa, who had already built sports academy in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos and Plateau, said his new plan is to build school in Kano, his hometown first and later other parts of Nigeria.
The Team Captain of the silver winning Super Eagles at the just concluded African Nations Cup in Cote D’voire, speaking during a reception by the Chairman/CEO of Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa
thanked the NiDCOM Chairman for the kind gesture and for all her support to the Diaspora, especially during the crisis in Sudan.
Musa, in an emotional laden voice, recalled his humble beginning which prompted his generousity to assist the less privileged in the society across the country.
Musa said he wanted to inspire others with his story, especially those that looked down on footballers in the past,
He assured Nigerians that in addition to other executed projects, he plans to establish a school in his hometown, Kano and subsequently expand to other states in Nigeria in the future.
Dabiri-Erewa on her part commended the Super Eagles Captain, Ahmed Musa for being an exemplary Nigerian Diaspora and a great mentor of Nigerians youths.
She noted that the player has heeded to the mandate of being a good ambassador, remembering the country and excelling in the art of football.
She said Ahmed Musa earned the Commission’s maiden National Diaspora Merit Award in the sports category due to his philanthropic gesture and mentoring of the youths.
Dabiri-Erewa said: “We are very proud of you as a Great Soccer Ambassador, Philanthropist and mentor of our younger ones with the building of sports academy in Kano, Kaduna, Lagos and Plateau
“I have always been saying it that success is about how many lives you have touched and Ahmed Musa here have done so much for humanity.”
She re- echoed her congratulatory message to the entire Super Eagles team for coming second in the just concluded AFCON 2023 in Cote Divoire.
Also, the FCT State Diaspora Focal Point Officer, Mrs Sarah Areo, lauded the Nigerian player for his achievement and assured him that the FCT is ready to support his future philanthropic projects especially in Abuja.
Musa to Build School in Kano, other parts of Nigeria
News
Dabiri- Erewa Congratulates Anthony Joshua on Victory, Describes it Long Awaited
Dabiri- Erewa Congratulates Anthony Joshua on Victory, Describes it Long Awaited
By: Michael Mike
Chairman/CEO, Nigerians in Diaspora Commission, (NIDCOM), Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has congratulated British-Nigerian former World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua (AJ) for getting his mojo back by defeating American Jermaine Franklin on Saturday.after successive lost.
Dabiri-Erewa, in a signed statement on Sunday by one of the officials of the Media, Public Relations and Protocol Unit of NIDCOM, Gabriel Odu, expressed joy over the boxing exploits of the two-time World heavyweight champion as he made a victorious comeback to the global boxing books by defeating the American.
Dabiri-Erewa, while describing AJ’s win as a “never- say-never, the I-can-do-spirit of Nigerians anywhere in the world,” added that AJ is a true ambassador at large, making Nigeria super proud and projecting the good image of Nigerians globally.
This is Joshua’s first victory since 2020 after he successively suffered defeats from Oleksandr Usyk.
The 33-year old former World heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, on saturday, returned to the boxing stage with a unanimous points-decision over Jermaine Franklin with the three judges giving the fight to on 118-111, 117-111, 117-111, at London 02 Arena, Saturday.
Dabiri- Erewa Congratulates Anthony Joshua on Victory, Describes it Long Awaited
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