Category: PM News

Former Premier League goalkeeper Shay Given has shared his thoughts on this season’s title race, naming Arsenal as the club best positioned to lift the trophy in May 2026.

Given, who enjoyed a long career in England’s top flight and also represented Manchester City, believes that while Liverpool and City will remain in contention, it is Arsenal who currently boast the most complete squad.

‘This season feels like a genuine three-horse race,’ Given told Ladbrokes.

‘Liverpool are top right now, Arsenal are right on their heels, and Manchester Citydespite being five points off are never a team you can rule out.

I know City are down in seventh at the moment, but with the players at Pep Guardiola’s disposal, they can quickly close the gap.’

Liverpool are currently leading the league table, holding a slender two-point advantage over second-placed Arsenal. Jrgen Klopp’s side have been praised for their intensity and consistency, though they, like Arsenal, have already suffered one or two setbacks this campaign.

Manchester City, meanwhile, find themselves unusually placed outside the top four but still very much in the picture. Given highlighted Arsenal’s growth under Mikel Arteta, stressing the Gunners’ depth, balance, and hunger to finally end their two-decade wait for a league crown.

‘If I sit back and look at every squad in the cold light of day, Arsenal appear to be the strongest right now,’ he continued.

‘They’ve built a group with quality in every position-defensively solid, creative in midfield, and dangerous up front. For me, they’re the team to beat this season.’

However, the former Republic of Ireland international was quick to remind fans that Manchester City’s pedigree cannot be dismissed so early in the campaign.

‘City have won the league in tough circumstances before.

They thrive under pressure and have players who can change games in an instant. While Arsenal and Liverpool are flying high, you can never rule out City.

Come the business end of the season, I expect them to be right in the mix,’ he added.

As things stand, the Premier League race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in years.

With Liverpool setting the early pace, Arsenal growing in confidence, and City lurking in the background, football fans could be in for a thrilling battle for the title that may go right down to the wire.

The United States has denied entry to an Iranian delegation scheduled to attend the World Cup draw later this year.

According to Iranian Football Federation (FFI) spokesperson Amir-Mehdi Alawi, those affected include FFI President Mehdi Taj, national team Head Coach Amir Ghalenoei, and seven other officials.

The delegation was expected to be present for the draw, which is scheduled to take place on December 5 in Washington.

The FFI is now seeking FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s intervention to overturn the decision within the next two weeks.

The U.S. entry ban, first introduced under former President Donald Trump, has long been a point of contention between the two countries. Observers fear that while players and coaching staff may not face major restrictions, officials, sports journalists, and fans could be significantly affected.

The FFI has expressed hope that Iran’s matches will at least be hosted in Canada or Mexico if difficulties persist with U.S. visas.

Iran and the U.S. have not maintained diplomatic relations for more than 45 years, and the two nations remain political rivals.

Despite this, nearly two million Iranians live in the United States, and family visitsthough often complicated had previously been possible. The current restrictions, however, have also disrupted such reunions.

Sports experts warn that if the situation is not resolved, it could undermine Iran’s full participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Traditional rulers in Ife North Local Government of Osun, have threatened to drag Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi to court of he sis n to retract his recent allegation against the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi within 21 days.

The traditional rulers gave the ultimatum in a communique issued at the end of their meeting and read by Salu of Edunabon, Oba Adesoji Oladepo, on Thursday in Edunabon. The Oluwo had in a viral video posted on his official Facebook page, accused the Ooni of plotting to assassinate him by allegedly ‘packaging’ his ex-wife against him.

The traditional rulers described Oba Akanbi’s comments as an insult and disrespect to the Ooni of Ife.

According to them, Oluwo’s action is bringing the throne of the Obas in Yorubaland to disrepute and ridicule.

The traditional rulers expressed surprise that Oluwo, who’s the descendant of Luwo Gbagida, the 24th Ooni of Ife, could ‘behave irrationally’ to the Ooni. The Obas challenged Oluwo to petition the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun for investigation or sue Ooni to proof the allegation.

The traditional rulers, however, threatened to drag Oba Akanbi to court if he failed to take either of the two steps to proof his allegation against the Ooni.

The traditional rulers lamented that Oba Akanbi previously had issues with his fellow Obas in Iwo axis such as the Olu of Ile-Igbo, Olowu of Kuta, Olu of Songbe, and Agbowu of Ogbaagba.

They recalled that Oluwo’s alleged attack on Agbowu of Ogbaagba led to the Oba’s sustaining injury and hospitalised.

According to them, this action led to Oluwo’s six-month suspension from the meeting of the council traditional rulers in the state.

Other traditional rulers attended that attended the meeting were Oba Mufutau Oyekanmi, Alasipa of Asipa; Oba Meshach Oyediran, Olulamokun of Yakooyo; and Oba OluwaBusola Oloyede, Alakinlalu of Akinlalu.

