Headlines
Arsenal Stun Liverpool with Comeback Win at Emirates
Arsenal kept their European hopes alive with a dramatic first-half comeback as they battled back to hand Liverpool a surprise 2-1 defeat at the Emirates Stadium.
Sadio Mane’s early strike looked to have set the tone for the evening, but goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Reiss Nelson ensured Arsenal claimed the first win in 10 games against the Premier League champions.
Mikel Arteta opted for rotation with one eye on this weekend’s FA Cup semi-final clash against Manchester City, with Reiss Nelson replacing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in one of five changes for the Gunners.
Jurgen Klopp brought Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Trent Alexander-Arnold back into the side after a 1-1 draw with Burnley last time out, while Virgil Van Dijk took the armband with Jordan Henderson to miss the remainder of the season through injury.
The home side were lucky not to be behind early on after a dallying Emi Martinez cannoned the ball straight into a charging Roberto Firmino – but the ball rebounded off the post and out for a goal kick.
Liverpool were in front before the first drinks break, however, Mane tapping home after Andy Robertson’s low cross evaded David Luiz and Rob Holding at the back.
But an uncharacteristic Van Dijk howler allowed the home side to level. The Dutch defender failed to see Lacazette as he complacently passed back to Alisson Becker while under pressure from Nelson, with the Frenchman capitalising to round the keeper and slot home.
It was then Alisson’s turn to provide a costly mistake, as Lacazette (yes, again) was alert to intercept his lackadaisical pass to Robertson before squaring to Nelson, who controlled, steadied himself and fired into the far corner.
Liverpool regained control following the break and pushed for an equaliser, with Mane and substitute Takumi Minamino threatening for the visitors in particular.
But Arsenal stood firm, showing some real defensive resolve as they held out for the win.
A crucial three points keep Arsenal alive and fighting in the race for a European place, elevating them to ninth place, just three points off sixth-placed Wolves – who held to a draw by Burnley earlier in the evening.
Defeat for Liverpool means they can no longer beat Manchester City’s record total of 100 Premier League points in a single campaign, with their somewhat flat run since the restart continuing.
The win for the Gunners was the first in the Premier League since April 2015 while the defeat was also Jurgen Klopp’s first that he suffered against the Gunners in the competition after five wins and three draws.
The Presidency has dismissed claims that Vice President Kashim Shettima’s recent comments were directed at the political situation in Rivers State or President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s constitutional decisions on the matter.
In a statement on Friday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, the Presidency described the reports as a “gross misrepresentation.”
The statement clarified that Vice President Shettima’s remarks at the public presentation of a book by former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke (SAN), were misconstrued by some online platforms and individuals.
“These reports have distorted the Vice President’s comments in pursuit of a mischievous agenda,” it stated.
“They twisted his account of how the administration of former President Jonathan considered removing him as Borno Governor during the insurgency to falsely link it with current events in Rivers State.”
The Vice President, who spoke at the launch of OPL 245: The Inside Story of the $1.3 Billion Oil Block in Abuja on Thursday, was said to have referenced the past solely to commend Adoke’s professionalism while in office, and to reflect on Nigeria’s constitutional evolution regarding federal and state relations.
“For the avoidance of doubt, President Tinubu did not remove Governor Fubara from office. The constitutional measure implemented was a suspension, not an outright removal.
“This action was taken in response to the grave political crisis in Rivers State at the time, with the governor facing a looming impeachment and the State Assembly complex under demolition,” Nkwocha clarified.
The Presidency insisted that the action taken by President Tinubu in declaring a state of emergency and suspending the Governor was fully in line with Section 305 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which authorises such measures when there is a breakdown of public order requiring extraordinary intervention.
According to the statement, the President’s proclamation invoking Section 305(2) was subsequently ratified by an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the National Assembly, confirming the legitimacy and constitutional propriety of the decision.
“The action of President Tinubu in suspending Mr. Fubara and others from exercising the functions of office averted the governor’s outright removal. To conflate suspension with removal is misleading,” the statement further noted.
Nkwocha also stressed that Vice President Shettima’s comments were delivered extemporaneously and intended to underline the importance of public accountability and historical documentation.
He referenced the Vice President’s mention of past public servants, including Adoke and former Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, to illustrate principled leadership.
“His remarks were not in any way a criticism of President Tinubu’s actions, which the Vice President and the entire administration fully support and stand by without reservation,” the spokesman stated.
The Vice President, the statement added, remains in “loyal concert” with President Tinubu and is committed to implementing all constitutional measures necessary to safeguard democracy and uphold order across the country.
Concluding, the Presidency called on media organisations and political actors to desist from misrepresenting public remarks for sensational or partisan purposes.
“We urge media organisations and political actors to desist from the destructive practice of wrenching statements from context in order to fabricate nonexistent conflicts,” Nkwocha said.
Headlines
Akpabio Relieves Natasha of Committee Chairmanship Position, Appoints Akwa Ibom Senator As Replacement
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has replaced suspended Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, as the Chairman, Senate Committee on Diaspora/Non-Governmental Organisations.
In her place, Akpabio named Senator Bassey Aniekun Etim (Akwa Ibom -East).
The Senate President, who made the announcement on the floor in Abuja on Thursday, did not give any reasons.
The committee position had remained vacant since March when the Senate suspended the Kogi-Central Senatorial District lawmaker for six months for flouting the Senate’s rule on the seating arrangement and seat allocation.
The suspended lawmaker, at a point, chaired the Senate Committee on Local Content before Akpabio reassigned her to the Committee on Diaspora/NGO, shortly before she ran into trouble with the Senate over her conduct on seat allocation.
The Supreme Court has affirmed the 2024 governorship election victory of Governor Monday Okpebholo of the All Progressives Congress (APC), dismissing the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Asuerinme Ighodalo.
In a unanimous decision by a five-member panel led by Justice Mohammed Garba, the apex court ruled that the appeal lacked merit. It upheld the earlier judgments of the Court of Appeal and the Edo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, which had both declared Okpebholo the validly elected governor.
