The Nation Newspaper

Author: The Nation

  • FIFA announces record $2.3m prize for Women’s Champions Cup

    FIFA announces record $2.3m prize for Women’s Champions Cup

    FIFA has confirmed record-breaking prize money for the inaugural FIFA Women’s Champions Cup, reinforcing its commitment to the global growth of women’s club football.

    The winners of the first women’s intercontinental club championship will earn USD 2.3 million — the highest single pay-out in the history of women’s club football. The runners-up will receive USD 1 million, while each losing semi-finalist will pocket USD 200,000.

    Clubs eliminated in the early rounds, Auckland United FC and Wuhan Chegu Jiangda WFC, will each receive USD 100,000, bringing the total prize pool close to USD 4 million.

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    FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström described the payout as a strong statement of belief in the women’s game, highlighting FIFA’s long-term investment strategy following the success of the Women’s World Cup 2023.

    The final phase of the tournament will be staged in London from January 28 to February 1, 2026, with the final taking place at Arsenal Stadium.

    Semi-final fixtures at Brentford Stadium will see Gotham FC face Corinthians, while Arsenal Women take on Morocco’s ASFAR.

    The competition is part of FIFA’s wider plan to strengthen women’s club football ahead of the FIFA Women’s Club World Cup™, scheduled to debut in 2028.

  • EPL: Man United stun  Arsenal to open up title race

    EPL: Man United stun  Arsenal to open up title race

    Manchester United loosened Arsenal’s grip on the Premier League title race with a 3-2 win in north London thanks to stunning second-half goals by Patrick Dorgu and Matheus Cunha.

    Victory would have restored Arsenal’s seven-point lead over chasers Manchester City and Aston Villa, both of whom won this weekend, but Mikel Arteta’s side instead left the door open as they lost at home for the first time this season.

    United’s win, their first in the league at Arsenal since 2017, lifted them to fourth, and while they are not in the title equation themselves, it fuelled the new-found optimism sweeping the club since Michael Carrick stepped in as interim coach.

    “It was absolutely massive,” United defender Harry Maguire told Sky Sports. “Michael’s come in, he’s been brilliant with us, he’s brought a fresh energy, the group’s really galvanized.”

    Everything was going to plan for Arsenal when they took the lead in the 29th  minute with a Lisandro Martinez own goal. But a terrible mistake by Martin Zubimendi in the 37th  minute gifted United an equaliser for Bryan Mbeumo.

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    Dorgu then rifled in a volley in the 50th  minute and United’s confidence was soaring until substitute Mikel Merino prodded the hosts level from a corner.

    United were not finished though and substitute Cunha was allowed to advance towards Arsenal’s goal before curling a low shot past the dive of David Raya from 25 metres to spark wild celebrations amongst the visiting fans.

    Arsenal are now winless in three league games after two 0-0 draws but with 50 points from 23 games are still in a strong position, despite the boos of some fans at the end.

    City and Villa are on 46 points with United fourth on 38.

    United’s win made it a dream start for former midfielder Carrick in his second spell as the club’s interim manager, following a 2-0 defeat of Manchester City last weekend.

    While they now target a return to the Champions League with a top-four finish, the nerves are clearly starting to show at Arsenal as they seek their first league title since 2004.

    Even after Martinez got his legs in a tangle and deflected Martin Odegaard’s shot past his own keeper, Arsenal never looked completely at ease and slowly lost control.

    The omens still looked bad for United at that stage with Arsenal having won their last 15 Premier League games in which they had taken the lead.

    But when William Saliba casually passed to Zubimendi who in turn gifted the ball straight to Mbeumo to score in style, the visitors sensed an opportunity.

    “We gave them the goal, that shifted the energy,” Arteta said. “The game became a little bit open without the dominance of the first half. They had two brilliant goals.”

    Things took a dark turn for Arsenal five minutes after the interval. Again their defence was hesitant as Dorgu was allowed to control a bouncing ball before thumping a left-foot volley in off the crossbar past a stunned Raya.