A major fire broke out at the popular Bariga Market in Lagos on Tuesday, leaving traders in shock and despair after goods worth millions of naira were lost.

The blaze, which started in the early hours of the day, quickly spread through several stalls before emergency officials could arrive.

According to preliminary findings, the fire is believed to have started from one shop and then spread rapidly to others, largely because many of the stalls were built with wooden partitions that fueled the flames. Responding swiftly, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), supported by other first responders, battled hard to contain the fire.

Their prompt intervention prevented the inferno from reaching adjoining sections of the market, which could have made the situation far worse. Officials also ensured that there were no secondary outbreaks after the main fire was extinguished. Although no lives were lost and no injuries were recorded, the damage was severe. At least 26 shops were completely destroyed, with goods and property valued at several millions of naira turned to ashes.

Many traders, who rely on the market for their daily livelihood, were seen weeping at the site, lamenting the loss of their hard-earned investments. Authorities have yet to determine the exact cause of the fire, but an investigation is underway. LASEMA has urged traders to observe basic fire safety measures and called on market leaders to put stronger preventive structures in place, including fire extinguishers and better stall designs, to reduce risks in the future.

For now, many affected traders are left counting their losses, while residents of the area have praised the quick response of emergency workers for preventing what could have become a much larger disaster.

The Nigerian currency, naira maintained a lean difference on Thursday October 2nd trading between the official Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) and the parallel market as participants balanced improved dollar inflows against persistent demand pressures. Parallel market: ?1,490 per US$1

The official NFEM rate a volume-weighted figure derived from interbank trading and published by the authorities closed at about ?1,483 to the dollar, a slight shift from the previous session.

Traders noted that the official window remains sensitive to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) liquidity operations and order flows through the electronic matching system.

In the parallel market, the naira traded around ?1,490 to the dollar, leaving a spread of roughly ?7. This narrow gap contrasts with the wider double-digit spreads witnessed during periods of heightened market stress, suggesting partial convergence between the two segments. However, the parallel market continues to serve individuals and businesses unable to access dollars through official channels.

Market Drivers

Analysts linked the relative calm to moderate foreign currency inflows from diaspora remittances and import receipts, combined with CBN interventions that helped curb sharp intraday fluctuations.

Global factors also played a role, with the US dollar holding broadly steady in international markets following recent volatility.

Traders’ Perspective

Dealers observed that demand from importers, students, and travellers remains the major driver of parallel market volumes, while banks and authorised dealers handle most corporate flows through NFEM.

Analysts cautioned that the present convergence remains fragile, requiring sustained inflows, deeper FX liquidity, and consistent policy signals to stabilise the naira more permanently.

Outlook

Short-term forecasts suggest the dollar will likely trade within ?1,480-?1,495 in the official market and ?1,485-?1,500 in the parallel market over the coming days, provided dollar supply remains steady and demand does not surge unexpectedly.

Policymakers’ ability to manage measured interventions and improve liquidity will be central to maintaining exchange rate stability.

$25bn Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline Project Gets New Company

The $25 billion Nigeria-Morocco Gas Pipeline (NMGP) project has taken a big step forward with the creation of a special company to handle it.

This new company means the project is moving from the planning stage to putting in place the systems and money needed for actual construction. International financiers like the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) are already showing interest in supporting the project.

When completed, the pipeline will carry up to 30 billion cubic meters of gas every year. It will stretch more than 6,000 kilometers, passing through about 12 West African countries, linking Nigeria’s gas to Morocco, and then to Europe. Nigeria, which has Africa’s largest proven gas reserves, wants to reduce dependence on its local market by selling more gas abroad.

For Morocco and other countries along the route, the pipeline will increase energy supply and boost their roles in the global gas market.

The creation of a project company is important because it puts all the responsibilities, financing, and management of the pipeline in one place.

This makes it easier for investors and financial institutions to trust the process.

The final investment decision, expected by the end of 2025, will determine if the project has enough funding to move fully into construction.

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Jigawa Command, has confirmed the drowning of a 15-year-old boy, Sunusi Abubakar in a pond.

The Jigawa Police Command’s spokesperson, Badaruddeen Tijjani, confirmed the incident in a statement in Dutse, on Wednesday.

Tijjina said that Abubakar, a resident of Gabari village in Chamo district, drowned on Tuesday while swimming in a pond in the area.

He said that the deceased was discovered lifeless inside a pond locally referred to as ‘Mahayin gidan Toro’, located about 1.5 kilometers to the north of Gabari village.

‘Prior to the discovery, the shoes and trousers of the deceased were seen abandoned by the river bank.

‘And according to his father, the deceased went to swim in the pond at about 5p:m., but failed to return home.

‘A search was immediately initiated by the community until the body was eventually discovered this morning,’ he said.

The Jigawa NSCDC image maker added that the body of the deceased, which showed no trace of injury, was handed over to his parents for burial.

