Author: Opalim Lifted

Ollie Watkins ended his goal drought as Aston Villa came from behind to beat Fulham for their first Premier League win of the season. The England striker had not scored in his previous nine games, the joint-worst run of his Aston Villa career, but his equaliser gave Villa the platform for victory. John McGinn and substitute Emi Buendia – his first Villa goal for a year – scored twice in two minutes just after the break to put the game beyond Fulham. Raul Jimenez’s header had given the visitors a third-minute lead but the striker was forced off injured soon…

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, has apologised to those criticising him for describing Rashidi Ladoja, the new Olubadan of Ibadanland, as “ my dear brother”. On Saturday, Obi published a goodwill message via X to celebrate the coronation of Ladoja as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland. “I warmly congratulate my dear brother, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, Arusa I, on his installation as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland,” Obi wrote on X. Obi’s message was heavily criticised by his critics who argued that it is “disrespectful” for the former Anambra governor to…

Professor Mahmood Yakubu, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) chairman, was quietly sent forth in Abuja in June but the farewell was cut short when President Bola Tinubu asked him to stay on. On June 15, Yakubu’s closest aides and associates hosted an unpublicised dinner in his honour at the Continental Hotel, Abuja. The gathering marked what was expected to be his exit after serving two unprecedented terms as umpire of INEC. Yakubu had cleared out his office, prepared handover notes, and even stacked away piles of books and personal effects. His plan was to proceed on a three-month terminal leave…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called for a probe into the financial dealings of former Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd), demanding clarity on how he managed over N254.37 billion received from the Federation Account between March and August 2025. In a Freedom of Information (FoI) request, the rights group asked Ibas to account for allocations, including a reported N22 billion allegedly budgeted for installing CCTV at the State House. SERAP argued that full disclosure would promote transparency, accountability, and help address allegations of corruption or mismanagement during his tenure. The group emphasised…

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has instructed its members to embark on a nationwide strike immediately over Dangote refinery’s dismissal of “over 800 workers”. In a statement on Saturday by Lumumba Okugbawa, general secretary, PENGASSAN, the association asked its members working across field locations to stop offering services from 6am on Sunday. “AlI PENGASSAN members working across field locations are to withdraw services effective 06:00hrs on Sunday, 28 of September, 2025 and commence 24-hour prayers. This includes all control room operations, panel operations, and outfield personnel,” the statement reads. “AlI PENGASSAN members across all…

Dangote refinery has accused the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) of attempting to sabotage the country’s energy supply chain following a directive issued by the union to cut off crude oil and gas supplies to the refinery. On Friday, the association said the refinery laid off over 800 workers, noting that the group was working to “resolve” the issue. Subsequently, the Dangote refinery confirmed sacking some workers, saying that “only a small number were affected” in what it described as a reorganisation exercise. Following the announcement, PENGASSAN urged the management of the refinery “to recall…

President Bola Tinubu has arrived in Lagos for a working visit as Nigeria prepares for a modest celebration of its 65th Independence Anniversary. Bayo Onanuga, the president’s special adviser on information and strategy, confirmed that Tinubu landed in Lagos on Friday after attending the coronation of Rashidi Ladoja as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland in Oyo State. During his stay in Lagos, Tinubu is expected to hold strategic meetings with leading figures in the private sector as well as senior government officials. He will also travel to Imo State on Tuesday, 30 September, to commission projects executed by Governor Hope…

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called on President Bola Tinubu to immediately disclose details of the process to appoint a successor to Professor Mahmood Yakubu, whose tenure as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ends in November 2025. In a letter dated 27 September 2025 and signed by deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP warned that “the selection and appointment process cannot and should not be a closed shop.” The group urged Tinubu to reveal the number and names of candidates under consideration, and to confirm whether the Council of State as constitutionally required  has been…

President Bola Tinubu is in Lagos State on a working visit. A statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, said Tinubu arrived in Lagos on Friday as Nigeria prepares for a “low-key 65th Independence Anniversary.” According to Onanuga, the president moved to Lagos after attending the coronation of Rashidi Ladoja as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. “While in Lagos, President Tinubu will meet with players in Nigeria’s private sector and senior government officials,” the statement reads. “He will visit Imo on Tuesday, September 30, to commission projects executed…

Eddie Nketiah struck with virtually the last kick of an enthralling encounter at Selhurst Park to give Crystal Palace a deserved victory and end Premier League leaders Liverpool’s five-match winning start to the season. Italian Federico Chiesa’s 87th-minute equaliser looked like to have salvaged a point the champions’ dismal display barely merited. Ismaila Sarr had given Palace an early lead but just as it looked like they would pay the price for wasting a host of chances, Nketiah pounced at the far post in the seventh minute of added time to lift them up to second in the table. Palace…