    Arteta reacted by making four substitutions, sending on Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze, Mikel Merino and Ben White while Noni Madueke also joined the fray later from a stacked bench.

    There was huge relief when United failed to deal with a corner and Merino pounced from close range — the ball being adjudged to have crossed the line after a brief delay.

    It looked as though Arsenal had got out of jail and might even snatch a win but United’s belief was unwavering as Cunha delivered a gift to City and Villa.

  • Gauff targets history after reaching Melbourne quarters

    Gauff targets history after reaching Melbourne quarters

    Coco Gauff is hoping history repeats itself after edging Karolina Muchova to make the Australian Open quarter-finals, with the American going on to win titles on three other occasions she has beaten the Czech player.

    Gauff dropped a set for the second match in a row before clawing her way into the last eight 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 and will now play either Ukraine’s 12th  seed Elina Svitolina or Russian eighth seed Mirra Andreeva.

    Gauff had a psychological advantage before a ball was hit, winning all of her previous encounters with the seasoned Muchova, including at Cincinnati and the US Open in 2023 and Beijing a year later.

    Gauff went on to be crowned champion at each event.

     “I saw someone post that. I didn’t know that,” she said. “I think I just usually play her later in the tournaments, so it just happens to be like that.

     “US Open I played her in the quarters, Beijing was in the final, Cincy was in the final. So I think it just happens to be like that because I have played her in the later rounds.

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     “I don’t think I’m going to think about that, but if I do win, then I guess I have her to thank.”

    The 21-year-old Gauff, the 2025 French Open and 2023 US Open champion, has never gone beyond the last four at Melbourne Park.

    Muchova had pedigree, bidding to make an eighth career Grand Slam quarter-final and she made life difficult after a slow start.

    Gauff made the best possible start, with back-to-back breaks of Muchova who blasted a slew of unforced errors, racing 4-0 in front.

    Gauff’s serve has been her Achilles’ heel in recent times, but she had few issues with it initially.

    Instead, it was Muchova who struggled, winning just 33 percent her first-serve points in the set.

    The Czech player finally held for 1-5 to avoid a dreaded bagel, but it just delayed the inevitable with Gauff taking the set in 30 minutes.

    Muchova began with more intent in set two, holding then taking advantage as Gauff’s serving yips returned to ease 2-0 ahead.

    Gauff broke back but again failed to hold and Muchova took a set off her for the first time in her career.

    The crucial moment in the third set came when Muchova spilled a forehand long on serve to give Gauff three break points in game three, with another loose shot from the Czech sealing her fate.

    Gauff held serve for 4-1 and safely sealed the win on her fourth match point.

     “She definitely elevated her game and I thought sometimes I was a bit passive, but it’s really tough to play her,” said Gauff.

     “She plays with so much variety, you never know what you’re going to do. I’m really happy to get through this one today.”

  • Van Dijk wants  very important’ Robertson to stay

    Van Dijk wants  very important’ Robertson to stay

    Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk says he wants Andy Robertson to stay at the club as he remains a “very important” member of the squad.

    Earlier this week, Tottenham opened talks with Liverpool in an effort to sign the left-back, who is out of contract in the summer.

    “He’s my vice-captain,” said Van Dijk. “Robbo is a very important member of our team and I want him to stay but whatever happens, let’s see.”

    Liverpool signed Robertson from Hull City for £8m in 2017 during Jurgen Klopp’s reign and he has made 364 appearances for the Reds.

    The 31-year-old has won nine trophies during his time at the Anfield club, including two Premier League titles and the Champions League.

    Robertson is no longer the first-choice left-back at Liverpool but is keen to play regularly again and is considering options that allow him to do that.

    The Scotland international came off the bench to replace Milos Kerkez at half-time in Saturday’s defeat at Bournemouth but he has started just four times in the Premier League this season.