He urged parents, guardians and community leaders to warn children and youths against unsafe swimming practices in open water bodies in order to avert future occurrences.

He assured that corps remained committed to its mandate of safeguarding lives and property across the state.

Niger State is bracing for a major disaster as four hydro-electric dams, Kainji, Jebba, Shiroro, and Zungeru have begun discharging excess water, sparking fears of catastrophic flooding across riverine communities.

The warning came from the Niger State Emergency Management Agency (NSEMA), following a notification from the dam operators and the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency.

NSEMA’s Director General, Alhaji Abdullahi Baba Arah, in a statement on Thursday, urged communities along Rivers Niger and Kaduna to move to higher ground immediately. ‘The dams are releasing thousands of gallons of water per minute, and this could cause massive overflow. People must limit activities around river banks during this peak rainy season and relocate to safer grounds already identified,’ Arah warned. He added that NiMet’s latest forecast also predicts violent windstorms at the tail end of the rainy season, cautioning residents to avoid staying under trees during downpours and keep away from weak structures.

Already, parts of Niger State are reeling from the impact of the floods. Houses, farms, roads, and bridges have been washed away, with several local government areas – including Lavun, Magama, Rafi, Kontagora, Mokwa, Lapai, Katcha, Agaie, Suleja, Shiroro, Bida, and Bosso – badly affected.

NSEMA confirmed that lives have been lost in the disaster, though it did not disclose figures. Many families have also been displaced, while socio-economic activities in the affected communities have been paralysed.

‘This is beyond normal flooding. If people ignore the warnings, the consequences will be tragic,’ Arah said.

Galatasaray head coach, Okan Buruk, has shed light on why Nigerian striker Victor Osimhen was taken off during Tuesday night’s UEFA Champions League encounter against Liverpool in Instabul.

The Super Eagles forward was once again the hero for the Turkish giants as he netted the decisive goal in their narrow 1-0 triumph at RAMS Park. Osimhen, who has quickly become a fan favorite in Istanbul, showed his composure from the penalty spot in the 16th minute, calmly slotting home after Kerem Yilmaz was brought down in the box by Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai. The goal eventually proved enough to hand Galatasaray all three points against Arne Slot’s men.

However, Osimhen’s substitution later in the match raised eyebrows among fans and sparked fears of yet another injury setback for the powerful forward, who has had his fair share of fitness troubles in recent years.

He was replaced by Argentine striker Mauro Icardi with 19 minutes left on the clock. Coach Buruk was quick to allay those fears, explaining that the change was purely precautionary.

According to him, Osimhen was not injured but was only suffering from fatigue.

‘Osimhen was feeling tired and had a cramp in his foot, but we don’t think it’s anything serious,’ Buruk told the club’s official website. ‘There’s no negative information coming in at this time, so we expect him to be fine.’

The 26-year-old forward, whose energy and movement troubled Liverpool’s defense all night, was later named Man of the Match for his outstanding performance.

His decisive strike not only lifted Galatasaray’s Champions League hopes but also reaffirmed his status as one of the most lethal strikers in Europe.

For Galatasaray supporters, Buruk’s words will come as a huge relief, ensuring that their star man remains available for the crucial fixtures ahead in both domestic and European competitions.

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed filed to challenge the state of emergency declared for Rivers State on 18 March 2025, by President Bola Tinubu.

Presiding Judge, Justice James Omotosho, while delivering his verdict in the case brought by Belema Briggs and four others, said the plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to initiate the case.

Following a prolonged political tension in Rivers, Tinubu had declared emergency rule in Rivers State, citing a potential breakdown of law and order. The declaration entailed the suspension of the state governor, Siminalayi Fubara; his deputy, Ngozi Odu; and all members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for six months. In their place, the president appointed a sole administrator to oversee the state’s governance during the emergency period.

Displeased with the move, the plaintiffs approached the court seeking to overturn the declaration and restore the suspended officials. However, the court held that none of the claimants had the legal authority to file the suit, noting that they did not represent any state institution or hold any office that would grant them such powers. But Justice Omotosho stated that the plaintiffs failed to contest the president’s rationale for imposing emergency rule, which was to avert an impending breakdown of law and order. He noted that the relevant provisions of the law were properly invoked by the president, and that no breach of fundamental rights could be established under the circumstances.

He further dismissed the claim that the lawsuit was brought on behalf of the people of Rivers State, stating that there was no evidence that the plaintiffs had obtained the mandate of the people, nor had they secured authorisation from the Attorney General of the state.

Describing the suit as ‘frivolous and baseless,’ the judge said none of the plaintiffs had suffered any special harm or injury beyond what might affect the general population of Rivers State.

Tinubu officially ended the emergency rule on 18 September 2025. In a speech, he revealed that over 40 legal challenges had been lodged in relation to the declaration, including a high-profile suit by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party currently pending before the Supreme Court.