Ambode, Agbaje clash over Lekki-Epe toll again

Ambode

Two Lagos State governorship candidates in the February elections, Akinwunmi Ambode of the All Progressives Congress, and Jimi Agbaje of the Peoples Democratic Party have again disagreed over the collection of tolls on the Lekki-Epe Expressway.

In an interactive forum with the candidates organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Agbaje said he would stop the payment of tolls in that axis if he becomes the next governor of Lagos State.

But Ambode said it was in the programme of his government to continue with the toll collection, arguing that it was the only way the government was generating revenue to maintain the road.

The argument about the toll emanated from a question that was thrown to the candidates about their plans to improve the situation of the Apapa-Oshodi Expressway in the light of the constant gridlock in the area.

Ambode had replied that the road belonged to the Federal Government and that the state had been trying to work on the road but was prevented by the PDP-led Federal Government.

Agbaje

However, Agbaje explained that the state government could work more with the Federal Government on providing alternative means of transport to ease the traffic.

He argued that the work of building roads should not be left in the hands of the Federal Government but that the state government could work with the private sector to provide alternative transport like the light rail system.

At the mention of private participation, Ambode cut in, pointing out to Agbaje that he was proposing an end to the only Public-Private Partnership project in Lagos state which was the Lekki-Epe toll gate.

Ambode said, “Mr. Agbaje seems to be contradicting himself because a man who has just proposed to scrap the Lekki-Epe tollgate which is the only PPP project cannot be talking about public private partnership in the rail system.”

Agbaje’s response was to remind Ambode that the Lekki-Epe tollgate had ceased to be a PPP a long time ago.

He said, “The Lekki-Epe tollgate is a government project. The government signed a contract with the private partners for N50bn. Government had since paid off the original private partners to the tune of N80bn instead of the initial N50bn agreed. I see no reason why people should continue to pay toll.”

source: PUNCH.

We’ll end Tinubu’s reign in February —Bode George

A South-West leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Bode George, on Monday said the party would make a national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, irrelevant in Lagos politics from February.

George, who addressed PDP supporters at the inauguration of the party’s governorship rally in Ikeja, expressed optimism that the PDP governorship candidate in Lagos State, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, would defeat his APC counterpart, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode, at the polls.

The PDP leader alleged that Tinubu had mortgaged the economy of the state to suit his interests, adding that the APC-led state government had operated an exploitative rule.

He said, “We are ready this year to root out the APC which has failed the state. This February is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to end the reign of Tinubu in Lagos.Even the APC leaders told us that they want change, so we will give it to them.

“For 16 years, the APC has taken this state on a journey that has leaded us nowhere. This February, we will end Tinubu’s reign. As you all can see, all the governorship aspirants who contested alongside Agbaje are here. There is no dissenting voice in the PDP. We are united.”

“Jonathan has reduced university fees, created 12 new universities, transformed our railway system. He has numerous achievements in the health, education and agriculture sectors. I ask, what has Tinubu done in Lagos? Let us reject them with our votes. Use your Permanent Voter Cards to vote them out in February.”

The arrival of the immediate past Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, attracted loud cheers from the supporters.

Obanikoro, who claimed to know Ambode very well, said the APC governorship candidate does not have the qualities of a governor.

The former minister said, “Agbaje started from the scratch and built his business from a small scale to a medium scale and then to the level of a manufacturer. He is a man of integrity and a man of the people.He is not a stooge of any politician.”

source: PUNCH.

Is the military still searching for Chibok girls?

On the night of April 14, 2014, Boko Haram insurgents stormed Government Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State, seized close to 300 schoolgirls and disappeared into the night. It’s been 10 months since the abduction, the girls have not been found. The abduction, which provoked global outrage, gave rise to a global advocacy movement, the #BringBackOurGirlscampaign. In the wake of the abduction, the world seemed to stand still as the global community, world leaders and celebrities joined the campaign for the release of the girls.

Amidst the global outcry and outpouring of support, the once obscure village of Chibok, in Nigerian northeast was suddenly thrust into global consciousness. A lot has happened in the last 10 months. As the international community and local campaigners continue to demand action from the Nigerian government and its security forces, one question that I had long pondered on is if the Nigerian military is still searching for the girls.