    Read Also: EPL: Chelsea defeat Palace 3-1 to maintain top-four charge

    Pushed on whether he expected Robertson to be at Anfield for Liverpool’s Champions League game against Qarabag on Wednesday, Van Dijk said: “That’s not on me, is it?”

    The Liverpool skipper was then asked about his best memories of Robertson but insisted he would only “speak about that” if the move happened.

    Meanwhile, Liverpool boss Arne Slot refused to discuss the prospect of allowing his vice-captain to leave when he was asked whether he felt Robertson would still be a Liverpool player by the end of January.

    “What do you think my answer is going to be? Have I ever said anything about transfers in front of these microphones,” said Slot.

    “My answer is always the same and it’s quite boring to always give the same answer – we don’t talk about transfers in public.”

  • ALGON chief : why we’re still in office

    ALGON chief : why we’re still in office

    The Chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Abiodun Idowu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, has explained why the reinstated council executives are still occupying office despite the statutory expiration of their tenure last October.

    The ALGON chairman, speaking with The Nation yesterday, said their continued stay was backed by law and pending legal processes they initiated at the Federal High Court, Osogbo to determine their tenure.

    It will be recalled that the APC executives were elected into office in October 2022, but were later sacked by a Federal High Court. Subsequently, Governor Ademola Adeleke removed them from office via Executive Order in November, hinging his decision on the court verdict.

    The Court of Appeal on February 10, 2025 purportedly reinstated them in office and since, the APC executives have been in control of the councils.

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    Idowu said statutorily their tenure should end in October 2025, but Governor Adeleke interrupted their tenure for over two years, after which Appeal Court reinstated them in office and the verdict was never challenged in Supreme Court to date.

    He noted that they were expected to start counting the days of their tenure in office from the day Appeal Court verdict ousted Adeleke’s Executive Order and upheld their election.

    The ALGON boss, who is the chairman of Ifedayo Local Government, said: “We are in court, we are not requesting for tenure elongation and we’ve started correcting people on that. What we request for is tenure determination. We are not begging for any extension, but to determine whether our tenure ends in October or not because we started our term in office on February 10, 2025.

    “Adeleke used Executive Order to sack us from office, instead of waiting for us to exhaust legal means to determine the matter.

    “When he (Adeleke) was elected as the governor, but later sacked by the tribunal, was he forcefully removed from office? He was given free hands to exhaust legal means till Supreme Court. But he denied us that privilege.”

    Responding to a question about a pending court matter, he said: “Our case is still in court to determine our tenure. The matter is coming up on February 3. If the matter goes otherwise, we are still going to exhaust our legal avenue to the Supreme Court.”

  • Ekiti indigenes in Kwara seek relevance

    Ekiti indigenes in Kwara seek relevance

    Ekiti indigenes in Ekiti and Oke-Ero local government areas of Kwara State at the weekend pushed for fair, equitable and just representation in the 2027 National Assembly election.

    They claimed that for about 28 years, the two local governments had not been represented in the House of Representatives.

    The political exclusion, according to them, had denied their communities a voice at the federal level.

    The indigenes spoke in Osi, Ekiti Local Government Area of the state during a town hall meeting.

    The meeting drew leaders across political parties, traditional rulers, youths, women groups, government officials and members of the media.

    The gathering emphasised the need for the two local governments of Isin and Irepodun to concede the House of Representatives seat of Ekiti/Oke-Ero/Irepodun/Isin Federal Constituency to an Ekiti indigene.

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    The National President, Organisation of Kwara Ekiti Indigenes, Prof. James Omotosho, represented by his deputy, Chief Ayobola Samuel, said the agitation stemmed from a quest for justice and equitable development, rather than bitterness.

    “We are here out of love for our constituency and respect for democratic values. A society can only thrive when groups feel seen, heard and fairly treated,” he said.

    Omotosho said for about 28 years, the House of Representatives seat had been dominated by the Igbomina ethnic group, leaving Kwara Ekiti communities without an opportunity to present their candidate.

    Assistant National Vice President of the organisation, Prince Michael Ogunleye, said the meeting was intended to foster dialogue and reflection, rather than confrontation.

    An All Progressives Congress (APC) aspirant, Dr. Kehinde Bankole, described grassroots politics as an essential investment for development.

    “For over 20 years, this district has had little or no assistance from government. If you are not involved, decisions will always be taken without you,” Bankole said.

    A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirant, Dr Idowu Audu, also supported the initiative, highlighting the importance of cross-party cooperation.

    “When we come together, regardless of party, we can achieve a lot,” said Mr. Femi Awe, Audu’s representative.

  • Dateline 2027: Anatomy of an unworkable coalition

    Dateline 2027: Anatomy of an unworkable coalition

    Lagos State chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it has observed with keen interest, the renewed theatrics in opposition circles, particularly the much-advertised ‘coalition talks’ being peddled as a grand strategy ahead of 2027 general election.

    The party in a statement in Ogba by its spokesman, Seye Oladejo, said: ‘’Beneath the noise and contrived optimism, however, lies a fragile contraption wobbling under the weight of personal ambitions, mutual distrust and irreconcilable contradictions.

    ‘’What is being marketed as a coalition is, in reality, a congregation of serial presidential aspirants, each unwilling to subordinate ego to collective purpose. From the outset, this assemblage has lacked ideological glue, moral cohesion, or a shared vision for Nigeria-beyond a desperate fixation on power. Coalitions thrive on compromise; this one suffocates under entitlement.

    ‘’Recent public posturing has further exposed the fault lines. Pre-conditions, ultimatums and thinly veiled threats have replaced dialogue and consensus. When leading figures openly demand guaranteed presidential or vice-presidential tickets before “alignment,” it becomes clear that this is not a partnership, but a transactional bargain destined to collapse at first contact with reality.

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    ‘’Indeed, the latest development from the opposition stable is both revealing and instructive. We now hear appeals to supporters and sympathisers of various aspirants to refrain from attacking one another while simultaneously promoting their respective interests. This is a classic case of a house divided against itself-where internal hostility has become so intense that public pleas for restraint are issued even before any meaningful structure is formed. A coalition that must beg its own followers for peace has already conceded defeat to its internal chaos.

    ‘’The presence of multiple power centres within the same tent-each convinced of its own inevitability-renders the project unsustainable. History is unkind to coalitions built on convenience rather than conviction, on arithmetic rather than ideology. Nigeria has seen this movie before, and the ending is always the same: fragmentation, recrimination and implosion.

    ‘’In contrast, the APC remains a tested platform with a proven capacity to manage diversity, resolve internal differences through established democratic processes, and present a coherent governance agenda. While the opposition rehearses discord and manufactures outrage, the APC is focused on governance, reforms and consolidating the gains of the Renewed Hope Agenda under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    ‘’Let it be said clearly: 2027 will not be decided by press conferences, social media theatrics, or hastily assembled alliances of convenience. Nigerians will choose stability over chaos, performance over propaganda, and a party with a clear sense of direction over a motley crew united only by fear of political irrelevance.

    ‘’As the countdown to 2027 continues, the question before the opposition is no longer whether to form a coalition, but whether such a coalition can survive its own contradictions. The signs are unmistakable: what looms is not a formidable alternative, but an impending implosion.’’

  • APC chieftain celebrates Ondo at 50

    APC chieftain celebrates Ondo at 50

    A chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Dr. Akinola Awodeyi-Akinsehinwa, has congratulated the government and people of Ondo State as the state marks its 50th anniversary.

    In a statement yesterday in Abuja, Dr. Awodeyi-Akinsehinwa paid glowing tribute to the founding fathers of the state created in 1976, and hailed their visionary contributions to building a solid foundation for economic growth, infrastructure development and social progress.