In the months since the abduction, I have seen how the world and the #BringbackOurGirls campaigners led by the irrepressible Oby Ezekwesili had continued to mount pressure on the Jonathan administration to do everything it can to ensure that the girls are returned to their loved ones. But one question that has not been addressed is if the Nigerian government through its military is still searching for the girls. As I reflect over the question, I have come to the hard but painful conclusion that the Jonathan administration may have long given up on the search for the girls. Indeed, the search may have stopped as soon as it started. Any contrary statement by this government is just to save face.

I believe the search for the girls has been abandoned a long time ago. My conclusion is informed by the events that had played out after the abduction. Any Nigerian who believes our military is still searching for the girls is either ignorant of the prevailing facts or living in denial. While it may be painful to realise that those innocent girls are now forcefully married to terrorists or being used as sex slaves, we have to accept the hard truth that their rescue is not dependent on the military. The Jonathan government and its military have long given up on the search for the girls. In fact, this government and its military have moved on. To them, those advocating the girls’ return are just irritants. Why do I think the government has long given up on the search?

Soon after the abduction, the Jonathan administration never believed the girls were abducted. The President’s handlers had promoted the conspiracy theory that the abduction was a scam to embarrass President Goodluck Jonathan by some elements in the North out to sabotage the Presidency. It is these same elements who have long promoted a widely held view that Boko Haram is a Northern creation even when it was evident that the insurgency had long existed before the President came on board. Now, let’s look at this way; if the President who is the commander-in-chief did not believe there was an abduction, why do we still think the military will be motivated to search for the girls? Long before Jonathan asked the international community and the United States for military assistance, the military had addressed the media that it knew where the girls were located. While Nigerians had wondered why the military would be so naïve as to divulge such classified information publicly, it later turned out that they were only playing to the gallery because of pressure. But it wasn’t long before the truth came out – that they had no idea where the girls are. Even the President said he had no information about where the girls are kept.

It will be recalled that the US had responded to the request for assistance by providing security and intelligence experts who were to work with the Nigerian military in advisory capacity. The now moribund assistance was the closest our military ever got to searching for the girls. For a while, American drones provided surveillance over Sambissa Forest and vast areas of the North-East in search for the girls. The Americans were said to have provided intelligence which was reportedly ignored by the Nigerian military. The assistance later stalled and the Americans returned home. The drones no longer flew over the Sambissa Forest.

One question that had become imperative since the botched foreign assistance is: How has the military been searching for the girls? With poor communication, lack of surveillance capabilities, access and absence of collaboration with neighbouring countries, how is the military conducting its search? In the closing months of 2014, the government announced it had entered into negotiations with some Boko Haram negotiators who they believed were in contact with the insurgents. That again turned out to be a scam. It later turned out that the government and its military had been conned. Indeed, what the failed negotiations had revealed to Nigerians was that the Jonathan administration in its desperation, had been dealing with impostors. This shows that it had become desperate and had no idea about how to proceed with the search.

The government, through its military, had become hostage to its own incompetence. Since the abduction, it had become clear that the military lacked the capacity to address the entire terror war or use advanced intelligence to end the frequent abduction in the North-East. While the abduction of the Chibok girls may have gained international attention, there had been several abductions before and after the Chibok abduction. In fact, in 2014 alone, statistics put the number of those abducted at 528 people. Many of them are young boys, girls and women who are being married off to the terrorists as sex slaves or used as suicide bombers. In October 2014, 60 women were abducted in Adamawa State. In January 2015, 40 boys were reportedly kidnapped in Borno. Many more have been seized as Boko Haram continues to raid villages and towns in the troubled areas.

Apart from the girls, how many of those abducted have been rescued by the military? Why then do we think the girls will be rescued? What is the difference between the girls and hundreds of children and women that are daily being seized by Boko Haram? The truth must be told. The military has neither the capacity nor the wherewithal to stem the tide of abductions in the North-East. Does it not surprise Nigerians that the President has been avoiding any mention of the girls in his campaign? Only in Maiduguri did he mention the girls as part of his campaign rhetoric. What does this tell us? The search for the girls has long been forgotten. If the military has not rescued anyone abducted by Boko Haram in the last six years, why then do we still believe it will rescue the Chibok girls? Like I have written on this column before, let’s just hope those abducted so far find the courage to escape or that Boko Haram will have a change of heart.

Follow me on twitter: @bayoolupohunda

source: PUNCH.

Lawyer sues over Buhari’s certificate

A legal practitioner, Mr. Chukwunweike Okafor, on Monday, approached the Federal High Court in Abuja with an application seeking a declaration that the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Maj.-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), lacked the educational qualification to stand for the February 14 presidential election.

The originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/01/2015 has Buhari, APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission as the first, second and third defendants respectively.

The suit was filed pursuant to Section 131 of the Constitution, which prescribes a minimum qualification for nomination to participate in the presidential election and Section 31 of the Electoral Act that requires all presidential candidates to depose to an affidavit that they have satisfied and complied with the constitutional requirements to be President of Nigeria.

Okafor, in the suit filed through his counsel, Chief Ugo Ugunnadi, is contending that Buhari’s form CF001 with the INEC, wherein he stated that he obtained the minimum educational qualification of West African Senior School Certificate could not be valid as the said certificate was allegedly false or not genuine.

The plaintiff, among other things, is asking the court to declare that “the information contained in Buhari’s affidavit dated November 24, 2014, stating that the Secretary of the Military Board was in custody of his WASSC was false and thereby disqualified him from contesting the 2015 general elections.”

The lawyer is therefore seeking an order of the court “compelling INEC to withdraw, remove and/or delete the names of the 1st and 2nd defendants from the list of persons or political parties eligible to contest for the Office of the President of Nigeria in the 2015 general elections.”

The courts reopened today after being shut down for three weeks by the striking judicial workers in the country.

No date has yet been fixed to hear Okafor’s originating summons.

source: PUNCH.

Buhari would lead the Nigerian military to fight Boko Haram - Osinbajo

VP candidate of the APC, Prof Yemi Osinbajo says if elected into government, Buhari would lead the Nigerian military in the fight against members of Boko Haram. Speaking at a town hall meeting organized by the Act Now Professionals in Abuja yesterday Jan 26th, Prof Osinbajo said the fight against Boko Haram can not be won by leading from the rear...

"The first priority is security and to question what has gone wrong in the military. Then, funding the military adequately and ensuring that the Commander-In-Chief leads from the front. But when he was Commander-In-Chief, Buhari led from the front as a soldier. You cannot lead from the rear. You cannot fail to go to where the insurgency is taking place and that is what Buhari has been saying.

"I think that the major problem with the question of security is again that it was not prioritised by this government. It was not taken seriously enough from the beginning. When you have a situation, you do not politicise the insurgency like that. You do not point to the opposition and say it is the opposition that is sponsoring it until General Buhari almost lost his life when Boko Haram attacked him. We must start by understanding that there is a war going on in that part of the country and what the government need to do is to get the nation behind it, not pointing accusing fingers at wrong places. We need to look at the whole question of funding and equipping the military. The military at the moment is not equipped. I worked with Femi Falana on the mutiny of some solders and what is the complaint of those soldiers who were charged with mutiny? Their complaint is that they were not given equipment and they wanted them to go to battle. So, how do you say that? How does anybody think that you can fight the insurgents without ammunition?” he said

Source: Punch

Jonathan Lacks Will To Crush Boko Haram - Buhari Tells John Kerry

The All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Maj.Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), has listed the strategies that he would adopt to end insecurity in the country if elected President.

The methods, were unveiled by Buhari during his meeting with the United States Secretary of State, John Kerry, in Lagos on Sunday.

One of the APC members that also attended the meeting, said on Monday that the strategies included the elimination of corruption, transparency in the management of defence budgets and an overhaul of the nation’s security apparatuses.

He said that Buhari highlighted the plans when Kerry expressed concern about the spate of insecurity in the North-East.

Buhari said since he knows that corruption and lack of political will are some of the problems militating against the war against insurgency, he would tackle them headlong if elected. 

Buhari was said to have told Kerry that the Goodluck Jonathan administration had spent billions of dollars on defence and that a large portion of the money was diverted by those in power.

The APC candidate informed the Secretary of State that the President had turned a blind eye to this.

Buhari was said to have also stated that there was something wrong with the intelligence-gathering mechanism of the military. He therefore promised that he would revamp the security apparatuses of the government.

It was gathered that Buhari promised to ensure that every kobo spent on security would be accounted for as this would ensure that soldiers get the appropriate equipment and have their morale boosted.

He was also said to have told Kerry that the Jonathan government once scuttled a hearing by the National Assembly on defence spending, an act that clearly showed that it was not ready to promote transparency in the management of the nation’s affairs.