    He emphasised the remarkable achievements recorded since the state’s inception, spanning military and democratic eras, particularly from 1999 to the present day.

    “From its creation in 1976 through to the current democratic dispensation, Ondo State has recorded tremendous progress in physical and human development achievements that fill every indigene with pride and deep gratitude to Almighty God,” he said.

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    The APC stalwart pointed to key milestones, including the building of roads linking communities across the state, establishment of essential social infrastructure to meet citizens’ needs, and the steadfast preservation of unity amid diversity.

    “Through these decades, we have built roads to connect our communities, established vital social infrastructure to serve our people, and most importantly, upheld our rich diversity with pride while safeguarding our unity against all challenges,” he said.

    Awodeyi-Akinsehinwa underlined the collective role played by every segment of the society in the state’s journey.

    “I congratulate all indigenes of Ondo State, men and women, young and old, rural and urban on the individual and collective contributions each has made to this remarkable progress.’’

    He recognised the efforts of past and present leaders, including all former governors and the incumbent, Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for their dedication to advancing the state’s development agenda.

    Awodeyi-Akinsehinwa said a brighter future awaited the state.

    “As we look ahead to this next stage of our march of progress, I urge the good people of Ondo State to uphold the ideals of mutual love, peace, tolerance and determination, which are preconditions for a modernised state,” the statement said.

  • ‘We must restore dignity’

    ‘We must restore dignity’

    A businessman and a philanthropist, Otunba Muraina Banjoko, has declared that his mission to the National Assembly to represent Ogun Central Senatorial District in the forthcoming 2027 elections is to restore the dignity of the district through purposeful representation.

    Speaking on the challenges confronting the district yesterday at a legislative roundtable with select reporters, Banjoko noted that communities across Abeokuta North, Abeokuta South, Obafemi-Owode, Odeda, Ifo and Ewekoro local governments continue to grapple with poor infrastructure, inadequate health care facilities, youth unemployment and limited access to social services.

    He said: ‘’These social challenges have eroded the welfare of the people and slowed development in Ogun Central.’’

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    According to him, “effective representation at the National Assembly is vital to reversing this trend. We must restore the dignity of Ogun Central by ensuring our people have access to quality education, health care, relevant infrastructure and opportunities for economic empowerment.”

    He pledged to leverage development-driven policies to attract federal projects, strengthen local industries and create jobs for the teeming youth population.

    He said if given the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and elected to the Senate, he would champion legislation that prioritised social welfare and empowerment of constituents“.

  • Makinde turning emergency opposition mouthpiece, says Fayose

    Makinde turning emergency opposition mouthpiece, says Fayose

    Ekiti State former governor Ayodele Fayose has said Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde is turning to an emergency opposition mouthpiece.

    Fayose in a statement yesterday in Lagos said: ‘’Makinde’s derogatory comment against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at Prof. Yemi Osinbajo’s birthday has further confirmed that he got a cold shoulder from the President during his last visit to the Villa.

    ‘’Like I made public, in his attempt to do a damage control on his public speech against the President, Makinde met the shock of his political life when he visited Asiwaju Tinubu last week.

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    ‘’It is now obvious that after getting that cold shoulder from the President, Makinde must have realised that end of road has come in terms of reconciliation between him and the President. This is moreso that Asiwaju made it clear that as far as Oyo State is concerned, he will support his party’s candidates in 2027.

    ‘’The emergency opposition mouthpiece Makinde is trying albeit unsuccessfully to turn himself to is an aftermath of the response he got from the President last week, which I made public.

    ‘’Furthermore, it has vindicated me because if Makinde had gotten a soft-landing that he expected from the President, he (Makinde) wouldn’t have gone to make that statement, condemning the administration of President Tinubu, by calling the President a dictator while praising the Buhari administration.

    ‘’With these assurances too, the APC in Oyo State should now wake up and slug it out with Makinde’s candidate, which he will field under the ADC, knowing that PDP won’t be open for him to use.’’