Buhari said when the National Assembly set up a hearing with the heads of security agencies to know how the defence budgets were being spent, the Presidency scuttled it because it was obvious that the money for equipment was not being spent judiciously. He said by such an act, the Jonathan government was not encouraging transparency in the way and manner money meant for security was being spent.

Kerry was said to have expressed worry at the pre-election violence in the country but the APC leaders told him  that they had nothing to do with it.

The APC Presidential Campaign Organisation has however welcomed the call by the US for   free, fair   and peaceful elections  in Nigeria.

Boko Haram Attacks ​ ​"Ordained By God​" – Shettima

The Governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, on Monday, asked victims of the Boko Haram attack in Monguno to see the ​incident as “ordained by God”. He also prayed for God’s intervention to bring an end to the security challenges.

Mr. Shettima​, ​in a statement in Maiduguri​,​ expressed sadness over Sunday’s attempt​ by Boko Haram to take over Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

He asked the residents of the state ​to remain calm and reassured them that security forces were making frantic efforts to safeguard lives and property.

He commended the gallantry of the military in repelling the attack on the state capital.

He, however, regretted the attack on Monguno, headquarters of Monguno Local Government Area in the northern part of the state.

He said that as result of that, properties were destroyed, lives were lost and many people were now taking refuge in different parts of the state with some sustaining gun injuries.

Mr. Shettima said ​the ​government was screening and taking records of surviving victims from Monguno with a view to accommodating and offering them immediate palliatives as internally displaced persons.

The statement said the administration was providing necessary support to armed forces involved in counter insurgency operations across the state.

He promised to continue to do everything humanly possible until territories seized by insurgents were reclaimed and sustainable peace and stability achieved.

How Robbers Built Mansions,Multi-Million Naira Ventures From N100m Robbery

Eight suspected members of a trans-border robbery gang, have been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command. Among them is a 59-year-old man, who confessed to have carried out robbery operations in Benin Republic, Mali, among other countries within West Africa. The gang’s recent operation was reportedly carried out in a bank in Porto Novo, Benin Republic, where over N100 million was carted away.

Recovered from the suspects were two AK-47 rifles, 11 AK-47 loaded magazines and their operational vehicle, a Toyota Sienna bus, which has an inbuilt compartment where weapons are kept.

Briefing newsmen on the arrest yesterday, Lagos State Police Commissioner, Kayode Aderanti, said:

“On December 15, 2014, at about11:30p.m., I received information about some deadly trans-border armed robbers in Iba, Festac and Igando areas and immediately directed the Officer in-Charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Abba Kyari, to go after them.

Thereafter, two SARS decoy teams, led by Kyari, stormed the robbers’ hideout at Victory Estate, Iba, along Lasu-Igando Road, where Samuel Igbi, 59, Anthony Umeh, 38, were arrested.

Their confessions led to the arrest of the following gang members: Chineye David, 29; Uchenna Eze, 35; Victor Anamalechi, 45; Ifeanacho Igwe, 35; Desmond Obinna, 32, and Nnamdi John, 42.

John is the armourer and gang leader, from whom the operational vehicle, with number plate KSF876CU and two AK-47 rifles with serial numbers 3610142 and UR4341, hidden in a specially constructed compartment underneath the vehicle, were recovered.

The suspects confessed to several robberies, including a bank robbery in Porto Novo, Benin Republic; a filling station and a bureau de change in Mali; attempted robbery of UBA Shagamu Road, Ikorodu; several robberies in Port Harcourt and Kano.

The biggest of them all is the N100 million successful robbery at Alakija area of Lagos, from which John built a mansion at Igando area of Lagos.

Igwe also built a duplex in his village in Onicha council of Ebonyi State”

Parading the suspects before newsmen, suspected leader of the gang, John, a trader at the popular Alaba International Market, narrated how the Porto Novo, Benin Republic bank operation was carried out.He said:

“We went to Benin Republic in our operational space bus at night, after receiving information from one of our members, Onyema. We entered through the back and tied the two security guards that were asleep with strings. Thereafter, we located the vault and collected as much money as we could lay our hands on before leaving the place. We did not kill anybody.At the end of the operation, I got N7 million; Victor got N7 million; Onyeka, N3 million; Igwe, N3 million. I used part of my share to buy a Toyota Corolla car and invested the remaining in my musicinstrument business.

I have participated in several robberies since I joined the gang in 2011. In one of the operations at a filling station in Mali, I got N18 million. I handled one of the guns, but have not killed anyone.We do not shoot during operations outside the country because police do not patrol at night,” said the secondary school drop-out.

 Victor another suspect, boasted that there was no vault too hard for him to open. With the success of the operation, he was able to buy two cars for him self and one for his wife. He lamented that if he knew he would meet his waterloo, he would not have gone to meet one of the gang’s members at Apple Junction in Festac Town.

Fifty-nine years old Samuel Igbi, who initially claimed he had nothing to do with the other suspects, later confessed that his house was used as a base for sharing loots at the end of every operation.

He added that he was usually given between N20,000 and N50,000.

Ifeanacho Igwe, one of the suspects,said he used part of his loot to buy three trucks, which were currently working for him.

The CP said the suspects would be charged to court, when strike is called off, warning criminals to stay away from Lagos, or suffer same fate.

INEC Rebuffs Dasuki, Says Commission Is Set For February Elections

The Chairman of INEC, Attahiru Jega

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has again emphasized its commitment to conduct the general elections in February, despite the call for postponement by the National Security Adviser, NSA, Dasuki Sambo.

At a press briefing in London on Thursday, Mr. Dasuki called for the postponement of elections. He said this because, a lot of registered voters had not collected their Permanent Voters Card (PVC) and most especially for INEC to be able to distribute the PVC accordingly. 

Today, Friday 23, the chairman of INEC, Attahiru Jega, said  the commission remains ready to go ahead with the elections as planned. Speaking at the launch of Mitigation Of Violence In Elections (MOVE) project by the International Foundation for Electoral Systems, IFES, Mr. Jega said while he would not respond to media reports of Mr. Dasuki’s call, he could confirm that INEC is determined to hold elections in February. 

“We have assured that the issue of concern, namely distribution of PVCs, will be addressed before elections; and the cards will be made for all registered voters. As evidenced in our preparations, we are ready to hold elections in February,” said the INEC Chairman.

He added that over 40 million cards had already been made available, while assuring that the remaining ones will be delivered before the end of January.

He explained that the delay over complete availability of the PVCs results from the fact that some cards are yet to be produced due to late registration during the continuous voters registration, CVR, exercise.

 The call by Mr. Dasuki has been rejected by the opposition All progressives Congress and some civil society groups. Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, a coalition of civil society organisations, also rejected the call. 

In a statement by its Executive Director, Clement Nwankwo, Situation Room described the call as “an unnecessary interference in the independence of INEC as guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution stating that dates for the elections can only be set by INEC”.

INEC has enhanced access to collection of PVCs by Nigerians, with the decentralisation of the distribution to ward level. The time for collection is now 8.30a.m. to 5.30p.m., Mondays to Saturdays.

JUST IN: Government College Katsina Releases Buhari’s ​WASC Results

Putting an end to the raging controversy of APC Presidential aspirant Mohammadu Buhari's secondary school certificate, the school which the respected General attended has now released his statement of result.

The statement was released by Government College, formerly Provincial Secondary School, Katsina, which Muhammadu Buhari, the All Progressives Congress graduated from in 1961.

The results, obtained exclusively by Premium Times on Wednesday, 21st January 2015, confirm Mr. Buhari’s claim that he undertook the University of Cambridge West African School Certificate Examinations and obtained five credits in English Language, Geography, Hausa Language, History, and Health Science.

The computer printout from Cambridge University as well as a statement of result, signed by the current principal of Katsina College, dated January 21, 2015 has also been  released by Premium Times.

The statement of results is printed on the letter head paper of the Katsina State Ministry of Education, and it shows that the examination took place in 1961.

The Cambridge print out also shows the result of 17 other candidates at the centre, including Shehu Yar’adua, a former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters.

Controversy over Mr. Buhari’s result escalated Tuesday after the Nigerian Army, which had earlier admitted to having a copies of his certificate, reversed itself saying it could not even attest to the details listed in his records.

The spokesperson of the Army, Olajide Laleye, said

 “Neither the original copy, certified true copy (CTC) nor statement of result of Major-.Gen. Mohammadu Buhari‘s WASC result is in his personal file.”

He said while it is the practice in the Nigerian Army that before candidates are shortlisted for commissioning into the officers’ cadre of the service, the selection board verifies the original copies of credentials as presented, “There is no available record to show that this process was followed in the 1960s.”

The military’s comments came after the retired general had said that his lost copies of results were with the Army, an explanation he gave ahead of elections February 14.

See the statement in the link below:

Who deserves to be the Lagos State Governor, AMBODE or AGBAJE?

Who will you cast your vote for??????

Photos from Pastor Paul Adefarasin's mother's 90th birthday thanksgiving service

The Head Pastor of House on the Rock Church, Pastor Paul Adefarasin's mother, Hilda Adefarasin turned 90 recently and he held a special Thanksgiving Service for her in his church which was presided over byPastor E. A Adeboye. See more photos after the cut...

General Buhari Reacts To Certificate Controversy(Full Statement)

Good Morning , Gentlemen of the Press.

I only consented to address you this morning because of the genuine concern expressed by many supporters and other well-meaning Nigerians that the issue be addressed. Otherwise, I would have dismissed it for what it is—sheer mischief and would not have considered it an issue worth the nation’s while.

I had assumed all along that all my records were in the custody of the Military Secretary of the Nigerian Army. Much to my surprise, we are now told that although a record of the result is available, there are no copies of the certificates in my personal file. This is

why I formally requested my old school the Provincial Secondary School, Katsina [which is now known as Government College, Katsina] to make available the school’s copy of the result of the Cambridge/West African School Certificate. This will be made available to the press the moment this is available.

However, before we obtain that, let me say for the record that I attended Provincial Secondary School, Katsina. I graduated in 1961 with many prominent Nigerians, including General Shehu Yar’adua, former chief of staff at the Supreme Headquarters, and Justice Umaru Abdullahi, a former President of the Court of Appeal. We sat for the University of Cambridge/WASC Examination together in 1961, the year we graduated. My examination number was 8280002, and I passed the examination in the Second Division.

And although the ruling party may want to wish this away, the issue in this campaign cannot be my certificate which I obtained 53 years ago. The issues are the scandalous level of unemployment of millions of our young people, the state of insecurity, the pervasive official corruption which has impoverished our people and the lack of concern of the government for anything other than the retention of power at all costs. 

Thank you very much.

General Muhammadu Buhari

UNAPOLOGETIC: Fayose Launches Another Offensive At Buhari In Today's Punch(LOOK)

Governor Fayose really means business o...lol. No be small thing.

If your thought your outrage over his last advertorial on Buhari will stop Ekiti governor, Ayo Fayose, then I guess you better think again! Here's another ad he sponsored, released in a few newspapers today

Breaking News: Ronaldo breaks up with girlfriend Irina Shayk

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portugal and Real Madrid soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo confirmed Tuesday he has broken up with his longtime girlfriend, Russian model Irina Shayk.

"After dating for five years, my relationship with Irina Shayk has come to an end," Ronaldo said in a written statement sent exclusively to The Associated Press. "We believed it would be best for both of us to take this step now."

Ronaldo said he was making the statement to end speculation about their relationship, and to end recent rumors about his private life. He did not specify the rumors, but media in Portugal have reported that Shayk fell out with members of Ronaldo's family, and that he was seeing another woman.

"I wish Irina the greatest happiness," Ronaldo said.

He gave no further details in the brief statement.

The couple, both 29, has had huge international success, and their relationship has featured in newspapers and magazines worldwide. They were not believed to be living together, as Ronaldo was based in the Spanish capital while Shayk traveled extensively.

Ronaldo recently picked up the Ballon d'Or after being voted the world's best player, but Shayk did not accompany him to the ceremony in Zurich. Her absence triggered rumors that their relationship was over. The couple remained silent despite days of intense media speculation.

Ronaldo retained football's highest individual honor after scoring 61 goals last year. His record tally of 17 in a Champions League season helped Madrid win an unprecedented 10th European Cup title.

Born in the Portuguese island of Madeira, Ronaldo played as a teenager for Sporting Lisbon before moving to Manchester United in 2003. He transferred to Real Madrid in 2009, building his reputation and his wealth through endorsements and sponsorships. He has millions of followers on social media.

Ronaldo has a 4-year-old son, called Cristiano Junior, but he has never disclosed the mother's identity.

Shayk won international fame as a Sports Illustrated swimsuit model, and a lingerie model. She made her acting debut last year opposite Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in the film "Hercules.